this page was last updated on August 9, 2025
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Tournament Formats for Team Duals
Events typically held on Saturdays but could also be held once during the week at night
Dual events could be one or two days.
VHSL only allows wrestlers to get 6 matches per day, therefore, some teams will bring more than one person for a weight class.
Typically, dual events are only 5 rounds per day anyway with each round being 90 minutes long.
Most of the time each team faces every other team. If there are many teams, then typically there are several "pools" whereby the better teams face one another the next day. In other words, they try to pair "like" teams together later in the tournament.
Each round starts at the lowest weight class then proceeds to the next higher one after each match.
Team members sit next to each other or close by.
Wrestlers must be ready and report to the score table immediately when it is their turn (otherwise the team loses a point).
Tournament Formats for Open Individual Style Bracket Events
Events typically held on Saturdays
The brackets are explained below.
If 16 teams attend, the event will typically use 16-man brackets.
Wrestlers could be assigned any mat for any match and then be assigned another mat later in the event.
Coaches and managers typically watch for mat assignments.
Matches are tracked on a phone-app called "TrackWrestling" or "TrackWrestling Mobile"
Typically, the lower weight classes go first.
Wrestlers must be ready and report to the score table immediately when it is their turn (otherwise they forfeit).
For an 8-man bracket, if a winner keeps going they would have 3 matches, however, if there is one loss and you make it to the 3rd place match then you would have 4 total matches for the day.
VHSL changed the rule in season 2024-25 to have 30 minute rest periods between matches for each wrestler. In other words, wrestlers cannot wrestle another match until they had 30 minutes of rest.
VHSL also allows wrestlers to have six matches max per day, or ten matches over a 2-day tournament.
Championship matches are often held under the light one match at a time!
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