Parkersburg wrestlers Dominic Way, Stephen Myers sign with Mountaineers
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PARKERSBURG -- Two of the best wrestlers in the state call Parkersburg home, and soon they'll be calling West Virginia University home.
Thursday inside PHS Memorial Fieldhouse, seniors Dominic Way and Stephen Myers officially signed to continue their wrestling careers with the Mountaineers.
Way and Myers both won individual state titles last season while leading the Big Reds to a state runner-up finish as a team for head coach Matt Littleton.
"We've been able to watch them grow up through our program and continue to achieve high-level things," Littleton said. "When they go off to West Virginia, it’s going to be nice to watch them hopefully achieve high-level stuff for a team we grew up with. Watching those guys put the gold and blue on and go compete is going to be real fun."
Myers, the reigning Robert Dutton Award winner, enters his senior campaign as a three-time state champion. This winter, "I’m coming for it all," Myers said. "That’s all I've got to say. Hopefully this year will be the year. I've been telling the news that I’m going to put our team up at the very top, so hopefully that comes around this year."
Myers said he feels blessed to be able to earn a spot with the program at WVU, which is coached by Tim Flynn.
"I’m just 100% grateful for it," he said. "It’s all up to God. West Virginia, I knew it was going to be home. It’s just right here. It just clicked. West Virginia was the one."
Myers won a state title at 126 pounds as freshman, 132 as a sophomore and 138 last season. The former national champion at Fargo expects to compete at either 138 or 144 this season.
Way goes into his senior year as a two-time state champ, having won at 144 pounds as a sophomore and 157 as a junior. He expects to compete at 165 this winter.
"First thing on my agenda is to win a team state title," he said of the upcoming wrestling campaign. "We’ve come up short the last three years. That’s really what I want to be is a team state champion. I know what I can do for myself, but whatever I can do for my teammates is really important to me right now. I also want to be number one wrestler in the country. I’m closing in on it. I know I’m there right now, and I just need a few more opportunities and to capitalize, and I really think I can do it."
Way, who spent part of his summer competing in Peru as part of Team USA for the U23 Pan-American Championships, committed to WVU last October.
"I've been looking forward to this signing day for a long time," he said. "For me, WVU has always been my dream school. When my recruiting opened up last year, I took a look at a few other schools, but it just never really crossed my mind that I’d want to go anywhere else."
The last Big Red to compete at the NCAA D1 level was John Martin Best, who recently completed his collegiate career at Maryland.
Myers and Way both agreed that wrestling for Coach Littleton and the PHS program has prepared them for the next level.
"The determination. The grind," Myers said. "You have to stay dedicated, motivated. You got to be the leader. Everything just added up to what West Virginia is known for."
Way added, "This is an amazing program here in Parkersburg. Everyone, the whole community, has big expectations for the program and me, and I really think that pushes me to be the best wrestler I can be. I think that really is going to prepare me for college wrestling."
A strong work ethic is a requirement to get to the D1 level as a wrestler. Littleton has watched Myers and Way go above and beyond throughout their careers.
"I think it’s just their dedication to wanting to be great," the coach said. "Doing the extra stuff after practice, doing all the extra summer stuff, and really challenging themselves. We go to these tournaments in the summertime knowing that they’re going to have to go wrestle high-level competition. They’re not scared to put the so-called record on the line and to go get better. I think that alone has helped those two achieve high-level stuff, the fact that they’re doing things other people aren’t."
Contact Jordan Holland at jholland@newsandsentinel.com.