State wrestling openers!

Four members of the B-B-E  Jaguars wrestling team advanced to the Class 1A state quarterfinals!

At 113 pounds, Blaine Fischer received a forfeit win after his opponent, No. 1-ranked and two-time defending state champion Jeron Matson of Kenyon-Wanamingo, was disqualified for breaking the MSHSL code of conduct on Wednesday night in St. Paul. Fischer advances to tonight's quarterfinal round. *Up next in the quarters: Fischer (39-13) faces sophomore Marshall Michienzi (41-8) of Deer River; Michienzi, ranked No. 9 in the February 23 Guillotine poll at 113 pounds, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 3-2 decision win over Sibley East's Derek Steele (34-17).

At 120 pounds, Canon Swanson earned a pin in the first period to advance to the state quarterfinals. Swanson won by fall (1:00) over freshmen Caden Anderson (23-8) of Fillmore Central/Lanesboro/Mabel-Canton (FCLMC). *Up next in the quarters: Swanson (45-2) faces eighth grader Jacob Leibold (30-14) of Royalton-Upsala. Leibold won his first round by a 7-2 decision against senior Landon Byer (33-14) of Frazee.

At 126 pounds, Tyler Jensen was pinned in the first period. Jensen lost by fall (1:28) to senior Cole Rasmussen (12-5) of Triton (based in Dodge Center). He will have to wait to see if Rasmussen wins in the state quarterfinals tonight. If that happens, Jensen will get a shot to advance in the wrestleback round that begins later tonight.

At 132 pounds, Tyler Bents blasted out to a 15-2 lead before advancing with a win by by fall (4:38) over junior Trever Arceneau (33-18) of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie. *Up next in the quarters: Bents (43-7) faces junior Joash Lord (30-8) of Norwood-Young America; Lord advanced to the quarterfinals with a win by a 7-4 decision over freshmen Kaden Hiemenz (34-15) of Frazee.

At 152 pounds, Adam Jaeger won by a first-period fall (1:44) over freshmen Austin Donnay (16-28) of Kimball Area to advance to the quarterfinals. *Next in the quarters: Jaeger (31-0) faces senior Adam Rients (33-9) of Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (WEM/JWP). Rients won his opening-round match by fall (5:07) over sophomore Zane Swanson (34-15) of Ottertail Central.

At 160 pounds, Isaiah Gilbert lost a 23-10 major decision to senior No. 2-ranked Jeremiah Colon (34-3) of Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial. He awaits to see if he can compete in wrestlebacks tonight.

I haven't had a chance to really assess how other wrestlers have fared from other schools. I visited briefly with head coach Brandon Gruchow of West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville, and he said that his Knights wrestlers went 4-2 in the opening round. The two losses were by very slim margins (both decisions).