TURNING POINT — Martin County Red Bulls wrestler Berent Kosbab (top) prepares to turn Luverne opponent Dawson Holtz during their 160-pound match in the two teams’ Section 3AA Team Meet quarterfinals on Thursday night in Sherburn. Kosbab went on to post a 21-6 technical fall, but the Cardinals won the dual meet. (Photo by Charlie Sorrells)

SHERBURN — The South’s No. 3-seeded Luverne Cardinals combined a pair of forfeits with five falls to upend the short-handed No. 2-seeded Martin County Red Bulls, 49-21, during Thursday night’s Section 3AA Team quarterfinal wrestling clash in Sherburn.

Luverne advanced to the sectional tournament’s final four to square off against Class AA No. 7-ranked and the North’s No. 1-seeded Dawson-Boyd/Lac Qui Parle/Montevideo United in a 12:30 p.m. semifinal Saturday in New London-Spicer.

United reached the sectional team semifinals by coasting over the North’s No. 4-seeded Hutchinson on Thursday night. The sectional meet crosses brackets during the next-to-last round.

The Red Bulls compete in the Section 3A Individual Meet starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, in Windom Area High School.

“We just didn’t have enough healthy bodies or varsity-experienced guys in our lineup tonight,” said Red Bulls head coach Adam Williamson. “I thought our guys gave a great effort, but we just couldn’t get things to fall our way.”

Brady Kopp and Ty Kopp collected back-to-back forfeits at 107 and 114 pounds, respectively, to stake Luverne to a 12-0 lead on the team ledger before Pierce Rohman countered for Martin County.

Rohman utilized a catch-and-release technique to build a 9-2 first-period lead before pinning the Cardinals’ Uriel Hernandez in 2:25 to generate the Red Bulls’ first team points.

Luverne’s Rayden Boyenga followed with a fall in 1:12 over seventh-grader Cooper Kolander at 127 before Cardinal teammate Matt Gangestad netted a 19-7 major decision over freshman Brock Stauffer at 133.

Hudson Hough earned the slap of the canvas in 1:51 over Evan Welcome during 139-pound action to widen Luverne’s team margin to 28-6.

Maddex Faber slammed the brakes on Luverne’s string of wins by coasting to a 14-6 major decision over Leif Ingebretsen at the 145-pound spot in the lineup.

Faber held a narrow 4-3 lead after the initial 2-minute period, clung to a 7-4 edge after the second frame and reeled off seven more points in the third to pull away on the scoreboard.

Cameron McCrary earned a fall in 1:09 over Luis Martin to counter for Luverne at 152 before the Red Bulls’ Berent Kosbab moved up to 160 to put on a textbook clinic.

Kosbab posted a 6-2 first-frame lead before erupting for a 12-point middle segment en route to an 18-5 advantage over Dawson Holtz. Kosbab finished with a 21-6 technical fall for Martin County.

No. 8-ranked 172-pounder Sam Rock of Luverne outlasted Taylor Austin by a 5-1 decision before the Red Bulls received a fall in 1:47 by Hank Olson over the Cardinals’ Adam Ask during 189-pound tie-up action on the canvas.

Kane Akkerman and Masyn Akkerman put the dual-meet victory away by recording back-to-back falls at 215 and 285, respectively.

Luverne’s Kane Akkerman claimed a pin in 5:07 over Ivan Martin, while Masyn Akkerman earned the slap of the mat in 1:42 over Colby Schwichtenberg at heavyweight.

Section 3AA Team

Meet Quarterfinals

Luverne 49,

Martin County 21

107: Brody Kopp (LUV) won by forfeit.

114: Ty Kopp (LUV) won by forfeit.

121: Pierce Rohman (MC) pinned Uriel Hernandez, 2:25.

127: Rayden Boyenga (LUV) pinned Cooper Kolander, 1:12.

133: Matt Gangestad (LUV) major dec. Brock Stauffer, 19-7.

139: Hudson Hough (LUV) pinned Evan Welcome, 1:51.

145: Maddex Faber (MC) major dec. Leif Ingebretsen, 14-6.

152: Cameron McCrary (LUV) pinned Luis Martin, 1:09.

160: Berent Kosbab (MC) tech. fall Dawson Holtz, 21-6.

172: Sam Rock (LUV) dec. Taylor Austin, 5-1.

189: Hank Olson (MC) pinned Adam Ask, 1:47.

215: Kane Akkerman (LUV) pinned Ivan Martin, 5:07.

285: Masyn Akkerman (LUV) pinned Colby Schwichtenberg, 1:42.