Three Jackson County Central wrestlers are scheduled to participate in MN #1, an event that brings together several of the state’s top wrestlers for the upcoming season.
Returning state champions are guaranteed a spot, with top place winners filling in positions. This year there are nationally ranked wrestlers from North Dakota and Wisconsin scheduled to compete.
The event will be held Saturday, Nov. 2 at The Shop Performance Training Center in Minnetonka.
Freshman Kyler Thier is slated to face Dylan St. German of Eagan in the second of 18 matches.
Thier placed third at Class A 107 pounds in last year’s state tournament with his lone loss of the tournament coming to eventual champion Gage Bjerga of Staples-Motley in the semifinals. Thier was 38-7 last season.
Kayden Eller, also a freshman, is matched against Waconia’s Carter Katherman in the fourth match of the day.
Eller finished third at Class A 114 pounds, with his loss coming to Javier Berg of Chatfield in the semifinals. Berg is in one of the feature matches vs. Nic Enzminger of Bismarck, who is ranked No. 17 in the nation.
Eller had a 45-9 record last year.
Rodriguez will wrestle in the ninth match against Gavin Jackson of St. Michael-Albertville.
A junior, Rodriguez was third at Class A 121 pounds last year. He lost in the second round to eventual champion Zach Remer of Mille Lacs.
Rodriguez would come back to win four matches, all by falls to finish third and end the season with a 41-9 record.
The only other Big South Conference wrestler competing is Pipestone’s Miklo Hernandez, last year’s Class A 114-pond champion. He meets Anthony Heim of Shakopee.
Here’s the list of matches at MN #1 on Nov. 2. The first wrestler listed is a member of Team Red and the second is on Team Blue.
Anthony Heim (Shakopee) vs. Miklo Hernandez (Pipestone)
Kyler Thier (Jackson County Central) vs. Dylan St. German (Eagan)
Chloe Wehry (Sartell) vs. Mandrea Quinones (Apple Valley)
Kayden Eller (Jackson County Central) vs. Carter Katherman (Waconia)
Connor Peterson (Maple Grove) vs. Jonah Coleman (Kasson-Mantorville)
Ryan LaCanne (Kenyon-Wanamingo) vs. Bennett Kujawa (Becker)
Parker Zutter (Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus) vs. Reed Sommer (Kenyon-Wanamingo)
Caley Graber (Northfield) vs. Kamdyn Saulter (Rosemount)
Gavin Jackson (St. Michael-Albertville) vs. Isaac Rodriguez (Jackson County Central)
Jacob Williams (Aitkin) vs. Ben Schultz (Maple Grove)
Logan Schwanz (Hutchinson) vs. Zytavius Williams (Eden Prairie)
Colbe Tappe (Staples-Motley) vs, Nick Korman (Apple Valley)
Trey Gunderson (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) vs. Tyler Turzinski (Shaopee)
Jackson Barron (Shakopee) vs. Jarrett Wadsen (St. Michael-Albertville)
Christian Jelle (Grand Rapids) vs. Chase Mills (St. Michael-Albertville)
Jake Kos (Simley) vs. Davis Parrow (Farmington)
Javier Berg (Chatfield) vs. Nic Enzminger (Bismarck)
Jonathon Murphy (St. Michael-Albertville) vs. Max Matthias (Two Rivers, Wis.)