FAIRMONT — The Class AA No. 4-ranked Fairmont/Martin County West Red Bulls defended their Big South Conference dual-meet wrestling championship by besting the previously-undefeated and Class AA No. 10-ranked Marshall Tigers on Friday night.

No. 5-ranked 106-pounder Jesse Potts triggered the Red Bulls’ 41-point scoring avalanche with a major decision before No. 9-ranked 160-pounder Nathan Simmonds capped the nine-match winning string to help pace a 44-18 triumph over the Tigers at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont.

On paper, Fairmont/Martin County West and Marshall appeared to be mirror images as both the Red Bulls and Tigers netted the No. 1 seeds in the respective South and North halves of the Section 3AA team competition.

Add the absence of both No. 8-ranked 138-pounder Jordan Wolter and No. 9-ranked 182-pounder Tristan Lange from the Red Bulls’ lineup due to injuries, and both Fairmont/Martin County West head coach Adam Williamson and Marshall mentor Justin Bouwman anticipated a down-to-the-wire dual meet.

On the canvas, it proved all Red Bulls until the 10th match of the dual meet at 170 pounds.

“Our whole team believes in the next-guy-in philosophy. It doesn’t matter who we insert into the lineup — every one of them is going to give their best for the sake of the team,” said Williamson. “Our guys wanted it badly for their teammates.

“We missed Tristan and Jordan on the mat tonight, but now we’re trying to extend the season for them now.”

Potts served as the catalyst behind the Red Bulls’ stampede out of the starting gate by coasting to a 10-1 major decision over the Tigers’ Dylan Louwagie at 106 pounds before Lucas Jagodzinske stepped to the mat.

After the No. 5-ranked Jagodzinske and No. 7-ranked Hsa Khee Lar of the Tigers battled to a 2-all tie after the first period of their 113-pound battle, Jagodzinske needed only 10 seconds in the second period to earn the slap of the mat. Jagodzinske used a cross-body spin from the down position to escape and earn a fall over Khee Lar in 2:10 to extend FHS/MCW’s lead to 10-0.

Blake Jagodzinske, Lucas’ twin brother, left Marshall with a case of double vision by pinning No. 8-ranked Hsa Law Eh in 3:38 during 120-pound action.

“Blake really stepped up and came through for us at (120) tonight,” said Williamson. “That really set the tone for us.”

No. 2-ranked 120-pounder Jaxson Rohman then moved to 126 and wasted little time in pressuing Connor Roth’s shoulders to the mat in 1:45 to widen the Red Bulls’ lead to 22-0 on the team ledger.

FHS/MCW continued to move up the scales for the next two weights as No. 7-ranked 126-pounder Connor Simmonds doubled the score on Lucas Hodges, 4-2, during 132-pound action.

No. 4-ranked 132-pounder Cale Steuber generated three near-fall points in the second period to pace a 3-0 decision over Noah Jensen at 138 before No. 6-ranked Payton Anderson needed only 1:23 to pin Coltyn Marcy at 145. Anderson’s fall extended the Red Bulls’ margin to 34-0.

FHS/MCW’s 152-pounder Miles Fitzgerald then mathematically put the dual meet out of reach — 38-0 with six matches remaining — by assembling a textbook 14-3 major decision over Jackson Hughes.

Nathan Simmonds then outdueled Marshall’s Grant Louwagie by a 5-3 decision during 160-pound action to extend the Red Bulls’ margin to 41-0.

Elijah Sterner edged No. 9-ranked 170-pounder Mario Maldonado by a 5-3 decision to produce the Tigers’ first team points.

Zach Stahl kept the points rolling in Marshall’s direction by receiving four penalty points to fuel his 6-0 decision over Garrett Myren at 182 before Tiger teammate Tyler Timm pinned Shayne Steinbrink in 3:40 at 195.

No. 8-ranked 195-pounder Jaiden Bahr moved to 220 to pin the Red Bulls’ Everardo Hernandez in 2:15 before Jacob Rahn answered for FHS/MCW by moving to heavyweight and posting a 5-1 win over Zach Felcyn.

The Red Bulls (17-1) wrestle in the Valley Conference dual-meet championships starting at 5 p.m. today in Lake Crystal. Fairmont/Martin County West then faces the winner between South No. 4-seeded Luverne and No. 5-seeded Fulda/Murray County Central in a 7:15 p.m. Section 3AA team quarterfinal dual on Thursday at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont.

Marshall (15-1) grapples the winner between North Division No. 4-seeded Dawson-Boyd/Lac qui Parle/ Montevideo United and No. 5-seeded New London-Spicer in a 7:15 p.m. Section 3AA team quarterfinal meet on Thursday in Marshall.

Big South Dual-Meet

Wrestling Championship

FHS/MCW 44,

Marshall 18

106 pounds: Jesse Potts (FHS/MCW) major dec. Dylan Louwagie, 10-1.

113: Lucas Jagodzinske (FHS/MCW) pinned Hsa Khee Lar, 2:10.

120: Blake Jagodzinske (FHS/MCW) pinned Hsa Law Eh, 3:38.

126: Jaxson Rohman (FHS/MCW) pinned Connor Roth, 1:45.

132: Connor Simmonds (FHS/MCW) dec. Lucas Hodges, 4-2.

138: Cale Steuber (FHS/MCW) dec. Noah Jensen, 3-0.

145: Payton Anderson (FHS/MCW) pinned Coltyn Marcy, 1:23.

152: Miles Fitzgerald (FHS/MCW) major dec. Jackson Hughes, 14-3.

160: Nathan Simmonds (FHS/MCW) dec. Grant Louwagie, 5-3.

170: Elijah Sterner (MAR) dec. Mario Maldonado, 5-2.

182: Zach Stahl (MAR) dec. Garrett Myren, 6-0.

195: Tyler Timm (MAR) pinned Shayne Steinbrink, 3:40.

220: Jaiden Bahr (MAR) pinned Everardo Hernandez, 2:15.

285: Jacob Rahn (FHS/MCW) dec. Zach Felcyn, 5-1.