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Luverne High School sent nine wrestlers to Jackson Saturday, Feb. 25, to wrestle in the individual sectional tournament.
Of those, five placed and two advanced to state competition.
“We had five placers out of nine wrestlers with two going to state,” head coach Jordan Kopp said.
Senior DJ Rock qualified for state at 160 pounds, taking first place.
Junior Sam Rock qualified for state at 170 pounds, taking second place.
They will advance to the state wrestling meet at the Xcel Energy Center March 1-4 in St. Paul.
Sophomore Masyn Akkerman took third place at 285 pounds.
Eighth-grader Brody Kopp took sixth place at 113 pounds.
Eighth-Grader Matthew Gangestad took sixth place at 120 pounds.
“Saturday was a tough tournament, but our guys wrestled well, and we had a couple wrestlers that fell just short of placing,” head coach Jordan Kopp said.
“State qualifier DJ Rock pinning his way through the section tournament is quite an accomplishment, and Sam Rock had one loss in the finals to a highly ranked wrestler.”
Match breakdown by wrestler are as follows:
Brody Kopp, 113 pounds:
Sixth Place
Champ. Round 1 – Brody Kopp (Luverne) received a bye
Quarterfinals - Travis Weiss (Adrian Area) over Brody Kopp (Luverne) (Fall 3:00)
Cons. Round 2 - Brody Kopp (Luverne) received a bye
Cons. Round 3 - Brody Kopp (Luverne) over Marshal Willhite (Red Rock Central) (Fall 3:29)
Cons. Semis - Brayden Gilb (Fulda-Murray Cty Central) over Brody Kopp (Luverne) (MD 13-0)
5th Place Match - Troy Gillette (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton-Westbrook-Walnut-Grove) over Brody Kopp (Luverne) (Fall 1:28)
Matthew Gangestad, 120 pounds: Sixth Place
Champ. Round 1 - Matthew Gangestad (Luverne) received a bye
Quarterfinals - David Schuh (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton-Westbrook-Walnut-Grove) over Matthew Gangestad (Luverne) (Dec 7-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Matthew Gangestad (Luverne) over Jonah Skarupa (Red Rock Central) (Fall 4:15)
Cons. Round 3 - Matthew Gangestad (Luverne) over Kaden Landsman (Fulda-Murray Cty Central) (Fall 1:28)
Cons. Semis - Ashton Weidemann (Wabasso) over Matthew Gangestad (Luverne) (Dec 11-4)
5th Place Match - Charger Erlandson (Adrian Area) over Matthew Gangestad (Luverne) (Fall 3:25)
Leif Ingebretsen, 126 pounds: Eighth Place
Champ. Round 1 - Leif Ingebretsen (Luverne) received a bye
Quarterfinals - Devin Carter (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton-Westbrook-Walnut-Grove) over Leif Ingebretsen (Luverne) (Fall 1:15)
Cons. Round 2 - Leif Ingebretsen (Luverne) received a bye
Cons. Round 3 - Caleb Wolf (Adrian Area) over Leif Ingebretsen (Luverne) (Fall 4:49)
7th Place Match - Haden Mulvihill (Pipestone Area) vs. Leif Ingebretsen (Luverne)
Hudson Hough, 132 pounds: DNP
Champ. Round 1 - Hudson Burnett (Pipestone Area) over Hudson Hough (Luverne) (TF 18-1 4:32)
Cons. Round 1 - Hudson Hough (Luverne) received a bye
Cons. Round 2 - Andrew Pankonin (Red Rock Central) over Hudson Hough (Luverne) (Dec 6-4)
Cameron McCrary, 138 pounds: Eighth Place
Champ. Round 1 - Cameron McCrary (Luverne) received a bye
Quarterfinals - Thomas Freking (Jackson County Central) over Cameron McCrary (Luverne) (Fall 0:57)
Cons. Round 2 - Cameron McCrary (Luverne) received a bye
Cons. Round 3 - Aiden Lorenzen (Fulda-Murray Cty Central) over Cameron McCrary (Luverne) (MD 17-5)
7th Place Match - Carlos Ulloa-Castillo (Adrian Area) vs. Cameron McCrary (Luverne)
DJ Rock, 160 pounds: First Place – State Qualifier
Champ. Round 1 - DJ Rock (Luverne) over Ashton Squires (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton-Westbrook-Walnut-Grove) (Fall 1:32)
Quarterfinals - DJ Rock (Luverne) over Lucas Thooft (Pipestone Area) (Fall 1:46)
Semifinals - DJ Rock (Luverne) over Breyer Hieronimus (Adrian Area) (Fall 3:32)
1st Place Match - DJ Rock (Luverne) over Trey Rossow (Jackson County Central) (Fall 1:27)
Sam Rock, 170 pounds: Second Place – State Qualifier
Champ. Round 1 - Sam Rock (Luverne) received a bye
Quarterfinals - Sam Rock (Luverne) over Bode Bruns (Pipestone Area) (Fall 1:44)
Semifinals - Sam Rock (Luverne) over Micah Bullerman (Adrian Area) (Fall 3:00)
1st Place Match - Dylan Withers (Jackson County Central) over Sam Rock (Luverne) (Dec 6-0)
2nd Place Match - Sam Rock (Luverne) over Gage Struchen (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton-Westbrook-Walnut-Grove) (MD 16-2)
Jacob Madison, 182 pounds: Eighth Place
Champ. Round 1 - Chase Irlbeck (Wabasso) over Jacob Madison (Luverne) (Fall 0:23)
Cons. Round 1 - Jacob Madison (Luverne) received a bye
Cons. Round 2 - Jacob Madison (Luverne) over Damian Honeman (Springfield) (Fall 3:14)
Cons. Round 3 - Austin Cowan (Red Rock Central) over Jacob Madison (Luverne) (Fall 2:52)
7th Place Match - Carson Klein (Fulda-Murray Cty Central) vs. Jacob Madison (Luverne)
Masyn Akkerman, 285 pounds: Third Place
Champ. Round 1 - Masyn Akkerman (Luverne) received a bye
Quarterfinals - Masyn Akkerman (Luverne) over Rylan Klein (Fulda-Murray Cty Central) (Fall 5:03)
Semifinals - Cameron Wieneke (Adrian Area) over Masyn Akkerman (Luverne) (Fall 5:06)
Cons. Semis - Masyn Akkerman (Luverne) over Richer Yang (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton-Westbrook-Walnut-Grove) (Fall 3:59)
2nd Place Match - Cameron Scholten (Jackson County Central) over Masyn Akkerman (Luverne) (Fall 1:12)
3rd Place Match - Masyn Akkerman (Luverne) over Willie Curry (Saint James Area) (Dec 3-1)