By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The last time a St. Henry boys’ golf team qualified for the state tournament was 2001 when Jerod Cahill was one of four seniors in the Crusaders’ lineup.
Cahill is now the golf coach at St. Henry and his current team shot the low score in the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Tournament earlier this week to establish itself as a top contender for the Region 7 state qualifier to be played Monday at Boone Links.
The two teams with the lowest scores in the Region 7 qualifier advance to the state tournament. For the last 13 years, Ryle and Covington Catholic have been the local teams that earned those state berths, but St. Henry’s team score of 308 in the conference tournament last Monday was better than both of those perennial contenders. CovCath finished with a 311, followed by Ryle with a 313.
That’s why Cahill is excited about the Crusaders’ chances of ending their 13-year hiatus from state tournament competition.
“In my seven years as coach, we have had very good opportunities to go down state, but we fell just a few shots short,” Cahill said. “I would be really happy for this team (to qualify for state) because they have come together better than any other team I have had in the past. If they go out and play their games, I like our chances.”
The overall medalist in the conference tournament was St. Henry sophomore Michael Sikra with a 73. The Crusaders’ other scoring golfers were junior Brian Duggan (77) and sophomore twin brothers Ethan Berling (78) and Elliott Berling (80). How well that young lineup does in the Region 7 state qualifier on Monday remains to be seen.
“We have a very young team with all four guys with a scoring average under 80,” Cahill said. “All my guys need to do is go out and play St. Henry golf and the result will take care of itself.”
The other regional qualifiers that include Northern Kentucky golf teams are Region 8 boys on Monday at Northern Kentucky Golf Club in Falmouth, Region 6 girls on Tuesday at A.J. Jolly Golf Course in Alexandria and Region 8 girls at Houston Oaks in Paris.
Hamilton Scott is productive multi-purpose player for Holy Cross football team
Holy Cross senior Hamilton Scott is one of the hardest working high school football players in Northern Kentucky this season. In addition to being his team’s starting quarterback, he is a punter, placekicker and defensive back for the 2-2 Indians.
Last week, the multi-purpose player threw two touchdown passes, scored on an 8-yard run, booted two field goals, converted three extra-point kicks and made three tackles during his team’s 56-39 loss to the Scott Eagles. He also had five punts for 184 yards, a 36.8 average.
Scott’s four-game totals include 383 rushing yards, 339 passing yards and 42 points. He has provided 722 of the 1,305 total yards that the Holy Cross offense has picked up this season.
Frank Cetrulo of Brossart is another player with multiple talents. He’s the leading rusher and pass receiver for the 4-0 Mustangs and he scored 27 of his 48 points on field goals and extra-point kicks.
Cetrulo has also made 21 tackles as a starting linebacker going into Brossart’s first Class 1A district game of the season against Nicholas County on Friday.
Beechwood makes it to championship final in All “A” Classic state volleyball
The Beechwood volleyball team brought home the runner-up trophy from the All “A” Classic small-school state tournament last weekend.
The Tigers won three matches in pool play to earn a berth in the championship bracket and then beat Kentucky Country Day and Lexington Christian to reach the final. But Louisville Presentation defeated Beechwood, 18-25, 25-22, 25-18, to take the title.
Liz Pawsat and Maggie Stuempel were the Beechwood players named to the state all-tournament team. Lindsay Leick of Brossart and Abby Knight of Walton-Verona were also all-tournament selections. Both of their teams lost in the first round of the championship bracket.
The All “A” Classic boys’ and girls’ state soccer tournaments will be played Saturday and Sunday at Capitol View Park in Frankfort. The local teams competing for those state titles are Newport Central Catholic in the girls’ bracket and Brossart in the boys’ bracket.
Highlands cross country runner improves his top-ranked time in the state
Highlands senior Ethan Shuley remains the top-ranked boys’ high school cross country runner in Kentucky based on race times submitted to the ky.milesplit.com website.
Last Saturday, Shuley posted the state’s fastest time this season when he crossed the finish line in 15:16.89 at the Trinity/Valkyrie Invitational held on the 5,000-meter course at Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville.
Shuley placed second in a seeded boys race that included top runners from several states. The winner was Ben Veatch of Carmel High School in Indiana with a time of 15:04.57.
The kymilesplit.com website updated its list of the top five Kentucky high school cross country runners in each grade based on race times this season. The local runners who made the grade lists with their best race times this season are:
BOYS
Ethan Shuley (Highlands) No. 1 senior (15:16)
Peyton Fairchild (Conner) No. 2 eight-grader (17:58)
Luke Yunker (Ryle) No. 4 seventh-grader (19:29)
GIRLS
McKenzie Lachmann (Simon Kenton) No. 3 junior (19:23)
Sidney Reagor (Campbell County) No. 5 sophomore (19:29)
Sophia Delisio (Simon Kenton) No. 1 freshman (18:49)
Mallory Gray (Cooper) No. 5 eighth-grader (20:42)
Alex Plitzuweit (Dixie Heights) No. 1 seventh-grader (20:02)
Maggie Schroeder (Highlands) No. 4 seventh-grader (20:38)