By John Lachmann
NKyTribune sports reporter
The Highlands and Notre Dame softball teams locked up in another thriller on Thursday.
It was a rematch of the epic 2014 Region 9 final that saw the underdog Bluebirds earn their first-ever trip to state, except in this regular season meeting, the Pandas prevailed by a run, 3-2.
On Monday, the district playoffs open up and both teams are area favorites to head to Bowling Green for the state tournament in June.
Led by an offense that has scored 226 runs and the right arm of junior pitcher Bailey Spencer, the Bluebirds had won 10 straight games entering this week’s game against Notre Dame.
In 2014, Highlands started 8-11 before running off 19 straight wins, including a stunning 8-7 win over the Pandas in the Region 9 championship game and the team’s first-ever state tournament berth. The Bluebirds won their first game before dropping two straight at WKU.
This season, Highlands (19-8) stumbled to a 2-5 start but appears poised for another long postseason run. The Bluebirds beat Conner – the area leader in wins with 21 – 3-0 on Wednesday.
Notre Dame has allowed just 66 runs this season, with senior Haylee Smith posting a 0.87 ERA in the circle. The Pandas are 10-2 against area teams.
Conner (21-5) has its eyes set on state as well, having won its first 11 games of the season and posting the best regular season record in Northern Kentucky heading into the final weekend.
Also in the running are Newport Central Catholic (19-6), which has posted nine shutouts and is allowing just 2.12 runs per game, as is St. Henry (18-10) and its prolific offense that is scoring an average of 13.3 runs.
In Region 8, a rejuvenated Simon Kenton (21-13) has bounced back from a 7-14 season in 2014 to become a 20-game winner. The Pioneers, who were ousted in districts last season, face Williamstown next week for the right to advance to regionals.
Brossart (20-14) and Campbell County (16-12) are the top area teams in Region 10.
HIGHLANDS TOPS IN BASEBALL – The Bluebirds (27-6) have the best record of any Region 9 team, and they have lost just two games to area opponents – both vs. Covington Catholic (23-6).
The bitter football rivals have met three times this season, with the Colonels winning a doubleheader against the Bluebirds, 5-4 and 15-5 on May 2 but falling, 10-0 to Highlands in five innings on Tuesday.
The Bluebirds are averaging 8.8 runs per game, the highest clip in the region.
If record is the main criterion for determining favorites to advance to state, those two and Beechwood (25-9) have been the best in the region in winning percentage. The Tigers are scoring 8.0 runs per game with wins against CovCath, Boone County, Scott and Campbell County on their resume.
It’s hard to count out Dixie Heights (13-9), which has allowed just 3.4 runs per game this season. And Boone County (17-12) is looking for its first regional title since 2010.
Ryle (15-16), Conner (13-16) and Newport Central Catholic (13-17) are all under .500 but have experienced coaches and have combined to win the regional tournament each of the past four years.
Last season, Northern Kentucky had three teams at state, as Simon Kenton (15-13) and Scott (14-11) won Regions 8 and 10, respectively.
The Pioneers do not have a strong record, but they were just a game over .500 entering the postseason last year before advancing to the 2014 state title game. The Eagles also got hot last season after a mercurial regular season last season, winning eight in row before losing in their first-round game in Lexington.
KEY DISTRICT MATCHUPS – In the district tournament, the finals are merely for seeding but the semifinals are elimination games. Here is a look at some of the some of biggest district contests coming up next week:
BASEBALL
CONNER (13-16) vs. RYLE (15-16): Both teams are having down years, but Conner is the defending regional champion and Ryle went to state in 2013. In these teams’ only meeting on April 13, Ryle won, 3-2 in eight innings.
NEWCATH (13-17) at BELLEVUE (14-14): Traditionally the Thoroughbreds have fared better in the postseason, but the Tigers have the better record and beat NewCath, 5-4 on April 8. The Thoroughbreds won, 7-1 when the teams met again two weeks later.
SCOTT (14-11) vs. BROSSART (11-22): Even in a down year, Brossart always seems to get up for the playoffs. Scott won the lone regular season matchup, 13-7 on April 28. This is a rematch of the district final last year, which the Eagles won en route to their state tournament berth.
SOFTBALL
RYLE (12-9) vs. BOONE COUNTY (17-8): The Rebels have shut out the Raiders twice this regular season. Boone County advanced to the regional semifinal last season. Ryle went to state three years in a row in 2010-12.
