By Michael Smith
Brookfield senior Jayden Keller has had an elite high school wrestling career.
She is the fourth girls wrestler to win four state titles in her career last month and finished with an astonishing 202-2 career record.
Not only that, but she got to compete in the Rogue Dual – an all-star event that features some of the best senior high school wrestlers in the Kansas City metro area from the Kansas and Missouri side – four times.
She came into Wednesday’s seventh-annual Rogue Dual having won three times before. Of course, she made it a clean sweep as she earned a 15-0 tech fall win over Gardner-Edgerton’s Brielynn Jackson in the 110-pound bout.
She notched two takedowns, two four-point near falls and an escape to capture the win during a Team Missouri’s 46-23 loss to Team Kansas at the Mabee Fieldhouse on the campus of Avila University.
“I was really happy with my result winning state all four years,” Keller said. “It was a lot of fun. I was happy with how I performed tonight.
“I went for the pin today, but I got her in a cradle position and then I teched her before I could pin her. I wrestled through the first takedown really well. I had to work to finish the match and get back points.”
Despite her hometown being close to 130 miles away from Avila University, Keller said she is always willing to make the trip to compete in the Rogue Duals.
“I think it’s really fun to compete with girls from all over Missouri,” Keller said. “I love being with them and going against another state.”
Lone Jack junior Lillian Mccleary didn’t have to drive near as far as Keller to participate, but she took the 27-mile trip to Avila to compete in the dual for the second time.
She had a pair of takedowns of Tonganoxie’s Kaylee Pankey before transitioning and armbar into a headlock for a pin in 2:26.
“It’s just something for fun and it’s an honor to represent my state,” Mccleary said. “I was looking forward to teaming with Emily Bischoff and Jayden Keller.
“I think I did well, but I was a little out of shape.”
Other wins for Team Missouri included:
100: Lee’s Summit West’s Kinley Harker had an overtime takedown to defeat Gardner-Edgerton’s Madelyn Reidinger 14-11.
130: Odessa’s Emily Bischoff pinned Russell’s Averie Counts in 48 seconds.
190: Oak Park’s Kendall Angelo won 6-3 against Bashor-Linwood’s Izzy Renfro.
