Mark Wehry’s 859 Sports Radio: A passion for local sports broadcasting – LINK nky

As a kid growing up in Covington, Mark Wehry was exposed to one of the greatest sports announcers. It was Marty Brennaman, radio voice of the Cincinnati Reds.

“The person I listened to the most and wanted to be as good as was Marty,” Wehry said. “Growing up during the days of the Big Red Machine, everyone talked the next day about the game.”

Wehry is experiencing something similar while giving northern Kentucky high school athletes something uncommon: publicity on the airwaves.

“The kids say they love what we do,” Wehry said.

Wehry, a Holy Cross High School graduate, is the brainchild of (859) Sports Radio. It’s a northern Kentucky-focused internet webcast. You can listen to him and various local former and current coaches call prep games including football, basketball and volleyball at 859sportsradio.com, where webcasts are archived.

Wehry is currently knee-deep in the local football postseason with basketball just around the corner.

“This basketball season, we will celebrate our 400th broadcast,” he said.

Calling games on radio has been a lifelong dream for Wehry. There is a recording of him that’s nearly 50 years old to prove it.

“One of my best friends, Kevin Volpenhein, has a recording on cassette tape of him and I,” Wehry said. “We were pretending to be Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall. Kevin says it’s terrible, but we were 12.”

Almost 48 years later, Wehry’s passion for radio and sports is still going strong, and so is his following.

“When (859) Sports Radio is in your gym you know the environment and energy is going to be electric,” said Cooper girls basketball coach Justin Holthaus.

His teams have been to three Sweet 16 state tournaments with Wehry and crew on the scene.

“They are one of a kind with a unique ability to broadcast games,” Holthaus added. “Mark and his team are very knowledgeable and passionate about the teams they cover. Our program and players are very grateful for the coverage that allows our fans tuning in to feel part of the game.”

For Wehry and those around him, it’s a comeback story.

ON THE AIR, THEN OFF

Wehry’s (859) Sports Radio is an extension of his first radio experience. He founded CovCath Internet Radio in 2004 after an invitation from former Colonels basketball coach Mike Listerman, who was aware of Wehry as a college public address announcer at Thomas More.

At the time, internet broadcasts of local high school games were rare.

“Dave Schabell at Bishop Brossart is the founding father of internet radio in northern Kentucky. He had been doing it for two years,” Wehry said. “Then Mike asked me to do play-by-play at CovCath.”

After 14 seasons and 750 broadcasts of four sports, all in his spare time, CovCath and Wehry parted ways.

“It had become my identity, the voice of the Colonels, and I was lost,” Wehry said. “Most of my years at CovCath were spent with my nephew Jason Elfers by my side as my color analyst. It was the longest year of my life being out of touch with high school sports and no broadcasting.”

It culminated a rough three years for Wehry. His brother, Billy, passed away in 2015. His mother died in 2016. In 2017, he was told by doctors he could no longer run because of a knee condition.

A TRIUMPHANT RETURN

Things were slow in 2018 as Wehry concentrated on his full-time job. He’s a business systems architect for longtime employer E. W. Scripps Company. In 2019, an opportunity presented itself.

Elfers was supportive of Conner athletics. He knew there was a lot of excitement surrounding the Conner-Ryle girls basketball district tournament championship final in February. He suggested to his uncle Mark that they get back in the game and broadcast the final.

“After a day of mulling it over, I decided to take him up on his idea. I got off the mat and threw myself in the ring,” Wehry said. “We had much to do to be able to pull this off as I had no platform to broadcast. The first thing we needed was a name. I thought, well, what is the one thing all high schools and all sports in northern Kentucky have in common? Then it dawned on me, we’re all in the 859-area code. So, (859) Sports Radio was born.”

Wehry and Elfers could not get the new operation up and going in time for the district final. But they were ready for the 9th Region tournament at Truist Arena where Wehry parlayed a connection with tournament organizer Stan Steidel.

