Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Tate Slagle of Algona earned a quarterfinal victory at the state tournament in Des Moines on Thursday. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — Algona’s Tate Slagle is closing in on the dream.

The Bulldog senior is one victory away from competing for a state championship. In his fourth state trip, Slagle has reached the 157-pound semifinal match.

“I knew my quarters match was going to be a tough one,” Slagle said. “I needed to wrestle a full six minutes, and I did.

“It feels good to be back where I was the past few years in the semis. I’ve worked my butt off for this moment and I’m ready to compete.

In the quarterfinals here on Thursday, the fourth-seeded Slagle (32-2) — who is going to Iowa to play baseball — earned an 11-8 victory over fifth-seeded Liam Weber (42-3) of West Delaware.

Slagle, now a three-time semifinalist who has a fifth and third place medal for the Bulldogs, ran his career record to 163-19 with Friday’s victory. He will now square off with eighth-seeded Brent Denhardt (27-2) of Greene County in the semis.

Denhardt beat No. 1 Lucas Kral (46-3) of Garner-Hayfield in the quarterfinals.

“I could watch those two wrestle every day (Slagle and Weber),” said Algona head coach Nick Kuecker. “They both wrestle wide open and score a bunch of points. Really good attacks. Tate got to his last.

“He’s wrestling confident. He’s just got to continue to be who he is. Go score points.”

The Bulldogs are currently in 14th place in Class 2A with 41.5 points. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows is 11th with 44.5 points. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont is the 2A leader with 68 points.

Junior Gavin Goche (215) dropped an 8-2 decision to Mason Koeher (40-4) of Glenwood. Now Goche (28-7) — the No. 9 seed — will have the 14th-seeded Parker Jordan (36-12) of Oskaloosa.

Three-time state qualifier Barrett Morgan (144) advanced to the blood round with two victories for Algona. Morgan (35-11) beat Gavin Day (29-18) of Winterset by a final of 7-5. He then topped Kinnick Geers (34-14) of West Marshall to reach the Friday session.

Now the sixth-seeded Morgan will meet No. 7 Elijah Kupka (36-17) of Benton.

Four-time qualifier Ashton Moreno (150) will also move on. The senior picked up a 10-3 decision over Evan Kelsick of North Polk, then won by an identical score over Keaton Mulford of Iowa Falls-Alden.

On deck for No. 5 Moreno (39-9) is No. 9 Aiden Hippen (30-8) of Clear Lake.

Bulldog seniors Isaac Wilson (126) and CJ McGregor (132) went 1-1 on the second day and were unable to advance.

Wilson (39-8) had a 13-2 major decision over Jason Eastman (29-23) of Benton. He was eliminated after a SV-1 fall loss (6:26) to Carver Wieland of Independence.

McGregor (132) beat Jared Glendening (40-15) of Burlington Notre Dame by fall (5:14), then lost to Charlie Showalter (45-5) of Hampton-Dumont/CAL, 24-7.

Junior Carter McGregor (165) won his first match on Friday, then suffered a loss and was eliminated. McGregor (34-12) pinned Urijah Etzel in 3:11, but lost to Clarion-Goldfield’s Ryland Morgan, 12-9.

Freshman Teague Alesch (24-21) was eliminated from the tournament on Thursday. Alesch fell in his 106-pound consolation match to Ryan Rose (44-10) of Keokuk, 11-0.

Junior Thomas Zabka (113) suffered his second loss of the tourney and was ousted. Zabka (22-14) lost by technical fall to Stratton Luke (43-11) of LaPorte City.

Rooke Tayten Rummel (33-19) lost his second match of the week, falling to Eagle Grove’s Jayden Kreitlow at 175 pounds. Kreitlow pinned Rummel in 3:09.

Iowa State football signee, senior Jack Limbaugh (35-13) lost to Woodward-Granger’s Alexander Kasner (33-22) in 41 seconds.

Clarion-Goldfield

There is one spot left for Linden Phetxoumphone (120) to earn the ultimate medal trifecta.

The Cowboy junior clinched a berth in the semifinals with a 19-3 technical fall in 5:34 over Judah Gurwell (31-7) of Winterset on Thursday.

Phetxoumphone (34-2) is looking for gold after a bronze as a freshman and silver a year ago at Webster City.

In the semifinals, he will face three-seed Easton Enyeart (34-3) of ballard.

Linden’s brother, Adrian Phetxoumphone (126), stepped on the mat right after his brother’s victory. Adrian (40-3) suffered a 4-3 setback to three seed Emmitt Newton (57-2) of Davis County.

