Wrestling: Northwestern senior headlines all-county team


2014-15 All-Clark County wrestling team

First team

106: Jacob Lees, Northwestern, 25-12, district qualifier

113: Jacob Snoddy, Greenon, 24-10, district placer

120: Blake Biteman, Tecumseh, 37-6, district qualifier

126: Devin Rogers, Northwestern, 44-4, state runner-up

132: Jake Gutierrez, Catholic Central, 43-7, state placer

138: Andrew Franzen, Northwestern, 36-13, district placer

145: Wade Smiddy, Shawnee, 44-8, state placer

152: Tyler Sowards, Kenton Ridge, 47-11, district runner-up

160: Corey Williams, Greenon, 32-10, state placer

170: Michael Herbert, Tecumseh, 26-14, district qualifier

182: Connor Rogers, Northwestern, 37-10, state qualifier

195: Mitchell McCune, Shawnee, 26-10

220: Aaron Leciejewski, Greenon, 32-11, district placer

285: Tristan Taylor, Tecumseh, 38-8, district placer

Second team

106: Bryce Davis, Kenton Ridge

113: Hunter Donnan, Tecumseh

120: Ben Boggs, Northwestern

126: Seth D’Allesandris, Shawnee

132: Gage Whitt, Tecumseh

138: Pat Wilkerson, Kenton Ridge

145: Steven Marker. Tecumseh

152: Will Rose, Tecumseh

160: Nate Walden, Kenton Ridge

170: Johnny Dean, Northeastern

182: Luke Matthews, Shawnee, state placer

195: Jacob Dooley, Northwestern

220: Scott Dooley, Northeastern

285: Lane McKinney, Northeastern

Honorable Mention

106: Connor Maxwell, Tecumseh

113: Izac Hernandez, Shawnee

120: Jessie Mitchell, Southeastern

126: Dylan Johnston, Tecumseh

132: Justo Boggs, Northwestern

138: Cordell Bishop, Northeastern

145: Blake Speakman, Northwestern

152: Jacob Yost, Springfield

160: Gabe Xyathone, Southeastern

170: Joe Cochran, Springfield

182: Zach Taylor, Northeastern

195: Ariaz McDargh, Catholic Central

220: Drew Scott, Catholic Central

285: Hunter Hazlet, Catholic Central

Wrestler of the Year: Devin Rogers, Northwestern

Coach of the Year: Scott Herbert, Tecumseh

(Teams determined by Clark County high school coaches)

Devin Rogers’ rise through high school wrestling was a trip he never imagined.

After being a district qualifier as a freshman, Rogers became a state placer by his junior year and capped his high school career with a second-place finish at 126 pounds in the Division II state tournament earlier this month.

The Northwestern senior can add one more accomplishment to his final campaign after being selected as the Clark County Wrestler of the Year by the county’s coaches.

“I never thought I would accomplish this or a lot of the things I did (accomplish),” Rogers said. “But I worked my butt off all four years. It feels good to be recognized”

The county coaches voted on first and second teams and honorable mention.

Roger dropped a 6-3 decision to Graham’s Eli Seipel in their state title bout. Rogers recorded a late takedown and was on the verge for another when time expired.

“I didn’t accomplish what I wanted, but I did wrestle well,” Rogers said. “I’m happy with what I did. I went out there and competed. I never expected myself to be there after my freshman year, but I just kept working and improving.”

Rogers was part of a rebirth of Northwestern wrestling under coach Harry Husted.

After seeing the program drop to two wrestlers five years ago, the Warriors advanced six to district this year.

“I give a lot of credit to our coaches,” Rogers said. “They really worked with us and helped us improve. I can tell how much I’ve improved to go from being a district qualifier to a two-time state placer is a huge jump progress-wise.”

Rogers is one of five members of the All-Clark County team who advanced to the state tournament.

Catholic Central’s Jake Gutierrez (132), Shawnee’s Wade Smiddy (145) and Greenon’s Corey Williams (160) all placed at state while Northwestern’s Connor Rogers (182) was a state qualifier. Second-team selection Luke Matthews of Shawnee was a state placer at 182.

“There were a lot of tough Clark County kids at state,” Rogers said. “I think Clark County wrestling has gotten a lot better, but I don’t know if that just comes from growing up with them and watching them my whole life or not, but we (the county) did well at state.”

The all-county first team features 13 district qualifiers.

Northwestern led the way with four first-team selections. Greenon and Tecumseh each had three, Shawnee two and Catholic Central and Kenton Ridge one.

Tecumseh coach Scott Herbert was named coach of the year. The Indians had five district qualifiers.

“We had a nice season,” Herbert said. “The kids worked hard and the seniors took the team on their shoulders and provided a lot of leadership and examples. They left a good foundation for the returners to continue to build on.”

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