(VIDEO) Blast from the Past: state wrestling 2013 - and truly devastating news

Josey Tensen shown ready to take the mat during a home dual meet during his junior year at B-B-E high school, the 2013-2014 school year. Seen behind him are Trevor Kern (Class of 2018) and Tyler Bents (Class of 2019). This photo is from December 10, 2013 when the Jaguars beat neighboring rival Minnewaska Area 42-30.

Here's a short video clip from the 106-pound opener of the 2013 individual state wrestling tournament at Xcel Energy Center.

Josey Tensen is the B-B-E Jaguars wrestling team member in the video clip. He was a sophomore that year, and it was a "dream come true" for him to join his big brother, Tyler Tensen, at the state tournament. Tyler Tensen was a senior and ultimately took home the silver medal with a runner-up finish at 126 pounds with a final record of 39-5. Just as exciting, teammate Patrick Rooney, also a senior, earned second place at Xcel Energy Center at 182 pounds and finished 42-1. 

In his match at state, Josey Tensen lost a tough 2-0 decision in overtime. He did not get a wrestle back that night and finished a superb sophomore wrestling season with a 29-9 record.

From left: Josey Tensen (10th grade), Patrick Rooney (12th grade), Tyler Tensen (12th grade) during a visit to the B-B-E elementary right before they departed for St. Paul to participate in the 2013 Class 1A state wrestling tournament. You're looking at three of the finest young men I've ever known...now we mourn the loss of Josey Tensen. R.I.P.

Josey Tensen, a member of the B-B-E Class of 2015, was killed in a two-vehicle car-truck accident in the early morning hours today in rural, northwest Nebraska. Also killed was his girlfriend, Remington Harder of Hutchinson. He was 24 years old, and she was 22.

This is a truly crushing news. It is devastating numerous communities within the community of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. The ripple effect is far and wide, touching all corners of our vast school district. It has hit our family like a freight train. We are demolished by the enormity of this tragic loss.

This evening the Tensen family has posted a news article online explaining early information released by the Nebraska State Patrol. I am breaking this news here now even though there's quite a bit of evening left to get through.

The accident took place at approximately 3:20 a.m. this morning when a GMC Sierra pickup truck pulling a stock trailer collided with their Chevrolet Equinox in a T-bone type crash. Both Josey and Remington were pronounced dead at the scene. According to the traffic report, the pickup truck ran a stop sign. The driver of the truck received non-life threatening injuries and was treated at nearby Chadron Community Hospital. The accident was on Highway 87 south of Hay Springs, NE. 

The distance from Hay Springs, NE to Brooten is 560 miles. The community of Hay Springs has a population of just 596. To put it into geographical perspective, Hay Springs, NE is located south/southeast of Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

It's a loss that brings back haunting memories from October 2012, when our head wrestling coach Rich Vos was killed in a semi-bicycle accident before sunrise on South Highway 71 in Colfax Township. Josey Tensen was a sophomore at B-B-E high school, and he was part of the very special group of wrestlers who "kept it together" and hung tough that coming season as they mourned the loss of Mr. Vos.

More has been written in a new web article on the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website. Click on the following short link to open that up: https://bit.ly/36l3FS7.

Below is a video taken after the home football game on Wednesday, October 17, 2012. That night, the B-B-E Jaguars defeated Eden Valley-Watkins 26-6 to even their record at 4-4 overall heading into the Section 4A playoffs. Coach Vos was killed just the day before (October 16). Josey Tensen is kneeling and praying here somewhere as part of this group of football players; this was his sophomore season on the gridiron.

• Below, here's a four-plus minute video from the 2015 Section 5A Final Four held at Eden Valley-Watkins high school on February 13, 2015. The B-B-E Jaguars defeated Osakis in the semifinals. This video features action from the 220-pound match and the 285-pound match. When the 285 match was complete, B-B-E's Ben Feuerhake raised his hand as the winner (by pin) and walked off the mat. The first wrestler to slap his hand was Josey Tensen, who then led his fellow Jaguars out on the mat for post-dual hand shakes. B-B-E won the match over Osakis by a 34-23 score to advance to the Section 5A championship for the first time since 1999. It was current head coach Jack Mueller's first season at B-B-E. Earlier in the match, Josey won a 14-4 major decision at 120 pounds for B-B-E's first win of the match.

I'll never forget that night.

And we will never forget Josey...and his cowboy boots! We will never know another young man like him.

Josey Tensen is the young man shown with the big smile in the center of this huddle as they welcome Steven Mady back during the B-B-E vs. Paynesville dual meet on December 4, 2014. Mady won by pin to give B-B-E a 39-16 lead in the 170-pound match. The Jaguars ultimately won 45-34 in the big border battle of section rivals.

You can read more about that Paynesville win from December 2014 by clicking here (short link) = https://bit.ly/3oypDqO.

In the 2015 Section 5A championship, the Jaguars faced heavy favorite Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City. The Falcons led 9-0 after the first two weights, but Josey Tensen got the Jaguars on the board with an 11-4 decision at 120 pounds. The Falcons ultimately won 38-22 after opening up a 32-13 lead. The Jaguars finished 14-5 that season.

I uncovered this from a past blog post...and re-worked the link to a short link. If you click here you can see the full Bonanza Valley Voice photo gallery from that Section 5A Final Four night at EV-W on February 13, 2015 = https://bit.ly/2M8Qvko. Josey Tensen is the wrestler in the very first photo of that album.

Josey Tensen represented the B-B-E wrestling program with a special and unique commitment to his coaches, his teammates and also the community of wrestling fans dedicated to the program. He was an unforgettable role model to younger student-athletes. He was as proud as anyone could be to be a part of the wrestling community, and he wore that pride with remarkable modesty. Heaven gained a very, very special man today.

What kind of guy was Josey? Well, to give you an idea...right now he wouldn't want us focusing on him. He would say to focus on his family, his teams, his coaches, his community, his church, and on and on...he was extremely selfless.

This is beyond devastating. Calling it "devastating" does not even come close. "Devastating" is a woefully inadequate word to describe what his family and our community is grappling with.