Andy Schlosser is right where he wants to be.
The Brainerd Warriors sophomore advanced to the 120-pound semifinals during Friday's opening rounds of the Class 3A individual state wrestling tournament at Xcel Energy Center.
Schlosser opened with a 9-5 decision over Eden Prairie's J.J Veytia. Class 3A's fourth-ranked wrestler then pinned Noah Buck of Rosemount in 3:53 to advance to the championship semifinals.
"Andy has looked good in his first two matches,' said Warrior co-head coach Jim Kath. "He had a real good match in his quarterfinals today and beat a decent kid. He's looked very good. He's had a lot of time on the mat and spent a lot of time wrestling in front of people so I don't think he's been effected by the venue or anything."
Schlosser will face Class 3A's third-ranked 120-pounder Jamin LeDuc of Farmington. The junior opened with a pin and then decisioned seventh-ranked Tanner Day of Mounds View 6-2. LeDuc will enter Saturday with a 38-3 record. Schlosser is 40-2.
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"He's a tough kid from Farmington," Kath said. "We've never wrestled him, but we do have some common opponents. It should be a real good match to watch, but definitely a match he has a good chance to win.
"Andy is just an aggressive, super athletic kid and he creates opportunities to score. He was down in his quarterfinal match 2-0 after the first period. We chose down in the second period and he was able to get a reversal and tilted him for a near fall. Then he put the kid on his back and got the pin. He's just an explosive kid and he can score a lot of points fast."
It was a short first state tournament for Brainerd's Braden Kramer. The Warrior eighth-grader suffered an opening round pin by eighth-ranked Patrick McKee. McKee then lost in the quarterfinals to eliminate Kramer.
"For an eighth grade kid to get down here is a great accomplishment," said Kath. "He lost to a real solid kid from St. Michael. He wrestled aggressively through the whole match. He would have liked to have had another match and continue to wrestle, but single elimination you put your fate into another person's hands.
"He's had a real great season."
Logan Kapphahn of Little Falls lost his opening round match, but survived wrestlebacks with a 3-2 victory over Lee Schmalz of Mound Westonka.
In the Class 2A opening round, Nick Gravdahl (Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus) scored a 4-2 overtime decision over Milaca's Aaron Moscho.
Class 2A's third-ranked Gravdahl then dispatched Orono's Bobby Striggow 5-1 in the quarterfinals to advance to Saturday's semifinal round. He will face No. 2 ranked Nick Green of Waconia
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The victories pushed Gravdahl, a senior, to 39-3 on the season.
Class 3A
Opening round
106: Patrick McKee (St. Michael-Albertville) pinned Braden Kramer (Brainerd) 5:47
120: Andy Schlosser (Brainerd) dec. J.J. Veytia (Eden Prairie) 9-5
126: Tyler Shilson (Centennial) pinned Logan Kapphahn (Little Falls) 3:25
145: Ben Donnelly (Woodbury) maj. dec. Josh Beack (Little Falls) 15-1
152: Brady Nelson (Rochester Mayo) tech. fall Axel Lange (Little Falls) 5:23
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Quarterfinals
120: Schlosser (Brd) pinned Noah Buck (Rosemount) 3:53
Wrestlebacks
126: Kapphahn (LF) dec. Lee Schmalz (Mound Westonka) 3-2; Kapphahn vs. Wade Sullivan (Lakeville North)
145: Estervan Navarro (Willmar) maj. dec. Beack (LF) 11-2
152:Justin Burg (Tartan) inj. default Lange (LF)
Saturday's semifinals
120: Schlosser (Brd) vs. Jamin LeDuc (Farmington)
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Saturday's Wrestlebacks
126: Kapphahn (LF) vs. Wade Sullivan (Lakeville North)
Class 2A
Opening round
145: Rudy DeLao (Simley) dec. Nate Adkins (Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus) 5-2
152: Brady Goblirsch (Redwood/River Valley) dec. Dillon Nichols (Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus) 6-1
160: Nick Gravdahl (Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus) dec. Aaron Moscho (Milaca) 4-2 OT
182: Spencer Elwell (Foley) pinned Joe Harrison (Pequot Lakes/PIne River-Backus) 2:54
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Quarterfinals
160: Gravdahl (PLPRB) dec. Bobby Striggow (Orono) 5-1
Saturday's semifinals
160: Gravdahl (PLPRB) vs. Nick Green (Waconia)
JEREMY MILLSOP may be reached at 855-5856 or jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com . Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jeremymillsop .
