This past year, Mike Stephan completed a distinguished career with the Covington wrestling team, adding his name to the list of top Covington wrestlers. During his 4 years, Mike accomplished a number of impressive feats. He became Covington’s twelfth 2-time state qualifier, sixth 2-time district champion and only the second 3-time sectional champion in school history. He also set school records for single season wins (47), single season takedowns (204) and career record (103-22, 82.4%).

Two things set Stephan apart from most athletes: an extremely competitive desire to win and a strong work ethic to do what it takes to become a champion. These qualities allowed Mike to achieve great things, but success didn’t come immediately.

In 1998, after completing an undefeated season as an eighth-grader at Graham, Mike moved to Covington and hoped to make an impact as a freshman. Unfortunately, he ran into three problems: Scott Batdorf, Steve Batdorf and Brandon Owens, three future state qualifiers who filled the classes closest to his weight. Unable to crack the starting line-up, Mike was able to get some matches in by wrestling up at the 171 lb. class.

He finished his freshman year with a modest 3-4 record, but it was one of his losses that season that is most memorable. During a tight dual between Covington and Tri-County North to determine the CCC league championship, Mike was to face Brad Statzer, a future state placer. Informed by his coaches that getting pinned would give six team points and the championship to North, Mike managed to escape with a major decision loss, yielding only 4 team points to North and allowing Covington to claim the league title. Mike had a special knack for keeping his shoulders off the mat as he went fours years without yielding a pin to any of his opponents.

During his sophomore year, wrestling at 160 lbs., Stephan found a lot of success wrestling down on the mat, but struggled wrestling on his feet where his opponents earned 40% more takedowns. Mike peaked towards the end of the year, earning his first sectional title and winning two matches at districts to help Covington place 7th out of 38 teams, the best team finish since 1987. Mike finished the season with a record of 19-10, his wins coming from sheer effort and desire and his losses capped by a frustration of not being able to do more.

A turning point in Stephan’s wrestling career occurred after his sophomore season. It was then that Mike decided to make a serious commitment to improving his technique. He spent the off-season attending open mats, working on his fundamentals, and competing in open tournaments to gain valuable match experience.

His dedication paid off as he improved dramatically on his feet during his junior year, gaining three times the number of takedowns as his opponents. This added skill gave Mike a new confidence that allowed him to mentally take control of his matches. He went on to place first or second in all but one of the season’s tournaments. He defended his sectional title, this time at 171 lbs., and earned a state berth and district title with an 8-4 decision over Ron Howard of Finneytown, who entered the match with only one loss. Mike went 1-2 at state, finished with a record of 34-5 and left with a strong desire to return the next year and claim some state hardware.

Stephan spent the summer before his senior year much the same as the one before, putting in a lot of work during open mats and working to refine his technique. At the urging of his wrestling coaches and classmates, Mike decided to go out for the football team where he started at nose tackle in his first year playing organized football. His wrestling skills translated well onto the football field as he helped Covington earn a 10-0 record and trip to the playoffs.

Mike’s senior season can best be described as dominating. He rolled through his first tournament, going 9-0 and defeating all opponents by either pin or technical fall. His first real challenge came in the finals of his second tournament, the Graham Invitational, where he faced Joe Dennis of Graham, a wrestler picked by many to win the state. Trailing by one in the third period, Mike held nothing back and went for the win with a big throw, only to lose the takedown and the match. Dennis would go on to become the Division II State Runner-Up, and while the loss was disappointing, it only fueled Mike’s desire to become a better wrestler.

During the next big tournament, the Troy Invitational, Mike advanced to the semi-finals where he met up with John Borland of Kettering Alter. The year before, Borland defeated Stephan in the finals of the tournament, but he wouldn’t enjoy the same success this time. Mike controlled the entire match, scoring multiple takedowns and near fall to defeat Borland with a 14-2 major decision. In the finals of the tournament, Mike met up with Lakewood St. Edward’s Jon Kon Yesni, who would go on to place 3rd at the state in Division I. Kon Yesni took the first takedown on a fireman’s carry, but it was all Stephan after that as Mike went on to earn nine consecutive takedowns and win the match with an impressive 20-9 major decision.

Mike continued his winning ways, taking first in the Ben Logan and Versailles Invitationals and claiming his third sectional title. At districts, he cruised through his first three matches and into the finals where he met Drew Cloran of Cincinnati Madeira, the third-ranked wrestler in the state at his weight. Mike earned the first takedown and fought through a close bout to win the district title with a 4-3 decision.

At the state tournament, Mike won his first match by defeating Josh Bowers of Defiance Tinora, 7-6. Now in the quarterfinals, he knew that one more win would guarantee him placement in the tournament. Despite giving his best effort, he dropped a tough 5-3 decision to the eventual state runner-up, Chad Unger of Perry. Moving to the consolation bracket, Stephan found himself trailing 3-0 in the third period to Dave Weinandy of Bucyrus. Mike managed to get an escape and land a huge 5-point throw to defeat his opponent, 6-3.

Once again, Stephan was one win away from placement. He wrestled an exciting back-and-forth match with Alex Picazo of Columbus Grandview Heights, only to come up a little short, losing 15-12. Picazo went on to place third in the state. Ironically, due to a less than favorable draw in the tournament, Mike had to watch as Brandon Martin of Bluffton placed fourth at state and Drew Cloran of Madeira, fifth. Stephan defeated both wrestlers earlier in the year.

Mike Stephan finished his senior year with a 47-3 record including 22 pins and 9 technical falls. He made a significant contribution to and a positive impact on the wrestling program here at Covington, and is a great example of what one can accomplish through focus, dedication and hard work. He pushed himself and his teammates every practice and they learned, as did his opponents, that they better have their headgear fastened tight when they stepped into the circle with him.