ST. PAUL – Top-seeded Jackson County Central got challenged for the first time in a while in the semifinals of the state Class 1A wrestling tournament at Excel Energy Center but the Huskies answered the call.
The Huskies had opened the tournament with a 52-9 win over Maple River/United South Central.
In the semifinals the Huskies led West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville 23-21 through the 170-pound match before winning three of the last four matches with each of those wins coming by pin.
That put Jackson County Central in the finals vs. third-seeded Royalton/Upsala and the Huskies won nine matches in claiming the dual 45-23.
Seven of JCC’s wrestlers were 3-0 on the day, two were 2-1 and three were 1-2.
Going 3-0 were Nolan Ambrose, Kie Anderson, Logan Butzon, Thomas Freking, Payton Handevidt, Caleb Vancura and Will Freking.
Compiling 2-1 records were Isaac Rodriguez and Cameron Scholten. Going 1-2 were Landon Andrews, Dylan Withers and Matthew Haley.
Isaiah Rodriguez and Trace Michelson were both 0-3, with both facing three individual state qualifiers.
Michelson faced the third-, fourth- and fifth-ranked wrestlers and Rodriguez, who is a state qualifier himself, had opponents rated third and ninth.
Jackson County Central finishes its season with a 24-3 record. The Huskies ended the season on an 18-match winning streak after losing three straight duals in the top bracket on the second day of The Clash Duals in LaCrosse.
It’s the eighth state wrestling title in school history.
JCC won Class AA state titles in 1999 and 2000.
The school then moved to Class A and won the state title in 2008 before winning four in a row from 2010-2013.
Class 1A team tournament
Quarterfinals
Jackson County Central 52, Maple River/United South Central 9
West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville 34, Kimball Area 33
Dover-Eyota 30, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 26
Royalton/Upsala 49, United North Central 16
Semifinals
Jackson County Central 41, West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville 27
Royalton/Upsala 34, Dover-Eyota 33
Consolation semifinals
Kimball Area 39, Maple River/United South Central 23
United North Central 34, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 30
Championship
Jackson County Central 45, Royalton/Upsala 23
Third place
West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville 35, Dover-Eyota 31
Consolation championship
Kimball Area 41, United North Central 24
Jackson County Central 52, Maple River/United South Central 9
106 - Isaac Rodriguez (JCC) dec. Wyatt Walters (MR) 9-7
113 – No. 1 Nolan Ambrose (JCC) pinned Kolt Bullerman (MR) 0:38
120 – No. 2 Kie Anderson (JCC) pinned Braxton Simon (MR) 1:29
126 - Landon Andrews (JCC) dec. Ethan Elvebak (MR) 9-4
132 – No. 3 Logan Butzon (JCC) dec. No. 2 Boden Simon (MR) 3-2
138 – No. 5 Thomas Freking (JCC) maj. dec. Byron Getchell (MR) 8-0
145 – No. 10 (152) Ethan Evenson (MR) dec. Dylan Withers (JCC) 3-1
152 – Konner Harpestad (MR) dec. Isaiah Rodriguez (JCC) 7-6
160 – No. 1 Payton Handevidt (JCC) pinned No. 3 Cooper Ochsendorf (MR) 3:11
170 – No. 8 Matthew Haley (JCC) dec. Noah Ziegler (MR) 12-5
182 – No. 3 Caleb Vancura (JCC) pinned Laken Ivie (MR) 2:31
195 – No. 4 Will Freking (JCC) pinned Collin Van Cleave (MR) 0:39
220 – No. 3 Thayne Decker (MR) dec. Trace Michelson (JCC) 10-4
285 – No. 8 Cameron Scholten (JCC) pinned Colten Berkner (MR) 1:35
Jackson County Central 41, West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville 27
106 - Owen Gruchow (WCAABE) pinned Isaac Rodriguez (JCC) 0:45
113 – No. 1 Nolan Ambrose (JCC) pinned Carter Lohse (WCAABE) 1:16
120 – No. 2 Kie Anderson (JCC) pinned Adam Lohse (WCAABE) 1:05
126 - Mason Richter (WCAABE) pinned Landon Andrews (JCC) 1:45
132 – No. 3 Logan Butzon (JCC) dec. No. 7 Hunter Gruchow (WCAABE) 12-7
138 – No. 5 Thomas Freking (JCC) dec. Solomon Wales (WCAABE) 4-3
145 – No. 8 Reubens Swanson (WCAABE) dec. Dylan Withers (JCC) 4-2
152 – No. 9 Ashton Danner (WCAABE) dec. Isaiah Rodriguez (JCC) 16-14
160 – No. 1 Payton Handevidt (JCC) tech fall Jeremy Blascyk (WCAABE) 19-4
170 – No. 3 Anthony Sykora (WCAABE) dec. Matthew Haley (JCC) 6-1
182 – No. 3 Caleb Vancura (JCC) pinned Gavin Flint (WCAABE) 0:57
195 – No. 4 Will Freking (JCC) pinned Beau Robinson (WCAABE) 5:47
220 – No. 4 Colton Lindquist (WCAABE) pinned Trace Michelson (JCC) 3:28
285 – No. 8 Cameron Scholten (JCC) pinned Tyler Stone (WCAABE) 4:25
Jackson County Central 45, Royalton/Upsala 23
106 - Isaac Rodriguez (JCC) pinned No. 6 Tucker Simmons (RU) 5:04.
113 - No. 1 Nolan Ambrose (JCC) maj. dec. Lane Olson (RU) 14-5.
120 - No. 2 Kie Anderson (JCC) pinned Bryce Binik (RU) 1:16.
126 - No. 4 Alex Diedrich (RU) maj. dec. Landon Andrews (JCC) 15-4.
132 - No. 3 Logan Butzon (JCC) maj. dec. Will Gorecki 19-9.
138 - No. 5 Thomas Freking dec. Brock Coatnzo (RU) 9-3.
145 - Dylan Withers (JCC) maj. dec. Nicholas Leibold (RU) 11-2.
152 - No. 3 Jacob Leibold pinned Isaiah Rodriuguez (JCC) 4:19.
160 - No. 1 Payton Handevidt (JCC) pinned Jake Leners (RU) :19.
170 - No. 6 Gabe Gorecki (RU) dec. No. 8 Matthew Haley (JCC) 12-5.
182 - No. 3 Caleb Vancura (JCC) pinned Hunter Novitzki (RU) :46.
195 - No. 4 Will Freking (JCC) pinned Kaden Holm (RU) 3:50.
220 - No. 5 Bryce Holm maj. dec. Trace Michelson (JCC) 13-2.
285 - No. 3 Jeremy Mugg pinned No. 8 Cameron Scholten 3:52.
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
2022: Jackson County Central (A 1st)
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 52, Maple River/United South Central 9
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 41, West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville 27
Championship: Jackson County Central 45, Royalton/Upsala 23