The Louisiana Classic high school wrestling tournament begins at 3 p.m. Friday, and Catholic-Baton Rouge Coach Tommy Prochaska expects the event's largest showing in recent years.

Fifty-five schools, including a few from out of state, will participate in the two-day competition at Ketcham Fitness Center in Baton Rouge.

The bulk of the wrestlers come from within Louisiana, though, with most, if not all, of Baton Rouge's and New Orleans' perennial powers in attendance.

"Brother Martin, Jesuit, Rummel, St. Paul's, Holy Cross," Prochaska began to list. "Grace King's coming this year. Fontainebleau. Most of the New Orleans schools will be there. Some will be at John Curtis because they've got something going on there.

"All the Lafayette schools — Teurlings, Comeaux — and Parkway High School out of Shreveport and C.E. Byrd are coming from north Louisiana. Hoover from Alabama and two schools from Mississippi."

Catholic, Brusly and Live Oak will lead a local group that includes "all the Baton Rouge schools minus maybe two."

Friday will include the first three rounds of the championship bracket and first round of consolation.

The action will resume at 9 a.m. Saturday with the second round of consolation.

Semifinals will begin at 10:30 a.m., with the finals starting at 4 p.m.