ST. PAUL -- The Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena wrestling team had a perfect start to the Class A individual state tournament on Friday.
Both Donovan Schmid and Christian Pater went 2-0 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, meaning both are in the semifinals of their respective weight brackets and are two wins away from individual state titles.
In the 113-pound bracket, Schmid opened up on a roll. He defeated Wadena-Deer Creek’s Mason Brauch by fall in 1:01, and he advanced past the quarterfinals with a 6-3 decision over Minnewaska’s Chase Smith.
Schmid will next face Zach Remer of Mille Lacs in the semifinals. On the other half of the 113-pound bracket, Nolan Ambrose of Jackson County Central and Cole Sykora of Border West will clash for the other spot in the championship match.
At 138 pounds, Pater made quick work of his opponents. In the opener, he defeated Howard Lake-Waverly-Winstead’s Mitchell Mallak by fall in 2:24, and then he topped Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander’s Cohen Wiste with a 12-2 major decision in the quarterfinals.
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Waiting next for Pater is Goodhue’s Maddox O’Reilly. The winner of that match will face off against either Charley Elwood of Medford or Austin Kiecker of BOLD in the championship.
The action resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Xcel Energy Center.
