Virginia Beach, VA – The mats were hot and the competition fierce as Blackman High School wrestlers, along with Blackman Wrestling Club alum Houston Rettig, traveled to Virginia Beach, VA from March 28th-30th to test their skills at the 2025 NHSCA High School Nationals. This highly prestigious tournament, drawing over 6,000 entries across six divisions, featured some of the nation's top wrestling talent, including three dozen nationally ranked wrestlers, nine of which held top-10 rankings.

Despite the daunting field, Blackman's wrestlers showcased their dedication and skill, delivering impressive performances and gaining valuable experience against elite competition.

Freshmen Division Highlights

In the highly competitive Freshmen 145lbs division, featuring 55 wrestlers, Eli Goodin demonstrated his tenacity. Goodin started strong with a decisive fall over Kevin Orlowski of Ohio, pinning his opponent at the 3:06 mark. He continued with another victory, defeating Brandon Gray of New Hampshire by an 11-4 decision, and secured another fall over Tyler Hudson of Pennsylvania. Though he faced tough losses to Elliot Crews of Virginia and Andrew Ramirez of Georgia, Goodin's performance highlighted his potential.

Peyton Pickens, competing in the Freshmen 138lbs division (65 competitors), faced a challenging bracket. Despite a close 7-6 loss to Elijah Cossin of West Virginia and a subsequent loss to Cayden Torres of Florida, Pickens gained invaluable experience against top-tier opponents.

Trevor Steffy, wrestling in the Freshmen 160lbs division (40 competitors), began with a bye and followed it up with a strong fall over Spiro Kavvadias of New York. Although he faced losses to Will McNair of Georgia and Nikolai McCay of South Carolina, Steffy's victory demonstrated his ability to compete at a national level.

"The takeaways are all positive from these 3 freshmen. The growth they have had over the last 6 weeks was on display this weekend. Tough and intentional on the hand fight, creating angles, and getting to their stuff. You could see it on display against some pretty tough opponents," said Blackman High School Head Coach John Heathcott.

Middle School Success

Aiden Pascoe, in the Middle School 230lbs division (20 competitors), displayed impressive resilience. After a bye, Pascoe secured a 4-0 decision victory over William Corrente of Rhode Island. Though he lost to Antonio Ruiz of Georgia, he bounced back with a dominant fall over Brennen Burkholder of New Hampshire, securing the pin in just 39 seconds.

"We were a little light with our middle school group for various reasons; Jiu-Jitsu, baseball, weight, and injuries. I'd have liked to see more of our middle schoolers out here. We had a very talented group this year," stated Troy Steffy, Blackman Wrestling Club Coach. "Aiden Pascoe came out and wrestled hard, giving up a lot of weight in that 230lb weight class. He's so tall that it's easy to forget he only weighs in around that 205lb mark. Those first two matches were good, tough, grinding matches. I know he's a bit upset with that third match, but he just got caught and stuck. It happens. I'm excited to see how he continues to develop during the summer heading into his freshman year. I think his best is still ahead of him."

Junior Division Standout

Eagleville's Houston Rettig, a Blackman Wrestling Club alum, made a significant impact in the Junior 220lbs division (51 competitors). Rettig showcased his skill with a 17-8 major decision over Cayetano Cushing of Colorado and a 4-1 decision over Logan McClellen of Ohio. Despite a close 4-1 loss to Michael Mauro of New York, Rettig continued his strong performance with a 7-2 decision over Kian Blyss of Florida. He concluded his tournament with a hard fought 7-4 loss to Landon Jackson of South Carolina. Rettig's performance highlighted his growth and ability to compete against some of the top juniors in the nation.

Overall Impact

"It was all of our guys' first time at this tournament. I'm a big believer that you have to see a level to be able to meet it. They saw it. And while they saw there is still a lot of work to be done, I don't think any of them shrank in the moment. They all realized that they aren't too far off from where they need to be. They'll keep their blade to the whet stone. This was only step one of their offseason. They've see where they are and they've seen where they want to be. Now we spend the next five to six months working to get there." - Troy Steffy.

"The guys got to watch some of the top guys in the country up close. That was worth it by itself. But we managed to have some fun in the down time too, so it was a great trip. We are looking forward to next year's trip," added Coach Heathcott.

"Shout out to Eli Goodin for notching his 3 wins. He wrestled tough. But also, shout out to all three of these young men for choosing to go compete against the best there is. They want to get better, and I think they realized that they can compete on this level." - John Heathcott

The Blackman wrestlers and Houston Rettig's participation in the 2025 NHSCA High School Nationals was a testament to their hard work and dedication. Competing against such a high caliber of athletes provided invaluable experience and will undoubtedly contribute to their future success. The tournament served as a platform for these wrestlers to showcase their skills, learn from their experiences, and continue to grow as athletes. The Blackman wrestling community can be proud of their representatives on the national stage.