RYLE 52, CAMPBELL COUNTY 18
http://news.nky.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20071129/SPT0302/711290345&template=printpicart
Raiders off to flying start
But long season will determine region's top team
BY MIKE DYER | [email protected] AND RYAN ERNST
Ryle coach Tim Ruschell isn't under any illusion about the strength of his team at this juncture of the season.
Ruschell was pleased with the way the Raiders wrestled in a 52-18 win over visiting Campbell County Wednesday night. But he said there is plenty to work on with the tough schedule his squad faces.
"We looked fairly good on our feet," Ruschell said. "I thought the team wrestled well."
ADVERTISEMENT
Ryle seniors Bryan Peace and Mason Reid - both of whom were state champions last season in their respective weight classes - were able to win matches Wednesday.
In the 145-pound class, Peace pinned Campbell County sophomore Korey Shotwell in 3:25.
At 171 pounds, Reid pinned Campbell County senior Thomas Brownfield in 56 seconds.
"Those guys (Reid and Peace) are our two studs," Ruschell said.
Said Reid: "We wrestled well, but we still have a long way to go."
The Raiders will be tested beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday when they travel to Wayne County for a couple of dual meets. Wayne County is fourth in the preseason rankings on kentuckywrestling.org.
Peace said he was pleased with the team effort Wednesday and said the techniques will be improved as the season progresses.
"... We won the tough matches (tonight) and that was big," Peace said. "We got the pins when we needed them."
Campbell County coach Mike Bankemper said the Camels will need to pick up the pace in practice in order to improve.
"We seemed to back off and we were flat on our feet," he said.
The Camels won the 12-team Franklin County Invitational last weekend, and Bankemper said he's not worried about the slow start against Ryle.
Bankemper said he's confident both teams will be among the contenders during the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference meet Dec. 14-15 at Dixie Heights.
Campbell County freshman Eric Spahr (130) and seniors Kyle Griffith (152) and Billy Fuller (285) won matches for the Camels.
Realistically, neither Ryle nor Campbell County can be dubbed Northern Kentucky's best team until they face Simon Kenton. The Pioneers, who open the season Saturday at the Oldham County Super Duals, are ranked fifth in the state by kentuckywrestling.org, ahead of Campbell County (seventh) and Ryle (ninth).
Another Web site, kentucky wrestling.com, has the Camels second in the state, ahead of Ryle (seventh) and Simon Kenton (10th).
Simon Kenton coach Jim Wilbers said neither set of rankings means much at this point in the season.
"I'm guessing Ryle's really the team to beat. I don't know what to think of Campbell," he said.
"I would say overall we have a good team. Whether or not we're the best will be decided by head-to-head competition. Can we be the best? Yes, but everybody has to put in the time and the effort."
The Pioneers, led by Ryan Vaughn (160) and Ben Winkler (140), should get a better idea of where they stand this weekend. At Oldham County they'll face state powers Woodford County, Seneca and Larue County.
"We go right into the fire," Wilbers said.
Boone County also will face an immediate challenge. The school, which disbanded the wrestling program in the mid-1990s, according to coach Mick Raney, will field a team again this year. The Rebels have 20 wrestlers on the roster but competed in junior varsity matches Wednesday night at Ryle.
Raney, a 1970 graduate of the school, said it took four years to organize the program again and he expects the Rebels will be competitive in the region by next season.
"I expect to learn a lot (this season)," Raney said. "The kids are interested and very eager."
Boone County won the state title in 1979, the school's only state team championship in any sport.
Ryle 52, Campbell County 18
103-T.J. Ruschell (Ryle) pin Wells, 5:30
112-Palmer (Ryle) pin Hamons, 3:06
119-Osbourne (Ryle) d. Schneider, 11-7
125-Marlo (Ryle) d. Weckbach, 7-6
130-Spahr (CC) pin Orsello, 3:02
135-Ayler (Ryle) d. Deinlein, 9-7
140-Gillaland (Ryle) d. Zink, 17-6
145-Peace (Ryle) pin Shotwell, 3:25
152-Griffith (CC) pin Coyle, 3:56
160-Pickett (Ryle) d. Lee, 6-5
171-Reid (Ryle) pin Brownfield, 0:56
189-Hogben (Ryle) pin Gries, 0:34
215-Campbell (Ryle) pin Rouel, 1:22
285-Fuller (CC) pin Adams, 0:51
Records: R 1-0, CC 5-1