Up next for Adrian is No. 18 Carver Wieland (42-14) of Independence.

No. 11 seed Colin Sesker (144) reached the quarterfinals, but lost a tight 6-2 decision to three seed Ragen Hasche (32-4) of Central Lyon.

Sesker (34-9) will now have No. 15 Chase Krantz (30-17) of Davenport Assumption.

Sophomore Charlie Campbell (175) lost a tight quarterfinal match, 9-8 to Kyler Crow (40-0) of Mediapolis. No. 5 Campbell (41-4) will face eight seed Dain Burkhart (39-5) of Fairfield.

Freshman Ryland Morgan (165) stayed alive with two victories. Morgan beat Cooper Hird (33-15) by a 10-2 final, then beat Carter McGregor (34-12) of Algona, 12-9.

Morgan (28-19) now has No. 5 Blake Wilson (41-6) of Burlington.

Sophomore JT Kelso (285) won two matches. Kelso (39-6) pinned Reid Steger (21-18) of Kuemper in 3:50 and Regan Roberts (39-6) of Knoxville in 2:25.

The No. 5 Kelso has No. 9 Maxwell Azzaline (24-10) of Davenport Assumption next.

Senior Caleb Seaba (157) went 1-1 on Thursday. Seaba (34-14) beat Elias Bieschke (35-24) of Benton 15-0 in four minutes. He then lost in SV-1, 4-1 to Eagle Grove’s Hayden Schafer.

Freshman Paxton Redenius (106) finished his state tournament on Thursday with a medical forfeit for the Cowboys.

Junior Angel Cortes (16-9) lost by fall (1:59) to Collin Harris (40-13) of Atlantic at 113 pounds.

Webster City

It was a tough tournament for Lynx senior Luke Estlund (165) and junior Cody Eliott (215).

After two losses on the opening day of the Class 2A tourney, the Lynx duo suffered the same fate on Thursday.

Estlund (2-4), who was coming off ACL surgery, lost by fall (3:08) to Mitchel Fischer (36-10) of Sheldon/South O’Brien.

Elliott (26-10) was ousted by Jesse Brouwer (42-5) of AP-GC, 11-3 in the consolation round.

Eagle Grove

Junior Hayden Schafer (157) kept his medal hopes alive with a 23-8 tech fall over Holten Palmer (23-7) of Waukon, and a 4-1 sudden victory triumph over Caleb Seaba (34-14) of Clarion-Goldfield/Dows.

Now, No. 16 Schafer (43-12) will wrestle fifth-seeded Liam Weber (42-3) of West Delaware.

Junior Jayden Kreitlow (175) was eliminated after going 1-1. Kreitlow (36-22) pinned Tayten Rummel of Algona in 3:09. He then lost to Brock Voyna (31-7) of Crestwood in 4:21.

Senior Jesus Baez (34-24) lost his 285-pound consolation match 7-1 to Aidan Jenaman (24-14) of Dubuque Wahlert.

Greene County

Senior Brent Denhardt (157) and sophomore Degan Miller (165) will compete in the semifinals for the Rams.

Denhardt (27-2), the eighth seed, upset No. 1 Lucas Kral (46-3) of Garner-Hayfield/Ventura, 7-1. Now, the Ram senior will face fourth-seed Tate Slagle (32-2) of Algona.

Miller, the sixth seed, toppled third-seeded Ryker Dengler (40-5) of West Liberty. Miller will now have No. 2 seed Tucker Vitzthum (39-4) of Ballard.

Senior Gavyn Winters (32-8) won two matches at 120 pounds to reach the blood round. Winters earned a 16-3 major decision over Luke Showalter of Hampton-Dumont/CAL, and edged Drake Howard (42-16) of Sergeant Bluff-Luton by a 9-7 count.

Winters, the 11 seed, will face No. 10 Judah Gurwell (31-7) of Winterset next.

Sophomores Brennan Jacobs (106) and Jaron Jacobs (113) won their first matches in the consolation round, but were then eliminated.

Brennan (37-9) beat Maddox Strother (35-14) of Hampton-Dumont/CAL (35-14) by fall in 22 seconds. Brennan then lost a 13-10 decision to Kohen Dietzenbach (42-5) of Burlington Notre Dame.

Jaron (38-11) topped Eli Ollinger by fall (4:56), but lost to Ryan Cassady (30-7) of West Liberty in 3:16.

Senior Marcus Ball (24-11) lost by fall to Kane Mahler-Moreno (40-5) of Woodward-Granger at 215 pounds.