The seeds were planted long ago — today is when they sprout.

All 28 top seeds made it through the first two rounds of the Texaco/HHSAA State Wrestling Championships at the Cannon Activities Center on Friday, putting them within two victories of a state title.

Mililani senior Jerusalem Jackson had the biggest scare, trailing Kailua sophomore Benjamin Honebein 8-3 in the third period. He worked his way back and earned a takedown at the buzzer to tie the score at nine and send it into overtime. Referees didn’t award him the points until after a discussion in the middle of the mat — it was that close to being too late. Jackson, who took sixth at states last year in a bracket loaded with seniors, earned a takedown in overtime to keep his state title hopes alive. Honebein appeared to hurt his knee and stayed on the mat long after the match was over.

Jackson said he didn’t want to wrestle this year to concentrate on football, swimming or weight training, but after so long in the sport he had to see it through.

“I looked at the clock and just thought, ‘I didn’t come this far to just come this far,’ ” Jackson said. “I closed my eyes and just visualized myself as a little kid dreaming about this.

Kamehameha’s Evan Kusumoto is not a top seed at 120 pounds in his final state tournament but outscored his two opponents 32-3 to reach the semifinals against ILH rival and fellow state champion Logan Lau of Mid-Pacific. Kusumoto beat Lau at the ILH championships two weeks ago and can meet Lanai’s Diesel Del Rosario in the final. The Pine Lad beat Kusumoto at Officials in December and pinned both of his opponents on Friday. Molokai sophomore Jona Dudoit is the odd man out in the final four of that bracket.

Kusumoto is going for his third state title in three years. His freshman season was wiped out by the pandemic. Hanalani senior Xander Erolin is in the same boat and won both of his matches on Friday by technical fall, with a rematch with Castle’s Keegan Goeas looming in the final if they both win this morning. Goeas beat Erolin at Officials.

Tyger Taam of Moanalua and Kamehameha-Maui’s Mikah Labuanan, both juniors with two state titles in their pockets, are on pace to become the state’s next grand slammers, carving up their brackets on Friday. Taam was pretty much unchallenged at 138 pounds and Labuanan also finished both of his matches at 144 pounds before the final bell. Reigning state champion Hunter Berger of Saint Louis sliced through the 126-pound bracket.

Other top seeds on the boys side to advance were Ryder Armitage of Lahainaluna at 106 pounds, Kahuku’s Pai`ea Kamakaala (113), Randy Esperanza of Baldwin (132), Kahi Cobb-Adams of Saint Louis (150), Lahainaluna’s Ikaika Gonzalez (165), Kamehameha’s Tauatain Tuikolongaha (175), Toa Mata’afa Grove of Baldwin (215) and Waipahu heavyweight Caleb Lauifi (285).

The five defending champions on the girls side had an easy time on the first day, with Jax Realin of Kamehameha (130 pounds), Kapolei sophomore Eloise Woolsey 140) and Kahuku senior Maia Esera (190) cruising through. Esera was only on the mat for nine seconds in her lone match.

Moanalua’s two state champions also delivered, with Angelina Daoang pinning two girls at 100 pounds and Nohilani Kukonu taking care of business at 145 pounds.

Other top seeds to move on included Elle Mizue of ‘Iolani at 115 pounds, Punahou’s Tatiana Paragas (120), Lahainaluna sophomore Siana Boaz-Vasquez (125), Taydem Uyemura of Pearl City (135), Pahoa’s Jezney Chang (170) and Teizanna Paleafei of Farrington (235).

Moanalua’s haul included Sky Ramos at 105 and Kaitlyn Fong at 110. Sophomore Zaira Sugui was particularly dominant, with pins in 23 and 63 seconds at 155 pounds. Na Menehune have a huge lead in their bid for a three-peat. It would be the first one since Punahou (2009-11).

“We had a rocky beginning, but as the season went past we started acting more like a team,” Sugui said. “It all just clicked and we started trying to make each other better and we are banging right now.”