Four Tigers still in the hunt for state championships

Published 11:14 am Friday, March 1, 2019

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Albert Lea's Nic Cantu wrestles Hastings' Matt Myers at 120 pounds Friday morning at the state wrestling tournament. Cantu won to advance to the state quarterfinals. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Albert Lea's Cole Glazier wrestles East Ridge/Woodbury's Vito Massa at 126 pounds Friday morning at the state wrestling tournament. Glazier won to advance to the state quarterfinals. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Albert Lea's Caleb Talamantes wrestles Eden Prairie's Jahsa Rankins at 145 pounds Friday morning at the state wrestling tournament. Talamantes won to advance to the state quarterfinals. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Albert Lea's Griffin Studier wrestles Bemidji's Chance Hinrichs at 152 pounds Friday morning at the state wrestling tournament. Studier lost his match, ending his tournament run after Hinrichs went on to lose in the quarterfinals - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Albert Lea's Zach Glazier wrestles Hopkins' Deonte Bryant at 182 pounds Friday morning at the state wrestling tournament. Glazier won to advance to the state quarterfinals. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Albert Lea's Brady Nielsen wrestles Rosemount's Ezayah Oropeza at 220 pounds Friday morning at the state wrestling tournament. Nielsen lost his match, sending him to the consolation bracket. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

ST. PAUL — Six Tigers started Friday morning with aspirations of becoming a state champion at the Minnesota state wrestling tournament in St. Paul.

After the opening round, four of them were still alive, advancing to the quarterfinals of their respective weight classes.

Senior captain Nic Cantu started the day for Albert Lea at 120 pounds. The No. 2-ranked Cantu flew to a first-round victory with a pinfall in only 47 seconds. He will wrestle again Friday afternoon against No. 4 Nick Novak of New Prague.

Eighth-grader Cole Glazier continued the win streak for the Tigers, notching a pinfall victory in the second period of his match at 126 pounds. Cole Glazier, the No. 4-ranked 126-pounder, advances to the quarterfinals to match up with Bryce Dagel of Eden Prairie.

In the most exciting match of the round for the Tigers, sophomore Caleb Talamantes picked up a bigtime win with a 12-9 decision in the ultimate tie-breaker round over No. 5 Jahsa Rankins.

Trailing 9-7 with under 20 seconds remaining, Talamantes shot a successful takedown to send the match to overtime. Neither wrestler was able to score in the first overtime period, followed by each wrestler riding out their opponent in the second and third overtimes. Starting on top in the fourth overtime, Talamantes flipped Rankins to his back to pick up three points and the win. He advances to face No. 3 Nick Dunagan of Mounds View in the quarterfinals.

Sophomore Griffin Studier ran into a tough first-round opponent in No. 7 Chance Hinrichs. Studier fell to a pinfall in the second period. The loss ended Studier’s tournament run after Hinrichs went on to lose in the quarterfinals.

Senior captain and No. 1-ranked Zach Glazier made easy work of his opponent at 182 pounds. Zach Glazier won the match via a 18-3 technical fall at 4:39. He moves into the quarterfinals to match up with No. 6 Grant Litke of Little Falls.

Senior Brady Nielsen squared up with No. 1 Ezayah Oropeza in his opening match, falling to a pinfall in the first round. He will move into the consolation bracket at 220 pounds.

All wrestlers will compete again Friday afternoon — Cole and Zach Glazier, Cantu and Talamantes still with a shot at a title; and Studier and Nielsen in the consolations where they can climb as high as third place.

Check back with the Tribune for updates throughout the tournament at albertleatribune.com and follow @altribunesports on Twitter for live updates during the day.