By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Last year, the Calvary Christian boys’ soccer team won 12 matches for the first time in the history of the program and coach Michael McCarthy expects the Cougars to set a new record once again this season.
Calvary is the only soccer team in Northern Kentucky with a perfect record at 9-0-0. During that impressive start, the Cougars outscored their opponents, 74-4, and had double-figure goal totals in five of the wins.
Coach McCarthy said his players work together on the field so well because they came up through the private school’s educational program that begins in kindergarten and goes all the way through high school.
“Not only do they play soccer together, but they have grown up together and are a family,” McCarthy said. “I have personally coached them in some capacity since they were young. In addition, our team spent two weeks in Honduras this past summer, playing soccer and experiencing their culture. It bonded them even more as a team and as great friends.”
Fifteen of the 20 players on the Calvary roster scored at least one goal in the first nine matches. The team leader is senior Luke Lockard with 17 goals, followed by his younger brother, sophomore Alec Lockard, with 12. The siblings each have 14 assists and several of them must have come from passes to each other.
The coach said Luke and Alec developed their skills playing on Kings Hammer select teams and carry it over to the high school season.
“Their conditioning and work ethic take their game to a high level,” McCarthy said. “Both boys are unselfish and are team players.”
Two sophomores – Mason Rusch and Zach McNeil – are behind the Lockard brothers on the team’s scoring list and junior goalkeeper Reed Gilbert anchors the Calvary defensive back line.
“(Gilbert) is partly successful because our defense is one of the best in the area,” the coach said. “The other part comes from his quick reflexes and his determination to deny shots. His foot skills truly make him the 11th man that we can use as a field player to play (the ball) back to.”
Calvary defeated Paris, 10-0, in the first round of the 10th Region All “A” Classic and will face a major test in the championship match against Bishop Brossart. Last season, the teams played three times and Brossart won two of them, including a 2-0 victory in the district playoffs that ended Calvary’s season.
Athletic directors association names Hall of Fame inductees
Jeff Stowers, an outstanding basketball player and successful coach, is among the next group to be inducted into the Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame during a banquet scheduled for Nov. 16 at Receptions in Erlanger.
After finishing his high school basketball career at Covington Latin, Stowers was recruited by Northern Kentucky State College. He scored 1,410 points and collected 559 rebounds in four seasons from 1972 to 1976.
Stowers has been the girls’ head basketball coach at Simon Kenton High School since 2002. Over the last 15 seasons, his teams have complied a 339-123 record, won four 8th Region championships and been regional runner-up five times.
Shawna Daly Harney, a former Simon Kenton girls’ basketball player, is also on the list of this year’s inductees. The other females include Camey Geiman Eberhard (Brossart), Gina Geraci Grout (Notre Dame), Dr. Katie Pohlgeers (Beechwood) and Megan Crowe Williams (Notre Dame).
The list of male inductees includes Brandent Englemon (Holmes), Rob Hardin (Notre Dame), Matt O’Toole (Dixie Heights), Cory Pelle (Silver Grove), Tim Schlotman (CovCath/Boone County), Dr. Doug Schulte (Bellevue) and Jeff Trame (Holy Cross/Scott).
Mike Bowling, a physical therapist now with St. Elizabeth Healthcare, will receive the Tom Potter Distinguished Service Award from the athletic directors association.
Tickets for the induction banquet will be $40. Reservation information will soon be available.
Brossart will honor local heroes at Friday night’s football game
A group that works with the homeless will be honored during halftime of the Bishop Brossart football team’s home game against Newport on Friday at the Campbell County High School stadium.
Each year, Brossart selects an individual or group that’s active in community service for its Local Hero Night. On Friday, they’ll be honoring Cincinnati Street Ministry, a group of Alexandria residents who unselfishly dedicate their free time on Thursday nights to visit and feed the homeless in downtown Cincinnati.
The group will receive a plaque during halftime of Friday’s game. The two schools are also conducting a sock drive to fulfill a need for the people served by Cincinnati Street Ministry.
Fans are encouraged to bring a pair of new socks to the game that begins at 7 p.m. and the ministry will distribute them to the needy.