By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Ben Weyer, one of the leading scorers and rebounders in 9th Region boys’ basketball last season, has verbally accepted a scholarship offer from Bellarmine University in Louisville.
The 6-foot-7 forward for Newport Central Catholic averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds during his junior season and helped his team win the Kentucky All “A” Classic small-school state championship for the third consecutive year.
After his upcoming senior season, he’ll be joining a Bellarmine team that made it to the Final Four of the NCAA Division II men’s basketball playoffs last March and finished with a 31-4 record.
“They’ve always been my No. 1 (choice) through the whole (recruiting) process,” Weyer said of Bellarmine. “I took my official visit there and I was sold on it. I decided that’s where I want to be.”
Weyer said he also received scholarship offers from Lee University in Tennessee and West Liberty University in West Virginia. Both of those teams also compete on the NCAA Division II level, but neither of them has enjoyed the same success as Bellarmine, an NCAA regional champion three of the last five years under coach Scott Davenport.
During the recruiting process, Weyer said he went to a workout with the Bellarmine team and found out why the Knights have been a top contender for the Division II title in recent years.
“After being around their guys, and they were so competitive on the court, you could see why they’re (successful) like that,” he said. “And once you get off the court, it was like a brotherhood. I guess every college preaches that, but I could really see it there.”
Weyer wasn’t recruited to play a particular position, but he said coach Davenport sees him as the same type of player as Jake Thelen, a Covington Catholic graduate who had team-high averages of 18 points and 10 rebounds as a senior last year.
“He makes it a team where everyone plays to their strengths and not just specific positions,” Weyer said of coach Davenport. “That’s another reason I love everything about it.”
St. Henry, NewCath win 9th Region All “A” Classic soccer titles
The St. Henry boys’ soccer team that has mostly first-year starters in the lineup is off to a 5-1 start that includes a victory in the 9th Region All “A” Classic championship game last Saturday.
The Crusaders’ new lineup is carrying on the success of last year’s team that won the 9th Region post-season tournament with a solid group of seniors leading the way.
“With that many seniors (graduating), it did open the door for a lot of newcomers,” said St. Henry coach Steve Hahn. “They worked through the summer and they continue to work hard and grow as a team each day.”
St. Henry defeated Holy Cross, 2-1, in the All “A” Classic regional final. The winning goal was scored by forward Jack Neltner, one of only six seniors on the Crusaders’ current roster. He and junior midfielder D.J. Sanders accounted for 13 of the team’s 17 goals in the first six games.
“Jack and D.J. are a great duo and they work very well together,” Hahn said. “They both have the mindset of sharing the ball, so it’s fun to watch them play.”
Newport Central Catholic defeated Beechwood, 4-0, in championship game of the 9th Region All “A” Classic girls’ soccer tournament on Saturday. This is the third consecutive year that the Thoroughbreds have won the girls’ small-school regional tournament and their sixth title overall, according to coach Kevin Turnick.
NewCath has allowed only one goal during its 5-0 start this season with defenders Ansley Davenport, Ruthie Barth, Aubrey Geisler and Olivia Schalk making it easier for goalkeeper Meg Martin to protect the net.
“We have basically everyone back on defense,” coach Turnick said. “Ansley is the lone senior back there and the others are juniors, but they’ve all been starting or playing since they were freshmen.
The St. Henry and NewCath soccer teams advance to the sectional round of the small-school state playoffs and play the winners of the 10th Region tournaments to be played this weekend. The sectional winners will compete in the boys’ and girls’ All “A” Classic state tournaments to be played Sept. 26-27 at Capitol View Park in Frankfort.
Return of senior running back should give NewCath football team a lift
Newport Central Catholic senior running back Jacob Smith is expected to play in Friday’s game at Campbell County, according to coach Dan Wagner.
Smith sat out the Thoroughbreds’ first two games with an ankle sprain and his team struggled on offense in losses to Scott and Cooper. In those two games, NewCath had a combined total of 236 offensive yards and scored only one touchdown.
Coach Wagner expects those numbers to improve with Smith back in action. Last year, he rushed for 1,477 yards and 25 touchdowns while also catching 23 passes for 361 yards and three TDs.
Campbell County is also looking for its first win of the season after back-to-back losses to East Central (Ind.) and Highlands. Senior quarterback Carson Plessinger had a combined total of 402 yards rushing and passing in the Camels’ first two games.
KHSAA conducts review on classification of playoffs in five sports
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association conducted a review on dividing member schools into classes for post-season playoff competition in five sports and decided to keep baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball teams all in one class.
In a press release posted on the khsaa.org website, KHSAA Board of Control President Jeff Saylor said: “After this review, our board is firmly and unanimously convinced that change in overall structure related to classification is neither necessary nor desired. Our current setup is a blend of flexibility and tradition and serves the needs of our student-athletes very well.”
The review was conducted after Lawrence County High School submitted a proposal to classify the post-season baseball playoffs based on high school enrollments.
In the press release, KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett said the current one-class system for those sports is better because it “balances the needs of those students and the many other factors that influence tournament structure such as school schedules, finances (both revenue and expenses), weather and comparable activities.”