Penn State wrestling is already set to be represented by Luke Lilledahl and Mitchell Mesenbrink at Final X. The June event will feature 20 men’s and women’s freestyle matches to determine the 2025 U.S. Senior team, which will compete at the World Championship later this year. Before that, the U.S. World Team Trials will be held this Friday and Saturday in Louisville. That’s where PSU and Nittany Lion Wrestling Club connections can punch their ticket to join Lilledahl and Mesenbrink, and Kyle Snyder in New Jersey. And, one national writer thinks that more than a few will.

Writing for FLO Wrestling, Jon Kozak predicts three Penn State connections will take first this weekend. He projects that senior Levi Haines will win the 79 kilogram (174.1 pounds) bracket while redshirt sophomore Josh Barr claims the 92 kilogram (202.8 pounds) division. He picked the Nittany Lion to do so before Jacob Cardenas dropped from the bracket. Now, Barr might be an even bigger favorite. And, beyond current members of Cael Sanderson’s team, Kozak also has NLWC member and two-time Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Dake taking the 86 kilogram (189.5 pounds) title.

Learn more about the Penn State wrestling connections competing at the U.S. World Team Trials by watching the latest BWI wrestling show below!

“The 79 kg bracket at the WTT is essentially a smaller version of the 79 kg bracket from the US Open,” Kozak writes. “In Vegas, DJ Hamiti finished as the runner-up with a tech fall over Kennedy Monday while losing to Evan Wick in the finals 9-1. Simon Ruiz finished in third place at the US Open, also only losing to Evan Wick (9-5) but defeating Carson Kharchla (twice, 3-2 and 7-7) and Muhamed McBryde (6-4). From these results, Hamiti should be considered a slight favorite, but Ruiz and Kharchla are interesting challengers capable of making a run to the finals.

“Levi Haines is the only wrestler in this bracket who didn’t wrestle at the US Open. While Haines lost to Hamiti at the NCAA Tournament, Haines is capable of winning this bracket in Louisville. Haines hasn’t competed much in freestyle, but he notably finished 4th at the 2024 World Team Trials at 79 kg. There, Haines lost to Jordan Burroughs and David Carr but defeated US Open winner Evan Wick (by pin) and Keegan O’Toole (6-0). Haines’ wrestling translates well to freestyle, and he has incredible potential to win in Louisville and at Final X.”

The action begins 10 a.m. ET on Friday with preliminary round action. The first session closes by 2:30 p.m. ET following the quarterfinal round. The semifinals and consolation bracket action run 4-7:30 p.m. ET on Friday. And, the finals are at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday. FLO is streaming the event. Here’s the list of Penn State connections:

Penn State signee Marcus Blaze and program alum Beau Bartlett – 65 kilograms (143.3 pounds)

Nittany Lion signee PJ Duke – 70 kilograms (154.3 pounds)

Penn State senior Levi Haines – 79 kilograms (174.1 pounds)

Nittany Lion alum Carter Starocci and NLWC member Kyle Dake- 86 kilograms (189.5 pounds)

Penn State redshirt sophomore Josh Barr – 92 kilograms (202.8 pounds)

Cicero-North Syracuse (N.Y.) made a huge jump in this week’s USA Lacrosse Public High School Girls’ National Top 25, inheriting the No. 7 spot previously held by Victor (N.Y.), whom the Northstars defeated 14-10. They also dealt Fayetteville-Manlius (N.Y.) a five-goal loss for their 10th straight win.

No. 1 Manchester Valley (Md.) continues to bulldoze opponents. The Mavericks are into the Class 2A semifinals after outscoring their first three playoff foes, 58-7.

No. 2 Nyack (N.Y.) also remained unbeaten. The Red Hawks nearly doubled up a good Wilton (Conn.) team 15-8 last week.

No. 3 Chatham (N.J.) and No. 6 Summit (N.J.) each captured their respective county tournament titles in the Garden State.

No. 12 Cambridge (Ga.) plays for the Division I championship and No. 13 Milton (Ga.) plays for the Division 2 championship Saturday as they look to finish their season with long winning streaks.

No. 17 Coronado (Calif.) tries to wrap up an unbeaten season with a CIF San Diego Section title after winning its semifinal 18-5. The Islanders face Cathedral Catholic (Calif.), a team that they beat twice before, by one goal on April 10 and by four goals on April 29.

Pennsylvania teams are just getting into their district playoffs. No. 8 Cape Henlopen (Del.) opens its state tournament this week. New York teams wrap up their regular seasons this week while New Jersey teams have almost two weeks left in their regular seasons.

The USA Lacrosse Public High School Girls’ National Top 25 and Regional Top 10 lists can also be found here in our rankings hub. Scroll below for this week’s rankings, with each team’s previous ranking denoted in parenthesis.

Compiled by USA Lacrosse writers with input from coaches around the country, these rankings will be updated weekly on Thursdays.

