NKY tennis champs finally crowned
The Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference finally has some tennis champions after nearly a month of sporadic weather-delayed action, but the tournament still is not complete. Three of four champions have been crowned in the Division I and Division II boys' and girls' classes, with the Division II boys to be determined next Tuesday when Highlands plays Beechwood.
The Bluebirds joined the Tigers in the final Tuesday with a semifinal sweep against Holy Cross at Fort Mitchell Park. Leading the way was No. 1 singles player Ben Emery with a 6-0, 6-0 victory, and No. 2 Alex Traylor, who also won in straight sets.
Covington Catholic won its eighth consecutive Division I boys' championship Tuesday with a 5-0 win in the final against Conner. The Colonels repeated with variations to their normal lineup as the Cougars' No. 1 doubles team had to contend with defending KHSAA state singles champion Austin Hussey, who teamed up with Danny Schlachter for a 6-1, 6-1 victory against the team of Casey Garnett and Jake Eberhard.
Playing No. 1 singles for CovCath was emerging freshman Anthony Bosch. He defeated Nate Eberhard, 6-2, 7-6 (1). The Colonels improved to 9-1. The Cougars dropped to 9-3.
Notre Dame Academy repeated as girls' Division I champion, beating Ryle 5-0 after taking down Scott. No. 1 singles player Caroline Krumme and No. 2 doubles tandem Bess Fley and Abby Roebker paced the Pandas.
"We defeated Scott and Ryle in Division I girls. We stand at 16-2, heading to play Lexington Catholic." Notre Dame coach Rob Hardin said. "Our top three players only have two losses each on the season. Considering the schedule we play, that is playing up to their potential. They are very versatile, playing both singles and doubles."
Krumme is 10-2 in singles and 2-0 in doubles. Fley is 7-1 in doubles and 4-1 in singles. Roebker is 8-2 in doubles and 4-0 in singles.
Highlands' girls repeated as Division I champions Tuesday with a 4-1 win over Beechwood. Meredith Laskey won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles. No. 2 Sarah Hoffmann and No. 3 Alexis Begnoche also won for the Bluebirds, as did the No. 2 doubles team of Abby Herman and Lacey Pohlman. Beechwood won at No. 1 doubles with the sister tandem of Emily and Elizabeth Pawsat.
SMILES AT RYLE: The Ryle track and field teams are in the midst of an unprecedented run with boys' and girls' team titles in back-to-back championship events in six days. The Raiders swept the boys' and girls' team crowns for the first time in five years Thursday on a day that five records were set by other teams at their own Raider Relays in Union. On Tuesday, they swept the team titles at the NKAC Relays at Scott. The girls won conference without a win from their traditionally strong runners. They won in the discus, shot put and pole vault.
"This is so good for our program," said girls' coach Jimmy Wihebrink, who credits this year's success to excellent team balance. "The girls work so hard, and they're really talented." We just try to give them the direction they need so they can reach their potential."
PARITY AT THE TOP: The NKAC boys' team competition produced the closest top-three finish in years as champion Ryle (87 points), Covington Catholic (86) and third-place Simon Kenton (80) were within seven points of each other, with fourth-place Cooper (68) not far behind.
HIGHLANDS GETTING FASTER: Highlands' girls' 6,400-meter relay team set a Raider Relay record with a time of 23 minutes and 19.52 seconds with the team of Paige Dauer, Chloe Gastright, Molly Mearns and Karsen Hunter. The Bluebirds were faster than that at the NKAC Relays, winning the event in 23:11.68. Highlands swept Tuesday's distance events at Scott, also winning the 3,200 relay and the distance medley.
NEWCATH TAKES DIXIE: Newport Central Catholic won Monday's ultra-competitive Dixie Heights All-Girls Meet, nipping the hosts, 155-152. Bishop Brossart was third with 140 points followed by Cooper (128). There were two winners with national elite results, and 21 elites. Posting national elite standards were NewCath's Keyaira Lankheit with a leap of 5 feet, 4 inches in the high jump, and teammate Abbie Lukens with a throw of 40-3 in the shot put. Thoroughbreds sprinter Chandler Cain won the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
BASS FISHING: The area failed to qualify one of 46 teams heading to Friday and Saturday's second KHSAA Bass Fishing State Championships at Kentucky Dam Marina in Gilbertsville. For the girls, Notre Dame Academy angler No. 1 Kimmy Birrer and No. 2 Lindsay Brossand had the Pandas' biggest regional catch with a 1-pound, 6-ounce bass, good for 21st place in Region 2. The top 14 individuals qualified for state.