By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Zoie Barth of Highlands and Tommy Ratterman of Bellevue are the first high school basketball players chosen to receive $1,000 college scholarships created in memory of Ray Gabbard, a long-time basketball official in Northern Kentucky.
The money was raised at a golf outing organized by the 9th Region Officials Association. The scholarships will be presented during the 9th Region boys and girls championship games at BB&T Arena.
Barth was voted Division II Player of the Year by local girls basketball coaches for the second consecutive season. During her six-year varsity basketball career, the senior point guard has scored 2,389 points, the third highest total of any basketball player, male or female, at Highlands.
Ratterman averaged a team-high 17.4 points for Bellevue this season and set a school record for most 3-point goals during his varsity career. Over the last four years, he made 297 shots from behind the arc. He buried 105 treys this season, the fourth highest total in the state.
Both players are good students. Barth has one of the highest grade-point averages in her senior class and plans to study medicine.
The date for this year’s Ray Gabbard Memorial Golf Outing fundraiser will be Sept. 7 at Devou Park. For more information, send an email to raygabbardgolfouting@gmail.com.
CovCath senior wins diving title at state championship meet
Covington Catholic senior Logan Smith was the only local qualifier for the state high school swimming and diving meet who came home with a gold medal.
Smith won the boys 1-meter diving event with a score of 518.75. This is the ninth time in 10 years that judges have given a Northern Kentucky diver the top score in that event. Finn Murphy of Highlands was state runner-up.
Dixie Heights placed second behind Louisville Sacred Heart in the girls team standings. The Colonels’ scoring leader was junior Kenady Biel, who finished second in the 200 freestyle, third in the 100 butterfly and swam on the 400 free relay team that placed third.
Dixie Heights junior Selina Reil placed second in the girls 500 freestyle and Campbell County senior Marian Tiemeier was state runner-up in girls 1-meter diving.
Highlands finished third in the boys team standings and second in the combined team standings. The Bluebirds placed second in the boys 400 free relay and fourth in two other boys swimming events.
Complete state meet results are posted on the khsaa.org website.
Reid Jolly named 10th Region Player of the Year by coaches
Campbell County senior forward Reid Jolly was voted 10th Region Player of the Year by coaches. He’s averaging 22.6 points and 10.1 rebounds for the Camels, who have not lost to a regional opponent this season.
Trey Meister of Scott was also voted one of the top five players in the 10th Region. The all-region second team included Drew Wilson of Campbell County, Mason Rusch of Calvary Christian and Chad Ohmer of Scott. The only local player on the third team was J.D. Schumacher of Brossart.
Aric Russell of Campbell County was voted 10th Region Coach of the Year. The Camels enter the regional tournament with a 26-4 record that includes a 12-0 mark against regional teams.
Three players from Scott were named to 10th Region girls all-star teams. Mya Meredith and Summer Secrist were first-team selections and Sophia Allen was on the third team. The second team included Marie Kiefer of Brossart and Mallory Holbrook of Campbell County.
Kevin Bundy of Brossart was named 10th Region Coach of the Year in girls basketball. His team earned a regional tournament berth for the first time since 2014 and has a 20-10 record.
Morgan Stamper and Maggie Jones of Simon Kenton and Brooke Perry of Walton-Verona were named to the All 8th Region girls team. The boys nominees included Dieonte Miles and Kameron Pardee of Walton-Verona along with Kelly Niece and Jeremy Davis of Simon Kenton.
Winner of “That’s My Boy” Award to be announced Thursday
The winner of this year’s Brian Williams “That’s My Boy” Award as the top student-athlete in Northern Kentucky high school football will be announced Thursday at the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the National Football Federation banquet in Mason, Ohio.
The three finalists are Jack Coldiron of Covington Catholic, John Willis of Beechwood and Justin Grindstaff of Scott. A rating system that awards points for achievements in football, academics and extra curricular activities is used to decide the winner.
The award is named in honor of former CovCath football player Brian Williams, who lost his life in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on New York City.