National Top 25

1. Manchester Valley (Md.), 17-0 (1) 
2. Nyack (N.Y.), 16-0 (2) 
3. Chatham (N.J.), 14-1 (3) 
4. Darien (Conn.), 13-2 (4) 
5. Bayport-Blue Point (N.Y.), 14-1 (5) 
6. Summit (N.J.), 11-4 (6) 
7. Cicero-North Syracuse (N.Y.), 14-1 (22)  
8. Cape Henlopen (Del.), 14-0-1 (8) 
9. Broadneck (Md.), 12-3 (9) 
10. Severna Park (Md.), 17-2 (10) 
11. Moorestown (N.J.), 15-1 (11) 
12. Cambridge (Ga.), 18-2 (12)  
13. Milton (Ga.), 19-2 (13) 
14. Springfield-Delco (Pa.), 17-1 (14)
15. West Islip (N.Y.), 13-2 (15)
16. Smithtown West (N.Y.), 12-2 (16) 
17. Coronado (Calif.), 18-0 (17) 
18. Garden City (N.Y.), 14-2 (18) 
19. Sayville (N.Y.), 12-3 (19) 
20. Downingtown West (Pa.), 15-3 (20) 
21. Victor (N.Y.), 10-2 (7)
22. Westhampton (N.Y.), 12-3 (21) 
23. Radnor (Pa.), 14-3 (23)
24. Haddonfield (N.J.), 14-2 (24)
25. Glenelg High (Md.), 16-3 (25)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Anderson (Texas), Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.), Conestoga (Pa.), Garnet Valley (Pa.), Huntington (N.Y.), Lake Mary (Fla.), Manhasset (N.Y.), Manheim Township (Pa.), Marriott’s Ridge (Md.), Mira Costa (Calif.), New Canaan (Conn.), New Trier (Ill.), Olentangy Liberty (Ohio), Plant (Fla.), Pleasant Valley (Pa.), Queen Anne’s County (Md.), Radnor (Pa.), Rocky Point (N.Y.), San Ramon Valley (Calif.), South River (Md.), South Side (N.Y.), Upper Arlington (Ohio), Walpole (Mass.), West Chester Henderson (Pa.), Westfield (N.J.), Wilton (Conn.), Wyomissing Area (Pa.), Yorktown (Va.)

Taj Falconer

Special to the Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Highlights of Day 2 the PIAA and District XI AA and AAA Championship at Whitehall High School on May 15, 2025.

Taj Falconer, Special To The Pocono Record

Sinton wins thriller over Geronimo Navarro; London dominates Goliad; Falfurrias falls to Hallettsville.

In the education landscape, the tension between parental rights and school curricula has become a contentious battlefield. It is essential to recognize that parents are their children’s primary educators. When they send their children to school — public or private — they do not surrender their rights or responsibilities. Yet, the education establishment has been increasingly encroaching on this vital paradigm.

A case recently argued before the Supreme Court regarding Maryland parents’ rights to opt out of lessons that infringe upon their religious beliefs epitomizes this growing conflict. This is not about retreating from progressive educational mandates; it is fundamentally a defense of First Amendment rights, a defense of parents’ rights to be parents.

At the center of this controversy are the parents from Montgomery County, who assert a fundamental principle: the right to shield their children from exposure to sexual content that is inappropriate for their age while also steering their moral and ethical upbringing in alignment with their faith.

When the local school board decided to introduce a curriculum infused with LGBTQ+ themes — often embracing controversial discussions of human sexuality and gender identity — without regard for age appropriateness, and, crucially, without permitting parents the option to withdraw their children, it raised profound questions about the role of public education in a democratic society. In their quest for inclusivity, these educators have overlooked an essential truth: promoting inclusivity should never infringe upon parental rights and the deeply held convictions that guide their families.

This matter goes beyond mere exposure — it veers into indoctrination when children are repeatedly confronted with concepts that clash with family values. “I don’t think anybody can read that and say: Well, this is just telling children that there are occasions when men marry other men,” said Justice Samuel Alito. “It has a clear moral message, and it may be a good message. It’s just a message that a lot of religious people disagree with.”

Justice Amy Coney Barrett raised a crucial point, noting it is one thing to expose students to diverse ideas; it is quite another to present certain viewpoints as indisputable truths. By framing an ideology with the certainty of “this is the right view of the world,” educators risk indoctrination rather than enlightenment. This distinction is not merely academic but speaks to the essence of cultivating a truly informed citizenry.

Justice Elena Kagan expressed concern regarding the exposure of young children to certain materials in Montgomery County. “I, too, was struck by these young kids’ picture books and, on matters concerning sexuality, I suspect there are a lot of non-religious parents who weren’t all that thrilled about this,” she said.

Chief Justice John Roberts aptly questioned the practicality of expecting young children to compartmentalize their beliefs in the classroom. It is unreasonable to expect 5-year-olds, still forming their worldviews, to reconcile lessons that conflict fundamentally with the teachings they receive at home.

What lies at the heart of these debates is a moral disconnect between the values held by many Americans and those promoted by the educational establishment. While the majority rightly argue that material containing controversial sexual content should have no place in our children’s classrooms, the education establishment continues to tout the necessity of exposing children to such content under the guise of inclusivity. This disregards the legitimate values held by the wider community.

Highlighted in this case is a crucial truth: parents must resolutely maintain their right to direct their children’s education according to their values. This struggle is not simply a skirmish; it reflects a broader movement aimed at reshaping education by privileging a state-sanctioned narrative while marginalizing dissenting voices.

We must assert, without hesitation, that parents are — and must remain — the primary educators of their children. When parents enroll a child in a school, whether public or private, it should not be interpreted as a relinquishment of parental authority or the moral guidance essential to their upbringing. We must stand firm in defending parental rights against the encroaching ideologies of the education establishment.