Everything was going perfect for Hayfield eighth grader Mason Moreno.

He was leading the Section 1A 119-pound title match 12-2 and looked to be cruising to a state berth.

Then he was on the verge of heading back to the wrestleback round. Carson Henry of Saint Charles almost flipped Moreno to his back with 1:38 left in the third and he was in trouble.

“He’s just a smart wrestler and he caught me,” Moreno said.

Moreno was able to scurry his way out of trouble and he finished with an 18-8 win for a state berth at the Section 1A individual wrestling meet in Mayo Civic Center Saturday.

The state clincher was much needed for Moreno after his older brother Myles Moreno (25-13 overall), who went to state last season, was knocked out of the tournament at 135-pounds.

“It was tough watching him lose and it gave me motivation,” Moreno (23-9 overall) said.

Moreno was never expecting to be on the verge of losing his lead as he always wrestles carefully.

“My brother’s pretty much the risky one and I’m the one who likes to stay down and do what I need to do to win the match,” he said.

While pondering wrestling at 125 pounds for the tourney, Moreno made up his mind to stick with 119 and it paid off for him with his first career state berth.

“I kind of saw going to state as a possibility. My parents and everyone around me were supportive and told me I could do it,” he said. “I thank them for that support.”

In other Class ‘A’ action, Southland’s Grant Hegge earned a trip to state when he controlled his 5-1 win over Brandon Klindworth of Zumbrota/Mazeppa from start to finish. Hegge had to settle for second as Justin Buss of Caledonia won the title match 9-2.

As a team, Hayfield took some tough losses on the day. At 189 pounds Jake Seimers almost pulled off an overtime takedown to score a win in the semifinals, but Juan Gomez of Chatfield reversed the move and got a takedown of his own to end the match.

After Gomez lost in the finals it eliminated Seimers (30-5 overall), a junior, from the ‘true second’ chance and he had to settle for third.

In the heavyweight ‘true second’ final, Hayfield junior Zach Davis (22-7 overall) dropped a state-qualifying match on a 9-3 decision. Davis also lost 3-1 in triple overtime to eventual section champ Jordan Ardnt of Z/M.

Myles Moreno caught a tough break as he dropped a 3-1 decision to eventual section champ Grant Kyllo of Z/M in the semifinals.

Tyler Nelson took fifth for Hayfield and Mike Churchill took fourth for the Rebels.

HAYFIELD RESULTS

119: Mason Moreno (H) pinned Andrew Stromness (W/K); Moreno 18-8 dec. over Carson Henry (St. Charles)

135: Grant Kyllo (Zumbrota/Mazeppa) 3-1 dec. over Myles Moreno (H); Tanner Clement (Chatfield) pinned Moreno (4:40); Colter Luff (W/K) 8-4 over Moreno

189: Juan Gomez (C) 3-1 OT dec. over Jake Siemers (H); Siemers 4-2 dec. over Alex Jackson (Kenyon/Wanamingo); Siemers 6-4 dec. over Brady Vieths (Goodhue)

215: Stu Raasch (Z/M) 7-3 dec. over Blake Arndt (H); Ardnt pinned Weston Gadient (Goodhue) (:44); Arndt pinned Cole Zomok (1:51)

285: Zach Davis (H) pinned Dylan Nisbit (Saint Charles) (1:59); Jordan Ardnt (Z/M) 2-1 (3 OT dec.) over Davis; Davis 7-5 dec. over Alex Hoff (LARP); Michael Bell (C) 9-3 dec. over Davis

SOUTHLAND RESULTS

145: Grant Hegge (S) 5-1 dec. over Brandon Klindworth (Z/M); Justin Buss (C) 9-2 dec. over Hegge