Jarrod Grunklee wrestles Alex Schroepfer of Wabasso/Red Rock Central in the second round of the state wrestling tourament Friday at the Xcel Energy Center. Grunklee won the match with a 4-2 decision to move on to the championship round at 285 pounds. — Brandi Hagen/Albert Lea Tribune

ST. PAUL — Blooming Prairie’s Jarrod Grunklee advanced to the Class ‘A’ semifinals, but GMLOK’s Lucas Roe ended up in the Class ‘AA’ wrestlebacks on the first day of the state wrestling meet in Xcel Energy Center Friday.

Grunklee beat Alex Schroepfer of Kenyon-Wanamingo 4-2 in the 285-pound quarterfinals and he won his first match with a second period pin over Allen Huhu of Deer River.

Grunklee, who is now 22-4 overall, is a senior wrestling in the second state wrestling meet of his career.

Grunklee will take on Nick Langer of Kenyon-Wanamingo in Saturday’s semifinals.

Lucas Roe wrestles Carter Holthaus of Albany in the second round of the state tournament Friday in St. Paul. Holthaus won the match with a 5-3 decision. Roe went on to compete in the wrestlebacks and won 13-0 over Mitch Splittstoesser of St. Croix Lutheran. He will wrestle again Saturday against Joe Weber of Fairmont/Martin County West. — Brandi Hagen/Albert Lea Tribune

Roe, a LeRoy-Ostrander senior, lost his 152-pound quarterfinals match 5-3 to Carter Holthaus of Albany, but he stayed alive by beating Mitch Splittstoesser 13-0 in the wrestlebacks.

Roe opened the Class ‘AA’ individual wrestling meet with a 12-3 decision over Carter Barnes of Monticello at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul Friday morning.

“I just wanted to get the first one out of the way. I wanted to stay tight and not get scored on,” Roe said after that win.

Roe, who is 39-3 overall, will next take on Joe Weber of Fairmont/Martin County West.