ANKLE PICK — Martin County Red Bulls wrestler Aden Welcome (right) picks the ankle of Worthington opponent Chase Byrne in their 152-pound match during a Big South Conference meet Thursday night at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont. Welcome went on to win a major decision. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Rylan Cutler and Jesse Potts proved the momentum-changing catalysts behind the Class 2A No. 8-ranked Martin County Red Bulls’ early turnarounds on the team ledger during Thursday night’s triangular at Cardinal Gym.

Cutler and Potts, who climbed one spot to No. 3 in the 126-pound state rankings this week, drew the Red Bulls even and ahead by one point, respectively, after Martin County lost the first two weight classes against both the Worthington Trojans and New Ulm Eagles.

After Cutler bested his 120-pound Worthington’s Ethan Meyer by a 3-1 decision, Potts earned a fall at 126 over Oscar Galvez to trigger Martin County’s five pins during the next seven matches to pace a 61-12 win over the Trojans.

Cutler then utilized a pivotal reversal with 46 seconds left in the third period of his clash with New Ulm’s No. 8-ranked 113-pounder Parker Kamm — who moved up to 120 — to earn a hard-fought 2-1 decision.

Potts followed with a 10-2 major decision over Logan Lee at 126 to inch the Red Bulls ahead of the Eagles 7-6, but New Ulm would counter with a 13-2 major decision by Winsten Nienhaus at 132 and an 8-1 win by Marquavian Haefner at 138 to cling to a 13-7 lead on the team ledger.

Kain Sanders, who holds the No. 6 spot 145 in Class AA, assembled a textbook 17-5 major decision over Jamisen Fredericksen to trigger a seven-match landslide en route to the Red Bulls’ eventual 38-19 win over New Ulm.

Aden Welcome and Carver Rohman generated key bonus team points for the Red Bulls against the hard-nosed Eagles to transform a 13-11 deficit into a 20-13 lead on the scoreboard.

Welcome posted a 9-1 major decision over Wyatt Pollard at 152, while Rohman utilized a “record takedowns and allow escapes” strategy to coast to a 23-8 technical fall over Ryan Wilscheck at 160.

Gage Cyphers received a forfeit at 170, Riley Allen doubled up Ty Frederick 10-5 at 182, Wyatt Williamson earned Martin County’s only fall against New Ulm by pinning Dylen Carreron in 3:25 at 195, while No. 4-ranked 220-pounder Max Olson edged Julian Hernandez by a 7-4 decision.

No. 5-ranked heavyweight Jaden Drill pinned Alec Thompson in 2:21 to keep New Ulm’s final margin of loss at only 19 points.

After Cutler’s two-point decision and Potts’ fall against Worthington in the Red Bulls’ initial dual meet, Cooper Steuber, Sanders, Rohman and Cyphers reeled off pins to pack scoring punch in extending the home team’s margin to 43-9.

Steuber pinned Vincent Vanderkooi in 1:09 at 132 before Taylor Austin received a forfeit for the Red Bulls at 138. Sanders needed just 1:40 to earn the slap of the canvas over Moo Bleh at 145 before Welcome assembled a textbook 17-7 major decision over Chase Byrnes at 152.

Rohman recorded the fastest fall of the opening dual by requiring just 56 seconds to down Mason Schutz at 160 before Cyphers captured a fall in 2:59 over Eh Day Htoo at 170 for the Red Bulls.

Allen, Williamson and Thompson each received forfeits from the Trojans at 182, 195 and 220, respectively, for Martin County.

No. 6-ranked heavyweight Cole Hennings of Worthington displayed his mettle by outlasting Olson, who moved from 220 to the 285 bracket, by a 3-2 decision. After a scoreless opening 2-minute period, Olson received a pair of second-period stalling points with Hennings in the ‘up’ position. Hennings, however, escaped to start the third period and recorded the match’s only takedown for the one-point win.

The Red Bulls (23-1) open the Section 3AA Team Meet next Thursday night. If Martin County draws a high seed, it will host both the first rounds of the postseason tournament next Thursday and the final rounds on Saturday, Feb. 19, at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont.