High School News

Junior Schalles winner Rogotzke learned to pin at an early age

By Mike Finn

Ryder Rogotzke said he first saw himself as a pinner about the same time his father, Perry, first introduced the sport to this current high school junior from Stillwater Area High School in Minnesota.

“The one quote he built into my head was: ‘Send a message,’” said Rogotzke, who captured the 182-pound state championship this year by recording a state-record 44th pin in the state final. “Well, the best way to send a message for me has been to pin everyone.”

And that’s about what the future Naval Academy wrestler accomplished this past winter in a season that saw him also win a Super 32 championship last October and go 56-1. Ten of those victories came via a forfeit and only two of his victims lasted an entire match against Rogotzke, who learned to overcome any new defense used by his opponents, aware of his pinning reputation. Continue reading at win-magazine.com →

Catching up with Dr. Tuomo Karilla!

By Chad Otterness

Tuomo Karilla was a foreign exchange student in 1985-86, attending Canby High School via Finland. One of the best “recruits” to ever come to Minnesota. After high school, he went on to become a two-time Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestler.

Karila’s host brother, Anthony Birk, shared some recollections from that time:

Tuomo was an experienced wrestler when he came to Canby as an exchange student in 1985 at the age of 17. The previous year he had taken the Bronze Medal wrestling Greco-Roman in the Finnish National Championships and also wrestled Freestyle. However, he had never wrestled folkstyle.

Our family had a wrestling mat in the basement, and from the time he arrived until the start of the wrestling season, Tuomo practiced and studied the rules of folkstyle wrestling. By the time the season started, he had begun to adapt quite well but still used a lot of Greco-Roman techniques.

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Eight inducted into the 2022 Bartelma Minnesota Wrestling Hall of Fame

2022 MWCA Award Recipients Honored

Benson, Minn. – Eight new members were inducted into the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association Dave Bartelma Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 7th in Benson, Minn.

The new inductees honored were Steve Carlson, Neil Jennissen, Dan Lefebvre, Tony Nelson, Jim Repke, Ron Sanders, Zach Sanders, and Kevin Steinhaus.

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