By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Over the last four seasons, Covington Catholic boys’ basketball teams have won a state championship, claimed two 9th Region titles and complied a 108-29 record that includes 20 wins in 25 post-season playoff games.
Local coaches expect the good times to continue for the Colonels. They were voted No. 1 in a pre-season poll conducted by the Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association.
Even though four of the top seven players on the last year’s state semifinal team graduated, CovCath coach Scott Ruthsatz has another talented roster that includes junior guard Cole VonHandorf, who has already received scholarship offers from several Division I colleges.
VonHandorf averaged 10.2 points as a freshman starter on CovCath’s 2014 state championship team and bumped it up to 18.2 last season by shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 86.9 percent from the free throw line. During the spring and summer, the left-hander worked on his shooting to see if he could improve on those numbers this season.
“He’s really elevated his ability to shoot from the perimeter 120 percent,” coach Ruthsatz said. “His first year as a freshman he was more of driver and slasher type player and last year he started shooting some threes (3-point shots) toward the end. Now, he’s shooting the three with a very high consistency level and from deeper out.”
Senior guard Andy Flood is CovCath’s other returning starter and senior Will Heppler is a low post player with varsity experience. Coach Ruthsatz has several other talented players to insert in the lineup, including a group of sophomores who played on last year’s undefeated freshman team.
“Our sophomore group has really good size and all of them are very skilled,” Ruthsatz said. “Over the summer, we played in a lot of team camps knowing we had to develop those kids and they really rose to the occasion.”
The sophomore entourage includes 6-foot-10 center Jake Walter, forwards C.J. Fredrick and A.J. Mayer and guard Aiden Ruthsatz, the coach’s son.
Here’s a look at the other Northern Kentucky boys’ basketball teams voted among the top 12 in the pre-season poll of local coaches:
COOPER
Cooper junior guard Sean McNeil is a multi-talented player who averaged 17 points, six rebounds and four assists per game last season when the Jaguars won their third 33rd District title in the last four years.
“We will rely heavily on Sean to lead our team,” said coach Tim Sullivan. “His ability to score from both outside and out makes him a tough matchup night in and night out.”
The team’s other returning starter is junior Dante Hendrix, who averaged eight points, five assists and three steals from the point guard position. Sophomore guard Adam Kunkle also saw some varsity action last season, especially when McNeil was sidelined for five games with a knee injury.
The two tallest players in Cooper’s lineup last season graduated. Sullivan is counting on senior forwards Nathan Brown and Marcus Watson, who were both standouts on the Cooper football team, to provide what the basketball team needs inside.
“Our weakness will be our overall team size when it comes to post players.” The coach said. “We will need to gang rebound and be able to negate teams in the paint by really focusing in on our one-on-one defensive pressure.”
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC
After losing four starters to graduation, NewCath coach Ron Dawn will be rebuilding his team around senior forward Ben Weyer, who averaged 15.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and shot 59.6 percent from the field last season.
Weyer, who accepted a scholarship offer from Bellarmine University, is also a solid defensive player. He was the leading shot blocker on last year’s team that won the All “A” Classic small-school state tournament for the third consecutive year.
The Thoroughbreds do have two part-time starters returning from last season in senior guard Erik Anderson and junior guard Luke Moeves. The rest of the players have little or no varsity experience.
“I think we will be very competitive by the end of the year,” coach Dawn said. “We will be playing some young players so it may take a little time.”
CAMPBELL COUNTY
The Camels have senior center Matt Wilson and senior point guard Trent McGovney back from last year’s team that won a second consecutive 10th Region championship and finished with a 25-10 record.
Wilson, who has committed to West Point, is a burly 6-foot-9, 240 pound inside player who averaged 14.6 points and 11 rebounds while also shooting 54.3 percent from the field.
McGovney is a veteran floor leader who contributed 7.1 points, 2.8 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. He may have to pick up his scoring this season to offset the graduation of three starters. Their replacements will likely be junior forwards Cole Hegyi and Brad Geiman and junior guard Garren Bertsch.
If the new combination works well, Campbell County Aric Russell could get the 27 wins he needs to reach 300 in his career.
HOLMES
Coach Mike Listerman knows it will take some time for the Holmes Bulldogs to adjust to the graduation of guard James Bolden, one of the top players in the state the last three seasons.
