By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The ongoing debate about the best player in Northern Kentucky boys basketball this season will continue after seniors Even Ipsaro of Covington Catholic and Jacob Meyer of Holy Cross were named co-winners of the 9th Region Player of the Year Award by the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches on Friday.
Meyer is the state’s leading scorer with a 37.1 average and he recently broke the 9th Region boys career scoring record. Ipsaro has team-high averages of 25.3 points and 5.1 rebounds on a 24-4 CovCath team that’s No. 5 in state media rankings.
Both of the senior guards are now candidates for this year’s Mr. Kentucky Basketball that will be announced on March 19 along with the Miss Kentucky Basketball award-winner.
The candidates for Miss Kentucky Basketball include Whitney Lind of Cooper and Grace Brewer of Walton-Verona, who were named the top senior players in 9th Region and 8th Region girls basketball by the KABC members.
Lind entered Friday’s final regular season game with team-high averages of 17.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for Cooper. The Jaguars are No. 3 in the girls state rankings and will take a 24-3 record into the district playoffs.
Brewer is one of the few girls basketball players who had double-figure averages in both scoring (18.9) and rebounding (11.7) going into her team’s last regular season game. She’s the leading rebounder in the 8th Region.
Matt Otte of Conner and Ted Arlinghaus of Holy Cross were named 9th Region Coach of the Year in boys and girls basketball. They will receive their awards during the state tournaments in March.
The Conner boys finished the regular season with an 18-7 record and went 12-2 against region opponents. The Holy Cross girls won the All “A” Classic state tournament and will take a 24-6 record into the playoffs.
Steve Brown of Brossart was named 10th Region Coach of the Year in girls basketball for guiding his team to a 19-11 record and All “A” Classic region championship during the regular season.
Notre Dame swimmer ends high school career with two state titles
Notre Dame senior Lainy Kruger ended her high school swimming career with first-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke on Friday at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center.
The University of Florida recruit’s winning times were 1:46.36 in the 200 freestyle and 1:02.30 in the 100 breaststroke. She won both of those events in last year’s state meet and is a three-time state champion in the breaststroke.
The state meet’s second-place finishers included St. Henry senior Emma Littrell in the 100 freestyle, Notre Dame sophomore Sadie Hartig in the 500 freestyle and Cooper senior Peytton Moore in 1-meter diving.
Louisville Sacred Heart won the girls team title with 340.5 points. Notre Dame placed third with 196. The boys state swimming finals will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Highlands guard breaks 9th Region record in career 3-point goals
Highlands senior guard Will Herald broke the 9th Region boys basketball record for most 3-point goals in a career during his team’s 92-64 win over Beechwood on Friday in Ft. Thomas.
Herald made all six of his 3-point attempts to put his career total at 339. According to statistics posted on the khaa.org website, the previous 9th Region record was 334 by Brandon Hatton, a 2014 Dixie Heights graduate.
This season, Herald has made 113 of 216 treys for 52.3 percent. The Highlands team record for most 3-point goals in a season is 122 by Luke Muller, who did that two years ago on the Bluebirds first state championship team.
In his three previous varsity seasons, Herald’s 3-point goal totals were 112 as a junior, 102 as a sophomore and 12 as a freshman.