By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Notre Dame Academy won the 9th Region championship in girls’ soccer the last five years, but continuing that streak could be a problem for the Pandas.
At the regional tournament draw on Saturday, Notre Dame landed in a bracket with three teams that it had a 1-1-1 record against during the regular season.
In the opening round on Monday, Notre Dame will play Newport Central Catholic. The teams faced each other in the final match of the regular season and the Pandas came away with a 2-1 victory.
The winner of Monday’s game will advance to the regional semifinals and face either Dixie Heights or Ryle. During the regular season, Notre Dame lost to Dixie Heights, 1-0, and played to a scoreless tie against Ryle.
The first-round match-ups on the other side of the 9th Region girls’ tournament bracket are Highlands vs. Cooper and Holy Cross vs. St. Henry.
Highlands, last year’s regional runner-up, finished the regular season with a 12-1 record against 9th Region opponents, including a 1-0 win and 4-1 loss in matches with Notre Dame.
The draw for the 9th Region boys’ soccer tournament put Covington Catholic and Ryle — the teams that met in the championship final the last two years — in opposite brackets so they could tangle in the title match once again.
CovCath won back-to-back regional titles and went on to play in the state championship match the last two years. The Colonels won the program’s first state title in 2015 and lost to Daviess County in a penalty kick shootout last year.
This season, CovCath has a 7-0-2 record against 9th Region teams that includes a 2-1 win over Ryle and a 2-0 win over Dixie Heights, the team it will face in Monday’s opening round of regional competition.
Northern Kentucky teams will also be competing in the 8th and 10th Region boys’ and girl’ soccer tournaments this week. Here are the complete schedules:
Girls’ soccer regional tournaments
9th REGION
Monday
Notre Dame vs. Newport Central Catholic at CovCath, 6 p.m.
Dixie Heights at Ryle, 7 p.m.
Cooper at Highlands, 7 p.m.
Holy Cross at St. Henry, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday at Dixie Heights
Notre Dame-NewCath winner vs. Ryle-Dixie Heights winner, 5:30 p.m.
Cooper-Highlands winner vs. Holy Cross-St. Henry winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at Dixie Heights
Championship match, 7:30 p.m.
10th REGION AT CLARK COUNTY
Tuesday
Campbell County vs. Montgomery County, 6 p.m.
Brossart vs. Mason County, 7:45 p.m.
Thursday
Harrison County vs. Campbell County-Montgomery County winner, 6 p.m.
Clark County vs. Brossart-Mason County winner, 7:45 p.m.
Saturday
Championship match, 4:30 p.m.
8th REGION
Monday
North Oldham at Simon Kenton, 6:45 p.m.
Henry County vs. Anderson County at Owen County, 7 p.m.
Walton-Verona at Oldham County, 6 p.m.
Owen County at Collins, 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday at South Oldham
North Oldham-Simon Kenton winner vs. Henry County-Anderson County winner, 6:15 p.m.
Walton-Verona-Oldham County winner vs. Owen County-Collins winner, 8:15 p.m.
Thursday at South Oldham
Championship match, 6:30 p.m.
Boys’ soccer regional tournaments
9th REGION
Monday
Holy Cross at St. Henry, 7:30 p.m.
Dixie Heights at Covington Catholic, 8 p.m.
Tuesday
Cooper vs. Highlands at Tower Park, 7:30 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic at Ryle, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday at Tower Park
Highlands-Cooper winner vs. CovCath-Dixie Heights winner, 5:30 p.m
Ryle-NewCath winner vs. Holy Cross-St. Henry winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at Tower Park
Championship match, 4:30 p.m.
10th REGION AT CAMPBELL COUNTY
Monday
Pendleton County vs. Bourbon County, 6 p.m.
Brossart vs. Harrison County, 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday
Campbell County vs. Bourbon County-Pendleton County winner, 6 p.m.
Montgomery County vs. Brossart-Harrison County winner, 7:45 p.m.
Saturday
Championship match, 12 p.m.
8th REGION
Monday
North Oldham at Grant County, 6:30 p.m.
Carroll County vs. Spencer County at Owen County, 8 p.m.
Henry County at Oldham County, 8 p.m.
Simon Kenton at Collins, 8 p.m.
Tuesday at Carroll County
Henry County-Oldham County winner vs. Simon Kenton-Collins winner, 6 p.m.
North Oldham-Grant County winner vs. Carroll County-Spencer County winner, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday at Carroll County
Championship match, 7 p.m.