Thompson, Vestavia Hills and Huntsville High School rose to the top of the Class 7A standings after the first day of the 68th AHSAA State Wrestling Championships got underway at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center on Thursday.

All three advanced a host of wrestlers to Friday’s semifinal round. Thompson totaled 84 points to take the first-day lead as nine Warriors won their way to the semis. Vestavia Hills had 77 points with seven Rebels moving into the semifinals and Huntsville – the 2023 7A duals champs – saw eight Panthers move to the semifinals.

McAdory took the first-day lead in Class 6A with 74.5 points, followed by defending state champion Mortimer Jordan with 62 with Hartselle in third with 56 points. In Class 1A/4A, defending state champion Weaver holds a one-half point lead over Ashville, which won the 2021 state crown. The Bearcats have 42 points, the Bulldogs totaled 41.5 and Dora has 37.5 points.

The Class 5A division gets underway Friday. The championship matches will be held Saturday.

Senior Carson Hall of Ranburne continued his domination at 285 pounds with two quick pins in his two matches Thursday. Hall (48-0) picked up his 40th win by fall this season with a 1:21 pin in his first match and needing 1:06 to win his second match. He will face T.R. Miller senior Markel Nicholson (45-4) in a semifinal match Friday – with a chance to advance to the Class 1A/4A state finals for the fourth straight year. He finished second at 220 pounds as a freshman and won the 285-pound weight division title in 2021 and 2022.

Weaver 170-pound grappler Joshua Johannson improved to 40-0 with a forfeit win in his opener and a pin at 2:54 in his second match to keep his hopes of a fourth straight title still alive.

Also, in Class 1A/4A Thursday, Montevallo senior Gavin Monk (52-0) needed less than two minutes to win by fall in his first two matches at 145 pounds. He won his opener in 58 seconds and his second match in 1:01. Jonathan Foster (38-0) of Dora also advanced to the semifinals at 182 pounds with a pair of pins – including winning his opener in just 38 seconds.

In Class 6A, 170-pound defending state champion Aiden Knight improved to 85-0 winning his only match with a major decision (18-4). The McAdory senior had a bye in the first round. He will be in the semifinals Friday – along with two other McAdory wrestlers, Savian Graham (80-4) at 182 pounds and Hudson Waldrep (87-2) at 126 pounds. All three Jackets grapplers have won 80 or more matches this season.

Gardendale senior Isaiah Powe (52-0) won his only match by a pin to move into the 145-pound semis for the Rockets. His younger brother Daishun Powe (54-0) also advanced to the semis with a pin in his second match. The Rockets’ junior is wrestling in the 152-pound division.

Decatur junior 160-pounder Oliver Howard (23-0) also had a pin to move into Friday’s semifinals.

Huntsville got a big boost from the Simon brothers, Yanik (40-2) at 132 pounds and Kiyan (46-1) at 106 pounds. The sophomores advanced to Friday’s semifinals with identical 1:07 pins in their quarterfinal matches.

Thompson’s lineup got a big boost from senior Thomas Giere (53-6), who needed just 57 seconds to win by fall in his quarterfinal match. The Warriors’ 152-pounder Devin Stone (38-3) posted to pins to advance. Vestavia Hills’ 160-pound senior Harris Mitchell (21-1) moved forward with two wins, including a pin at 2:58 in his final match Thursday.

Spain Park senior William Conlon (47-1) had a pin at 1:12 to advance at 182 pounds, and Opelika sophomore Brody Campbell (40-1) was impressive with a pin at 0:39 to move forward in the 195-pound division.

Friday’s action begins at 9 a.m.

Results of all matches Thursday can be found at www.trackwrestling.com.