Not every kid gets to practice with a California state-caliber wrestler growing up, but for San Lorenzo Valley High’s Logan Kellogg, it was an everyday affair.
Kellogg’s older brother, Alex, a 2009 SLV graduate, wound up going to the state competition two times in his high school tenure, and he made it a point to see that Logan one-upped him.
Logan Kellogg is now seeded first in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League and Central Coast Section rankings and ninth in the California Interscholastic Federation at 189 pounds. He earned the ranking as the returning CCS and SCCAL champion and is on pace to finish well at the state meet in Bakersfield.
The elder Kellogg made it a point during the time the brothers shared at SLV to ensure his younger brother improved.
“It was his goal to help make Logan better than he would be,” coach Ken Pollastrini said. “Alex told me on numerous occasions that his goal in high school was that he wanted to see Logan do better than himself.”
It’s safe to say the help paid off.
Logan Kellogg, a senior, has never been pinned during his high school career. And since his freshman year, nobody has scored a near-fall point against him.
“Logan is never nervous or anxious,” Pollastrini said. “He is very methodical, wearing down opponents and taking his time executing his moves.”
Kellogg is 15-2 this season after winning three of the four tournaments he has entered. His only losses came last weekend against Dominic Williams from West High of Tracy. Kellogg lost each of those matches by one point, giving up only nine points and scoring 37 as he finished fourth at the invitational-only Dream Tournament in Marin.
“I underestimated him after watching his first match.” Kellogg said “(Williams) only beat me by one point in each match. I feel that if we meet again, I will for sure be ready for him.”
The Kellogg brothers aren’t the only wrestlers in the family, either.
Kellogg’s uncle Julian Romele was a standout wrestler for San Lorenzo Valley in the early 1980s and is now one of the Cougars’ coaches. A cousin, Garrett Romele, was a state runner-up wrestler in Oregon and went on to wrestle for the University of Oregon before moving to Felton.
