Berkley Kruse, Bentlie Roan, Kennedi Roan and Baeli Gossman all earned state titles Saturday and Sunday during the Nebraska USA Wrestling State Folkstyle Tournament in Grand Island.
Kruse and the Roan sisters led Blair Wrestling Club to a 20th-place finish out of 214 scoring teams at the Heartland Events Center, while Gossman led Pioneer Wrestling Club (PWC) to a 24th-place effort. Arlington Youth Wrestling was 53rd, too.
Kruse was 3-0 at 56 poundsin the first- and second-grade division. She had two pins and a tech fall, while Bentlie Roan had three pins in the same age grouping at 67 pounds.
Kennedi Roan, meanwhile, went 3-0 with two pins in her seventh- and eighth-grade weight class.
Blair's David Standen, Easton Kruse, Emmet Rosterman and Lorelai Fangmeier added second-place results in Grand Island, too, while both Bryer Rosterman and Lily Warren were fourth. Wyatt Jenson took fifth as well.
Gossman, however, was 4-0 at 58 pounds to lead PWC of Fort Calhoun. The third- and fourth-grade division wrestler had four pins.
Bennett Gossman and Cara Caruso added second-place efforts for their PWC team, while Olivia Nekolite was third and Abel Christensen took fourth. Beckah Gossman added a fifth-place result and Marley DeMilt was sixth.
Fort Calhoun's Quentin Billesbach and Nathan Duros were both seventh at state, while Barrett Gossman was eighth.
Tanner Meyer and Finlan Reed led Arlington's group in Grand Island. Meyer was 4-2 at 220 pounds for third in the seventh- and eighth-grade division.
Reed was also third, going 1-2 with a 9-0 major decision in her kindergarten age group.
Arlington's Ericson Lozo and Marissa Blake added fifth-place results, while Brody Olverholt and Ryker Wegner claimed eighth at the State Folkstyle Tourney.
BHS presents honors during banquet
The Blair High School wrestling team presented awards to its athletes recently during a postseason banquet.
Senior Atticus Dick was recognized as the Most Valuable Wrestler alongside teammate Tyson Bown, but also took home the Trent Hill Memorial Scholarship. Dick finished the season with the third-most career pins — 95 — in school history.
Brown concluded his senior season with a team-leading 103 takedowns and 264.5 team points, too.
Blaise Baughman, meanwhile, was recognized as the Bears' Most Outstanding Wrestler, while both Thomas Chikos and Mac Tupa took home Most Dedicated Wrestler awards. Keenan Wyman was BHS' top practice wrestler, and both Cornez Tucker and Tannon Bellamy were the most improved.
Henry Sullivan took home the “Most Corageous” honor while Brock Hamm was the top junior varsity wrestler and Jaxon Logan earned the Future Bear Award.
— Staff reports
