By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
With the post-season playoffs beginning next week, Covington Catholic and Newport Central Catholic are considered the top contenders for the 9th Region boys’ basketball championship based on the final poll of Northern Kentucky coaches conducted by the NKy Tribune.
CovCath was voted the No. 1 team in the area by most of the coaches and had a total of 118 points. The Colonels, who won the 9th Region title the last two years, are riding an 11-game winning streak and have a 22-6 record.
During that streak, CovCath has held nine of its 11 opponents to 49 points or less and won the last seven games by margins of 17 points or more.
NewCath (22-4) did not receive any first place votes, but the Thoroughbreds collected 103 points to finish second in the balloting. NewCath senior forward Ben Weyer is one of the area’s top players, averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds per game.
Cooper and Holy Cross each received one first-place vote and placed third and fourth in the poll. Both of those teams beat top-ranked CovCath earlier this season.
Holmes has been voted the No. 1 team in the girls’ basketball coaches poll all season and finished on top with 128 points. The Bulldogs maintained their perfect record against local teams with a double-overtime victory over Holy Cross on Tuesday that raised their record to 22-4 with one game remaining before the playoffs begin.
Ryle (19-6) was voted No. 2 in the final girls’ poll and received two first-place votes. Simon Kenton, a leading contender in the 8th Region, placed third in the coaches rankings.
BOYS’ BASKETBALL COACHES RANKINGS
(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Covington Catholic (10) 118
2. Newport Catholic 103
3. Cooper (1) 98
4. Holy Cross (1) 78
5. Campbell County 56
6. Conner 51
7. Dixie Heights 47
8. Brossart 31
9. Holmes 26
10. Scott 17
11. St. Henry 15
12. Newport 10
Others receiving votes: Beechwood 7, Ryle 2, Simon Kenton 1.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL COACHES RANKINGS
(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Holmes (11) 128
2. Ryle (2) 108
3. Simon Kenton 91
4. Campbell County 81
5. Highlands 62
6. Notre Dame 58
7. Newport Catholic 51
8. Conner 48
9. Holy Cross 29
10. Scott 26
11. Walton-Verona 18
12. Beechwood 7
Others receiving votes: Cooper 6, Newport 1, Boone County 1.
Bellevue girls’ basketball team wins first conference title in 35 years
The Bellevue girls’ basketball team finished on top in the Division III conference standings for the first time since the 1980-81 season with an 11-1 record.
The Tigers were co-champions in the small-school division in 2005-06, but they don’t have to share this year’s title. Dayton finished second with a 10-2 record.
Bellevue won its last two conference games against Villa Madonna, 34-32, and Ludlow, 48-41, to clinch first place. The Tigers then won a non-conference game against Robertson County to raise their overall record to 18-9.
The Tigers’ team leader is senior guard Kira Ross. She’s averaging 13 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game, according to coach Tommy Sorrell.
Junior guard Courtney Schmits is averaging 11 points and leads the team in steals with four per game. Sophomore forward Regan Atwood is contributing eight points and five rebounds per game.
This is Sorrell’s eighth season as head coach of the Tigers. His teams have compiled a 101-119 record and this will be the fourth consecutive season that Bellevue has posted a winning record.
Basketball games raised $25,000 for three local charities
Northern Kentucky boys’ high school basketball teams that played in the 2016 Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Classic helped raise $25,000 that will be distributed to three local charities.
This year’s classic featured three games between local teams — Scott vs. Dixie Heights, Cooper vs. Holmes and Covington Catholic vs. Newport Central Catholic — that were all played on Jan. 12 at BB&T Arena.
The money raised by those games was donated to the Ruth Lyons Children’s Fund, Neediest Kids of All and Chicks & Chucks, a breast cancer support group.
The signature sponsors for the classic were Mercedes-Benz of Fort Mitchell and Griffin Elite Sports & Wellness in Erlanger. Other participating sponsors were Darling Ingredients Inc., The Enquirer, Bilz Insurance and Liberty Mutual Insurance.
The mission of the BBCC is to instill in young athletes the importance of giving back to their community whenever and wherever they can. Since its inception in 2001, the classic has donated more than $208,000 to local charities in Northern Kentucky and Southwest Ohio.
Holy Cross wins freshman boys’ basketball tournament, CovCath is jayvee champ
Holy Cross edged Covington Catholic, 43-42, in the championship game of the Northern Kentucky freshman boys’ basketball tournament on Monday at CovCath.
Spencer Macke scored a game-high 17 points for the Indians, who had a 12-1 scoring advantage at the free throw line. CovCath’s leading scorers were Michael Bishop and T.J. Deere with nine points each. The Colonels made seven 3-point goals to account for half of their scoring.
The boys’ junior varsity regional final was also played Monday. CovCath defeated Newport Central Catholic, 46-29, to take the title.
CovCath shot 43.9 percent (18 of 41) from the field compared to NewCath’s 28.2 percent (11 of 39). The leading scorers were Jake Walter and Jack Davin of CovCath and Spencer Pangallo of NewCath with 11 points each.
Conner football player accepts scholarship from Morehead State
Sam Driggers, an offensive and defensive lineman on the Conner football team, joined the local list of college recruits when he made a commitment with Morehead State University.
Even though Driggers missed the final four games of his senior season due to a leg injury, Morehead State recruited the 6-foot-3, 275-pound lineman. He plans to sign a letter of intent with the Eagles on Wednesday.
Driggers will be joining a Morehead State team that posted a 7-4 record competing in the Pioneer League last season.
Here’s a list of local high school football players who have made college commitments, according to information submitted by their high school coaches.
BEECHWOOD – Brett Slusher (Morehead State).
CONNER – Sam Driggers (Morehead State).
COVINGTON CATHOLIC – Jacob Steins (Thomas More).
HIGHLANDS – Austin Hergott (Central Michigan), Bo Hebel (Lindsey Wilson), Jared Dougherty (Lindsey Wilson).
HOLY CROSS – Joe Wilder (Pikeville).
LLOYD – Charles Gaines (Lindsey Wilson).
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC – Maleek Lawrence (Union), Bryson Hightchew (Union), Jake Smith (Thomas More).
RYLE — Colin England (Union), Jacob Hiles (Lindsay Wilson), Jake Rabe (Pikeville), Tyler Selby (Georgetown).
SCOTT – Deondre Pleasant (Cincinnati Christian).
SIMON KENTON – Dillon Powell (Wayne State), David Sandlin (Georgetown)