Thanks in part to seniors Brett Blend and Zach Simmons second place finishes, the varsity wrestling team began its new season with a fifth place finish at the Central Wrestling Classic at Little Rock High School Dec. 1.

Blend claimed second place in the 145-pound division while Simmons got runner-up in the 126-pound division.

“We had a pretty good start to the season,” Simmons said. “A lot of guys were winning towards the end and if they didn’t, they came back for third.”

Seniors Levi Brady and Connor Goshien, junior Chris Baldwin and sophomore Kyle Thompson also contributed to the teams strong finish by placing third in their weight class; Brady at 170, Goshien at 160, Thompson at 152 and at Baldwin at 138.

Freshman Cody Tazelaar and junior J.T. Dudderar scored in the junior varsity division; Dudderar won the 152-pound division and Tazelaar stole second at 132-pounds.

“The team is made up of hard-working young men who want to be successful,” new head coach Dondre Harris said.

Harris is continuing his eighth year coaching a sports team and starting his first year at Bryant.

“Coach Harris is doing a good job at pushing us,” junior Spencer Qualls said. “He really knows what he’s doing.”

Harris began coaching the team at the beginning of the school year and plans to remain doing so for as long as possible.

“Being the new guy has its ups and downs. It is always a chance for a fresh start, but when you are new you need people to help you out and show you the ropes,” Harris said. “I’ve been fortunate here to have people do that for me.”

Succeeding the Central Wrestling Classic was the annual Hornet Invitational Dec. 8 where the team finished in second place behind Maumelle High School.

The team was led by Goshien who won the 160-pound division. Blend won the 145-pound, Baldwin won the 138-pound division and Brady won the 170-pound.

Simmons, Thompson and junior Ben Freeman advanced into the champion round.

Tazelaar finished third in the 132-pound division while Qualls and sophomore Bo Birdsong claimed fourth in their weight class.

“I think I did pretty good. I won two and lost two. It was better than I expected,” Qualls said

The team will compete today in the Bears Dual Tournament at Woodlawn High School.