The Blair boys wrestling team was unable to replicate its 2022 and 2023 NSAA State Dual Championship results Saturday in Kearney.
After back-to-back Class B finals appearances at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds, the sixth-seeded Bears finished sixth after a first-round loss to No. 3 Omaha Skutt in a rematch of the Skyhawks' championship win last season.
BHS coach Erich Warner wasn't down on his team after the opening-round defeat to the eventual back-to-back champions.
“To be honest, I'm thankful for the opportunity to be here,” he said. “I've been here since 2018 and that's pretty impressive — the consistency of our kids and the way they continue to compete.”
The Bears battled the Skyhawks on Saturday, dropping the 43-28 dual.
“Whatever we do here the rest of the day, I'm proud of our kids and what they continue to do,” Warner said.
After falling behind 17-0 from 106 pounds through 120, Henry Sullivan picked up Blair's first win of the tournament against Skutt 126-pounder Josh Healey. The Bear claimed an 18-10 major decision despite an obvious hand injury.
“He wrestled great,” Warner said. “His attacks were good.”
Sullivan shook off his hand pain repeatedly and coaches opted to hold him out the rest of the dual championships as districts approach.
Keenan Wyman wrestled next against Skutt, though, picking up BHS' second win of the dual. The 132-pounder claimed a 6-1 decision, using his strength advantage to do it.
Tyson Brown, the Bears' standout 138-pounder, nearly secured his team's third-straight victory against fellow ranked wrestler Christian Ramos. The Skyhawk broke a 1-1 tie in overtime, though, scoring a debated takedown at the end of the first minute.
Skutt pushed its lead to 26-7 before Blair senior Atticus Dick claimed the Bears' next victory against Class B No. 6 150-pounder Isaac Christo. The Skyhawk gave up a 2-1 lead to Dick to start the third period, allowing the wrestlers to start it on their feet.
The strategy backfired, though, as the BHS veteran secured a takedown near the boundary with 40 seconds left to all but seal a 4-2 victory.
“He stayed on his attacks,” Warner said of Dick. “Early, he got in on shots and didn't quite finish them, but he continued on and he found a way. That was really important.”
Skutt won three of the next five weight classes before Blair heavyweight Cornez Tucker Jr. had his hand raised by forfeit. Blaise Baughman and Thomas Chikos, however, won the other two weights for the Bears.
Baughman earned a pin at 175 pounds, stopping Dyllon Carpenter with 36 seconds left in the second period after he'd taken a 10-2 advantage.
Chikos, meanwhile, beat Aedan Underwood at 215 pounds. The pin took just 68 seconds total.
In the end, though, the Skyhawks moved onto the semifinals with a 25-point victory.
“Our kids competed hard,” Warner said. “I think we won most of the matches we should have.”
Next, Blair defeated Beatrice 43-28 before a 47-30 fifth-place dual loss to York. Against the Orangemen, Jaxon Logan, Brown, Carson Faue, Dick, Wyatt Loftis, Baughman, Chikos and Tannon Bellamy all earned victories. Notably, Bellamy, a 106-pounder, pinned Class B's second-ranked wrestler — Talon Belding — in just 1:12.
The fifth-place Dukes, however, won nine of 14 matches with the Bears. Just Wyman, Brown, Dick, Baughman and Bellamy claimed victories. Dick and Baughman finished the tournament in Kearney with identical 3-0 individual records.
“(Baughman's) just pretty consistent with the way he gets ready for his matches, the way he goes out for his matches,” Warner said. “You know that Blaise is always in a match.”
Dick, Bellamy, Brown, Chikos and he finished state duals with two pins apiece. They and their Blair teammates next compete 9 a.m. Saturday in a Class B district tournament at Aurora Middle School. Top-four individual finishers from there will compete at the NSAA's state tourney in Omaha on Feb. 15-17.
NSAA STATE DUAL WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday at Buffalo County Fairgrounds, Kearney
CLASS B
Team standings: 1, Omaha Skutt. 2, Waverly. 3, Cozad. 4, Gering. 5, York. 6, Blair. 8 (tie), Schuyler and Beatrice.
Blair Dual Results
First round: Skutt 43, Blair 28
Consolation semifinals: Blair 43, Beatrice 28
Fifth-place dual: York 47, Blair 30
