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The 2018-19 Perkins County Wrestling team includes (front row, l-r): Trye Hickey, Caden Waitley, Beau Wood and Deitrik Brueggeman. Back row: Carson Thelander, Jace Wid, Kyler Bullock, Emilio Perez, Austin Meyer, Brandon Knoles and Ashton Meyer. Not pictured: Colton Pouk and Bruce Gamble. Coaches are Tanner Collins and Todd Ford.  

Collins to lead Plainsmen wrestlers

Leading this season’s 13 wrestlers is new head coach Tanner Collins.

Collins said he’s hoping to bring some enthusiasm to a young team and instill good discipline and work ethic. 

Three of last year’s five state qualifiers, Beau Wood, Emilio Perez, Carson Thelander, are returning this year, in addition to letter winners Caden Waitley, Trye Hickey, Jace Wid and Brandon Knoles.

Wood has medaled third in Class D for the last two consecutive years. The Plainsmen will wrestle in Class C this year. 

“I expect Beau to come in and go to work day in and day out and hopefully end his career with a Class C state title,” Collins said.

 He noted Perez and Thelander are both currently injured, so his main focus with them is getting them healthy and back on the mat.

Looking at the schedule, Collins said he’s excited to see some district competition early in the season in Broken Bow. He noted Gordon-Rushville and Chase County will also be good meets for the team to see some tough competition.

“I’m just excited to push these guys past their limits and see what they can accomplish by the end of the season,” he said.

The 2018-19 season’s wrestlers include seniors Perez, Caden Waitley and Wood, juniors Deitrik Brueggeman, Kyler Bullock, Hickey, Thelander and Wid, sophomores Bruce Gamble and Knoles, and freshman Ashton Meyer, Austin Meyer and Colton Pouk. 

Assisting Collins this season will be Todd Ford.

The Plainsmen will kick off the season with back-to-back meets in Elwood on Friday, Nov. 30 and Broken Bow on Saturday. 

Elwood begins at 3 p.m. MT and Broken Bow starts at 8:30 a.m.

 

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