Beyer confident in himself, team as wrestling season begins

The Sidney High School wrestling program is set to kick off another season on Friday afternoon, as it ventures to Gothenburg for its opening match against the Swedes at 5 p.m.

Then on Saturday morning, the Red Raiders will travel 11 miles east on Interstate 80 to Cozad, where they’ll compete in their first tournament of the season.

One of the cornerstones of Sidney’s team is junior Dominic Beyer, who will be representing the Red Raiders in the 285-pound weight class this season.

He seized the opportunity to step into the varsity lineup last season after former Red Raider Tucker Wintholz went down with an early-season injury. Beyer went 12-11 individually last year in his first go at wrestling and was an important part of Sidney’s 7-4 team mark in 2013-14.

This season, he wants to play an even bigger role for Sidney.

“I’m expecting to go to state,” Beyer said. “I think I can do it and the coaches think I can do it. I just need to work hard. I know I won’t win every match, but hard work is how I’ll get there.”

Beyer says his competitive nature – his desire to win at any cost – is what is fueling him to set and pursue his goal of representing Sidney at state. To send two of its wrestlers to state – the other very likely to be star senior Michael Muggli, who would make his fourth state appearance in four years – would be quite an accomplishment for Sidney’s program under head coach John Ganser.

Sidney had a strong team last season, but Beyer said this year’s group can be even better with the continuity of an experienced crop of upperclassmen and an influx of skilled freshman.

Eight wrestlers return to Sidney’s program this season and all of them will be on the varsity team. Six of them – Muggli, seniors Zach Borges, Ryan Wooley, Kane Taylor along with Beyer and sophomore Jack Feddersen – posted winning individual records last season. The six combined to win 116 matches versus 73 losses.

Beyer believes this year’s team can top that.

“I think we can do better this season,” Beyer said. “We’ve got some good wrestlers coming back and some good ones coming up. We’ll do better as a team.”

The Red Raiders have a team that offers generous portions of both talent and experience. Nearly all the middle to upper weight class wrestlers are entering their second or third season in the program. While the lighter classes are home to more of the younger and less experienced wrestlers, there is still quite a bit of potential in those spots.

Beyer says he believes freshman Derek Robb, who is projected to open the season on the varsity roster in the 138-pound class, could break out this season. Freshman Bret Jaggers is also thought to have strong potential at the 132-pound spot.

With Beyer and other experienced upperclassmen, Sidney definitely has its leadership in place. But the Red Raiders will need all hands on deck if they want to live up to Beyer’s expectations this season.