Rose Hill sophomore trio hopes to lead way for first state title

ROSE HILL, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - The class of 2025 is a favorable one in the Rose Hill wrestling room. Sophomores Johnny Leck, Adam Bilby and Milan Colvin are all coming off of podium finishes at the 2022 4A State Championship. Leck finishing at the top of the 106 weight class, Bilby earning bronze in the 113 class and Colvin finishing as runner-up in the heavyweight class in just his first high school season.

“It was an expectation that they set for themselves and that we had for them,” said Rose Hill head coach Chris Saferite. “Now this year we just add another year to it. They know what it’s like. They know what to expect. That expectation - it’s just a little higher this year.”

Fast forward to their sophomore campaigns as it’s more of the same success. All three are ranked #1 in their respective weight classes in 4A. But as many in Rose Hill know, that success is no stranger to the trio.

“We’ve all had that same common dream since we were like 5 or 6 years old,” Bilby said. “It’s just kind of crazy to look back at it now. My 5-year-old self would be really proud of me right now.”

The bad news for the rest of Kansas is once teams take on this group of Rose Hill Rockets, they will have to do it again for the next two years as well.

“We set goals at the beginning of the year as they are sophomores, that ‘Hey let’s go try to do something special right now. We don’t have to wait until you’re a junior or wait until you’re a senior,’” Saferite said.

“You know we’ve got two more years left to do what the school hasn’t done yet,” Colvin said. “I think we’ll be a force for sure.”

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