Menier seeking 4th personal title

Senior Bearcat wrestler Alex Menier is favored to win his fourth consecutive individual state title at the LHSAA State Wrestling Meet this weekend in Baton Rouge. He is expected to be seeded first at 132 lbs. with an undefeated season record. He won last year’s title at 120 lbs., his sophomore year at 113, and his freshman year at 106. Going into this year’s state meet, his overall high school record is 101 wins and 17 losses.
Another state championship for Menier would place him in an elite group of BHS wrestlers who have captured four state titles. The group includes Gavin Christ, Carmen Cortez, and Jimmy Vidrine.
Vidrine, who recently passed away, actually has five state crowns to his credit, which is a Louisiana record.
Currently, Menier is in another special group - those Bearcats who hold three state titles. Along with Menier, they are Isaac Cortez, Raymond Bushnell, Joey Cortez, and Chris Briscoe.
More important to Menier, however, is the strong possibility of leading his Basile High School team to their third consecutive Division III championship and their fourth state title in the history of the school’s wrestling program, which dates back to 1957.
Although the Bearcats lost three state champs from last year’s squad with the graduation of Isaac Cortez, Blake Menier (Alex’s brother), and Gabe Duplechin, the 2021 Cats return state title holder Andre Johnson along with Menier.
Johnson is hoping for his second straight title at 126 lbs. Last year, he won the crown at 106 lbs.
Luc Johnson (brother of Andre), who took third place at state last year at 113 pounds also returns in his own quest for a state championship. This year, he is wrestling at 120 lbs.
Ethan Langley, who placed fourth in 2020 at 160 lbs. last year is unable to compete at state due to an injury during the year.
Brevan Fields and Anphrony Guillory are returning to the state meet this year as well. Fields has a 17-4 record at 138 lbs. Guillory has a 13-5 record at 285 lbs.
Basile High will have athletes competing in all 14 weight classes this year, one more than last year.
The following Bearcats will be competing in their individual weight classifications. Each wrestler’s weight and grade classification along with his season record are also listed.
106 lbs. - Kye Smith, 7th grader, 1 win, 1 loss
113 lbs. - Jay Guillory, sophomore, 9 wins, 2 losses
120 lbs. - Luc Johnson sophomore, 14-1
126 lbs. - Andre Johnson, junior, 15-3
132 lbs. - Alex Menier, senior, 11-0
138 lbs. - Brevan Fields Junior 17-4
145 lbs. - Parker Fontenot sophomore, 11-5
152 lbs. - Luke Fontenot, sophomore, 6-3
160 lbs. - Baylor McCoy, ,junior, no record
170 lbs. - Jacob Queflander, junior, 10-8
182 lbs. - Baylor Waggoner, senior, 7-1
195 lbs. - Christian Bergeron, sophomore 3-1
220 lbs. - Emery LeJeune, freshman, 4-5
285 lbs. - Anphrony Guillory, junior, 13-5
The 2021 Bearcats are led by Ben Bertrand as head faculty coach in his first year as pack leader.
Bryan McCoy, head wrestling coach for the past two years, along with Dave Johnson, Carmen Cortez, and Patrick Fontenot, BHS wrestling alumni, are assistant coaches.