Atticus Dick is a three-time victim of the heartbreak round.
On Saturday in Aurora, though, the Blair High School senior skipped the win-or-go-home consolation semifinals, won a Class B-4 District Tournament title and earned his first trip to the NSAA State Wrestling Championships. The event starts 9:30 a.m. Thursday and continues through Saturday at the CHI Health Center in Omaha.
“It meant the world to me,” the 150-pounder said. “It meant so much to me.”
Dick was one of four BHS state qualifiers with fellow district weight class finalists Tannon Bellamy, Blaise Baughman and senior classmate Tyson Brown. The number of qualifiers is the lowest for coach Erich Warner's program since 2008 when it sent just three to the state tourney.
The Bears still earned fifth out of 12 teams in Aurora, though, scoring 121 points — 80 behind first-place Cozad. Like it did for much of the season, BHS competed without the injured Brock Templar and 2023 state champion Hudson Loges.
Notably, Brown wrestled four matches to earn the 138-pound, B-4 District title Saturday. The 48-6 standout had to work for it, too, after a pin and a 15-0 technical fall to start.
In the semifinals, the Bear outlasted 33-7 Wahoo wrestler Grady Meyer, 6-3. He then went to overtime with Ogallala's Jorge Carrizales, who dropped to 48-3 in defeat.
Brown said the day-long effort was in the pursuit of a goal.
“Wanting to get first at state, really,” he said after bettering his state seed by winning. “Getting third last year and having all of this hard work I've put in, I know I needed to win this. All this hard work pays off for this and next week.”
Brown bested Carrizales by sudden victory, 3-1, noting how his opponent was only on offense when he first took shots during regulation.
“Once in overtime and he didn't start wrestling different, I was like, 'OK, good. He shouldn't get any chances unless I make a mistake,'” the district champ said.
Dick, meanwhile, was 3-0 in Aurora with two pins and a 14-7 semifinals decision victory against Rylan Landin of Holdrege. He stopped his 150-pound finals opponent, Cozad's Kooper Pohl, by second-period pin.
“My feet. My takedowns,” he said, answering a question concerning his improvements as a senior. “My focus. Focus has been a big thing, and my faith.”
After finishing a win shy of state each of the past three seasons, the senior finally advanced and will compete in Omaha.
“It was really something special,” Dick said. “It was just directly from God.”
Baughman, a 175-pound sophomore, will make his state debut Thursday, too. He was 2-1 at districts, securing his qualification with a pin of Hastings' Avery Larsen in the semifinals.
Baughman wasn't too anxious going into the bout.
“I'm always a tiny bit nervous going into matches and stuff, but, no, not really,” he said. “I've wrestled this kid previously this year — already twice — and did really good against him. So, I kind of knew what worked.”
Though he lost his district finals match to Beatrice's Merrick Johnson by 1-0 decision, Baughman accomplished the day's objective of advancing onto Omaha.
“It's a business trip, but I really enjoy it,” the Bear said.
Bellamy took care of business in his first match of the day Saturday. The 106-pounder only needed to pin Austin Engel of Adams Central to qualify for the state tourney and he did.
“That was my first match of the day, so I got it done quick,” he said of the 29-second bout.
The BHS standout lost his next match to Talon Belding of Beatrice — who he topped Feb. 3 at state duals — but enters the state tourney 33-13 overall.
While four Bears earned qualifications by skipping the heartbreak consolation semis, four more fell short by losing their's. Jaxon Logan, Henry Sullivan, Carson Faue and Cornez Tucker Jr. all finished the season just one win shy of state berths.
In addition, Brady Thomas, Keenan Wyman, Griffin Rosterman and Thomas Chikos won Blair matches in Aurora before they were eliminated from contention.
The season continues, however, for four of their teammates.
“I'm going for it all,” Dick said.
“I've been training for it,” Bellamy noted. “That's the end goal. I just want to get it done at state.”
CLASS B-4 DISTRICT TOURNAMENT
Saturday at Aurora Middle School
Team standings: Cozad 201, Beatrice 168, Columbus Lakeview 149.5, Hastings 135.5, Blair 121, Wahoo 97, Sidney 74, Aurora 71, Ogallala 61, Alliance 38, Holdrege 32, Adams Central 21.
Blair Results
(Weight: wrestler, tourney record (overall record))
106 pounds: Tannon Bellamy, 1-1 (33-13), state qualifier (second place)
113: Jaxon Logan, 2-2 (21-17)
120: Henry Sullivan, 1-2 (23-23)
126: Brady Thomas, 1-2 (2-19)
132: Keenan Wyman, 1-2 (16-30)
138: Tyson Brown, 4-0 (46-8), state qualifier (first)
144: Carson Faue, 3-2 (17-30)
150: Atticus Dick, 3-0 (40-12), state qualifier (first)
157: Wyatt Loftis, 0-2 (9-29)
165: Mac Tupa, 0-2 (4-18)
175: Blaise Baughman, 2-1 (41-7), state qualifier (first)
190: Griffin Rosterman, 2-2 (18-22)
215: Thomas Chikos, 1-2 (25-26)
285: Cornez Tucker Jr., 1-2 (30-19)
