Top-ranked Hudson Loges and Blaise Baughman led the Blair High School boys to their top-three finish Saturday during the Schuyler Wrestling Invite.
Bennington and Omaha Skutt earned first and second, respectively, but coach Erich Warner's Bears secured third ahead of Columbus Lakeview with both of their top two wrestlers winning weight classes. Loges, ranked first in Class B at 138 pounds by the NSWCA, dominated his bracket, topping second-ranked Brodee Scobee of Bennington in the finals by technical fall. It took the BHS standout just 3:57 to outscore the Badger 18-2.
Baughman, meanwhile, went 3-0 at 190 pounds, defending his No. 1 spot with a 10-7 decision against third-ranked Eric Hall of Norris in the finals. The Bears' 29-3 wrestler pinned his first-round opponent Saturday in just 12 seconds.
Blair's Griffin Rosterman and Cornez Tucker Jr. reached the finals of their weight classes, too, but wound up second. Rosterman was the runner-up at 175 pounds, dropping his first-place bout by 9-6 sudden victory in overtime. Prior to it, he earned two pins and a 19-2 technical fall.
Tucker Jr., meanwhile, was 3-1 at heavyweight. He scored three pins — all by 76 seconds or less — before a loss to Daylon Adams of Scottsbluff in the finals.
Additionally, Bears' Landon Bernasek (132 pounds) and Michael Buckley (215) added sixth-place results in Warner's lineup. Both wrestlers were 2-3 in Schuyler as Mac Tupa (one win) and Wyatt Loftis (two) added victories to their season records during the tournament, too.
Blair next wrestles 6 p.m. Thursday during a Senior Night home dual with Millard West.
BHS bests Missouri Valley
Before the Schuyler Invite, Blair boys topped Missouri Valley, Iowa, on Thursday, 47-24.
The Bears split the 10 contested matches on the Big Reds' mats, but won the dual definitively off of forfeit points secured by Baughman, Buckley, Tucker Jr. and Boston McKinnis. Loges, however, earned a 17-1 technical fall within the circle at 138 pounds.
Jaxon Logan, Tupa, Loftis and Rosterman won consecutive matches from the 150-pound weight class to the 175 class from there. Logan earned a pin before Tupa's 9-3 decision at 157 pounds and Loftis' 26-second pin at 165. Rosterman's win was by 8-5 decision.
In junior varsity competition, the Bears' Lakodah McKinnis secured a first-period pin as well.
SCHUYLER INVITE
Saturday at Schuyler High School
Top-10 team standings: Bennington 238.5, Omaha Skutt 223.5, Blair 128.5, Columbus Lakeview 118, Scottsbluff 111.5, Aurora 98.5, Fairbury 96, Lexington 96, David City Aquinas 89, Ralston 79.5.
Blair top-6 placers: 1, Hudson Loges, 138. 1, Blaise Baughman, 190. 2, Griffin Rosterman, 175. 2, Cornez Tucker Jr., 285. 6, Landon Bernasek, 132. 6, Michael Buckley, 215.
