ST. PAUL – Top-seeded Jackson County Central opens the Class 1A team wrestling tournament at 11 a.m. Thursday at Xcel Energy Center against unseeded Maple River/United South Central.
The Section 3A champion Huskies have a record of 21-3, while the Section 2A champion Eagles are 23-4.
The teams did not meet in a dual during the regular season, but the Eagles were in Jackson for the Pizza Ranch Invitational in December. JCC was first with 214 points, Royalton/Upsala was second with 171 and Maple River/USC third with 150.
The Huskies have nine rated individuals and 13 state qualifiers, while the Eagles have four ranked wrestlers and seven qualifiers.
Jackson County Central has two wrestlers ranked number one, sophomore Nolan Ambrose (113) and senior Payton Handevidt (160).
Senior Kie Anderson (120) is rated second. Juniors Logan Butzon (132) and Caleb Vancura (182) are both ranked third.
Senior Will Freking (195) is fourth and junior Thomas Freking (138) fifth. Two other Huskies are rated eighth, junior Matthew Haley (170) and junior Cameron Scholten (285).
Other state qualifiers for the Huskies are eighth-grader Isaac Rodriguez (106), junior Landon Andrews (126), junior Dylan Withers (145) and junior Isaiah Rodriguez (152).
For the Eagles, senior Boden Simon is rated second at 132, senior Ethan Evenson is ranked 10th at 152 and qualified for state at 145, junior Cooper Ochsendorf is rated third at 160 and senior Thayne Decker third at 220.
Other state qualifiers for Maple River/USC are freshman Wyatt Walters (106), sophomore Braxton Simon (120), junior Ethan Elvebak (126) and senior Konner Harpestad (152).
JCC then wrestles either Kimball Area or West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville at 1 p.m.
This is the 16th trip to a state tournament for a wrestling team from Jackson County.
Heron Lake-Okabena-Lakefield made one trip, HLOL/Jackson two and this is the 13th for Jackson County Central.
Quarterfinal pairings
All matches at 11 a.m.
Jackson County Central (21-3) vs. Maple River/United South Central (23-4)
Kimball (20-6) vs. West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville (23-4)
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (19-1) vs. Dover-Eyota (18-8)
Royalton/Upsala (23-1) vs. United North Central (18-5)
State tournament history
State team tournament results for wrestling teams from Jackson County.
1993: Heron Lake-Okabena-Lakefield (Class A 3rd)
Quarterfinals: HLOL 36, Greenbush-Middle River 13
Semifinals: Hayfield 34, HLOL 20
Third place: HLOL 42, Wheaton 22
1996: HLOL/Jackson (Class A 4th)
Quarterfinals: HLOL/Jackson 32, Paynesville 28
Semifinals: West Central 31, HLOL/Jackson 20
Third place: Foley 42, HLOL/Jackson 11
1997: HLOL/Jackson (Class A 6th)
Quarterfinals: St. Michael-Albertville 31, HLOL/Jackson 21
Consolation semifinals: HLOL/Jackson 29, Milaca/Faith Christian 22
Consolation championship: Paynesvillle 31, HLOL/Jackson 21
1998: Jackson County Central (Class AA 2nd)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 32, Foley 21
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 42, Blue Earth Area 15
Championship: Dassel-Cokato 27, Jackson County Central 23
2000: Jackson County Central (Class AA 1st)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 31, Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena 19
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 37, Scott West 19
Championship: Jackson County Central 26, St. Michael-Albertville 19
2007: Jackson County Central (Class AA 5th)
Quarterfinals: Perham 34, Jackson County Central 33
Consolation semifinals: Jackson County Central 30, Thief River Falls/Goodrige 24
Consolation championship: Jackson County Central 40, Big Lake 16
2008: Jackson County Central (A 1st)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 45, Kenyon-Wanamingo 25
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 40, Frazee 22
Championship: Jackson County Central 42, Canby 10
2010: Jackson County Central (A 1st)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 49, Border West 22
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 28, Minneota 26
Championship: Jackson County Central 32, Frazee 23
2011: Jackson County Central (A 1st)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 59, Pierz 16
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 34, Minneota 25
Championship: Jackson County Central 28, Frazee 28 (tie)
2012: Jackson County Central (A 1st)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 52, Pierz 15
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 40, Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 25
Championship: Jackson County Central 35, Kimball Area 28
2013: Jackson County Central (A 1st)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 43, Barnesville 19
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 39, Chatfield 25
Championship: Jackson County Central 38, Frazee 22
2014: Jackson County Central (A 3rd)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 31, Minneota 25
Semifinals: Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 38, Jackson County Central 25
Third place: Jackson County Central 33, Frazee 32
2015: Jackson County Central (A 3rd)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 35, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 34
Semifinals: Minneota 49, Jackson County Central 23
Third place: Jackson County Central 40, Frazee 31
2021: Jackson County Central (A 3rd)
State preliminaries: Jackson County Central 45, Kenyon-Wanamingo 30
Semifinals: Bertha-Hewitt-Verndale/Parkers Prairie 37, Jackson County Central 36
Third place: No match