ST. PAUL &045; While United South Central’s John Niebuhr earned a spot in the championship match, other area wrestlers were not as fortunate.

Of the 10 area entrants in the state tournament, four remained alive after Friday, though Niebuhr was the lone finalist.

In team competition, the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Panthers were eliminated 43-27 by Pierz in the consolation semifinals.

Niebuhr defeated Todd Halbakken, a senior from St. Charles, 6-4 in Friday night’s Class A 145-pound semifinal. The senior ran his record to 40-1.

USC senior Steven Wood lost in the 189 semifinals, 7-4 to senior Craig Myhre of Minneota. Wood took a record of 37-2 into the third-place match.

The other area semifinalist, Kaleb Jacobson of NRHEG, fell 12-3 to unbeaten Kimball Area senior Tom Libbesmeier, putting him into the third-place bout at 171.

USC’s Kenny Sandt is guaranteed a medal at 119 after winning pair of wrestleback matches Friday. He defeated Dusty Baker of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 8-3, then pulled off a dramatic 6-5 overtime decision over Austen Rife of Menagha/Sebeka. A Sophomore, Sandt improved to 32-10.

Area wrestlers eliminated in Friday’s wrestlebacks were USC’s Brian Wood, 103; Chance Carlson, 135; and NRHEG’s Anders Mattson, 145; and James Petsinger, 275.