CEDAR RAPIDS — The Central College men's wrestling team is in fifth place and eight individuals remain in contention at the NCAA Division III Region VI Championships after the first day of action Friday.

Central has 74.5 points as a team, trailing the leaders from Wartburg College with 104.5 points. Four Central wrestlers went unblemished and advanced to the semifinals.

Pierre Baldwin (junior, Carol Stream, Ill., West Chicago HS), the top seed at 141 pounds, won his opening match with a technical fall against Austin Johnston of Illinois Wesleyan University and followed it up with an 8-0 major decision in the quarterfinals against Gaige Owens of Eureka University (Ill.). Cade Siebrecht (sophomore, Lisbon) only needed one win, a 15-0 technical fall over Coe College's Dresden Grimm, to get to the 149-pound semifinals after a first-round bye.

Carson Martinson (sophomore, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) gave Central another technical fall over Seth Littrell of Nebraska Wesleyan University in the first round at 165 pounds before earning a semifinal trip with a 9-7 decision against Kale Roth of the University of Dubuque. Sam West (junior, Burlington, Notre Dame HS) also opened with a 21-6 technical fall over Nick Kendrick of Huntingdon College (Ala.) and then edged Austin Wetzel of Westminster College (Mo.) 4-3 in the 184-pound quarterfinals.

"We like what we did on the front side," coach Landon Williams said. "All four of them went and fired off their attacks and made their opponents wrestler their style. Good things happen when you do that."

Dominick Marre (freshman, 125 pounds, Bartlett, Ill., Glenbard North HS), Carter Martinson (sophomore, 157 pounds, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS), Jason Hermann (senior, 174 pounds, Stockton, Ill.) and Austin Roos (senior, 197 pounds, Atkins, Benton HS) are alive in the consolation bracket after going 2-1 on the opening day.

"They were in some tough matches," Williams said. "At times, they didn't get to their offense for the whole match. Those guys are prepared and ready to go through the back side."
 
The remaining wrestlers will have a chance to punch their ticket to the NCAA Division III Championships in Providence, Rhode Island March 14-15 by finishing in the top three of their weight classes.

"We'll reset and come in focused and prepared for tomorrow," Williams said.