Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – Before McKenna Rogers ever stepped on a wrestling mat she was already hooked on the sport.

As a seventh-grader Rogers got word there was a middle school wrestling team and quickly did some research on the sport.

She immediately knew it was a perfect match.

“I got on my phone and I looked up a bunch of girls wrestling stuff and it looked super fun and I knew that I wanted to do it,” Rogers said. “I knew right away it was something I wanted to do.”

There was only one thing standing in the way for Rogers – she needed to convince her mother.

“I came home and told my mom I wanted to wrestle and she didn’t want me to at first,” Rogers said. “She was worried I was going to get hurt but I told her that I was going to do it.”

Since getting permission from her mother Rogers has quickly demonstrated she made the right call in picking up wrestling.

Rogers is off to a 19-1 start during her prep debut season emerging as one of the top 105 pounders in the state.

“McKenna only has one speed and it’s 100 percent all the time and I think that’s how she attacks everything in her life,” Solon coach Jake Munson said. “It’s worked for her up to this point and I think it’s going to continue to work for her because she is a worker and a go-getter and attacks everything in front of her.”

Rogers opened her prep career with nine consecutive wins before dropping a 7-3 decision to Sandy Breeden of Liberty, Missouri in the semifinals of the Dan Gable Donnybrook on December 2.

It was after that loss that Munson saw Rogers really take off.

Rogers responded to the semifinal loss at the prestigious Donnybrook with a pin of Bettendorf junior Illesia Carter in the third-place match.

It was the third pin in four Donnybrook matches for Rogers.

“I think it was the semifinal match she lost by four points but really rebounded and that night had to wrestle on the big stage with three mats out there and the entire crowd watching those three matches and goes out and gets to work and really dominated that match and to me that was the real turning point,” Munson said. “The lights were on and do you rise up in those occasions or do you take a step back and McKenna definitely rose up.”

Rogers has continued to impress during her freshman season.

She brings an 11-match winning streak into the 2023 portion of the season and has 18 falls in 19 wins this season.

“I had a feeling that it was going to be a good season but not as good as I’ve done,” Rogers said. “I feel like every time I wrestle I understand more.”

Before she even tried wrestling Rogers was sure she was going to enjoy the sport.

She continued to build a love for wrestling and has big goals for her first high school season.

“I definitely want to be on top of the podium at state this year,” Rogers said. “I know I will come across some good girls but I want to win state that’s my big goal.”

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.