By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Preseason practice for Kentucky high school basketball teams won’t begin until October, but four local players have already made commitments with colleges that compete on the NCAA Division I level.
Last week, Cooper senior guard Adam Kunkel accepted a scholarship offer from Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., and Covington Catholic senior center Jake Walters made a verbal commitment with Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Earlier this month, CovCath senior guard CJ Fredrick announced he was going to the University of Iowa and Simon Kenton center Zach Kelch made a commitment with Navy.
Last season, Kunkel averaged 16.3 points and shot 50 percent (216 of 432) from the field with a team-high 67 3-point goals for Cooper. The 5-foot-10 shooting guard helped the Jaguars post a best-ever 31-5 record, win their first 9th Region championship and take home the runner-up trophy from the state tournament.
Kunkel was named to the state all-tournament team after getting 49 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists in his team’s four games. He made 11 of 13 free throws and 18 of 40 field goals in that four-game span.
CovCath was 9th Region runner-up last season with Fredrick and Walter among the team’s five starters.
Fredrick, who missed several games due to a broken bone in his foot, averaged a team-high 19.7 points and shot 54.5 percent from the field. Walter, a 7-foot center, averaged 6.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and shot 61 percent from the field.
Kelch is a 6-foot-9 center who averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and shots 60.6 percent from the field during his third season on the Simon Kenton varsity roster. Last spring, he played on a club team with Kunkel and got the additional exposure he needed to become a major college prospect.
Saturday will be “Kenney Shields Day” in City of Covington
The City of Covington will proclaim “Kenney Shields Day” on Saturday during a ceremony sponsored by the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame beginning at 11 a.m. at Behringer-Crawford Museum in Devou Park.
Mayor Joseph U. Meyer will read the proclamation honoring the long-time basketball coach, who grew up in Covington, worked for the city recreation department and helped conduct youth basketball leagues at Covington Turners Hall for more than 30 years.
The public is invited to Saturday’s ceremony. There will be no admission charge to enter the museum. Free parking will be available in the lot adjacent to the museum.
Shields compiled a 766-427 record coaching high school and college basketball in Northern Kentucky during his 39-year career. He recently published a book, Nothing More, Nothing Less, Nothing Else, about his life and coaching accomplishments that will be sold for $15 during Saturday’s ceremony.
Shields and the book’s author, Dave Schabell, will be guests on the Cincinnati Edition radio broadcast on WVXU (91.7 FM) at 1 p.m. Monday.
Volleyball team wins Brossart’s latest All ‘A’ Classic regional title
Brossart defeated Bracken County, 25-8, 25-9, in the championship match of the 10th Region All “A” Classic volleyball tournament on Thursday to earn a berth in the small-school state tournament to be played Sept. 15-16 at the St. Henry athletic complex in Florence.
The Mustangs won all three of their regional tournament matches in two games. The Brossart players named to the regional all-tournament team were seniors Olivia Haas and Samantha Bourgeois and freshman Raele Ruschman.
Earlier this month, Brossart swept boys’ and girls’ team titles in the 10th Region All “A” Classic golf tournament. The individual medalists were Brossart golfers Jarod Baynum and Abby Cook.
Newport Central Catholic will play St. Henry in the championship match of the 9th Region All “A” Classic boys’ soccer tournament at noon Saturday on the Holy Cross field located on East 45th Street in Covington.
NewCath defeated Beechwood, 7-2, and St. Henry blanked Holy Cross, 3-0, in semifinal matches on Thursday to set up another showdown between the two teams. Last year, NewCath defeated St. Henry, 3-2, in the regional final.