Blair heavyweight wrestler Cornez Tucker Jr. capped Saturday's Border Brawl with a first-place match pin.
The senior sent his opponent's rear-end into the air and his shoulders to the BHS mat, securing the last of the Bears' five weight class victories. Coach Erich Warner's squad won in the team standings, too, outscoring second-place Logan-Magnolia by 18 points in the event pitting four Iowa teams against three from Nebraska.
“It went great,” Blair's Carson Faue said. “We all came out firing and just finished with the same goal in mind.”
Like Tucker Jr., he was his weight class' champion along with fellow Bears Landon Beransek, top-ranked Hudson Loges and Jaxon Logan. Their tournament wins were the first of the new year. Logan said positive progress was made during holiday break practices in the BHS wrestling room.
“We've gotten better this past week, especially,” he explained.
The 144-pounder, who went 5-0 Saturday, likely hopes his right shoulder gets better soon, too. It needed attention from athletic trainer Mark Kwikkel during Logan's first-place match, but the Bear gutted out a 14-11 decision against Missouri Valley's Luke Cleaver anyway.
“Being mentally strong,” he said when asked how he held onto the lead late in the bout. “I just had to fight through it. Get on top of the podium.”
Faue, meanwhile, earned his weight class victory at 150 pounds, securing four pins and a 16-2 major decision. He said his biggest match was the semifinal against 16-9 Tyler Babe of Shenandoah.
“After I pinned that kid, I knew I had it,” he explained after stopping his finals opposition in 1:52.
At 138 pounds, Loges improved to 28-1 on the season with three pins and a pair of technical falls. His quickest pin took just 10 seconds, while he won his finals match against Logan-Magnolia's 18-5 138 pounder, Kalab Kuhl, 23-3.
Tucker Jr. won five matches Saturday as well. His last was against Millard West's Dominic Baggiani, while his first four also ended by pin.
Bernasek, meanwhile, earned four wins at 132 pounds to earn his own spot atop the podium. The Bear secured three pins and a 24-9 technical fall.
In addition to the champions, Blair's Blaise Baughman was second at 190 pounds. The 19-3 wrestler battled unbeaten Jayden Dickerson of Shenandoah in the finals, falling by 7-3 decision.
The Bears' Tate Horacek, Griffin Rosterman and Michael Buckley added third-place results during the seven-team Border Brawl tournament, too, while Wyatt Loftis, Mac Tupa and Trevor Furchert were fourth in their weight classes.
Coach Warner's team next competes 3 p.m. Friday during the Eastern Midlands Conference Duals Tournament in Waverly.
Bears split duals in Iowa
Before fulfilling their hosting duties, the Bears hit the road Thursday for Underwood, Iowa. There they faced the hometown team and Hinton, splitting the duals.
First, Hinton bested BHS 47-32 across 14 weight classes. Bernasek, Rosterman and Tucker Jr. earned pins in defeat, while Loges claimed a 17-2 technical fall.
Baughman's win against Hinton at 190 pounds came by 12-5 decision.
Coach Warner's team then added five more contested victories against Underwood during a 41-33 dual win. Noah Keough secured a Blair pin at 126 pounds for six team points before Loges' 5-0 decision added three more. Loftis scored a 15-3 decision at 165 pounds, too, before Rosterman's 26-second pin.
Baughman won his second match of the day against the home team as well, but by 11-2 major decision. His Bears notched 18 team points by forfeit against Underwood, too, with Gavin Hammond, Logan and Tucker Jr. claiming six apiece, respectively.
Additionally, BHS wrestlers Aaden Reinders, Isaak Schultz, Hammond and Lakodah McKinnis earned unscored match wins during the road trip.
BORDER BRAWL
Saturday at Blair High School
Team standings: Blair 198.5, Logan-Magnolia 180.5, Millard West 159.5, Beatrice 151.5, Shenandoah 127, Missouri Valley 96.5, West Monona-Whiting 93.
Blair top-6 placers: 1, Landon Bernasek, 132 pounds. 1, Hudson Loges, 138. 1, Jaxon Logan, 144. 1, Carson Faue, 150. 1, Cornez Tucker Jr., 285. 2, Blaise Baughman, 190. 3, Tate Horacek, 113. 3, Grffin Rosterman, 175. 3, Michael Buckley, 215. 4, Wyatt Loftis, 157. 4, Mac Tupa, 165. 4, Trevor Furchert, 215. 6, Noah Keough, 126. 6, Evan Kuchta, 190.
