Junior varsity Blair wrestlers started 2022 with a second-place finish Monday at Lincoln East's Spartan JV Invitational.
The Bears scored 267 points during the 19-team tournament, finishing as the runner-up to their hosts, who scored 312.5. BHS' Cole Welte, Thomas Chikos and Jim Rasmussen won their weight classes.
Welte was 3-0 in the 92-to-98-pound class, finishing two of his matches by technical fall. He also claimed a 12-6 decision against East's Leland Sindel.
Chikos, meanwhile, was unbeaten at 180-186 pounds. The Bear won all of his matches by pin, including a 58-second bout with Lincoln Northeast's Olowan Dubray.
At 194-214 pounds, Rasmussen claimed two pins and a 4-2 decision against the host Spartans' Jordan Johnson.
In addition, Blair's Keenan Wyman, Jackson Livingston, Jacob Gaskill, Nathan Boswell, Luke Raymond, Corban Landauer and Tucker Cornez claimed second-place individual finishes to start the new year.
The Bears' varsity squad started 2022 competition with Thursday's Gretna dual, but will compete 3 p.m. today in Waverly for the Eastern Midlands Conference duals title, too.
