Albert Lea wrestlers started the day strong with its first four wrestlers advancing to the second round.

Five wrestlers are assured their spot for Thursday’s quarterfinals while five other Tiger wrestlers will have to hold their breath and see if their first round opponent wins their next match. If their opponent wins, then they advance to the wrestleback round on Thursday.

“I guess with our draws, everything went as I expected,” Albert Lea head coach Larry Goodnature said.

It’s unusual this year for the wrestlers not to know if they will still be in the tournament, because the first two rounds were normally wrestled in the first day in the past.

“We’re pulling for those guys that got beat,” Goodnature said.

Freshman Trey Hable, ranked No. 9, started the day at 103 with a technical fall over Zach Gawboy, of Maple Grove, in 5 minutes, 38 seconds. Hable worked quickly, jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first period. In the second period he earned six more points and four more in the third for the technical fall victory.

Hable will face Sam Brancale, of Eden Prairie in the second round. Brancale defeated Tartan’s T.J. O’Hara in the first round 11-2.

Cory Hansen, ranked No. 3, followed Hable at 112 with a 15-2 major decision against Wayzata’s Weston Droegemueller in the first round, dominating from the start. Hansen moves on to face Chaska’s R.J. Hallman Thursday in the championship quarterfinals beginning at 4 p.m.

“He’s got a good chance to get to the semis,” Goodnature said.

Dalton Westerlund had an easy time with Tartan’s Michael Buhl as he picked up an 11-1 major decision against Buhl.

Westerlund’s next opponent is No. 3-ranked Ali Mohammed, of Burnsville. Mohammed carries a record of 34-3 into the quarterfinal matchup.

Cody Hansen will get another shot at Trent Herold Thursday in the championship quarterfinals. Hansen controlled his opponent No. 7-ranked Matt Sanocki, of Roseville, in the first round in an 11-4 decision.

Herold, of St. Francis, won 8-2 against Brandon Bigelbach.

Hansen and Herold met at the Champlin Park Rebel Duals with Herold picking up a 3-2 decision with a reversal near the end of the match.

“It was a heck of a match,” Goodnature said. “I’m hoping we can turn that around.”

Hansen said he is looking forward to a second chance against Herold.

“I’m very excited to go against him again,” Hansen said. “I just have to stay in good position all the time.”

The Tigers weren’t as fortunate in the next five weight classes as they dropped the next five before Ethan Reed earned a victory by fall against St. Francis’ Cody Raze.

Reed came out strong and scored a first period takedown against Raze and a reversal in the second period before putting him away at 3:16 in the second.

The five wrestlers who have to wait and find out their fate Thursday are Trevor Rasmussen, Carter Kortan, Adam Kermes, Logan Kortan and Matt Tiegs.

Wayzata’s Ben Dunlay pinned Rasmussen at 130 pounds in 3:45. Rasmussen, who placed sixth last season at the state meet, will need some help from Dunlay in the quarterfinals. If Dunlay wins his next match, Rasmussen will go to the wrestleback round.

Kortan had a tough matchup with Hastings’ Zach Rohr, who is ranked No. 3 at 130 pounds, but Kortan kept it close throughout, but fell 6-1 to Rohr. Rohr is likely to win his next match and Kortan may find himself in the wrestlebacks.

Kermes took on another Rohr, Wednesday, as he locked up with Tyler Rohr at 145. Rohr was in control throughout and Kermes was only able to score on an escape twice in a 7-2 loss.

Logan Kortan, ranked No. 4, was matched up with Zak Coates, of Henry Sibley, at 160 pounds. Kortan struck quickly for a takedown in the first period, but Coates, the No. 2 wrestler at 160, responded, putting Kortan on his back and picking up back points four different times en route to a 19-3 technical fall.

Coates is matched up with the No. 3 ranked wrestler at 160 in Colton Gleason, of Minnetonka, in the second round. Kortan will need Coates to win against Gleason in order to stay alive.

Tiegs faced Apple Valley’s Tyler Lehmann, a returning champion who entered the tournament with an unblemished 42-0 record and a No. 1 ranking. Lehmann didn’t waste any time in dispensing Tiegs with a pin in 0:43.

Tiegs is likely to make his way to the wrestlebacks as Lehmann is heavily favored to move his way through the tournament.