Rogers Royal Wrestling

Rogers Claims First Wrestling Title

The Rogers wrestling team made school history by winning its first tournament championship this past weekend.

Before the tournament, the Royals warmed up by taking on STMA in a dual meet, and challenging a pair of Section 5AAA opponents in a triangular at Champlin Park.

ST. CROIX LUTHERAN INVITATIONAL

(Jan. 14) Team scores were: Rogers 203, Saint Croix Lutheran 158, Nicollet/GFW 148.5, Fridley 139, Minneapolis Patrick Henry 136, Brooklyn Center/Concordia Academy 119, Chisago Lakes Area 93, Saint Thomas Academy 62.5, Columbia Heights 38 and Minneapolis North 0.0.

"Going into the tournament, we knew we could place in the top three, but to win the whole thing took all 12 guys," said Royals coach Chris Donnay. "In the first round, we got six falls and only lost three of the nine matches that we had. From there, we just kept going. Every other tournament this year we've had one bad round, not this time."

Five Royals were crowned champions out of seven that advanced to the finals. Placing first were sophomores Connor Larson and Philip Anderson, juniors Kyler Swanson and Ryan Lien, and senior Clay LeVassuer.

Swanson was voted the tournament's "Most Valuable Wrestler." At 138 pounds, he went 3-0 with a fall and an overtime win in the finals.

"Anyone of those five champions could have won the award," Donnay said. "They all wrestled well."

As for the other champions, Larson at 120 went 2-0 with a fall and a major decision; Anderson at 126 went 3-0 with three falls; Lien at 195 went 2-0 with two falls; and LeVassuer at 220 went 2-0 with two falls.

Finishing second for Rogers, sophomore Kyle Yesteboe at 113 went 2-1 with a fall, and senior Michael Voorhees at 145 also went 2-1 but with two falls.

In other finishes for Rogers, freshman Jake Owens placed third at 140, going 3-1 with two falls, including a triple overtime win; junior Tim Beach at 132 placed fourth, going 2-2 with a fall and major decision, freshman Jordan Lemcke also placed fourth at 170; and sophomore Tyler Eicher at 152 and freshman Peter Oakland at 285 both placed sixth.

"Everyone wrestled great today," Donnay said. "Owens and Lemcke, both first-year guys, had great tournaments. It was fun to see them have some success."

STMA 74,

ROGERS 0

(Jan 13) The match of the dual came between STMA's Colton Schoen and Larson at 120 pounds. Schoen won in overtime by a 6-4 decision.

"We knew it was going to be hard to score points on STMA," Donnay said. "Their strength is at the same weights as ours."

STMA was awarded four wins via forfeit.

"The score doesn't show it, but we wrestled pretty well," Donnay said. "We fought for everything and never gave up."

MOUNDS VIEW 51,

ROGERS 22

(Jan. 12) Against the Mustangs as part of the triangular at Champlin Park, the Royals won five matches.

Winning by fall for Rogers was Beach at 132 pounds and LeVassuer at 220.

The other three victories for the Royals came by decision, as Larson defeated Mounds View's Jack O'Brien 1-0 at 120; Anderson won by an 11-3 major decision over Mounds View's Tyler Fredlund; and Swanson defeated Mounds View's Zack Laughlin 2-1 at 138.

CHAMPLIN PARK 47,

ROGERS 21

(Jan. 12) The Royals also won five matches against the host Rebels, winning twice by fall and three times by decision.

Winning by fall for Rogers was Swanson at 138 pounds and LeVassuer at 220.

By decision, Larson defeated Champlin Park's Andy Vang 6-4 at 120; Anderson defeated Champlin Park's Paul Winklmann 7-3 at 126; and Voorhees defeated Champlin Park's Jake Vandersteen 10-9 at 145.