Ryle wrestling foundation built at youth level

by James Weber   Ryle wrestling foundation built at youth level


UNION — Ryle High School has been a state contender in wrestling for most of its 20-year existence. The Raiders have come close to the state team championship several times and have 13 individual state champions.

Those state champs usually start out winning matches as little kids and getting their first medals when their weights still have two digits. The Raider youth program has been going strong for many years.

“A lot of the kids who you see now like (current senior and 2011 state champ) T.J. Ruschell started in the Raider youth program years ago,” said youth head coach Darren Thomas. “Some of them go to Cooper or Walton-Verona, but the majority go to Ryle eventually.”

The youth program won its third straight Kentucky state championship Feb. 19, the first team to win three straight in state history.

About 100 kids participate in the program on a yearly basis. The team trains at New Haven Elementary in Union.

“We start in October and compete against a lot of Cincinnati and southeast Indiana kids in youth wrestling,” Thomas said. “Our kids do very well. We’ve had many of our kids win the state championship in their weight groups from age 5 to eighth-graders.”

The team recently went to the AAU spring nationals in Kingsport, Tenn. Cole Thomas, 8, took third place at 55 pounds and Mason Jakob was a runner-up. Both were named AAU All-Americans. Four others finished fifth in their weights: Shay Horton, Sebastian Vega, Joshua Logan and Cody Donohoo.

At the middle school level, Johnny Meiman and Logan Erdman became two-time middle school state champions as they split time with the varsity squad.

Meiman was a four-time regional champion and five-time state placer. Erdman was a four-time state placer and three-time regional champion.

David Rich was a state champion at 130 and a two-time regional champion.

Thomas is starting weekly clinics at Sports of All Sorts on Mt. Zion Road in Boone County. Clinics are Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9-11 a.m.

Coaches from other schools will give instruction and the clinics are open to all wrestlers. For more information, contact Thomas at 393-3983.