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Wrestling’s biggest extravaganza of the season begins Wednesday when 24 teams and more than 1,000 participants begin quests for state championships at the Xcel Energy Center. With a flurry of activity going on simultaneously on eight mats, it can be difficult to stay on top of the action.

Here are five burning questions to ponder:

CAN ANYONE BEAT APPLE VALLEY?

No. There is a reason the Eagles (34-1) are ranked No. 3 in the nation, and it starts with the lower weights that build staggering leads. Coon Rapids, the Section 7AAA champion, came the closest of any Minnesota team to beating Apple Valley but lost 36-20 on Dec. 17. Apple Valley defeated No. 2 Hastings 41-19 in the Section 3AAA final. Case closed.

ARE THERE ANY UNDERDOGS TO CHEER FOR?

Absolutely. Of the approximately 1,000 wrestlers, five have sub-.500 records. Here they are:

Stillwater sophomore Duncan Secor, 15-26 at 140 pounds in Class AAA;

Simley junior Jake Hoffner, 15-17 at 171 in Class AA;

Albert Lea junior Adam Kermes, 16-20 at 140 in Class AAA;

Minnetonka junior Sam Alakija, 11-13 at 189 in Class AAA;

Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus junior Zach Humphrey, 15-17 at 125 in Class AA.

“Those records can really be deceiving,” Hastings coach Paul Vaith said. “They maybe have wrestled up (a weight) to help the team or they are a new wrestler that has proven themselves. They have proven themselves if they have made it to the show.”

WHO ARE THE STANDOUTS?

Anoka’s Jake Deitchler, left, a 152-pound senior, is chasing his third big-school title. He is a Gophers recruit and a likely future Olympian.

Jackson County Central’s Travis Rutt, a senior 171-pounder, became Minnesota’s record holder for career wins this season. He has 255. He is a six-time state tournament participant who will wrestle at Wisconsin.

Champlin Park senior heavyweight Sam Maresh, left, often gets overlooked for his wrestling dominance because he plans to play football for the Gophers. He is going after his third consecutive state championship and has won 101 consecutive matches.

Apple Valley’s Eric Devos and Destin McCauley are the Eagles’ dynamic duo who start the run of dominance in the lower weights. Both are on track to become six-time state champions. Devos, an eighth-grader, has yet to surrender an offensive point this season and McCauley, a freshman, has a 135-4 record.

HEY, WHAT’S WITH THE SCHEDULE CHANGE?

The Minnesota State High School League swapped the schedule for Wednesday and Thursday. Last season, in the debut of the four-day tournament, the team quarterfinals were on Wednesday and the individual tournament began Thursday. With that reversed, some cranky wrestling fans are suggesting that having the individuals come in a day early is a conspiracy to drive revenue in downtown St. Paul. “There is no such conspiracy,” said Craig Perry, the MSHSL associate director who oversees wrestling. The change came because Friday’s action, under last year’s format, went deep into the evening. Perry said the change will help reduce the amount of time fans and working staff are at the X.

ARE THERE CHANGES IN STORE FOR THE WRESTLING VENUE?

Nope, get used to your favorite concession stand at the Xcel. Despite financial concerns with other league activities and their state tournament venues, the wrestling tournament has no plans to change sites. “We haven’t had any conversations about moving in the three years I have been here,” Perry said.

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