Republic's Mabel Rogers Advances to State Wrestling Tournament

Freshman wrestler pins friend and training partner Alyssa Salemie to win district title

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Republic High School freshman Mabel Rogers won the 115-pound championship at the Class 2, District 3 Girls Wrestling tournament, pinning her friend and occasional training partner Alyssa Salemie of Branson in 2:44 to advance to the state tournament. Rogers, who is ranked No. 1 in Class 2 by MissouriWrestling.com, is 38-0 in her first high school season and is considered a top contender to win a state title.

Why it matters

Rogers' success as a freshman is helping to elevate the Republic High School wrestling program, which has seen six girls qualify for state this year compared to only one or two last year. Her dominant performance against a fellow top wrestler in Salemie demonstrates her potential to make a deep run at the state tournament.

The details

In the district championship match, Rogers pinned Salemie, a Branson sophomore, in 2:44. The two are friends and occasional training partners, but Rogers said she had to "push friendship aside" to focus on herself. Republic head coach Eric Nolan praised the sportsmanship displayed by both wrestlers after the match.

  • Mabel Rogers won the 115-pound district championship on February 20, 2026.
  • The state wrestling tournament is scheduled for February 27, 2026.

The players

Mabel Rogers

A freshman wrestler at Republic High School who won the 115-pound district championship and is ranked No. 1 in Class 2 by MissouriWrestling.com. She is 38-0 in her first high school season and is considered a top contender to win a state title.

Alyssa Salemie

A sophomore wrestler at Branson High School who finished runner-up to Mabel Rogers in the 115-pound district championship match. Salemie (29-3) also qualified for the state tournament and is expected to face Rogers again.

Eric Nolan

The head wrestling coach at Republic High School, who was impressed by the sportsmanship displayed by Rogers and Salemie after their district championship match.

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What they’re saying

“I think that we have a lot in common. We're both the same people, and I just really like training with her. But then we had to separate and focus on ourselves; I just pushed friendship aside and decided to focus on me.”

— Mabel Rogers (sgfcitizen.org)

“They were both smiling at each other, I thought their show of sportsmanship was pretty cool, and it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes the ego, or maybe just due to the moment, gets the best of people and they don't display the character that I saw both of those girls display – which I thought it was really a neat thing at the district tournament.”

— Eric Nolan, Republic Head Coach (sgfcitizen.org)

What’s next

Mabel Rogers and Alyssa Salemie are expected to meet for the third time this season at the state wrestling tournament on February 27, 2026.

The takeaway

Mabel Rogers' dominant performance as a freshman wrestler at Republic High School is helping to elevate the school's wrestling program, with six girls qualifying for state this year compared to only one or two last year. Her friendly rivalry with Alyssa Salemie and their display of sportsmanship at the district tournament is a testament to the growth of girls' wrestling in Missouri.