The Bulldogs have two talented returning starters to help with the transition. Merkel McClendon is a slick senior guard who averaged 14.5 points and Andrew Arnold is a solid senior forward who shot 52 percent from the field last season.
The leading candidates for the other starting positions appear to be center Brandon Moore, forward Jaiden Green and guards Jordan Daniels, Brennon Englemon and Raavai Commodore.
“This team has a great work ethic and good chemistry,” coach Listerman said. “We will get better as the season goes on, look for us to be reckoned with come tournament time.”
SCOTT
Last season, Scott sophomore guard Jake Ohmer was the leading scorer in Northern Kentucky with a 21.5 average going into the playoffs and he helped the Eagles make it to the 10th Region finals.
Ohmer is closing in on the team’s career scoring record, but Scott coach Brad Carr wants him to expand his game and become more of an all-around player.
“He needs to be more consistent on the defensive end, rebound the ball and ultimately make his teammates around him better,” Carr said. “He has to do this with his effort and communication on the practice floor.”
Senior guard Andrew Trame, who made more than 50 3-point goals last season, is the Eagles’ other returning starter. The fact that none of the players on the roster is taller than 6 feet, 4 inches is a major concern for coach Carr.
“Rebounding will be a huge key for us this season,” he said. “This will have to be a team effort and has been stressed from practice No. 1.”
NEWPORT
The Wildcats have four starters back from the team that nearly upset Covington Catholic in the first round of the 9th Region tournament last March.
Senior guard Ethan Snapp heads the list of returnees. He scored 20 points in his team’s overtime loss to CovCath and finished the season with an 18.7 average. He also snagged 3.9 rebounds per game and shot 80 percent form the free throw line.
Newport’s other returning starters are sophomore point guard Rico Hollis, senior forward Kedan Davis and senior post player Kameron Covington, who averaged 7.3 points and 7.4 rebounds last season.
The team picked up another experienced player when senior guard Marcus Mullins transferred from Holmes. He averaged 10 points and four rebounds for the Bulldogs last season.
SIMON KENTON
Simon Kenton coach Trent Steiner said developing replacements for three starters who accounted for 80 percent of the team’s scoring last season is going to be a challenge for his staff.
The team’s top returning starter is senior Austin Fries, who averaged 12 points and five rebounds last season. The other players with varsity experience are senior Michael Sammons and junior Timmy Cottrell.
The return of junior J.C. Hawkins, who sat out last season with a knee injury, should also help the Pioneers continue their 10-year streak of 8th Region tournament appearances.
ST. HENRY
Adam Goetz, the leading scorer on the St. Henry team that won 20 games and made it to the 9th Region semifinals last March, is one of only three seniors on coach Dave Faust’s roster going into this season.
Goetz averaged 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists, but he can’t carry the team alone. Faust needs to find players who can provide inside scoring and rebounding for St. Henry to have another successful season.
Senior forward Paul Wallenhorst is the team’s other returning starter and sophomore center Mitchell Shuler is a promising post player. The other players Faust will be counting on are guards Grant Williams, Elliott Berling and Ethan Berling.
HOLY CROSS
After finishing 13-14 and 7-19 the last two seasons, six seniors on the Holy Cross roster hope to put the program back on the winning track in their final season.
The senior class includes the top three scorers on last year’s team – Tyler Bezold (12.8 ppg), Leighton Schrand (10.4) and Erich Jakubowski (9.5).
Junior forward Derrick Barnes is the other returning starter and senior guard Hamilton Scott also has extensive varsity experience.
DIXIE HEIGHTS
The graduation of seven seniors puts Dixie Heights in a rebuilding mode this season, but coach Ken Chevalier is looking forward to the challenge.
“We will be looking at several young, inexperienced players to step up and prove they are capable of playing varsity basketball,” Chevalier said. “If we stay healthy and continue to improve, we hope to be a tough out come tournament time.
The team’s only returning starter is junior guard Hunter Meyer. The coach expects senior forward Jake Jones, junior center Reed Bradfield and sophomore guard A.J. Plitzuweit to be factors.
RYLE
Coach David McFarland expects a major turn-around from his team after finishing 6-23 last season and losing the final game by 38 points.
“Our guys worked tremendously hard together this off season on their skill work, in the weight room and learning what it takes to be champions,” McFarland said. “Our greatest strength will be our depth, teamwork and chemistry.”
The Raiders’ returning starters include senior guards Tyrek Owens and Logan Turner, who both averaged six points per game.