By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Newport Central Catholic has put Ralph Meyer Jr. in charge of its girls basketball program, filling one of the head coaching vacancies at local Catholic high schools.
Notre Dame Academy is looking for two head coaches to replace Mia Cooper in girls basketball and Buck McCoart in volleyball. Holy Cross also has a vacancy to fill after Ryan Schrand announced that he is stepping down as boys head basketball coach.
Meyer, a 1998 NewCath graduate, spent the last 15 seasons as a varsity assistant and freshman coach with the boys basketball program. He will be replacing George Stoll, who resigned as girls head basketball coach after six seasons.
“I am beyond excited for the opportunity to take over the girls basketball program at NCC,” Meyer said in an article posted on the school’s website. “I want to thank (principal) Ron Dawn and (athletic director) Jimmy Ryan for their confidence and belief in me to build on the already established winning tradition in our girls basketball program.”
Over the last six seasons, NewCath girls won one 9th Region championship, three 9th Region All “A” Classic titles and compiled a 112-74 record with Stoll as head coach. His teams earned a berth in the 9th Region post-season tournament four of the last five years, but the Thoroughbreds lost in the first round the last two years and finished with 11-18 and 12-17 records.
Two of the top three scorers on this year’s team were seniors. One of them is Lexy Breen, who scored more than 1,000 points during her four-year varsity career. The top returning player on the roster is junior forward Kara Zimmerman, who averaged 10 points per game.
“We are sad to see George Stoll step down from coaching, but we feel very fortunate to have Ralph Meyer to step in as his replacement,” Ryan said. “Ralph has 15 years of coaching experience at NewCath and his knowledge of the game, work ethic, and passion will provide for a smooth transition.”
Meyer played basketball and baseball while he was a student at NewCath. As an assistant coach in the boys basketball program, he was a part of three All “A” Classic small-school state championships, 11 9th Region All “A” Classic championships and one 9th Region post-season championship.
Nine Division I college recruits on local baseball rosters
When the rainy weather ends, Northern Kentucky high school baseball fans will be able to watch nine local players who have made commitments with NCAA Division I college teams do their thing this spring.
One of the recruits is Highlands senior pitcher Drew Rom, who made a commitment with Michigan last year and was invited to a showcase for major league baseball scouts to evaluate draft-eligible high school prospects.
The other local seniors who have accepted Division I college scholarship offers are Hunter Dreves of Highlands (Tennessee), Tyler Ollier of Cooper (NKU) and Gunner Smith of Newport Central Catholic (Eastern Illinois).
The list of underclassmen includes Beechwood junior Logan Castleman (Wright State), Cooper junior Blaine Walters (NKU), Walton-Verona junior Braxton Foley (Winthrop), Walton-Verona sophomore Tyler Wagner (NKU) and Highlands sophomore Ethan Kavanaugh (Kentucky).
Last season, Kavanaugh was the lead-off hitter and second baseman on the Highlands team that won the 9th Region championship for the third consecutive year. He batted .406 (39 of 96) with 33 runs scored as a freshman.
Campbell County wrestling coach inducted into Hall of Fame
Mike Bankemper of Campbell County was inducted into the Kentucky Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame during this year’s state tournament.
In his 36 seasons as head coach, Campbell County teams have won four state champion and five state runner-up trophies. He has trained 57 wrestlers who reached the state finals and 26 of them won weight class titles. Eight of his former team members went on to wrestle for NCAA Division I college programs.
Bankemper received the Coach of the Year Award in wrestling at the 2016 National High School Athletic Coaches Association convention.