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Red Bulls earn historic 2nd at section wrestling meet

WABASSO — Fairmont/Martin County West head coach Adam Williamson and the Red Bulls rewrote the co-op wrestling program’s history book on Saturday.

The Red Bulls, who netted the No. 3 seed in the South Division of the Section 3AA Team Meet, literally turned life on the Wabasso canvas upside down for their opponents.

After upending South No. 2 seed Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove by a 38-27 decision on Thursday night, the Red Bulls eliminated the North’s No. 1 seed Marshall in the team semifinals, 34-27, on Saturday.

The Red Bulls then turned their sights on South No. 1 seed Worthington in the sectional championship clash and built a 25-16 lead over the Trojans after Collin Steuber’s 6-2 decision at 182 pounds.

Worthington, however, reeled off three consecutive falls to deny the Red Bulls of a third straight dual-meet victory, 34-25.

Worthington opens the state team meet at 9 a.m. March 2 against an opponent to be determined at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Both Fairmont/Martin County West and Worthington will compete in the Section 3AA Individual Meet starting at 5 p.m. Friday in Redwood Falls.

“I don’t think many people gave us a legitimate chance to make it to the sectional championship, but our guys really believed in themselves,” said Williamson, whose lineup produced the program’s first-ever runner-up sectional team showing and matched last season’s win total of 15. “We had more losses this season (nine) than last year (four), but I thought we wrestled tougher competition this year.”

The Red Bulls captured nine of their 14 matches against the Marshall Tigers during the pair of Big South Conference rivals’ sectional semifinal battle on Saturday.

Jaxson Rohman, who holds the No. 2 spot in the Class AA state poll’s 106-pound bracket, moved to 113 and triggered the Red Bulls’ six-match winning stampede at the Tigers’ expense.

Rohman amassed a 20-8 major decision over Noah Jensen before Red Bulls’ teammate Cale Steuber edged Hsa La Eh by a 5-2 decision at 120. Jordan Wolter then put on a textbook technical clinic by besting Lucas Hodges via a 9-0 major decision at 126.

No. 10-ranked 126-pounder Zac Ringnell moved up to 132 to earn a fall in 1:10 over Grant Louwagie to extend the Red Bulls’ lead to 17-3.

“We had to make some adjustments to our lineup out of necessity during the middle part of the season, and that versatility really paid off during the section meet,” said Williamson.

Payton Anderson moved to the 138-pound spot and coasted to a 13-1 major decision over Dylan Dulas before Red Bulls’ 145-pounder Mario Maldonado edged Zach Stahl by a 7-5 decision to extend the team lead to 24-3.

Marshall’s Toby Semler countered with a fall in 3:47 at 152 before Miles Fitzgerald got the Red Bulls back on the winning trail with a 9-6 victory over Jackson Hughes at 160.

Tristan Lange delivered three more key team points for Fairmont/Martin County West by defeating Elijah Sterner, 5-2, at 170 before Collin Steuber put the semifinal out of reach via a 12-0 major decision over Wyatt Martin at 182. Steuber, who’s ranked No. 6 at 152, moved two spots from his usual 160-pound spot in the lineup.

Connor Simmonds then staked the Red Bulls to an early 3-0 lead over Worthington in the championship meet, downing Damon Schutz by a 5-0 decision at 106.

Tied at 3-all, Rohman regained the upperhand on the scoreboard for FHS/MCW by moving to the 120-pound spot and defeating the Trojans’ Jaden Hennings by a 12-7 decision.

Trailing 7-6, Ringnell and Payton Anderson delivered a 12-2 major decision and a 3-1 win, respectively, to swing a 13-7 edge to the Red Bulls. Ringnell defeated Lay K Paw at 132, while Anderson outdueled Ethan Pavelko in 138-pound action.

Ahead 13-10, Maldonado pinned Preston Anderson in 3:50 at 152 to create a nine-point margin for FHS/MCW before Fitzgerald earned a hard-fought 5-2 decision over Jacob Neuberger at 160.

Mason Byrne kept the Trojans’ chances alive for a comeback by recording a fall in 1:28 at 170 before Collin Steuber countered for the Red Bulls with a 6-2 decision over Marcos Herrera at 182.

Vince Riley, who holds the No. 7 spot at 182, then moved to 195 to post a 21-second fall for Worthington to trigger the late comeback victory.

Brandon Kempema followed suit with a fall in 1:16 at 220 before Trojans’ teammate Nic Putnam — who’s ranked No. 9 at 220 — moved to heavyweight to seal the 34-25 comeback team triumph with a fall in 1:59.

Section 3AA Team Finals

Worthington 34, FHS/MCW 25

106: Connor Simmonds (FMCW) dec. Damon Schutz, 5-0.

113: Erik Artiga (WOR) dec. Cale Steuber, 11-5.

120: Jaxson Rohman (FMCW) dec. Jaden Hennings, 12-7.

126: Jacob Prunty (WOR) major dec. Jordan Wolter, 14-6.

132: Zac Ringnell (FMCW) major dec. Lay K Paw, 12-2.

138: Payton Anderson (FMCW) dec. Ethan Pavelko, 3-1.

145: Brayden Donkersloot (WOR) dec. Nathan Simmonds, 6-0.

152: Mario Maldonado (FMCW) pinned Preston Anderson, 3:50.

160: Miles Fitzgerald (FMCW) dec. Jacob Neuberger, 5-2.

170: Mason Byrne (WOR) pinned Tristan Lange, 1:28.

182: Collin Steuber (FMCW) dec. Marcos Herrera, 6-2.

195: Vince Riley (WOR) pinned Jacob Rahn, 0:21.

220: Brandon Kempema (WOR) pinned Conner Tordsen, 1:16.

285: Nic Putnam (WOR) pinned Theo Krumholz, 1:59.

Section 3AA Semifinal

FHS/MCW 34, Marshall 27

106: Hsa Knee Lar (MAR) dec. Connor Simmonds, 11-6.

113: Jaxson Rohman (FMCW) major dec. Noah Jensen, 20-8.

120: Cale Steuber (FMCW) dec. Hsa La Eh, 5-2.

126: Jordan Wolter (FMCW) major dec. Lucas Hodges, 9-0.

132: Zac Ringnell (FMCW) pinned Grant Louwagie, 1:10.

138: Payton Anderson (FMCW) major dec. Dylan Dulas, 13-1.

145: Mario Maldonado (FMCW) dec. Zach Stahl, 7-5.

152: Toby Semler (MAR) pinned Nathan Simmonds, 3:47.

160: Miles Fitzgerald (FMCW) dec. Jackson Hughes, 9-6.

170: Tristan Lange (FMCW) dec. Elijah Sterner, 5-2.

182: Collin Steuber (FMCW) major dec. Wyatt Martin, 12-0.

195: Elijah Sterner (MAR) pinned Jacob Rahn, 5:12.

220: Jaiden Bahr (MAR) pinned Conner Tordsen, 0:56.

285: Brendin Otto (MAR) pinned Theo Krumholz, 0:58.

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