State individual tournament
Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul
Friday's schedule
Class 3A first round 9 a.m.
Class 1A first round 11 a.m.
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Class 2A first round 1 p.m.
3A championship quarterfinals 4:30 p.m.
1A championship quarterfinals 5:30 p.m.
2A championship quarterfinals 6:30 p.m.
Wrestlebacks in all 3 classes 7:30 p.m.
Saturday's schedule
Consolation quarterfinals all classes 9:30 a.m.
1A, 2A, 3A championship semifinals 10:45 a.m.
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1A, 2A, 3A consolation semifinals 12:45 p.m.
1A, 2A, 3A third- and fifth-place matches 4:30 p.m.
1A, 2A, 3A championship matches 7 p.m.
Brainerd's Andy Schlosser and Braden Kramer have never wrestled in the state tournament, but that won't prevent them from possibly placing in the Class 3A state tournament this weekend at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Schlosser, the Section 8-3A champion at 120 pounds, carries a 38-2 mark into Friday's opening round against Section 2 runner-up J.J. Veytia of Eden Prairie. Warriors co-head coach Mike Boran believes the fourth-ranked Schlosser is as good as any 120-pounder in the state.
"I think Andy's a good enough wrestler that he can wrestle with anybody," Boran said. "At this point, if he goes out and wrestles well, there's no limit to what he can do and he's going out with that mentality.
"Your first-round match it doesn't matter who you have. At the state tournament everybody's pretty good. I don't know much about the kid he has. Andy will just go out, get after him and get the ball rolling and we'll go from there."
Kramer, an eighth-grader, is 24-7 and the Section 8 runner-up. He meets defending state champion and eighth-ranked Patrick McKee of St. Michael-Albertville. The draw actually bodes well for Kramer because if he loses to McKee and McKee wins his quarterfinal match that puts Kramer in the wrestlebacks and in contention to place.
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"Braden's a strong wrestler. He's solid," Boran said. "(McKee is) coming out of a strong section. He will be a challenge for Braden, but Braden will go out and go after him and we'll see what happens."
Schlosser and Kramer are among 28 wrestlers from the lakes area who have qualified for state. Among that contingent, nine other lakes area individuals are ranked by The Guillotine.
The delegation includes unbeaten and top-ranked Pierz 152-pounder Kolton Eischens, who was state runner-up at 145 last year.
Dillon Card of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale is the top-ranked 220-pounder despite having wrestled just eight matches while recovering from a broken wrist that he suffered during the football season. Card finished third at 220 last year.
Additional ranked wrestlers from Pierz include Reese Kapsner, 106, 10th, and Brett Kapsner, 170, fourth.
Aitkin's Jerod Novak is ranked seventh at 145 and teammate Noah Landrus fourth at 160.
B-H/V's Anthony Kern is ranked 10th at 120 and teammate Ethan Kimber sixth at 160.
Nick Gravdahl of Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus is the only area wrestler ranked in 2A. Gravdahl, who is third at 160, has won 37 of his 40 matches.
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Class 3A opening round matches
106: Braden Kramer (Brd, 24-7) vs. Patrick McKee (StMA, 34-7)
120: Andy Schlosser (Brd, 38-2) vs. J.J. Veytia (Eden Prairie, 34-5)
126: Logan Kapphahn (LF, 27-16) vs. Tyler Shilson (Centennial, 27-16
145: Josh Beack (LF, 12-5) vs. Ben Donnelly (Woodbury, 35-7)
152: Axel Lange (LF, 28-3) vs. Brady Nelson (Rochester Mayo, 27-2)
Class 2A opening round
145: Nate Adkins (PLPRB, 23-5) vs. Rudy DeLao (Simley, 23-7)
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152: Dillon Nichols (PLPRB, 28-10) vs. Brady Goblirsch (Redwood/River Valley, 29-7)
160: Nick Gravdahl (PLPRB, 37-3) vs. Aaron Moscho (Milaca Faith Christian, 29-9)
182: Joe Harrison (PLPRB, 33-8) vs. Spencer Elwell (Foley, 37-3)
Class 1A opening round
106: Reese Kapsner (Prz, 30-9) vs. Austin DeVlaeminck (Minneota, 36-3)
113: Jake Andres (Prz, 26-12) vs. Kaden Spindler (Border West, 33-8)
120: Anthony Kern (BHV, 15-4) vs. Brendon Reiss (Minneota, 23-12)
120: Brandon Ortman (Prz, 34-2) vs. AJ Schmidt (Atwater-Cosmos-GC, 21-16)
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126: Eric Lisson (SM, 28-9) vs. Byron Byer (Frazee, 38-2)
132: Andrew Tomala (Prz, 18-14) vs. Blane Tschida (Kimball) 41-0
138: Dan Nordean (Aitkin, 27-11) vs. Carter Wright (Wadena-DC, 12-18)
145: Alex Erpelding (SM, 35-3) vs. Mike Ankeny (Blue Earth, 33-8)
145: Jerod Novak (Aitkin, 18-3) vs. Brady Mehr (Kimball, 32-8)
152: Kolton Eischens (Prz, 39-0) vs. Conner Meyer (Barnesville, 23-3)
160: Ethan Kimber (BHV) vs. Ted Androli (Kenyon-Wanamingo, 38-4)
160: Noah Landrus (Aitkin, 34-3) vs. Tanner Schreifels (Kimball, 28-6)
170: Brett Kapsner (Prz, 28-3) vs. Jesse Slater (Adrian, 35-7)
170: Holt Truax (BHV, 28-9) vs. Dalton Elliott (Lake Crystal-WM, 25-3)
195: Alan Bast (Aitkin, 35-5) vs. Jacob Blees (Chatfield, 36-4)
220: Dillon Card (BHV, 8-0) vs. Kyle Lynn (Aitkin, 29-8)
285: Austin Gall (Prz, 26-14) vs. Nate Elzen (Medford, 26-3)
MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5861. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bertsballpark .
