Reymie Keenan, a senior at Edison High School, was the only Minneapolis wrestler to win a state title at the MSHSL state tournament. An aspiring architect and musician, they have fostered a strong community at Edison. “We’re always cheering each other on,” they said of the wrestling team. “I’ve never been in a wrestling program where I didn’t find a good friend. Once you’re a wrestler, you’re a wrestler for life.” (Provided)
Reymie Keenan, a senior at Edison High School, won their second straight Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) wrestling title in February, in the 235 lb. girls category.
Keenan was the only Minneapolis wrestler to win a state title.
But if you didn’t know Keenan, and you were expecting a version of Hulk Hogan, you’d better think again.
“I love wrestling and I love calculus,” Keenan said.
Indeed, Keenan has thrived at Edison while participating in band, theater, hockey, volleyball and debate. Keenan is the vice president of the band concert organization and has stayed active in Girl Scouts.
Keenan won the Trailblazer award, from the Ann Bancroft Foundation, which they used to take summer college credits.
“I love Edison. It’s small enough to feel at home and big enough to spread your wings.”
Edison Principal Eryn Warne said, “Reymie is someone who consistently shows up and does the work with no ego and no expectation of rewards. The world could use more people like Reymie — people who learn for the sake of learning and play for the joy of the game.”
Keenan is considering attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in New York. The college is perhaps the top engineering university in the United States. (The school also has a women’s wrestling program.)
And, in May, Keenan will earn their associate of arts degree from Minneapolis Community and Technical College, where they studied graphic design. In June, Keenan will receive their high school diploma as a proud Tommie.
Reymie Keenan
Keenan is the second oldest of three siblings. “I’ve been in sports my whole life. I was a goalie in hockey and I was pretty good. I liked the position of goalie because you had to rely on yourself.”
Not that Keenan doesn’t appreciate the team aspect of wrestling. “We’re always cheering each other on. I’ve never been in a wrestling program where I didn’t find a good friend. Once you’re a wrestler, you’re a wrestler for life.”
But wresting isn’t all Keenan does. They play a French horn in Edison’s Concert band and a trombone in the jazz band. Keenan has volunteered for the theater program and has designed posters for the performances.
“I read a lot. I like realistic fiction books. I like to focus on the connections between people.”
Carrying a full course load at MCTC doesn’t leave much room for a high school schedule, but Keenan takes band and Spanish. “My favorite teacher is Mrs. (Lesley) Earles, the band teacher.”
Keenan says hard work and perseverance were keys to the repeat state championship year. “There’s a lot of lifting, and I don’t think I missed a single day of practice. And I was playing some volleyball too, and I think that helped.
“You’re got to give a full effort at every single practice,” said Keenan.
That dedication paid off with a solid season, except for two losses to Lillian Drews from Blaine. Drews, perhaps the second-best girls heavyweight wrestler in the state, gave Keenan a surprise.
“It was our first tournament. She rolled me up. She woke me up. She had grit,” the state champ recalled.
A few weeks later, Drews defeated Keenan again, and this time Keenan suffered a severe sprained ankle, an injury that is still bothersome. Keenan prevailed in the third match, “but if it had gone on a few more seconds, she might have won.”
The fourth match, at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, was for the state title. “I pinned her really quick.” Indeed, the pin was in 1:23 of the match. It was the longest of the four matches Keenan participated in, winning all four by pins.
What’s next?
Keenan has begun their track season. They’re a thrower for both discus and shot put. In the past, they have been good enough to get to state in the discus, but they throw far below the distance needed to win. “I can throw 80 feet and that will get me into the tourney. I’ve thrown 120 in practice, so I know I can do it. But the winners will be throwing in the 150 foot range.”
Keenan spends most of their practice time teaching throwing technique to their younger teammates, a quality their throwing coach, Robert Noel, says sets them apart.
“Reymie is the product of their hard work and effort mixed with their dedication to the details. Their commitment is infectious to teammates which is an even better skill,” Noel said.
Teammate Stella Dishong-Schoch agreed. “They’re always there for you, whether it’s learning a new move or if you need a hug after you lose a match. I could always count on them.”
After graduation this spring, Keenan is looking for a college with a high-quality engineering program and also wrestling. “There are a bunch of good colleges in Iowa, but I’d like to move further from home, maybe the East Coast.” In addition to RPI, Keenan is applying to Barnard College in New York City, which pairs programs with Columbia University.
“I’m thinking I might want to be an architect.”