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BY JAMES WEBER | COMMUNITY RECORDER STAFF WRITER

Local wrestling action heats up this weekend with the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference championships at Conner. The eight schools with the sport - Conner, Ryle, Dixie Heights, Scott, Simon Kenton, Holmes, Campbell County and Newport - will all face each other in dual matches. Individual and team championships will be awarded. Most coaches think Campbell County, Ryle and Simon Kenton will have a close battle for the title.

Campbell County has six returning state qualifiers, but that doesn't mean the Camels are a team loaded with veterans. "We are older than last year, but we're still young," said Campbell head coach Mike Bankemper. "We have one or two seniors in the lineup, and we'll have two freshmen and an eighth grader."

The returning state qualifiers are Talon Deinlein, Kyle Griffith, Thomas Brownfield, Korey Shotwell, Billy Fuller and Matt Holthaus. Griffith is the lone member of that group to place at state, earning eighth place at 135.

"They bring some state experience, but they're still young," Bankemper said. "A lot of these kids just started in high school or had a year in middle school unlike some teams we've had in the past who started in first or second grade." The Camels beat Ryle in a close dual meet last week in preparation for the NKAC meet, but Bankemper said both teams will likely have big lineup changes from that match.

"Simon and Ryle probably have the edge. If we're ready to wrestle, I think we'll have a shot," Bankemper said. "We're getting better. It's still early. We'll see some progress throughout the year."

Newport coaches were unavailable for comment.