Blair 100-pound wrestler Riley Martin pinned her first opponent of the Plattsmouth Invitational in 39 seconds Friday afternoon.
Unaware the referee had slapped the mat in her favor, though, the Bear held onto Nebraska City's Grace Conner a few seconds longer than she needed to inside the Blue Devils' noisy side gymnasium. The grappler only let go of the Pioneer when the official tapped her on the leg to get her attention.
Altogether, BHS coach Terry Bellamy's team won two individual weight classes and finished second overall in Plattsmouth. The Bears scored 136 team points, while the first-place Ralston Rams concluded the Friday event with 143. Lincoln East was third with 124 points, too.
Martin secured a second win and finished first at 100 pounds, while Savanah Roan earned three-straight victories for first at 125. Martin's finals win came by 14-8 decision against Jeena Hajee of Lincoln High.
Roan, however, recorded back-to-back-to-back pins for Blair. None of her three matches extended past the 50-second mark, including the 24-second final against Norris' Theia Croteau.
In addition, BHS' Ali Wheeler and Madi James finished second in Plattsmouth. Wheeler, a 21-5 115-pounder, secured two pins before Ralston's Oliviana Medina pinned her in the finals.
James, meanwhile, pinned both Maryn Strunk of Norris and Nebraska City's Lextyn Harker before a loss in the 145-pound finals. She is 16-9 this season.
James secured her first pin of the tourney after forward rolling out of the bottom position to start the second period. The wrestler latched onto Strunk's leg out of the roll and used it to score a pin in 2:44.
The Bears' Katie Wheeler (110 pounds) and Reata Malmberg (235) added third-place finishes Friday, while Isabella Matney (105) took fourth, and Karlie Dewitt-Dodd (135), Jo Inget (140) and Jaslyn Raymond (155) were fifth in their weight classes. Kalli Jordan claimed sixth at 170, too.
Blair next competes 5 p.m. Friday at a Gretna East triangular before the Bears host the Eastern Midlands Conference Tournament on Saturday. The weekend's matches begin at 9 a.m., according to the BHS activities calendar.
PLATTSMOUTH INVITATIONAL
Friday at Plattsmouth High School
Team standings: Ralston 143 points, Blair 136, Lincoln East 124, Lincoln High 120, Nebraska City 103.5, Auburn 95, Elkhorn 88.5, Lincoln North Star 73, Lincoln Northwest 60, Plattsmouth 48, Falls City 47, Omaha Buena Vista 37, Norris 25.
Top-6 Blair finishers: 1, Riley Martin, 100 pounds, 2-0 tournament record. 1, Savanah Roan, 125, 3-0. 2, Ali Wheeler, 115, 2-1. 2, Madi James, 145, 2-1. 3, Katie Wheeler, 110, 3-1. 3, Reata Malmberg, 235, 0-2. 4, Isabella Matney, 105, 1-3. 5, Karlie Dewitt-Dodd, 135, 1-2. 5, Jo Inget, 140, 1-2. 5, Jaslyn Raymond, 155, 1-2. 6, Kalli Jordan, 170, 0-3.
