Blair High School wrestler Atticus Dick liked what he saw during the Bears' first matches of 2024.
“I think we looked really good,” the 150-pounder said Tuesday minutes after capping a 2-0 triangular sweep with a third-period pin. The Bears topped Hinton, Iowa, 46-24, after besting Underwood, Iowa, in their first dual of the new year, 59-20.
Hinton, meanwhile, bested Underwood in the other dual matchup of the day at BHS, 51-21.
Dick said coach Erich Warner's Bears were bolstered by recent returns from injury and will get even better when their defending state champion is healthy enough to return to the mat.
“When Hudson (Loges) comes back, we're going to be a tough team,” the 150-pounder said.
Even without the Team USA representative, though, Blair improved to 13-5 in duals Tuesday. It trailed Hinton 18-7 in its second matchup despite wins by Brock Templar and Blaise Baughman, but battled back with team points across the next eight weight classes.
Cornez Tucker Jr. started the turnaround with a 52-second pin at heavyweight before Tannon Bellamy took just 29 second at 106 pounds to get his own.
Jaxon Logan next scrambled after a stumbling Evan Stahl for a takedown, ultimately beating the Blackhawk, 9-4. Tate Horacek claimed forfeit points at 120 pounds, too, securing a 28-18 lead.
BHS' 126-pounder for the day, Henry Sullivan, trailed Nicholas Lindley of Hinton 7-6 going into the third period, but strategically latched onto the Hinton wrestler's leg during a restart for the go-ahead takedown. He'd noticed how Lindley was favoring one side and went for the ankle during the 11-7 decision victory, which put the home squad ahead by 13 team points.
“As soon as he reached, I said in my mind, 'I'm going to go,'” Sullivan said. “And it worked out. I got a big takedown at the end.”
The win was the Bear's second of the day after he topped Underwood's Dane Meyerpeter by pin, too.
“I went above my weight class and I knew I was going to go above my weight class, so I knew they were going to be a little tougher,” Sullivan explained. “I just had to battle through it. Put my head down and just go to work.”
Keenan Wyman won by forfeit next before both Tyson Brown and Dick worked for BHS wins to cap the Hinton victory. Brown's 9-2 decision at 138 pounds gave the Bears a 40-18 advantage before Dick rode out Tommy Tanner and pinned him 5:35 into their match.
“I'm really comfortable there,” Dick said after starting both the second and third periods in top position. “That's usually my go-to.”
Earlier on during the triangular, the 150-pounder pinned Underwood's Dan DeVault in 3:11 as well. Bellamy, Logan, Sullivan and Brown also earned contested victories against the Eagles as did Griffin Rosterman, who pinned Hayden Heun during an overtime period.
Tied with the Underwood wrestler through three periods, Rosterman, a 190-pounder, held off a double-leg takedown attempt during extra time and used the the Eagle's attempt to score points against him.
“I knew that he was going to put pressure on me at some point, but he didn't for a good 10, 15 seconds,” Rosterman said.
Heun had the Bear's legs, but the home team's 190-pounder had one underhook and his other arm free.
“I waited, took my opportunity and I drove him,” Rosterman explained.
Altogether, Blair's wrestlers believed they showed well in their first action of 2024.
“We felt really good because our coach said these are two really important duals if we want to make it to state duals,” Sullivan said.
The Bears will attempt to add to their resume today during the Eastern Midlands Conference Dual Tournament in Waverly, too. Matches begin at 3 p.m.
