ST. PAUL — A half-dozen area wrestlers earned encore performances to the Minnesota individual state meet on Friday and Saturday, while four more grapplers will make their debuts at the Xcel Energy Center.

Fairmont/Martin County West eighth-grader Jaxson Rohman headlines the six area returning state qualifiers after capturing a sixth-place medal in the Class AA 106-pound bracket a year ago.

“We (coaching staff) like his chances to medal again, especially after the season he’s had so far,” Red Bulls head coach Adam William-son said in reference to the No. 2-ranked Rohman’s 36-1 record. “In fact, we think all four of our guys have legitimate shots at reaching the medal round (top six).”

No. 10-ranked 126-pounder Zac Ringnell and No. 6-rated 152-pounder Collin Steuber join Rohman in St. Paul for a second consecutive canvas campaign, while Red Bull teammate Payton Anderson merited his first state appearance. The Class AA individual competition kicks off at 11 a.m. Friday, while the Class A portion of the state tournament steps to the Xcel Energy Center’s floor at 9 a.m.

No. 6-ranked 138-pounder Cole Klinkner, No. 2-rated 152-pounder Zach Buseman and No. 5-ranked 195-pounder Jared Armon each return to the Class A individual competition for Blue Earth Area, and will be joined by state newcomers No. 10-ranked 120-pounder Caden Ochsendorf of BEA, No. 6-ranked Jesus Quintero of the Bucs and No. 8-rated Jordan Osborne of the Madelia/Truman/Martin Luther Jayhawks. Quintero and Osborne both wrestled in the 182-pound bracket.

“We’ve got five qualifiers who are more than capable of reaching the medal stand. Now it comes down to the matchups, endurance, skill, and a little bit of luck never hurts either,” Blue Earth Area head coach Randy Wirtjes said with a chuckle.

Ochsendorf (27-12), a freshman, will represent the first area grappler to step to the St. Paul-based facility’s circle of action Friday when he faces No. 1-ranked Mark Buringa of St. Charles in the 120-pound preliminaries. Buringa, a sophomore, sports a 34-2 record.

No. 2-ranked and undefeated Hunter Burnett (35-0) of Pipestone Area competes in the other half of the 120-pound bracket. Burnett won the 113-pound state crown a year ago.

Ironically, Klinkner opted to move to the 145-pound bracket at the Section 2 Meet after being ranked at 138 all season.

The Buc senior (29-8) opens preliminary action against Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg junior Caleb Collins (29-10).

Chatfield junior Jake Mandt (27-2), who’s ranked No. 1, and Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa junior Adam Jaeger (39-2), who holds the No. 2 spot, represent the top two foes in the other side of the 145-pound bracket.

Buseman, who makes his fourth state appearance, will put his 37-5 record on the line against Crookston senior Preston Desrosier (28-11) in the Class A 152-pound prelims.

Top-ranked Kelby O’Reilly (28-4), a sophomore from Goodhue, and No. 3-ranked Tyler Ryan (35-3), a Kenyon-Wanamingo sophomore, represent the top notable grapplers in the bracket opposite of Buseman.

Ironically, Quintero and Osborne open state action in opposite sides of the 182-pound Class A bracket. Quintero (28-9), a BEA senior, faces Minneota senior Alec Bueltel (30-4) in the prelims. Bueltel closed the season as the No. 5-ranked wrestler at 170, but opted up for the postseason. Osborne (28-7), a senior, locks up with No. 5-ranked Josh Soine (30-6), a senior from New London-Spicer.

No. 1-ranked Caden Steffen (38-4) of Zumbrota-Mazeppa and No. 2 Noah Decker (36-3) of Maple River will compete in Osborne’s half of the bracket.

Armon (22-2), a BEA senior, faces Badger-Greenbush-Middle River eighth-grader Dominik Vancura (28-9) in opening 195-pound state action on Friday. No. 2-ranked Jacob Bennett (33-9) of Zumbrota-Mazeppa will be the top foe in Armon’s side of the bracket.

Meanwhile, No. 1-ranked Christopher Bain (27-0) of Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander and No. 3-ranked 182-pounder Matt Kummet (28-0) of Pierz represent two undefeated rivals in the opposite side of Armon in the 195-pound bracket.

In Class AA individual state action, Rohman will be the first of four Red Bulls to take to the Xcel Energy Center canvas at 11 a.m. Friday.

Rohman (36-1) faces Hibbing sophomore Francis Fuenffinger (25-16) in 106-pound preliminary action. No. 1-ranked Byron senior Matt Petersen (35-0) represents the other returning state medalist at 106 in the bracket opposite of Rohman.

Ringnell (33-5) kicks off 126-pound prelim action against Grand Rapids junior Josh Holm (23-5) on Friday. No. 1-ranked Simley junior Jake Gliva (41-2), who captured the 2016 state crown at 120 pounds, represents the top rival in Ringnell’s half of the bracket.

No. 2-ranked Scott West junior Jackson Stauffacher (36-6), who earned runner-up state honors at 126 a year ago, will anchor the opposite half of Ringnell’s weight class.

Anderson (36-7), a Red Bull freshman, squares off against No. 2-ranked Plainview-Elgin-Millville senior Reed DeFrang (34-1) in his 132-pound Class AA prelim on Friday. DeFrang placed second at 120 a year ago.

No. 1-ranked Delano senior Tucker Sjomeling (38-1), who earned the 126-pound state title in 2016, represents the top threat in the other side of the 132-pound bracket.

Steuber, who was ranked at 152 throughout the season, opted to move up for the individual postseason and puts his 39-4 record against Windom/Mountain Lake senior Corey Jobe (24-3) in Friday’s 160-pound prelims.

No. 1-ranked Brady Berge (41-0), a Kasson-Mantorville senior, represents the top contender in the side opposite of Steuber, while No. 2-rated Henry Sibley senior Sakai Kelly (36-5) will prove a formidable foe in the Red Bull junior’s portion of the weight class.

Consolation action in both Class A and AA starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.