Campbell County Wrestler Up for LaRosa's MVP of the Year Award

Camel wrestler up for LaRosa?s MVP Award

CAMPBELL COUNTY – One northern Kentucky male student-athlete is a finalist for the LaRosa’s High School MVP of the Year Award. If his record on the mat is any indication, Austin Myers is a safe bet to come away victorious.

The Campbell County High School graduate posted an unblemished record of 189-0 in varsity competition, including 60-0 in his senior year. The West Virginia University commit won four straight state championships and three national championships.

“We are all very proud of Austin and all that he has accomplished both athletically and academically at CCHS,” Camels athletic director Steve Hensley said.

In addition to his unprecedented success on the mat – Myers owns every Campbell County wrestling record – Myers also earned academic All-American honors and was a member of Campbell County’s student council.

Earlier this year, he qualified for Team USA at the prestigious Dapper Dan Invitational. The 220-pounder never lost to a wrestler from Kentucky. His next goal is to win an NCAA championship or four and qualify for the Olympic team.

Myers also played three years of football for the Camels before dedicating his entire senior year to focus on wrestling full time. The former linebacker used his supreme balance and leverage to shed blockers and make plays for the Camels.

“He’s just a tough, physical kid,” Camels football coach Stephen Lickert said. “He brought a lot of toughness to our program.”

Myers has always set lofty goals for himself and was able to reach just about all of them in his four years at CCHS. After winning his fourth straight state title and earning first-team all-state honors for the fourth year in a row, Myers made his mark against national competition. He won the National High School Coaches Association Senior Nationals in Virginia Beach in March and won the FloNationals in Pennsylvania the following week. He was named to the American Family Insurance All-USA second team.

The 2015 KHSAA Most Outstanding Wrestler made his mark at Campbell County from the moment he and older brother, Stephen, transferred midway through Austin’s freshman year. The Myers brothers led the Camels to a team state title in 2012, with Stephen winning the individual title at 152 pounds. Austin dominated the 220 pound class over the next four years and earned a Division I college scholarship.

There is no reason to doubt that Myers will reach his next set of goals, no matter how high he sets them.

“He has always trained hard and worked hard,” said Lickert. “He set goals and worked his butt of to make sure he achieved them.”

Myers is one of six male finalists for the LaRosa’s MVP award. The other five are from Cincinnati schools. The winner will be announced at the annual Buddy LaRosa’s Sports Hall of Fame Banquet on Sunday, June 28, in televised ceremonies at the CET studios in Cincinnati.

Great kid!! One of the most humble athletes I have seen for his level of talent.

Any chance I get to talk dominant wrestlers and get the chance to mention my long-time friend Rob Clarkston I don't pass up the chance. I always considered him to be one of the greatest wrestlers in NKY history.

With that said, if Rob were still with us he'd be the first to say that this Myers kid is the best.

Great kid. He use to work out at the same gym with me. Brutal in the weight room. Wish him all the luck and success in the world.

Congratulations!

Heffernan, Myers take LaRosa's MVP honors

Consider it one last curtain call.

Annie Heffernan and Austin Myers have spent the last four years in the headlines and atop medal stands. Their distinguished athletic careers were recognized Sunday afternoon as Heffernan and Myers earned 2015 LaRosa's High School MVP honors at the 40th annual Buddy LaRosa's High School Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the CET Channel 48 studios downtown.

"It's a huge honor," Heffernan said. "Then when you hear all the amazing accomplishments of all the other people up there it makes it so much more special."

Heffernan, of St. Ursula Academy, has made her name as one of the best distance runners ever to come out of Cincinnati. She won five individual state titles in track and cross country, including championships in the mile and two-mile at the Division I state track meet earlier this month.

Her accomplishments extend beyond Ohio, too. Heffernan is a three-time USA Track and Field All-American and ranked as the No. 1 two-mile runner in the class of 2015 by MileSplit.com. She'll train at home this summer and then head off to the University of Notre Dame on a running scholarship in mid-August.

"Right now I just want to stay healthy this summer and train to be my best, build my base," Heffernan said. "In the coming years – we have a very talented team coming in – I know we want to focus on winning an NCAA championship."

It's difficult to process the breadth of Myers' accomplishments as a wrestler at Campbell County High School. He never lost a match in his high school career – 189-0 and four state championships in the 220-pound weight class. Perfection.

"It was kind of my goal going into high school," Myers said. "I worked for it everyday and it ended up happening."

Myers will wrestle at the University of West Virginia next year. He actually was leaving for Morgantown right after Sunday's ceremony to begin summer classes and workouts.

"I'm excited for it," Myers said. "Our recruiting class is ranked third in the nation, so I know we'll be really good in a couple years."

The five female MVP finalists were:

• Malia Berkely (Badin soccer)

• Lauren Cannatelli (Lakota West basketball)

• Sydney Lofquist (Ursuline swimming)

• Tara Trainer (Lebanon softball)

• Margo Wolf (Mount Notre Dame volleyball)

The five male MVP finalists were:

• Will Grimmer (Mariemont golf)

• Justin Hilliard (St. Xavier football)

• Asher Hirsch (Cincinnati Country Day tennis)

• Jeremy Larkin (La Salle football, basketball)

• Michael Vitucci (St. Xavier cross country, track)

The banquet also featured the induction of the 2014 LaRosa's Hall of Fame class. The class included Andrew Brackman (Moeller), Michelle Cottrell Marston (Boone County), the late Dan James (Elder), Bryn Kehoe (St. Ursula), Whitney Myers Burnett (Ursuline) and Lori Rizzuto Rapp (Mount Notre Dame). Longtime cross country and track coach Barry Binkley was inducted into the Hank Zureick Memorial Coaches Hall of Fame.

Congrats Austin, maybe you can work with my son again and your mojo will rub off. :thumb:

That's awesome, congratulations to him!

One of the best kids I have worked with.