PORTLAND — Crook County went into the first day of the Class 4A state wrestling championships chasing history, looking to break Hermiston’s state tournament record of 303 points set in 2009.

The Cowboys, the reigning 4A state champions, are off to one heck of a start.

By the conclusion of the Friday’s wrestling at Memorial Coliseum, Crook County had amassed 180 points to build a staggering lead over Henley (93 points) and Scappoose (53.5) going into the second and final day of the tournament. Fourteen of the Cowboys’ 23 state qualifiers wrestle in today’s semifinal round, and six others are still alive in the consolation bracket.

“At the end of last season we talked about how we could improve,” said Crook County coach Jake Huffman, who last year guided the Cowboys to 290 points — the third-highest total in state tournament history — en route to the 2013 4A title.

“Well, we got two more kids to state than last year (23 compared with 21),” Huffman added, “and we have two more semifinalists this year.”

Cowboys wrestling for a spot in the state finals today are Trayton Libolt (113 pounds), Kurt Mode (120), Brent Bannon (126), Grayson Munn (132), Hayden Bates (132), Collbran Meeker (145), Tyler Berger (152), Brendan Harkey (160), Clark Woodward (170), Gunnar Robirts (182), Curtis Crouch (220), Trevor Rasmussen (220) and Jason Williams (285).

“That team record is what we’re shooting for,” said Rasmussen, who recorded pins in both his first-round and quarterfinal victories. “We want to own it.”

All three of Crook County’s defending state champions looked sharp Friday. Berger, a three-time state champ, and Williams won both of their matches by fall, and Meeker registered a pin the first round before advancing to the semifinals with an 11-3 major decision over Henley’s Daine Taylor.

The most interesting subplot for the Cowboys during today’s placing rounds — Crook County would have to have a collapse of epic proportions to not win its second straight 4A title — could be the possibility of a pair of all-Prineville state finals. Munn and Bates are on opposite sides of the bracket at 132 pounds, as are Crouch and Rasmussen at 220.

“We don’t have to talk to the kids about nerves or confidence, they know how hard they’ve worked to get here,” Huffman said. “They just need to stay focused on their next match.

Fantastic Flemingleads Ravens

Elsewhere in the 4A state tournament, Ridgeview senior Boomer Fleming is two steps closer to capturing his third championship. The Stanford-bound Raven pinned Central’s Collyn Lawson in one minute in the first round of the 195-pound bracket before also winning by fall in the quarterfinals over Scappoose’s Tyson Broadbent in the second period. Fleming, who is 26-0 and the bracket’s No. 1 seed, will face Newport junior Daniel Regan, who upset No. 4 seed Austin Mitchell of Douglas in the opposite quarterfinal match.

“I still get butterflies walking out here,” Fleming said about the march out to the mat at Memorial Coliseum. “Yeah, I feel some pressure. It’s my senior year and I want to go out with a bang.”

Behind Fleming’s two victories, the Ravens ended Friday in 14th place with 29 points.

Panthers, Cougars each send three to 5A semis

Redmond’s Austin Rystedt (120 pounds), John Hickey (145) and Brennan Yates (182) led the local contingent Friday in the Class 5A state championships (run in conjunction with the 6A, 4A, 3A and 2A/1A tournaments at Memorial Coliseum) with a trio of quarterfinal victories.

Rystedt topped Wilson’s Shepol Meman 9-0, Hickey won 15-2 over Lebanon’s Tanner Salee in his quarterfinal match, and Yates, in one of the better matches of the day, edged out Hermiston’s John-Henry Line 3-2.

Mountain View’s Conner Duhn (106 pounds), Kaleb Winebarger (138) and Tracy Pitcher (145) also will wrestle in today’s semifinal round. Duhn pulled off one of the biggest upsets in 5A, defeating defending state champion and No. 1 seed Cody Bibler 6-5 in the quarterfinals. The unseeded Winebarger, a junior, knocked off No. 3 seed A.J. Garcia of Hermiston 8-2. And Pitcher, the No. 1 seed at 145 pounds, cruised in his two first-day wins, pinning both Mitchell Waters of The Dalles Wahtonka in the opening round and Brock Wilson of Crescent Valley in the quarterfinals.

“We set a (school) record this year with the most dual meet wins, we set a (school) record for the highest place ever in a district or regional tournament, and right now, we’ve never been in the top 10 (at state),” Mountain View coach Les Combs said about his team’s success this season. “Right now, we’re solidly in the fight to make the top 10. We’re breaking records this year.”

Hermiston and Lebanon ended Friday 1-2 in the 5A standings with 85.5 and 72.5 points, respectively. Redmond was seventh (40 points) and Mountain View was eighth (36.5).

Bulldogs in control of 2A/1A tourney

Despite Tucker Davis’ shocking upset defeat in the quarterfinals of the 138-pound bracket — a junior, Davis won titles as a freshman and sophomore — Culver ended the opening day of the Class 2A/1A state championship in prime position to avenge last year’s runner-up finish and win its seventh title in eight years.

Ten of the Bulldogs’ 15 state qualifiers — Christopher Munoz (106 pounds), Marco Retano (113), Saxton Schaffner (126), Bolt Anglen (132), Kyle Bender (145), Clay McClure (145), Levi Vincent (152), Kyle Easterly (170), Isaias Gutierrez (182) and Joshua Hendrix (285) — won quarterfinal matches Friday. Culver heads into today’s placing rounds as the 2A/1A leader with 39 points. Monroe (27) and Lowell (26) are in second and third.

“We responded pretty well,” Bulldog coach J.D. Alley said about his team’s first-day effort. “Freshmen (Munoz, Retano and Schaffner) got our first three wins and I thought Bolt Anglen showed some real, true senior leadership out there today.”

—Reporter: 541-383-0305; beastes@bendbulletin.com.