The best Class 1A wrestling this side of Champaign will take to the mats of Prouty Gym for the 62nd annual Lyle King Princeton Invitational wrestling tournament this weekend.

First matches for the PIT will start at 4:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday, with the finals slated for 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Last year, the PIT had 98 state qualifiers, 39 state-place winners, and seven state champions compete in the tournament. Tigers coach Steve Amy said this year’s tournament promises to have the same caliber of mat talent.

“We will have 34 teams this year, and it is the toughest Class 1A tournament in the state,” Amy said. “This year we are looking at a possible 68 returning state qualifiers, 28 returning state-placers, and two returning state champions (Max Philpot of Vandalia and Dean Wainwright of Riverdale).”

The Tigers sent five wrestlers to the semifinals last year, tying for fifth place. Three of those medalists return: sophomore Kane Dauber, who placed third at 132, and seniors Casey Etheridge, who placed fourth at 165, and Augustus Swanson, who was sixth at 120.

Etheridge (23-4) remains at 165 this year while Swanson (23-1) is wrestling down a weight class at 113 and Kane Dauber (20-2) a class up at 138.

Other Tigers taking the mats this weekend are Brady Peach (19-7) at 106, Allister Swanson (13-10) at 120, Jaydon Cooke (8-5) at 126, Corbin Brown (20-6) at 132, Joel Odell (9-16) at 144, Landyn Kendall (6-14) at 175, Eli Berlin (21-5) at 190 and Rhett Pearson (9-12) at 215.

Along with Princeton, other area schools competing are Dixon, IVC, Newman, Riverdale, Rock Falls and Rockridge.

Other teams entered are Alleman, Auburn, Byron, Clifton Central, Clinton, Coal City, Dakota, Fithian Oakwood, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, Illini Bluffs, LeRoy, Litchfield, Manteno, Mercer County, Monticello, Mt. Zion, Olympia, Orion, Pittsfield, PORTA, Reed Custer, Richmond-Burton, Roxana, Tremont, Vandalia, Warrensburg-Latham and Wilmington.

Vandalia is the defending champion, edging Coal City 279.5 to 272 for the title.

The PIT is named after the late Princeton athletic director and coach Lyle King.