COLUMBIA - The Helias Crusaders opened their Class 3 state wrestling tournament with a win by fall.
That wasn't much of a surprise as Evan Winder has been dominant at 106 pounds all season.
Their next match Thursday at Mizzou Arena? That was the surprise.
Jackson Careaga, a freshman, dominated his match as well at 132 pounds, winning by fall against district champion Kyle Cody of Ladue in the third period.
"It was just a great performance by Jackson, he was ready," Helias coach Bryant Gaines said.
Careaga did not allow a point to Cody, a senior. Careaga led 5-0 after one period and 9-0 after two.
He stretched his advantage to 11-0 midway through the final period before scoring the fall with nine seconds left in the match.
"The way Jackson won was a surprise," Gaines said. "I thought a freshman wrestling a senior, it would be a little closer, but we would still win."
In Helias' first match, Winder made quick work of Smithville freshman Adam Simpson.
Winder got a takedown in the opening seconds and worked that into a cradle and a win by fall in just :21.
"That was a quick pin, I think maybe that surprised me a little bit," Gaines said.
Winder and Careaga both advance to this afternoon's quarterfinals.
Winder (45-6) will meet Hazelwood East senior Fedrick Johnson (32-4), while Careaga (37-15) is paired against Washington senior Calvin Obermark (31-21).
Winder defeated Johnson by decision in the opening round last year on his way to a sixth-place finish at 106.
"I think things are looking really good for both of them," Gaines said. "The opportunity is there for both to get to the semifinals.
Nick Gaines of Helias stayed alive in the tournament by winning his wrestleback match Friday night.
Gaines, a senior, fell 5-2 in the opening round to Joe Biondo, a junior from St. Joseph Benton. Gaines led 2-1 after one period before Biondo got a reversal for the lone points of the second to take a 3-2 lead.
Gaines took a shot late in the third period that Biondo fought off and turned into a takedown of his own to make the final 5-2.
"Nick wrestled great, he just tried to shoot at the end, didn't get it," Bryant Gaines said.
Nick Gaines came back to win his wrestleback mach by fall in 2:33 against Hazelwood East junior Pierre Snodgrass.
"We would be happier with three in the quarterfinals, but three alive is still good," Bryant Gaines said.
Dustin Luebbert went 0-2 at 138 to be eliminated from the tournament.
Luebbert lost 10-1 to Wentzville Liberty sophomore Christian Zeik (24-1) before losing by fall to Rockwood Summit senior Sourya Mogallapu (42-5) in the wrestlebacks.
"I think he had the toughest draw of anybody at 138, period," Gaines said. "He's better than some of the kids that are still wrestling, that's for sure. Both of the kid he wrestled were just nails."
Class 3 action will resume today with quarterfinals and the second-round of wrestlebacks at 1:30 p.m. The semifinals and third-round wrestlebacks will begin at 6 p.m.