Three LHS wrestlers reach third-place match in section tournament

The Luverne wrestling team competed in the individual section tournament in Redwood Falls on Tuesday, March 16.
Luverne had three wrestlers reach the third-place match in their respective weight classes. Unfortunately for the three Cardinal grapplers, those third-place matches were not wrestled.
 
Riley Cowell
Cowell capped off his prep wrestling career by going 2-1 and earning a spot in the third-place match in the section tournament. Both of Cowell’s victories were by pinfall.
Cowell opened the tournament by defeating Worthington’s Oliver Ortiz Perez by fall.
In the second round, Cowell fell to Fairmont-Martin County West's Jesse Potts by a 9-7 decision.
Cowell defeated Marshall’s Brett Regnier by fall to earn a spot in the third-place match.
 
Braydon Ripka
Ripka opened the section tournament with a 7-5 decision victory over Redwood Valley’s Jaxon Lang.
In the next round, Ripka lost to Worthington’s Damon Schuts by fall.
Ripka earned a spot in the third-place match by defeating Dawson-Boyd-Lac Qui Parle-Montevideo United’s Kadin Huntley by decision (6-2).
 
Hunter Baker
Baker opened the section tournament with a pinfall victory over Marshall’s Lukas Stelter.
Baker lost the next match by decision (10-3) to Dain Mortenson.
Baker won his next match by major decision (14-3) to earn a spot in the third-place match.
The individual section tournament marked the last time that seniors Cowell and Baker wrestled for the Cardinals.
“The experience that they brought to the team will be hard to replace,” Luverne head coach Jordan Kopp said. “The way they went at it in the practice room will be missed.”