Wehry gained access to broadcasting 14 boys and girls regional basketball games in eight days at Truist. He pulled it off and Ryle won the girls championship and advanced to the Sweet 16 state tournament. At the time, Ryle didn’t have its own radio network, but the school had a desire for the state tournament to be broadcast.

In stepped (859) Sports Radio.

“As fate would have it, we were live for all four games and Ryle became the second-ever northern Kentucky girls state basketball champ,” Wehry said. “Since then, we’ve been to Rupp Arena every year. We broadcast the Highlands boys state championship in 2021. We were at Cooper’s state final appearance in football in 2023.”

FAMILY ATMOSPHERE

Elfers has been a key cog in Wehry’s operation. He has been his uncle’s sidekick and inspiration for a second wind at announcing, and he’s a big part of the joy that fills Wehry when he broadcasts.

“Broadcasting with Mark is honestly one of the best experiences I could ask for and we have a blast working games together,” Elfers said. “His passion and dedication to the 859 community are unmatched, and it’s such a joy to be part of something that means so much to him. To see the energy and excitement he brings every time he’s on air is contagious. It’s like sharing a front-row seat to the heartbeat of the 859 sports world.”

Friends and family, and friends of the (859) Sports Radio family have been a sustaining force for Wehry. They have also been a source of talent. Prior to his passing, Billy Wehry was “Bill the Producer” for 11 years on his brother’s CovCath broadcasts. Mark Wehry’s son, John Wehry, took a turn behind the microphone on occasion.

In addition to Elfers, a dozen other current and former athletes and coaches help give voice to Wehry’s broadcasts. They include some big names such as retired Boone County girls basketball coach Nell Fookes.

“I like to play him up because it’s such a service he does to the community,” Fookes said. “Something else Mark does that I like is he appreciates the female sports as much as he does the boys. He was so excited to be doing volleyball. It shows his heart is truly in the right place.”

The (859) Sports Radio broadcast team also includes Kevin Connor, Travis Connor and Greg Spencer on football. Spencer also covers basketball along with John Campbell, David Hartman, Bert Richey and Doug Schloemer. Notre Dame Academy and University of Cincinnati legend Becky Tenkman Mirick pairs with Wehry for volleyball.

Cooper student Corbin Browning operates a basketball camera. Ryle’s Lucy Trapp helped Wehry announce volleyball matches after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in a match that was broadcast on (859) Sports Radio.

BEING THERE FOR FANS WHO CAN’T

After securing venue access, Wehry arrives at each broadcast site as much as two hours before game time to set up equipment. He has his own electricity with a power station. He tests his components including computers, microphones, headsets and an internet hot spot.

“We ask our listeners to take pictures on their big screens of the webcast so we can show them on camera during the games,” Wehry said. “I’ve actually had some people tell me it’s the clearest webcast of a game they’ve seen. During the Cooper-South Oldham playoff football game, we got a picture of a newborn baby and proud papa watching from the hospital.”

From the unpack to packing it all up again, Wehry can commit as many as six hours to a broadcast several nights a week. He squeezes all of it into his spare time.

He can’t undertake such an ongoing endeavor without some understanding at home.

“My wife Teri is incredibly understanding. I can’t do this without her support,” Wehry said.” My daughter Annie never comes home without one of her half dozen (859) Sports Radio shirts on.”

Wehry does not charge for broadcasts, and he doesn’t seek advertising. The only regular sponsor is Ken Morgan from Cricket Wireless who provides the internet hotspot free of charge. Wehry’s on-air talent is happy to pitch in and offer expertise at no charge to aid the cause. Richey says Wehry’s gift is his consistent ability to be descriptively accurate.

“He’s really good at painting a picture of what’s happening in the game,” said Richey, who works at Newport High School and coaches sports at Highlands. “Mark never takes a play off. He always gives his best effort. He pours his passion for sports and support for young athletes into every play.”

Wehry views his webcasts as a labor of love, with an accent on love.

“The most satisfying moments are when I get emails from parents who don’t normally miss games,” Wehry said. “Those are the people we are trying to reach in addition to all the other fans of the teams. We want to make fans feel like they are there.”

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