Those questions of ‘what if?’ will linger for some time.

Friday night was the end of the road for two Wawasee wrestling seniors, both falling in their first round matches at the IHSAA Wrestling State Finals.

Donnie Blair and Kaleb Salazar both had their state title dreams end with losses, Blair on a 3-2 decision to Center Grove’s Kaden McConnell and Salazar by first round pin to Avon’s Nathan Rioux.

Blair went first, taking on the No. 2-ranked McConnell and the Center Grove stud hit a takedown in the first, but that was it for the scoring in the period. Starting on bottom, McConnell got an escape to open the second, but again it was all the scoring. Blair would get on the board with an escape to open the third, but was still chasing a takedown, trailing 3-1. McConnell, knowing a takedown would tie matters, was called twice for stalling, the second yielding a penalty point for Blair. But with just 10 seconds left, Blair couldn’t find any more offense as time ran out on his quest for a podium spot.

Blair would end his senior season 38-6 and a Northern Lakes, sectional and regional champion, all firsts for his career.

Salazar’s high school career would come to a end in a disappointing pin to last season’s 106 state runner-up. Rioux got a takedown 24 seconds into the 113-pound match and while Salazar held off the pin for over a minute, Rioux got enough of a cover to get the mat slap with six seconds left in the period.

Salazar finished his remarkable senior season 40-5 overall and was also a Northern Lakes, sectional and regional champion. Salazar’s résumé includes three NLC, four sectional and three regional titles along with two appearances at state.