By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Paul Wiggins Jr., the most successful head coach in the 17-year history of the Brossart football program, was informed at a recent meeting with school officials that he will not be rehired for the position.
“I was called into my usual year-end meeting where I was informed they were going in a different direction,” Wiggins said. “They didn’t elaborate beyond that.”
Paul Wiggins Jr. compiled a 67-43 record in 10 years as Brossart’s head football coach. (Photo from bmustangs.com)
An email sent out by the high school on Wednesday said Wiggins will not be returning as head coach and thanked him for “his dedication, commitment and drive to instill a winning tradition into the program over the years.”
Wiggins, who is not a faculty member, spent the last 10 seasons as a paraprofessional head coach at Brossart. His teams compiled a 67-43 record and finished five of the last nine seasons with seven or more wins. Two years ago, the Mustangs won 12 straight games before losing in the region finals of the Class 1A playoffs.
Brossart posted a 5-6 record this season with mostly underclassmen on the varsity roster. Wiggins was looking forward to working with those returning players once again.
“Basically, it’s important to me for the boys to know that I loved the time with them and that I would never abandon them,” he said.
Wiggins said he has not heard from any Brossart players since the school’s announcement, but some parents have contacted him to express their feelings. “I’ve just heard a lot of regret,” he said. “They were just as surprised as I was.”
Wiggins said he’s proud of what he accomplished in his 10 years at Brossart and he has already received calls from other coaches with offers to join their staffs.
“I love the boys I worked with over the years,” he said. “They’ve been amazing to work with. That’s one of the reasons why I enjoyed my time at Brossart.”
Ryle wins NKAC wrestling tournament with four weight class champs
Landon Evans
Ryle wrestlers won four of 14 matches in the final round of the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Championships and the Raiders finished first in the 12-team standings with 185 points.
Conner took the runner-up team trophy with 168 total points. The Cougars had a 1-5 record in championship round matches with three of the losses coming to opponents from Ryle. Campbell County placed third with 139.5 points.
Ryle’s weight class winners were Luke Cornwell (113), Landon Evans (126), Seth Page (132) and Travis Steiber (190). The other team that had multiple champions was Campbell County with Deacon Heisler (144), Charlie Alford (175) and Brayden Allender (215).
The other seven weight class titles went to Keaton Dicken of Conner (106), Michael Smith of Scott (120), Xavier Montanez of Dixie Heights (138), Frank Armstrong of Simon Kenton (150), Rilen Pinkston of Highlands (157), Ben Turner of Cooper (165) and Willie Rodriquez of Covington Catholic (285).
Ryle grad resumes college basketball career as starter on EKU team
Ryle graduate Brie Crittendon is a starting guard on the Eastern Kentucky University women’s basketball team that takes an 11-3 record into its first A-Sun Conference game against Lipscomb on Thursday in Nashville, Tenn.
Crittendon, a redshirt sophomore, is averaging 8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds and shooting a team-high 86.4 percent (19 of 22) from the foul line for the Colonels. She did not play at all last season while recovering from knee surgery.
During her five-year varsity career at Ryle, Crittendon scored more than 1,700 points and was a member of three 9th Region championship teams. The Raiders won the 2019 state tournament when she was a sophomore.
