Jackson County Central will wrestle Liberty High School of Peoria, Ariz. in its first match at The Clash XXI at 9 a.m. Friday at La Crosse Center in La Crosse.
A total of 32 teams are entered in the tournament. The teams are split into four eight-team brackets for Friday with all teams wrestling three matches as they compete for places 1-8.
That divides the teams into eight divisions of four teams for Saturday where they’ll wrestle using a round-robin format.
The Huskies, who have won two straight state Class 1A titles, have a 4-0 dual meet record.
The Lions finished in the Division I (of four) state tournament in Arizona last year. Liberty won state titles in 2016, 2019 and 2020.
JCC defeated Liberty 38-22 in the 2021 Clash. The Huskies are wrestling in the tourney for the seventh time in its 20-year history.
Jackson County Central had its best-ever finish in the tournament in 2022 when the Huskies placed fourth overall.
Weights
The tournament will use the Minnesota interpretation of National Federation of State High School Associations rules, so 13 weight classes will be used.
The starting weight for each round will be drawn. The draw will be held at the coaches’ banquet on Thursday.
Each successive round will start at one weight class higher.
For example, if 160 pounds is drawn for the first round, second-round matches would start at 172. That format continues for the six rounds of the tournament.
Day One pairings
Here are the qualifying brackets on Friday. Teams are from Minnesota unless otherwise indicated.
Bracket A
9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m.
St. Michael-Albertville vs. Loyola Academy, Ill.
Menomonie, Wis. vs. Kenyon-Wanamingo
Prairie du Chien, Wis. vs. Rochester Mayo
Caledonia/Houston vs. Staley, Mo.
Bracket B
9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m.
Washington, Ill. vs. Bemidji
Muskego, Wis. vs. Park Hill, Mo.
Jackson County Central vs. Liberty, Ariz.
Holmen, Wis. vs. Zumbrota-Mazeppa
Bracket C
4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m.
St. Pius X, Mo. vs. Hastings
Hersey, Ill. vs. Hastings
La Crosse Aquinas, Wis. vs. Apple Valley
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau/Melrose-Mindoro, Wis. vs. Vacaville, Calif.
Bracket D
4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m.
Bettendorf, Iowa has bye
Xavier, CT vs. Stillwater
Shakopee vs. Glenbard North, Ill.
Marshfield, Wis. vs. Chatfield
Jackson County Central's placings in The Clash:
Clash V: Division 6 (1st) Cole Von Ohlen (125) and Travis Rutt (160) were named to the all-tournament team.
Clash VI: Division 2 (3rd) Cole Von Ohlen (130) and Travis Rutt (171) were named to the all-tournament team.
Clash XII: Division 5 (2nd) Luke Norland was a scholar-athlete winner.
Clash XIII: Division 6 (2nd) Luke Norland was a scholar-athlete winner.
Clash XIX: Division 1 (4th): Nolan Ambrose (113) and Caleb Vancura (182) were named to the all-tournament team.
Clash XX: Division 2 (4th): Kayden Eller (106) was undefeated.