Top-seeded Jackson County Central overcame a 12-point halftime deficit Saturday night and went on to beat second-seeded Luverne 73-61 in the South Subsection 3AA Boys Basketball title game in Marshall.
Luverne was up 37-25 at the break, but JCC went on an 8-0 run to start the second half and took the lead for good when a hoop inside from Weston Rowe made it 44-42. The Huskies gradually grew their lead thanks to a 27-point night from Grant Freking. Rudy Voss added 20 points for JCC, and Rowe and Ben Gallager had nine points each.
Carter Sehr finished 21 points for the Cardinals, who finished the year 19-8. The Huskies, now 24-4 on the season, will play Montevideo — which is also 24-4 — at 5 p.m. Thursday at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall for the Section 3AA title and a state tourney berth. Montevideo topped Morris Area-Chokio-Alberta 65-59 to win the North Subsection.
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In the South Subsection 3A Boys Basketball title game, top-seeded Hills-Beaver Creek improved to 26-2 on the year and moved on to Thursday's Section 3A final by defeating sixth-seeded Murray County Central 60-46. The Patriots will meet the North Subsection 3A winner, Dawson-Boyd, at 8 p.m. Thursday at SMSU for the right to go to state. The Blackjacks, who are 25-3, routed Central Minnesota Christian 81-47 on Saturday.
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In Section 2AAA boys basketball, Marshall advanced to the title game with a 69-67 OT triumph over St. Peter. The second-seeded Tigers will meet top-seeded Mankato East at 7 p.m. Thursday in St. Peter.
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Minnesota West freshman Sam Rock, competing with three Bluejay teammates at the NJCAA National Wrestling Championships over the weekend, earned All-American status by placing seventh in his weight class of 174 pounds. The top eight wrestlers in each weight class are All-Americans.
Rock began his tournament Friday by winning his first match 4-3 against Deontre Buttram of Carl Albert State. That was followed by an 8-5 loss by decision to Matteo Nikolov of Iowa Western.
Rock then started a run of victories in the consolation round, as he first beat Jesse Thornton of Northwest in a 5-3 decision and then earned a 20-7 major decision over Ty Pfeufer of Bergen. The next action on the mat for Rock resulted in a 17-6 major decision win over Giles Cowell of Ellsworth. He was beaten in a 20-6 major decision by Leo Tukhlynovych of Rochester, but ultimately earned seventh place by winning a rematch against Nikolov 5-4.
Three other Minnesota West wrestlers — Joey Wilczek, Aidyn Wolfe and Powis Mensah — also competed at the national tournament but did not place.
Wilczek, at 149, lost his initial match by fall to Angel Nava of Morton in 2:08. In his next match, he won by fall in 2:26 against Alexander Barajas of Big Bend. He was then beaten by technical fall by Lennon Steinkuhler of Harper.
Wolfe, at 184, lost in a 7-5 decision against Aiden Poe of Niagara. He then won 12-8 over Luke Velekei of Northampton and edged Noah Foster of Nassau 4-2 before falling in an 8-3 decision to Nathan Andrian of Southwestern Michigan.
Mensah, at 285, lost by fall to Jabare George of Andrew in 2:06. He also lost by fall in 2:36 to Peyton Wentzel of Thaddeus Stevens.
