Dueling brothers
Despite having 231 career wins on the mat, Centerville twins still try to outperform the other
By Myyon Barnes
Staff writer
Eighteen years ago, Tom and Susan Rohe were blessed with a little bundle of joy they named Matthew.
Two minutes later they had another. They named him Chris.
Eighteen years later, the twins have become a formidable duo in area wrestling for Centerville High School.
Whether it’s making a crushing hit, rolling an opponent for a quick pin or starting a double play, the Rohes have made their presences known.
“They are winners and tremendous leaders, “Centerville wrestling coach Mike Day said. “They have really raised the level of this team.”
Matthew plays baseball, but both wrestle and play football.
They helped the Bulldogs earn their eighth team title at Saturday’s wrestling sectional.
Matthew wrestles at 152 pounds and Chris at 140.
“This has really been a fun senior year, “Matthew said.
“Our class has been awesome in every sport, “Chris said. “But I’m really proud of how we wrestled as a team.”
Matthew is 37-4 this season and has a career record of 118-17. Chris is 37-2 and 113-14.
They both want to advance to state this season.
“It’s my senior year, “Matthew said. “I don’t have anything to hold back.”
Matthew has a chance at reaching Centerville’s all-time career win mark of 123. “I knew if I wrestled hard I had a shot at it, “he said.
Matthew has never been pinned or lost by technical fall.
He and Chris are both on schedule to break the single-season win mark of 38.
Matthew set the record his freshman season.
Matthew has pinned 28 opponents and Chris 27 this season. Their totals eclipsed the previous season record of 25.
Matthew and Chris were introduced to wrestling when they were 8 years old.
“It’s funny to watch them wrestle each other, “Day said. “They get so frustrated with each other, because they know what the other is going to do.
“They are so competitive they hate to lose to one another.”
But, they have made themselves better by learning from each other in practice.
One thing is certain. If one twin is on the mat, the other is right there cheering him on.
“That’s really important, “Chris said. “But, we don’t just do that for each other. We do it for all our teammates.”
In the fall, both will experience something new — not seeing each other on a daily basis.
Chris plans to attend Indiana University, and Matthew plans to enroll in the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N. Y.
“It’s going to be different, “Chris said. “I don’t know how it’s going to feel.”
For now, though, they have some unfinished business on the mat.
The question of who the better wrestler might never be truly answered. But in true big brother fashion, Matthew is quick to provide an answer.
“I always beat him, “said Matthew with Chris in earshot.
“Yeah, I thought I heard him say that, “Chris fired back.
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