[Stardust]

Before the season, Campbell County wrestling coach Mike Bankemper thought he had a team capable of competing for a state championship, but a late Christmas present in early January helped raise that belief to a different level.

It was then when highly regarded brothers Stephen and Austin Myers transferred to Campbell County from Grant County, and the duo showed in Friday’s quarterfinal round of the Region 6 Meet at Boone County just how much they can add to the team.

Stephen, a junior who won the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III state title at 125 pounds last season at Reading and finished third in the OHSAA Division I state meet at 112 pounds in 2010 at Moeller, needed just 2:16 of his 152-pound quarterfinal match to pin Conner’s Andrew Madden.

Austin, a freshman, needed only 59 seconds of his 220-pound quarterfinal match to pin Scott County’s Zachary Barber.

They were two of 13 (out of a possible 14) Campbell County wrestlers to advance to today’s semifinal round, helping the Camels take the lead after the first day of the two-day event with 101 points, which is 12 more than Simon Kenton. Ryle, which has won the regional title the last seven years in a row, is third with 77 points.

The tournament resumes at 10 a.m. today with consolation round matches, with the semifinals scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and the finals scheduled for 3 p.m.

“We thought we had a chance at the beginning of the year and then when they came to me the first of January I said sure and changed our lineup a little bit,” said Bankemper, who has coached Campbell County to three state titles (1990, 1991 and 2004). “The kids have been great. Where it really makes a difference is in your practice room, because you have two tough kids who come at the end of the season to push everyone else and that’s huge.”

Stephen said he had planned to wrestle this season at 138 pounds, but inactivity due to the transfer led to his decision to bump up to 152.

“I’ve been practicing hard and trying to get back in shape, because I haven’t been wrestling,” Stephen said. “I have good teammates to practice with and that helps a lot. At 152 I don’t really have to worry about cutting any weight, but it is a bigger jump.”

“You have to adjust your style a little bit,” said Bankemper. “He has to learn how to deal with the fact he’s not in total shape, but he’ll be good enough. He has great mat sense.”

Despite his past success, Stephen is the No. 2 seed in his weight class; Walton-Verona’s Lane Jones is No. 1.

“That doesn’t bother me, because it really doesn’t matter,” said Stephen. “You still have to go out and wrestle no matter what you’re seeded.”

Austin, who is seeded No.1 in his weight class, had been hoping to wrestle at 195 pounds, but he didn’t make the certified weight in time.

“I just couldn’t get there (to 195),” Said Austin: “I’m still a little rusty.”

They Myers’ performance was part of an extremely form-holding night as every No. 1 and No. 2 seed advanced to the semifinal round and all but one of the No. 3 seeds advanced, with the lone upset coming when Cooper freshman Kyle Steiner won an 11-4 decision over Boone County sophomore Brent Taylor in the 113-pound class.

Wrestlers who lost on Friday and those who lose in the semifinals today will try to battle through the consolation bracket to reach the third-place matches. The top four finishers in each weight class advance to the state meet in Lexington Feb. 17-18.