ST. PAUL &045; Josh Hansen and Adam Elseth took another step toward the biggest match in the biggest show for Minnesota state high school wrestling. Adam Morreim can still bring home a medal. Dustin Eggum will watch.

Three of the four Albert Lea wrestlers remain alive in the state tournament that started Thursday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Hansen and Elseth reached the semifinal round.

Hansen, a senior who won the Class AAA 103-pound state title last year, beat Jon Dahlheimer of Monticello 9-8 and pinned Matt Volner of Irondale in 3:01 at 112 Thursday. In tonight’s semifinal, he’ll face top-ranked and unbeaten Jayson Ness of Bloomington Kennedy.

Elseth, third in last year’s state tournament, defeated John Denney of Forest Lake 17-3 and Dan Chapman of Rosemount 5-3 at 135. A junior, Elseth will meet Willmar sophomore Peter Johnson in the semifinals.

Morreim, a senior, lost by fall to Hutchinson senior Andy Merkins but remains alive in the wrestlebacks because Merkins won his second bout.

Eggum lost his first match 7-4 to Tim Zahn of Minneapolis Roosevelt and did not qualify for the wrestlebacks.

&uot;Josh started a little slow but came on in his second match,&uot; said Tigers coach Larry Goodnature. &uot;Elseth was as solid as ever. Morreim has a very good chance of placing. (Friday) is going to be a big day for us.&uot;