In his first match at the Paynesville Invitational, Jeremy Sogge joined an elite group of Paynesville wrestlers who have won 100 matches in their career.The junior 125-lb. wrestler - who is now 12-1 for the year and 101-30 for his career - beat Ramsey Miller of Park Rapids 17-7 for his 100th victory and Noel Kutz of Dassel-Cokato 9-5 for his 101st.
He also won an individual title at the invitational for the second straight year.
"It was really nice when I got it," said Sogge of his 100th win, but he prefers to think about his individual and team goals for the season.
Sogge placed third individually at state a year ago and helped the Bulldogs win the team championship. This year, he hopes to win a state title and wants to help the team back to the state tournament.
To do so will take improvement as the season progresses, and Sogge said he concentrates on one match at a time.
Sogge became the 21st Paynesville wrestler to get 100 career wins. The list includes former state champions like Brad Fenske and Lee Hiltner, guys Jeremy grew up watching.
As a junior, with a season and a half left, Jeremy has a chance to move up on the all-time list. At the top of the career victories list is Greg Schwartz (1991) with 157, but Sogge's teammate, senior David Kerzman is now within 11 victories of Schwartz's record.
Sogge started wrestling as a preschooler, when he tagged along with his older brother Chris, then in kindergarten, who went to wrestling practice.
Jeremy cracked the varsity lineup in 1998 at 103, then wrestled at 112 in 1999, at 119 last year, and at 125 this season. He wrestles in open tournaments once the high school season is over and also does a little freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
Jeremy is the son of Jim and Kathleen Sogge.