By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
Cole VonHandorf, a starting guard on the Covington Catholic basketball team the last three seasons, has accepted a scholarship offer from Fairmont State University in West Virginia.
VonHandorf said the NCAA Division II team began recruiting him “six or seven weeks ago” after the head coach saw him play in open scrimmages at a high school in Cincinnati.
“I had three visits these last couple weeks and Fairmont State was the last one,” VonHandorf said. “It was absolutely perfect. I loved everything about it, just the players, the facilities, the location. I knew it was the right place right away.”
The 6-foot-2 senior, who was named to the Kentucky all-state tournament team as a freshman and sophomore, said the Division I basketball teams that had been recruiting him “kind of crept away” this summer.
“I don’t know what it was, if I played bad or they found someone better than me or whatever,” he said. “I just had to accept it, and I found the right place, so I’m happy as can be. I know I can come right in and have a chance to play (at Fairmont State). I’m happy about that.”
Fairmont State head coach Jerrod Calhoun has led the Falcons to four consecutive 20-win seasons and three trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs since taking charge of the program in 2012. Last year, the team reached No. 2 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II rankings and finished with a 25-3 record.
VonHandorf said he was recruited to play point guard for the Falcons. That’s a position he has played off and on for CovCath over the last three seasons.
As a freshman, he averaged 10.9 points and was named to the all-state tournament team after the Colonels won the first state championship in the history of the program.
He averaged a team-high 18.2 points during his sophomore season and was named to the all-state tournament team once again when CovCath made it to the state semifinals. Last year, his scoring average dipped to 16.9, partly due to ligament damage in the thumb on his shooting hand, and CovCath lost in the 9th Region final.
VonHandorf said the thumb is completely healed now and he can focus on his senior season since he made his college commitment early. Two of his goals are leading the Colonels to another 9th Region championship and making a run at the team’s career scoring record.
VonHandorf’s current career total of 1,644 points ranks third on CovCath’s list of scoring leaders behind 2014 graduate Nick Ruthsatz (1,980) and 1994 graduate Andy Listerman (1,730).
“And I kind of really want to focus on developing our younger kids (on the team),” he said of his senior season. “Our program has been turning around lately and I want it to keep going when I’m not there next year. So I kind of want to share the ball and let them contribute and make them know what it’s like to be part of the family and carry on the tradition that we have.”
Construction begins on Holmes stadium improvements
Stan Steidel, athletic director at Holmes High School, said work has begun on improvements to Tom Ellis Stadium on campus.
Installing a synthetic grass field for football and soccer is the main objective of the project. The plans also include a new press box and scoreboard and new surface on the track circling the field.
Steidel said funds are still being raised for the estimated $800,000 project, but they “got enough to start digging.” He hopes to have the work completed in the spring of 2017.
“We can go ahead and start the project, but we’re still shopping for enough (financing) to finish it up the right way,” Steidel said. “We’ve still got a couple of irons in the fire there.”
Holmes was not able to play football and soccer games at the stadium this fall because the press box was considered unsafe. The football team played home games at several different high schools. The Holy Cross football team that also used Holmes as its home field had to make alternate plans as well.
Wrestlers begin practice looking for another successful season
Three local wrestlers who made it to the state finals last February are back on the mats this week with pre-season practice getting under way.
Campbell County senior Tanner Yenter won the 113-pound state title and Simon Kenton senior Casey Cornett finished first in the 170-pound weight class last year. The other returning state finalist is Cooper senior, who placed second at 145.
The third-place finishers from last year’s state tournament were senior Brady Wells of Campbell County (120), senior Dante Castellano of Simon Kenton (126) and junior Mason Smith of Walton-Verona (145). Hunter Ruber of Walton-Verona placed fourth in the 285-pound weight class to earn his place on the awards podium.
Wrestling season begins Nov. 21, according to the calendar on the Kentucky High School Athletic Association website.