The Blair High School girls wrestling team scored 163 team points to finish second Friday at the Schuyler Invite.
Grand Island won the team title with 203 points, while Crete was third with 131.5.
Madi James led the Bears' effort, earning first at 145 pounds with a 4-0 effort. The 31-3 wrestler earned four pins, including a 51-second fall against Briana Onnen of Aurora during the finals.
James also pinned Norris' Maryn Strunk, Blue River's Nevaeh Maritnez and Charlotte Sebaaly of Crete on her way to the top of the podium.
Two more of coach Terry Bellamy's BHS grapplers earned third in their weight classes. Jo Inget was 3-1 at 140 pounds, losing only to 15-3 Wood River wrestler Savannah Pietrzak during the semifinals. She pinned her third-place match opponent — the hometown Warriors' Miriam Deanda — in 2 minutes, according to trackwrestling.com.
Reata Malmberg, meanwhile, bounced back from losing her first match of the tournament to take third at 190 pounds. She was 3-1 on the day, besting Grand Island's Chanya Zavala by 5-4 decision in her last match.
Three more Bears — Siena Smith (105 pounds), Katie Wheeler (120) and Kara Rodriguez (155) — added fourth-place finishes, while Emma Belnog was fifth at 130. Bella Borges secured sixth at 115 pounds, too.
In junior varsity competition, Blair's Gabbi Lecolst and Appelynn Berryman won their weight classes. Coach Bellamy's squad was scheduled to wrestle Monday at Ralston and next competes 2 p.m. Friday at Plattsmouth.
Bears beat Big Red
Before its Friday road trip west, Blair went east Thursday to wrestle a dual in Missouri Valley, Iowa. The Bears succeeded there, topping the Big Reds 49-33.
Borges (115 pounds), Wheeler (120), Belnog (130), Inget (140), James (145) and Malmberg (190) all won their varsity matches by pin. Borges' took the least amount of time to achieve a fall, 1:24.
BHS' Leah James and Berryman added junior varsity victories against Missouri Valley as well. They, too, notched pins for 10 by Bears total.
SCHUYLER INVITE
Friday at Schuyler High School
Top-10 team standings: Grand Island 203 team points, Blair 163, Crete 131.5, Lexington 126, Beatrice 123, Wood River 109.5, Wayne 106, Columbus Lakeview 105, Schuyler 95, Chadron 90.
Top-6 Blair placers: 1, Madi James, 145 pounds. 3, Jo Inget, 140. 3, Reata Malmberg, 190. 4, Siena Smith, 105. 4, Katie Wheeler, 120. 4, Kara Rodriguez, 155. 5, Emma Belnog, 130. 6, Bella Borges, 115. JV: 1, Gabbi Lecolst, 115. 1, Appelynn Berryman, 145. 2, Maren Thompson, 110. 2, Leah James, 110. 4, Alisson Romero, 120. 4, Madison Hiles, 135. 5, Anaveya Throener,-Hamer, 145.