DISTRICT SCHEDULES – A look at the district schedules for baseball and softball:
BASEBALL
DISTRICT 32
All games at Simon Kenton
Semifinals
Monday, May 18
Williamstown (10-11) at Simon Kenton (16-14), 5:30
Grant County (16-13) vs. Walton-Verona (7-16), 7:30
Final
Tuesday, May 19
Semifinals winners, 6
DISTRICT 33
All games at Ryle
Semifinals
Monday, May 18
Boone County (17-12) vs. Cooper (9-15), 5:30
Tuesday, May 19
Conner (14-17) at Ryle (17-16), 5:30
Final
Wednesday, May 20
Semifinals winners, 5:30
DISTRICT 34
All games at St. Henry
Semifinals
Monday, May 18
Lloyd (11-20) at St. Henry (12-16), 5
Ludlow (10-15) vs. Dixie Heights (13-10), 7
Final
Tuesday, May 19
Semifinals winners, 7
DISTRICT 35
All games at Covington Catholic
Semifinals
Monday, May 18
Beechwood (27-9) vs. Holmes (5-22), 5
Wednesday, May 20
CovCath (24-6) vs. Holy Cross (13-16), 4:30
Final
Thursday, May 21
Semifinals winners, 5:30
DISTRICT 36
All games at Bellevue
Quarterfinal
Monday, May 18
Dayton (8-11) vs. Newport (3-21), 5
Semifinals
Tuesday, May 19
Newport Central Catholic (13-18) at Bellevue (15-15), 4:30
Wednesday, May 20
Dayton-Newport winner at Highlands (27-6), 5
Final
Thursday, May 21
Semifinals winners, 4:30
DISTRICT 37
All games at St. Mary’s
Quarterfinal
Monday, May 18
Calvary Christian (8-15) vs. Silver Grove (6-12), 5
Semifinals
Tuesday, May 19
Campbell County (19-12) vs. Calvary Christian-Silver Grove winner, 4
Scott (16-11) vs. Brossart (11-23), 5:45
Final
Wednesday, May 20
Semifinals winners, 5
FAST-PITCH SOFTBALL
DISTRICT 32
All games at Williamstown
Semifinals
Monday, May 18
Simon Kenton (22-14) at Williamstown (13-10), 5
Walton-Verona (10-18) vs. Grant County (7-20), 7:30
Final
Tuesday, May 19
Semifinals winners, 5:30
DISTRICT 33
All games at Ryle
Quarterfinal
Monday, May 18
Cooper (9-16) vs. Heritage (0-18), 5:30
Semifinals
Tuesday, May 19
Conner (23-5) vs. Cooper-Heritage winner, 5:30
Wednesday, May 20
Boone County (18-8) at Ryle (12-10), 5:30
Final
Thursday, May 21
Semifinals winners, 5:30
DISTRICT 34
All games at Dixie Heights
Quarterfinal
Monday, May 18
Lloyd (7-23) vs. Ludlow (9-14), 5
Semifinals
Tuesday, May 19
St. Henry (18-12) vs. Lloyd-Ludlow winner, 5
Villa Madonna (16-6) at Dixie Heights (17-13), 7:30
Final
Wednesday, May 20
Semifinals winners, 5
DISTRICT 35
All games at Beechwood
Quarterfinal
Monday, May 18
Holy Cross (7-23) vs. Covington Latin (5-12), 6
Semifinals
Monday, May 18
Holmes (9-13) at Beechwood (9-14), 7:30
Tuesday, May 19
Holy Cross-Covington Latin winner vs. Notre Dame (17-5), 6
Final
Wednesday, May 20
Semifinals winners, 7
DISTRICT 36
All games at Winkler Field, Fort Thomas
Quarterfinal
Monday, May 18
Dayton (15-6) vs. Bellevue (3-12), 5:30
Semifinals
Tuesday, May 19
Newport Central Catholic (19-8) vs. Dayton-Bellevue winner, 4:30
Wednesday, May 20
Highlands (20-8) vs. Newport (11-6), 5:30
Final
Thursday, May 21
Semifinals winners, 5:30
DISTRICT 37
All games at Brossart
Quarterfinal
Monday, May 18
Calvary Christian (10-12) vs. Silver Grove (3-10), TBA
Semifinals
Tuesday, May 19
Calvary Christian-Silver Grove winner at Brossart (20-16), 4:30
Campbell County (16-13) vs. Scott (6-16), 6
Final
Wednesday, May 20
Semifinals winners, 5