When the Walton-Verona wrestling teams go to the mat, you’re likely to see anything in addition to some of the best wrestlers in Kentucky. The range of outcomes in the heat of battle is virtually unlimited because of the Bearcats’ resourcefulness. Everything from ankle laces and fireman’s carries to grand amplitude throws and gut wrenches is on the table for Walton-Verona as the Kentucky small-school power revels in reversals, rallies, pins and wins.
There are talented wrestlers all over the place at Walton-Verona, a 12th-place finisher at last season’s boys state meet in Lexington. Two of its boys are highly rated in the preseason rankings at kentuckywrestling.com. TJ Meyer is second in the state in the 138-pound weight class. Luke Hyden is No. 3 at 215 pounds.
Something else you can see at Walton-Verona are lots of female wrestlers, 11 to be exact. While still in its nascent stages as a KHSAA sanctioned sport, girls wrestling has generated unprecedented interest at the high school. This is the result of a multi-effort endeavor at Walton-Verona.
Boys coach John Roth made it a point to spotlight girls wrestling. Girls coach Jason Moore built the program. Wrestlers Emma Moore and Sophie Anderson won state championships last season, inspiring the girls back home. Wrestlers worked the school hallways for recruits. Everybody implored everybody else to get on board with Walton-Verona wrestling, which draws unwavering support from the athletic department and Bearcats Nation.
“We get outstanding support at Walton-Verona,” Roth said.
Participation numbers back him. For the second season in a row, numbers are up. Last season, the boys had 19 students come out for wrestling, the most ever. Roth generally saw 13 to 15 show up each year. This season, the girls have so many wrestlers they can put together nearly an entire team.
“In our first season last year, the Walton-Verona girls team was very small with only three wrestlers,” coach Moore said. “In year two, the girls themselves have done an amazing job of recruiting and bringing friends out. With 11 girls on the team, we have nearly a full lineup.”
That deserves a wow. Walton-Verona has an enrollment of approximately 550 students attending grades 9-12. The high school regularly punches above its weight by taking on and often defeating foes from much bigger schools, not to mention schools its own size. The Bearcats boys were second-place finishers at last season’s Region 5 meet ahead of the likes of Conner, Simon Kenton, and Campbell County.
But the fact that Walton-Verona can attract nearly a dozen girls wrestlers when each of the four graduating classes number on average fewer than 70 girls is a testimony to the groundswell of support the sport is getting at Walton-Verona.
Walton-Verona crowned its first girls state champions in the space of less than an hour last season. Moore, the coach’s daughter, won the girls 100-pound title. About a half hour later, Anderson finished off an unbeaten 31-0 season with a state final victory at 138 pounds. They are among the area’s first girls state champions as two other locals also won titles.
Moore and Anderson were Walton-Verona’s only wrestlers at the inaugural girls state tournament and the Bearcats still placed in the top 10 with a ninth-place finish. That wasn’t a surprise to coach Moore who told the Walton-Verona athletic department that if he had half a team, the Bearcats would be state champs.
Now, the Bearcats do have nearly a full contingent of girls wrestlers and the rest of Kentucky has been put on notice: the wrist takedowns, arm bars and chicken wing moves are coming.
“These girls are working hard every day and learning quickly,” coach Moore said. “The season is off to a great start. We hosted our first event to start the season and got to see the new girls perform. Emma and Sophie both competed well last weekend in the premier high school event in the U.S., the Walsh Ironman tournament at Walsh Jesuit High School (in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio). Emma placed fourth and Sophie finished a match from placement. Both are prepared to make another state championship run.”
They’re not alone. Meyer and Hyden are also seeking state championships for the boys. There are three other Bearcats wrestlers ranked at kentuckywrestling.com. They include Oliver Pfeffer, 25th at 106 pounds; CJ Holt, 24th at 132 pounds and Ben Walton, 23rd at 176. The Bearcats enter the campaign No. 15 in the preseason team rankings.
So, yes, there is lots to see at Walton-Verona this season when it comes to wrestling. But something the Bearcats are seeing for the last time is another superb performance from their head coach.
“Also,” Roth said. “this is my last year coaching.”
Roth has been Walton-Verona’s head coach for all but one of the 12 years the school has had a wrestling team. He enters year 11 as head of the top small-school wrestling program in Northern Kentucky.
The Bearcats have placed fifth at state twice, including in 2018, when Roth was Kentucky state meet coach of the year. He was also national coach of the year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association after the Bearcats won the regional crown in just their fifth season with a team.