By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The St. Henry boys’ golf team won the Kentucky All “A” Classic state tournament last Saturday and there’s a good chance the high school’s volleyball team will be bringing home another state championship trophy this weekend.
St. Henry is one of the top contenders in the Kentucky All “A” Classic small-school state volleyball tournament to be played this Saturday at Optimum Sports Complex in Louisville. The Crusaders won the state tournament three consecutive years from 2012-14, but last year’s team was eliminated in the 9th Region playoffs. The players on the current roster are looking to restore their program’s reputation.
“After losing last year in the region (playoffs), it was definitely a motivation for us to get back to state our senior year and make it a big win,” said Paige Noble, one of this year’s senior captains along with Madison Read.
The St. Henry boys’ golf team won its first-ever state championship by a four-stroke margin last Saturday at Eagle’s Nest Golf Course in Somerset. The Crusaders’ top four scorers on the par-71 course were junior Elliott Berling (72), freshman Evan Schwarz (75), junior Michael Sikra (78) and senior Brian Duggan (81).
“It was a pretty surreal moment,” St. Henry coach Jerod Cahill said of winning a first state title. “I played at St. Henry for four years and I’ve been coaching in my eighth year now. It was definitely one of the biggest moments in the program’s history, much less my coaching career.”
Berling finished in a four-way tie for second place with a 72. He was one stoke behind medalist Alex Doss of Campbellsville.
“Elliott had been playing very well as of late,” Cahill said. “He’s been our top golfer the last couple tournaments so it did not surprise me that he played well. He was poised to have a big tournament.”
Cahill hopes winning the small-school state championship will boost his team’s confidence going into the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Championships on Monday and the Region 7 post-season tournament on Sept. 27. The Crusaders would have to finish first or second in the region to earn a berth in the state tournament.
“Ryle and Covington Catholic have definitely dominated our region for the last 15 years,” Cahill said. “In fact, I played on the last team to go down to state, other than those two teams, when I played for St. Henry back in 2001. But I think we’re ready. They got the confidence they needed on Saturday, but they’re not going to hand it to us. Ryle and CovCath are very good. We’re going to have to go out there and get it done.”
St. Henry’s volleyball team won the 9th Region All “A” Classic to earn a return trip to the 16-team state tournament on Saturday that also includes 10th Region champion Bishop Brossart and 8th Region champion Walton-Verona. The three local teams are in different pools for the first round of matches on Saturday. The winner and runner-up in each of the four pools will then compete in a single-elimination bracket to decide the state champion.
The only two teams in the small-school state tournament that were ranked among the state’s top 20 in the latest coaches poll, are No. 9 Louisville Presentation and No. 11 St. Henry. But the two teams played each other in the Louisville Volleyball Invitational Tournament last weekend and St. Henry came away with 2-1 win.
The Crusaders had to play last week’s tournament without sophomore Maria Tobergte, the team’s leading hitter. She was sidelined by tendonitis in her knee, but she’ll be back in the lineup for Saturday’s state tournament matches.
St. Henry will have to win six matches to reclaim the All “A” Classic state title. That’s a lot of volleyball in one day, but the players want to show the pride they have in their program.
“I always tell them when they put on that uniform St. Henry represents something,” said coach Maureen Kaiser. “We come from a strong volleyball program. We’re proud of where we’ve come and where we’re going. Hopefully, we’ll leave there Saturday with what we want.”