Boys working toward another record season

The Custer High School Wildcat boys wrestling team will start off the season at home with duals and a tournament, both in Custer this week.
The boys are expected to have another strong season after two record-breaking years for the team. Last year the team placed third at state, its highest placement ever after one-upping the previous year’s record of earning fourth. With many returning wrestlers to the team this season, topping the previous years’ state tournament results could be well within reach.
The biggest obstacle for the team is that there are some gaps in the upper weight classes after losing last year’s “hammers,” such as Ryder Bailey, Parker Noem and Zayne Severyn.
This year, “we’re going to be having some hammers in the lower weights and hurting in the upper weights,” said head coach Jared Webster.
Returners to the team include Jackson Trant, Ayden Dooley, Tyler Trant, Memphis Morgan, Ethan O’Connor, Tray Weiss, David Lewis, Riley Scott, Leighton Sander, Blaise Arp, Lincoln Golder, Kian Rusch, Lane Geisner and Connor Owens. Of them, most are state qualifiers from past seasons looking to improve on their last year’s record.
Weiss, now a senior, is looking to end his high school career with his third state championship title after becoming the champion in his weight class in the two previous seasons. Six other wrestlers also placed in the state meet last year, and only three were seniors (Bailey, Severyn and Noem). Returning state placewinners include Trant (sixth), Scott (third) and Sander (eighth).
“We rebuilt a little bit, but I think we’ll see some good things happen,” said Webster. He said that many of the wrestlers are on a descent plan for their weights, so some are one or two weight classes above where they’ll be by the end of the season.
Thursday’s Custer Duals with Hot Springs, Gregory and Harding County will be the first chance to see the team hit the mat this season. The duals begin at 5 p.m. Wildcat wrestling fans can also catch them the next day at the Custer Invite, beginning at 9 a.m.
“I think you’ll be watching all the kids that step on the mat this year. I think most of them all have a chance of making it to state or bringing some hardware home,” said Webster.
This year the Custer Invitational is split into two tournaments, with boys competing on Friday and the girls on Saturday. See our separate story just below this one for more information about the girls’ team.