CHAMPAIGN – The bigger the better, it seems, for Class 1A area wrestlers this season.

Of the 10 area athletes who qualified for Saturday's semifinals in the 74th annual IHSA state tournament, two each are at the three upper weights: 189 pounds, 215 and heavyweight. None of the area athletes will face one another in the semis.

Collectively, the area saved the best for last.

Bismarck-Henning advanced 189-pound Dakota Patton and heavyweight Morgan Supergan.

Argenta-Oreana teammates Aaron Ford (215) and Trent Trudeau (heavyweight) stayed in contention, as did Hoopeston Area's Felipe Martinez (189) and LeRoy's Brad Simmons (215), who is one of three Panthers in the final four.

"You come here hoping you're prepared," A-O coach Gary Cook said. "I think we are, and it showed. We had a good day."

Patton's day couldn't have included much more tension. He battled third-seeded Tim Stahl, from Dakota, to a 1-1 draw through regulation. His 2-1 three-overtime triumph was only secured when he prevented Stahl from escaping during the final 30 seconds.

"It's an amazing feeling, but I can't be too proud because there's more work ahead," Patton said.

A senior, Patton's triumph came in his state tournament debut.

"Those last 30 seconds were probably the most brutal ones I've had this season," he said. "That kid is an amazing wrestler."

Supergan won twice by pin to earn his semifinal berth.

"Last year (at state) was scary, and this year I have something to prove," he said. "Today is the best I've wrestled all year."

It was somewhat surprising, considering the difficulty he had sleeping Thursday.

"I woke up seven times," he said.

The unheralded Martinez earned his spot among the state's elite with a 5-3 conquest of Camp Point Central's Garrett Kestner.

LeRoy's Simmons was another of the day's major success stories.

He won his preliminary match 8-6 with a takedown in the final 30 seconds and followed up with a quarterfinal pin over a 32-match winner.

Teammates Devin Bulington and Justin Meyers, LeRoy's unbeaten underclassman wrestlers, are back where they were a year ago on the final day of the IHSA Class 1A state tourney.

Familiarity can be a benefit.

"It will help with nerves some, but it's a new kid and a new match, so there will be some new nerves," said the 125-pound Meyers.

Bulington seeks to advance further than last year and will remind himself of the 2010 outcome.

"Last year, I lost in the semis and that gives me more motivation," the 119-pounder said.

As sectional champs, Bulington and Meyers had first-round byes Friday and the chance to scout their first state foe. Waiting 12 hours after weigh-ins to compete for the first time, however, offset any advantage, Bulington said.

"Having a first-round match is better," Bulington said, "because it gets you warmed up."

Meyers warmed up quickly, totaling 14 points against Orion's fourth-ranked Zach Butler.

"I set a pretty fast pace and a lot of opponents wear down from the grind," Meyers said.

Bulington knows how to prepare for his next bout.

"Get a lot of rest and eat the right foods," he said, "because I'm going to need a lot of energy."

Elliott McClure, a fourth-place medalist last year, handed Unity's Henry LeCrone a 5-2 loss to reach the semis. Like Bulington, he wouldn't have minded some action sooner.

"He got a good warmup match and I wish I had, too," McClure said. "I came out a little flat-footed." The second-ranked McClure took a 2-1 lead into the final period.

"Last year, I had a taste of victory and it made me more hungry," McClure said. "I have three more places to go to get to the top."

The McClure family knows about success in the sport. Younger brother Chet won his first match Friday (119) and their father, Dave, was a state champion in 1986.

One piece of advice has stayed with Elliott.

"He told me in big situations, treat them like any other match," he said.

The status of Prairie Central's semifinalist, top-ranked Andy Hoselton (160) is yet to be determined. He advanced by disqualification after he was dropped on his head by Riverdale's Branson Cain. Hoselton (40-0) was transported to an Urbana hospital for observation.

In his second state-meet appearance, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher sophomore Chet McClure (119 pounds) got off to a better start. He lost his only match in 2010, but Friday registered the first takedown and made the margin hold up in a 4-2 triumph over Camp Point Central's Rory Hibbert.

"A lot of times I give up the first takedown and have to battle back because I'm not ready," McClure said. "Being here last year, I knew what to expect and I was ready."

Argenta-Oreana wrestlers won two of three preliminary-round bouts in impressive fashion. Freshman Zach Whitsel (103 pounds) wasn't rattled facing a junior opponent and yielding the first takedown to Pittsfield's Kevin Patton. Whitsel built a 7-2 lead before posting a pin.

"He was fast and strong," Whitsel said, "but I had to push myself."

In his next match, Whitsel ran into top-ranked and unbeaten, Josh Alber, from Dakota, and was pinned in 59 seconds,

A-O teammate Kyle Powars (125 pounds) drew third-ranked Kory Kleinert, from Clifton, whom he had lost to previously.

"I used that loss to drive myself all week in practice," Powars said. "I've been training really hard."

A junior at state for the first time, Powars wasn't awestruck by the atmosphere or the surroundings.

"Once we were on the mat, it was just me and him, the referee and my coaches in the corner," Powars said. "I couldn't see or hear anything else. I blocked it out."

Powars' reward was a quarterfinal match with second-ranked J.J. Whaley, from Stillman Valley, who was a state-placer in 2010. Whaley won by pin, but Powars hopes to get a shot at a medal in wrestlebacks.

Bomber Dan Ball (140) suffered a tough loss, falling 8-7 when Fulton's Zach Ryder scored a reversal with three seconds left.

"I lost control, ran out of time and let it get away from me," Ball said. "I could have done better."

Saturday's semifinal matches in all three classes will start at about 9:30 a.m.