Ashton Sandbulte scored a pair of touchdowns, one on an 84-yard run, and the Luverne Cardinals took care of the visiting Worthington Trojans, 23-7, in a sectional high school playoff football game Tuesday night.
The fourth-seeded Cardinals, who improved to 4-5 on the season, got their first TD of the game with just 18 seconds remaining before halftime, as quarterback Casey Sehr connected with Eli Radtke from six yards out. That conclusion to the half followed a first quarter that ended with both squads trading turnovers; Blake Ahrenstoff picking off a Sehr pass with 10 seconds left, and Luverne recovering a fumble on the very next play.
On just the second play from scrimmage in the second half, Sandbulte took a handoff, cut to his right and sprinted down the sideline and into the end zone. Sehr passed to Henry Hartquist for the two-point conversion, making it 14-0.
Worthington, who finished its season 1-8, answered with a TD of its own, as Andrew Dorcey scored from four yards out with 3:06 left in the third quarter. Sandbulte, though, added a six-yard run midway through the fourth, and Luverne later tacked on a safety to complete the 16-point victory.
In other sectional football action Tuesday, it was:
Mountain Lake Area 58, Madelia 0
Hills-Beaver Creek 47, Granada-Huntley-East Chain-Truman 0
Edgerton 30, Westbrook-Walnut Grove 20
Red Rock Central 18, Heron Lake-Okabena-Fulda 6
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 48, Adrian 19
Murray County Central 35, Wabasso 7
Jackson County Central 58, Windom Area 6
Pipestone Area 40, St. James Area 7
Faribault 43, Marshall 14
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The Worthington Trojans boys cross country team is heading to the state meet for the first time in several decades thanks to a victorious effort in the Section 2AA meet on Tuesday at Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista.
The Trojans overcame cool and breezy conditions to finish with a total of 51 points, 10 points better than second-place Mankato East. The WHS boys will next compete in the Nov. 6 state meet at St. Olaf College in Northfield.
Leading the way for the Trojans, who are ranked No. 3 in the Minnesota Class AA poll, was freshman Fanuel Wolday, who placed a team-best sixth with a time of 16:55.05. Mikele Walu was eighth in 17:06.40, Filmon Wolday 11th in 17:23.74, Alec Langerud 12th in 17:24.77, Ofbeka Morke 14th in 17:28.73, Mason Bobb 22nd in 18:01.26 and Isaac Kinser 32nd in 18:23.25.
Emmett Gerres of Belle Plaine was the individual winner, finishing in 16:20.60.
In the girls race, Marshall wound up on top in the team standings with 49 points. Worthington, meanwhile, had 294 points.
Emily Dahlquist’s 46th-place finish in 22:28.89 was the fastest for the Trojans. Kenadie Thiner was 55th, Nicole Wede 56th; Karissa Bickett 67th, Jenna Hoffman 70th, Marisa Thier 71st and Morgan Becker 77th.
