A handful of matches into the new wrestling season, Blair High School senior heavyweight Cornez Tucker Jr. was optimistic about the Bears' start.
“I feel like I'm in a great place,” he said after a personal 4-1 stint during the newly-named Marty Rogers Classic dual tournament. “I feel like the team is in a great place, too.”
Coach Erich Warner's varsity lineup went 4-1 in its annual home event, securing second behind unbeaten Millard North. BHS defeated South Sioux City (68-12), Lincoln North Star (51-25), Nebraska City (48-35) and Schuyler (49-29), but the champion Mustangs pulled out a 46-25 victory during the fourth of five rounds.
“I think our team looks good,” Bears senior Hudson Loges said. “We still have a lot to learn, but I think there's a lot of potential.”
The positive tournament run came 24 hours after Coach Warner's squad split its season-opening duals Thursday evening.
“Last night, we kind of went away from some basics and were doing some things that weren't necessarily the way that we normally do things,” he said. “And I thought kids kind of reset a little better tonight.”
Notably, three Bears finished with perfect 5-0 records against Rogers Classic competition. When asked, Tucker Jr. decided Loges' 5-0 streak at 138 pounds was the most impressive.
“A really short mat time,” the heavyweight said, explaining his reasoning.
Loges, a 2023 state champion, pinned all five of his opponents during the first round, taking just 18 seconds to finish Millard North's Mason Vogel.
“Great to see Hudson back on the mat after a year off,” Warner said. The wrestler missed the vast majority of his junior year due to injury. “He looks really slick and smooth.”
Loges said he sought pins over technical falls to best help his team win duals, scoring six points per win rather than five.
“I like wrestling for the team, you know? Going out and getting as many points as I can for the team,” he explained. “At the end of the day, I want to see my team on top. Did the best I could.”
Blair's Blaise Baughman, meanwhile, went 4-0 at 190 pounds and 1-0 at 215 during Friday's tournament. He, too, finished four matches by pin with the longest match lasting just 59 seconds.
The 2024 state medalist also topped Lincoln North Star's Marcus Wynne by technical fall, 18-2.
“He just came out, workman-like, and did Blaise things,” Coach Warner said.
Tannon Bellamy, however, went 5-0 at 120 pounds for BHS with four pins and a 12-2 major decision against Millard North. His coach was impressed, in particular, with his 6-minute victory against the Mustang.
“That kid didn't even want to continue on,” Warner said. “(Tannon) just continued to take it to him and, when he smelled blood, he continued to attack and get after him.”
Loges was impressed with his teammates' effort, too.
“I like how he goes out there with confidence,” the senior said. “He's going out there acting like he's going to win.”
As noted, Tucker Jr. added four Blair wins at heavyweight with his 10-6 decision win against Millard North's Gabe Marquez his favorite. Griffin Rosterman, Carson Faue and Jaxon Logan added three wins apiece, too, while Tate Horacek, Henry Sullivan and Wyatt Loftis tallied two each.
The Bears' Logan Sibson, Aaden Reinders and Evan Kuchta secured match victories during Friday's duals, too, helping the Bears to second overall. Reinders' victory came as he filled in for Sibson, who was injured midway through the tournament.
Altogether, three BHS wrestlers who didn't start the day in the lineup were forced into action by injury. Warner said it was unfortunate, but he appreciated the wrestlers' efforts.
“They filled in nicely and stepped up, and really wrestled hard and helped out the team as well,” the coach said. “That was a big positive to get those guys some experience.”
The Bears next compete Friday and Saturday during The Council Bluffs Classic at the Mid-America Center in Iowa. Matches begin at 11 a.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
BHS splits duals to start season
On Thursday, the Bears officially opened the 2024-25 season with a 47-36 home dual win.
The Council Bluffs Lewis Central Titans, however, beat BHS 43-31 during the third matchup of the teams' triangular. Loges, Faue, Loftis, Tucker Jr., and Horacek earned match wins in defeat.
Loges and Horacek claimed technical falls against the Titans, while both Loftis and Tucker Jr. earned sub-40 second pins. Faue's victory came by 9-3 decision.
Against Fremont, Bellamy, Loges, Logan, Loftis, Rosterman, Baughman, Trevor Furchert and Tucker Jr. contributed team points to a 47-36 dual victory. Loges, Loftis, Rosterman and Baughman won by pinfall, while Logan earned a 17-2 tech fall.
Bellamy, Furchert and Tucker Jr., meanwhile, produced six points apiece by forfeit.
MARTY ROGERS CLASSIC
Friday at Blair High School
Team standings w/ dual record: 1, Millard North, 5-0. 2, Blair, 4-1. 3, Schuyler, 2-3. 4, Lincoln North Star, 2-3. 5, Nebraska City, 2-3. 6, South Sioux City, 0-5.
Blair Wrestlers
(Record in contested matches)
106 pounds: Brantley Bennett (0-3).
113: Boston McKinnis (0-3).
120: Tannon Bellamy (5-0).
126: Tate Horacek (2-3).
132: Henry Sullivan (2-1), Noah Keough (0-2).
138: Hudson Loges (5-0).
144: Jaxon Logan (3-2).
150: Logan Sibson (1-1), Aaden Reinders (1-2).
157: Carson Faue (3-2).
165: Wyatt Loftis (2-2).
175: Griffin Rosterman (3-1).
190: Blaise Baughman (4-0), Evan Kuchta (1-0).
215: Trevor Furchert (0-4), Baughman (1-0).
285: Cornez Tucker Jr. (4-1).
