A first-ever occurrence took place Saturday during the Bennington Invitational.
The second-year Blair High School girls team met the first-year Fort Calhoun girls on an NSAA-sanctioned wrestling mat. Emma Belnog of the Bears and the Pioneers' Madi Larrick started the Washington County programs' history against each other.
“It's like I'm getting ready to wrestle,” FCHS coach Lilly Gossman said, explaining her anticipation for the Pioneers' debut.
By the end of the tournament, coach Terry Bellamy's BHS squad took fourth overall with seven top-four medalists. Calhoun, meanwhile, finished 10th with one.
“They're doing a really good job staying focused, and encouraging each other to drill what they know and to be confident in it,” Gossman said of her team's preparation.
Larrick, a 125-pounder, defeated Belnog first on her way to a second-place finish. The Pioneer pinned Zoe Davis of Missouri Valley and Riverside/Oakland's Jayden Carrigan for a spot finals, too, where she lost to Beatrice's Ashton Hofeling.
Larrick, Fort Calhoun's most-experienced wrestler, has shown leadership skills early on.
“Madi, our team captain, is doing a great job of keeping them together,” Gossman said.
The rest of the Pioneers' debut tournament lineup combined for three wins Saturday. Ali Dill beat Blair's Ella Andahl by pin, while Bryanna Bender topped Missouri Valley's Claire Myler in 59 seconds.
Tacey Belina pinned Aidlyn Goos of Riverside, too, while Anna Rae Hartline finished short of a win in her first tourney.
Blair, meanwhile, won two weight class championships in Bennington. Riley Martin went 3-0 at 100 pounds, while Katie Wheeler earned a 2-0 record at 115.
Martin pinned two opponents in 28 and 30 seconds, respectively, while Wheeler earned a 7-5 decision before a first-place match pin. The latter Bear beat Amira Wilke of Riverside in 4:31 during that 115-pound final.
Josie Tilson and Madi James earned a pair of second-place finishes as well. Tilson was 2-1 with a pair of pins, while James topped Bender by fall and went 2-1 altogether.
Blair's Isabella Matney took third at 100 pounds with a 1-2 record, too. Her win came by 11-3 major decision.
Two Bears — Taryn Bellamy and Ali Wheeler — earned fourth. Bellamy — the coach's daughter — was 1-2 at 115 pounds, besting Beatrice's Ivy Phlmann by pin, while Wheeler was 2-2 at 120 pounds with a pair of pins.
Additionally, BHS' Savanah Roan, Jaslyn Raymond, Andahl, Jo Inget, Reata Malmberg, Maia Opetaia-Swope and Belnog earned pins during the Bennington Invite. Their team next competes Friday at the Council Bluffs Classic, while FCHS next wrestles Thursday at Ralston — its second-ever event.
Bears start with home triangular
BHS officially started its season two days earlier with a home triangular against Fremont and Papillion-La Vista South.
The Bears tied the Tigers on the scoreboard first, 42-42. Coach Bellamy's squad rebounded with an outright win, however, besting the Titans 54-30 Thursday night.
Martin earned a 54-second pin against Fremont, while Siena Smith, Roan, Inget, James, Kalli Jordan and Tilson earned team points by forfeit.
Against Papio South, Inget, Tilson, Smith and Opetaia-Swope pinned Titans. Tilson's was the fastest in 21 seconds.
Katie Wheeler, Matney, Martin, James and Roan claimed forfeits against PLVS, too.
BENNINGTON INVITATIONAL
Saturday at Bennington High School
GIRLS
Team scores: Missouri Valley 169, Riverside/Oakland 156, Beatrice 146, Blair 109, Omaha Westview 100, Auburn 66, Yutan 61, Columbus 41, Bennington 35, Fort Calhoun 32, Omaha Northwest 18.
Top-6 BHS finishers: 1, Riley Martin, 100 pounds, 3-0 record. 1, Katie Wheeler, 115, 2-0. 2, Josie Tilson, 110, 2-1. 2, Madi James, 145, 2-1. 3, Isabella Matney, 100, 1-2. 4, Taryn Bellamy, 115, 1-2. 4, Ali Wheeler, 120, 2-2.
Top-6 FCHS finishers: 2, Madi Larrick, 125 pounds, 3-1 record.
