If I were to build my all-time RTHS wrestling lineup, what would that lineup look like, and who would coach?
Below is the second of a two-part series detailing my all-time RTHS wrestling lineup, beginning with 160 pounds and ending with 285 pounds. Note that the lineup is based on modern weight classifications and some adjustments were made for the sake of alignment.
160
Gary Dean. One of Rochelle’s most decorated wrestlers of the 1980s, Dean became the second RTHS wrestler ever to medal twice at the IHSA State Championships, placing sixth in 1987 and fourth in 1988. He went 55-9 over those seasons, finishing 39-7 during the 1988 campaign.
170
CJ Navarro. A two-time IHSA State Championship qualifier, Navarro was once ranked No. 1 in the state at his weight class. Navarro went 34-6 during the 2009 season, medaling in third place at the state meet as a sophomore. He returned to the state meet in 2010, finishing 30-5 overall.
182

Ben Harvey. Well on his way to becoming Rochelle’s all-time winningest wrestler, Harvey has compiled 116 victories over his first three seasons with the Hubs. A two-time IHSA State Championship qualifier and one-time state medalist, Harvey made history this year, becoming the first RTHS wrestler to record two straight 40-win seasons (44-5, 40-6).
195
Pat Brownson. Brownson stands alone as the only RTHS wrestler to ever win an IHSA State Championship. Not only that, but he went back-to-back at the state meet, winning the 189-pound titles during the 2002 and 2003 seasons with respective records of 38-1 and 42-1. Brownson, who won three conference titles and formerly held the RTHS career wins record, went on to wrestle at Illinois, and he was inducted into the RTHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.
220
Alex Harvey. Harvey tied for the winningest single season in RTHS history in 2018, finishing 47-2 while placing second in the IHSA State Championships and leading RTHS to fourth in the IHSA State Dual Championships. A two-time state medalist who placed fourth his junior season, Harvey currently holds school records in career wins (139), career pins (76), career takedowns (397) and single-season pins (30).
285
Corey McBride. The most accomplished heavyweight to come out of RTHS, McBride was one of Rochelle’s biggest and strongest wrestlers of the 1990s. McBride advanced to the IHSA State Championships twice, finishing 27-13 during the 1998 season and 35-1 during the 1999 season. McBride was enshrined in the RTHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.
Head Coach
Rich Harvey. Under Harvey’s leadership, RTHS won its first-ever conference championship in 2016. The Hubs followed with their first regional title in 2017, and after repeating as regional champions in 2018, RTHS finished fourth in the IHSA State Dual Championships, bringing home Rochelle’s first-ever state trophy. During the 2015-16 season, Harvey’s Hubs tied the school record with 22 dual victories, a mark that hadn’t been achieved since 1985.
Honorable Mentions
Steve Papke. During the 1975 season, Papke went 29-7 at 167 pounds and finished fourth in the IHSA State Championships, becoming only the second state medalist in school history.
Greg Davis. Another accomplished RTHS wrestler from the 1980s, Davis qualified for the IHSA State Championships in the 185-pound weight class during the 1988 season, finishing 40-5 overall and becoming the second wrestler in school history to reach 40 wins in a season.
Nate Kessen. An IHSA State Championships qualifier in 2000, Kessen compiled a 33-9 record at the 215-pound weight class. An IHSA official for many years, Kessen was inducted into the RTHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 and was a finalist for the IWCOA Official of the Year Award.
James Harris & Erickson. Both wrestlers will forever be remembered as Rochelle’s first-ever state qualifiers. The two competed in the second-ever IHSA State Championship tournament in 1938, with Harris competing at 185 pounds and Erickson grappling at 155 pounds.