Knee injuries haven't stopped Father Ryan's Casen Roark from winning three state wrestling titles

Father Ryan junior Casen Roark's idea of a perfect high school wrestling swan song is standing at the center of mat, arm raised with four TSSAA individual state championship medals.

He took another step closer to that dream Saturday, capturing his third straight state title after beating Lakeway Christian's Spencer Reep, 11-3, during the Division II championships at Montgomery Bell Academy.

The Division I boys and girls individual state championships take place Feb. 23-24 at Williamson County Ag Expo in Franklin.

"I've been thinking about that moment since I was a freshman," said Roark, who was one of five from Father Ryan to win a state title. "And to think from where I've come and the injuries I've had to get through. It's something I'm going to work my butt off to do."

Irish wrestlers won four of the first five state title matches. Brody Gobbell (126), Ethan Lampert (138) and Chancery Dean (150) joined Roark at the top of the medal stand. Joseph Calvin (120) capped the meet with a pin of Brentwood Academy's Bo Dominguez for the fifth title.

It was a huge departure from Father Ryan's disappointing state duals loss to McCallie.

"We felt we could have five state champs and if we were lucky, we could six but all of those kids that wrestled (Saturday) were fantastic," Simpson said. "I couldn't be prouder."

McCallie won the team title with 243.5 points. It had two state champions with Jaxon Lane (106) and Carson Gentle (285), three state runner-ups and three who finished with third-place medals. Baylor captured second with 212 points and Father Ryan finished third (195.5).

The Irish's Tanner Tran nearly overcame his 5-3 deficit but lost to McCallie's Jaxon Lane at 106 pounds. The 285-pound title was settled by pair of football standouts in FRA's Bobby Council and McCallie's Carson Gentle. Gentle, a Tennessee football signee, pinned Council in the second period.

Roark has endured torn ligaments in each knee and two surgeries in the course of a year and half. Yet he's never missed a state championship match. Next year, he'll have a chance to etch his name in Father Ryan's record book alongside Eli King, who won four straight from 2014-17.

"I think enough people know how tough Casen is," Father Ryan coach Patrick Simpson said. "He is a tough individual, very competitive and driven. That's why he's a winner. If he can stay healthy, he's going to win another one."

Roark is coming off a torn LCL in his left knee that he injured last spring during a offseason tournament at Virginia Beach. He missed the Irish's football season but returned in time for the dual season that began in December.

"I heard it pop," Roark said. "But I kept wrestling in that tournament because I didn't want to quit. Maybe I should have stopped, but I kept going. When I got back (to Nashville) I had an MRI that confirmed I tore the lateral (collateral) ligament."

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Roark missed the entire dual wrestling season after he tore his right ACL in the first game of the football season in September of 2022. But he healed quickly and was cleared to return just before the region individual wrestling tournament in early February of 2023. That led to his second straight state title.

"I've been through a lot," said Roark, who was named Saturday's top wrestler. "But that hasn't stopped me. And I know there's going to be some pressure next year to win (a state title) again but when the season is going, I don't look ahead at all. It's just about getting better each day, that's it."

Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.