Lebanon, Tenn. | January 2026
Blackman Wrestling opened the new year in dominant fashion, powering through the field to win the Bussey-Dickeson Invitational Dual Tournament at Wilson Central. The Blaze went 5–0 on the day and capped the tournament with a convincing 56–15 win over Wilson Central in the finals to secure the championship.
Along the way, Blackman also picked up a meaningful win over Page High School — avenging an early-season loss to the Patriots. That dual featured one of the biggest moments of the day, when 106-pounder Mason Davison sealed the team victory with a clutch pin late in the dual. Davison was rock-solid all day, coming up big every time the Blaze needed him.
What the Bussey-Dickeson Tournament Means
The tournament name carries deep meaning in the Wilson Central and Middle Tennessee wrestling communities. The event honors two members of the Wilson Central wrestling family whose stories remain part of the program’s legacy. Ron Bussey was a wrestling coach and longtime mentor to Wilson Central head coach John Kramer. Bussey was a beloved supporter of wrestling who moved from Michigan to Tennessee. He remained a constant presence at Tennessee wrestling events for many years. Coach Bussey’s life was saved after collapsing during the TSSAA state tournament thanks to the quick actions of wrestler Schuyler “Rooster” LaRue from Heritage High School. Coach Bussey passed away a few years after that. Lane Dickeson was a standout wrestler at Wilson Central — a multi-time state medalist and one of the winningest wrestlers in Wilson Central history — who tragically passed away in a car accident shortly after graduation. His impact on the program and the people around him is still deeply felt.
The Bussey-Dickeson Invitational honors both men and the legacy they left in the wrestling community. It’s always a meaningful and respected event — and it means a lot to come in, compete hard, and represent the sport the right way.
Dominant Dual Wins to Reach the Finals
Blackman opened the day with a dominating 68–8 win over Friendship Christian and followed that with a 62–12 victory over Gallatin. The Blaze were relentless through the middle weights, racking up bonus points in nearly every match.
Some early-day standouts included:
🔥 Andrew Workman — piling up falls and wrestling with confidence
🔥 Landon McLean & Douglas Barksdale — scoring bonus points all day long
🔥 Abraham Nadeau & Eli Goodin — controlling the pace and finishing strong
🔥 Carter Hughes — who battled through adversity and came back with two big comeback wins during the day, showing toughness and grit
Blackman also wrestled a created “Team X,” which was made up of a mix of JV and extra wrestlers due to another team withdrawing from the event late. (Beech pulled out and didn’t notify the tournament — so Blackman kids stepped up, filled spots, and kept the schedule moving.)
The Blaze took care of business there as well, winning 81–0.
Avenging the Loss to Page
One of the biggest duals of the day came against Page, who had beaten Blackman earlier in the season. This time, the Blaze flipped the script and earned a 43–32 win.
Blackman built a strong lead through the middle weights behind wins from:
🔹 Workman — Fall at 120
🔹 Connor Rose — Tech fall at 126
🔹 Barksdale — Fall at 138
🔹 McLean — Tech fall at 144
🔹 Goodin — Fall at 150
🔹 Nadeau — Fall at 157
When the dual tightened late, it came down to the lightweights — and Mason Davison delivered when it mattered most, earning a fall at 106 that locked the dual up for good and avenged the earlier loss.
The dual with Page turned into one of the toughest battles of the pool round, but the Blaze stayed composed and finished strong to secure the pool championship and a spot in the Gold Final.
“It’s been two weeks since we were live,” said Head Coach John Heathcott. “I’m proud of the way we competed today. We have a lot of work to do to reach the goals we have set. Today was a good start for our stretch run! Proud of our boys.”
Finals: Blaze Too Much for Wilson Central
In the championship dual, Blackman was sharp from the start and never let up, defeating Wilson Central 56–15.
Pins and technical falls came from:
✅ Barksdale — Fall (138)
✅ McLean — Fall (144)
✅ Goodin — Major (150)
✅ Nadeau — Fall (157)
✅ Steffy — Tech Fall (165)
✅ Pascoe — Tech Fall (215)
✅ Davison — Fall (113)
✅ Workman — Fall (120)
✅ Connor Rose — Fall (126)
Kyngston Russell also picked up a nice 7–1 decision at heavyweight, and Carter Hughes closed the day with a 15–8 decision at 132.
From top to bottom, the Blaze lineup wrestled with composure, energy, and confidence — exactly what you want to see heading into the heart of the season.
A Total Team Effort
This championship was built on:
🔥 Bonus-point wins
🔥 Clutch moments
🔥 Resilience in tough matches
🔥 And supporting each other from the corner
And it was highlighted by big-time performances — especially from Davison, Hughes, Workman, McLean, Barksdale, Nadeau, Goodin, and Rose.
“Drew and Landon continue to lead this team with bigs wins,” said Coach Dane. “They don’t get a lot of praise because we are so used to seeing them dominate…. but they truly are impressive wrestlers. ”
And a Big Shout-Out to Freshman Joey Crismon who got his first win after battling through some early season injuries! Great to see him get what he has earned!
First-year assistant coach Kellen Cuen has already made a huge positive impact on the Blaze program, bringing great energy, fresh perspective, and a steady presence in the school. His appreciation for the team’s effort and growth was clear after the tournament:
“Mason has really come through in big moments for us, and Carter Hughes is the definition of perseverance — he just never stops wrestling. Drew and Landon continue to lead by example on the mat, and they’ve done a great job helping Eli and Doug grow and mature as wrestlers. ”
All in all, a great first weekend of 2026 for the Blaze!! The dual meet wins propel Blackman to 18-2 in dual meet competition this season. Blackman is back in action this Tuesday at HOME for Senior Night vs Stewarts Creek! Make sure you come out and support the Blaze!!