By John RittenhousePropelled by some outstanding individual performances, the Luverne boys’ track team placed second at the Section 3A Track and Field Championships in Luverne Thursday.The Cardinal boys compiled 75 points in the event, finishing second to Redwood Valley, which scored 89 points, in the team competition.Along with a solid showing in the team competition, three LHS athletes will advance to compete in six events in the state meet in Blaine this weekend.Individuals qualify for the state meet by placing first or second at the section level in their respective events, and the winning relay teams also earn an automatic in the state field. There also are qualifying standards in place during the section meet that, if met, can send an individual or a relay to the state meet.LHS senior Tim Rust qualified for the state meet by winning one section title and placing second in two events. Senior Justin Van Wyhe placed second in a pair of jumping events, and sophomore Jake Hendricks advanced by finishing second in one running event."We are very pleased and proud of our boys," said Cardinal coach Craig Nelson. "We had a great team showing, placing second at the biggest meet of the year."What has been a rewarding senior season for Rust continued Thursday during the section meet.Rust cleared 13-3 to win the section championship in the pole vault. He also finished second in the 100- and 200-meter dashes with respective 11.52 and 23.19 efforts.Van Wyhe proved he is one of Southwest Minnesota’s best jumpers when he placed second in the long and triple jumps with respective 20-2 1/4 and 41-8 3/4 distances.Hendricks opened the door for what looks to be a promising future when he placed second in the 400-meter dash in 52.24.All three Cardinals will compete at the Minnesota State Class A Track and Field Championships that will be staged at the National Sports Center in Blaine Friday and Saturday.Rust has a busy schedule on Friday. He will compete in the pole vault at 3 p.m., run in the 100-meter dash preliminaries at 3:35 p.m., and race in the 200-meter dash preliminaries at 5:42 p.m. If he qualifies, Rust will run in the 100- and 200-meter dash finals that are set for 11:25 a.m. and 2:55 p.m. on Saturday.Van Wyhe will compete in the long jump competition at 2:30 p.m. Friday. The triple jump event will be staged at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.Hendricks runs in the 400-meter dash preliminaries at 4:35 p.m. Friday. The finals are set for 1:35 p.m. Saturday.Along with the efforts turned in by the state qualifiers, LHS athletes earned medals by placing in the top six in six events Thursday.Ryan Wynia cleared 10-6 to place fifth in the pole vault. Tyler Elbers, who placed third at the state meet in the high jump last season, was unable to make a repeat appearance at the state classic after clearing 6-1 and finishing sixth in that event at the section meet.Luverne’s 3,200-meter relay team made a bid to win a section title before finishing second with a time of 8:27.81. Scott Goebel, Nick Otten, Thomas Pinkal and Ruston Aaker formed the team.Luverne placed sixth in the 400-, 800- and 1,600-meter relays with respective 46.6, 1:37.5 and 3:39.19 times.Chris Ashby, Ben Cornish, Jordan Siebenahler and Van Wyhe ran the 400. Cornish, Siebenahler, Ben Uphoff and Andy Stegemann formed the 800-meter team. Hendricks, Aaker, Goebel and Otten teamed up in the 1,600.Cornish padded Luverne’s team tally at the meet by clearing 10-0 to place eighth in the pole vault.Aaker (12th in the 400 in 55.53) and Otten (13th in the 1,600 in 4:56.38) competed in individual events without impacting the team scoring.