By John RittenhouseThe Luverne boys experienced an extremely successful day during the Section 3A Track and Field Championships in Redwood Falls Thursday.Along with winning the team championship at the meet for the first time since 2002, the six Cardinal boys earned the right to compete at the state meet in five events."We had a very good day," said Cardinal Coach Craig Nelson, who was named the Section 3A Boys Track Coach of the Year at meet’s end. "It was a very good effort by everybody."Luverne compiled 78 points to easily outscore Fulda, which placed second in team competition with 64 points. The Cardinals scored points in eight events during the meet.Athletes qualify for the state meet by placing first or second, winning a relay or meeting the state-qualifying standard during section competition. Luverne athletes won one relay, three individual titles and placed second in two events.Advancing to the state championships set for Friday and Saturday at the National Sports Center in Blaine are juniors Mike Kunstle, Jake Hendricks, Tom Ward and Jordan Siebenahler, sophomore Ben Uphoff and freshman Chris Ashby.Kunstle will compete in three events at state. He won the 100-meter dash in 11.45, placed second in the 200-meter dash in 23.39 and ran the anchor leg with the winning 800-meter relay, which set a new school and Section 3A record with a time of 1:31.89. Hendricks, Ward and Siebenahler round out the squad.There will be preliminary events for the 100- and 200-meter dash and the 800-meter relay Friday in Blaine. The finals will be Saturday with the 100 set for 11:23 a.m., the 200 at 2:20 p.m. and the 800 relay at 11:53 a.m.Along with running with the 800 relay, Hendricks won a section title with a time of 50.72 in the 400-meter dash. He will run in a preliminary race Friday in Blaine. The 400 finals are set for 1:35 p.m. on Saturday.Ashby and Uphoff qualified for state in the same event after placing first and second in the 300-meter hurdles. Ashby turned in a 41.51. Uphoff was timed at 42.02.There will be preliminary races in the 300-meter hurdles Friday. The finals are set for 2:07 p.m. on Saturday.Luverne made a bid to win the 3,200-meter relay before finishing second with a time of 8:36.5. Ward, Thomas Pinkal, Scott Goebel and Nick Otten formed the team.The Cardinals placed third in the 1,600-meter relay with a 3:31.64 effort. Ruston Aaker, Goebel, Otten and Hendricks ran the race.Aaker placed third with a time of 52.67 in the 400, and the 400-meter relay team of Ashby, Uphoff, Ryan Wynia and Siebenahler placed seventh in 46.03 to round out the team scoring.Here is a look at the team standings and the rest of Luverne results during the section meet.Team standings: Luverne 78, Fulda 64, Southwest Christian 54, Redwood Valley 49, Lac qui Parle Valley-Dawson-Boyd 46.50, Jackson County Central 44, Benson-Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg 42, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 40, MACCTAY 37, Montevideo 35, Pipestone 31, Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth-Edgerton 22, Murray County Central 20, Wndom 20, Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin 16, Westbrook-Walnut Grove-Red Rock Central 14, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton-Lake Benton 13.5, Yellow Medicine East 11, Adrian 11, Ortonville 10, BOLD 10, Comfrey-Springfield 8, Renville County West 7, Wabasso 4.Individual resultsNinth place: Ryan Wynia and Jim Broomfield field for ninth place in the pole vault after clearing 10-6.12th place: Ashby, 110 hurdles, 17.21.13th place: Pinkal, 1,600, 5:03.27; Uphoff, 110 hurdles, 17.32.14th place: Tony Willers, discus, 112-7.15th place: Michael Nelson, pole vault, 10-0.16th place: Tim Miller, triple jump, 35-8.17th place: Miller, high jump, 5-6.