By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Notre Dame maintained its perfect record in 35th District girls soccer playoff matches with a 3-0 win over Holy Cross in the championship final on Thursday at Holmes High School.
The Pandas have won the district title every year since 2012 when the current state alignment was created. The next step is adding to the seven 9th Region championships their teams have won over the previous 12 seasons.
Notre Dame (13-3-4) took a 3-0 lead in the first half of Thursday’s district final and posted its ninth shutout victory.
Two of the goals were scored by senior Riley Robertson. Her senior teammate, Maya Tully, had one goal and two assists.
Both teams advance to the next week’s 9th Region tournament at Conner. A draw to set the bracket will be at 9 a.m. Saturday
Other district champions in the 9th Region girls tournament will be Conner, Dixie Heights and Highlands. The district runner-up qualifiers include Cooper, St. Henry and Newport Central Catholic.
Conner and Notre Dame have not lost to a 9th Region opponent this season, but they did not play each other. Highlands has an 8-1-2 region record that includes a 2-0 loss to Conner and scoreless tie against Notre Dame.
The bracket for the 9th Region boys soccer tournament will also include Conner, a team that captured its first 33rd District boys title since 2019 with a 3-1 win over Ryle, the two-time defending region champion. The Cougars have a 7-0-1 record in their last eight matches.
The boys bracket will also include district champions Dixie Heights, Covington Catholic and Highlands. The other three district runner-up teams are St. Henry, Beechwood and Newport Central Catholic.
A draw to determine first-round region pairings is set for 9 a.m. Saturday at tournament host Dixie Heights.
Brossart defeated Campbell County in the 37th District boys and girls district finals on Thursday. All of those teams advance to next week’s 10th Region tournaments.
Simon Kenton swept the boys and girls 32nd District championship matches. Those teams advance to next week’s 8th Region playoffs along with girls district runner-up Walton-Verona.
District soccer finals scoreboard
GIRLS
32nd — Simon Kenton 4, Walton-Verona 2
33rd — Conner 1, Cooper 0
34th — Dixie Heights 2, St. Henry 0
35th — Notre Dame 4, Holy Cross 0
36th — Highlands 5, Newport Central Catholic 0
37th — Brossart 3, Campbell County 1
BOYS
32nd — Simon Kenton 8, Grant County 0
33rd — Conner 3, Ryle 1
34th — Dixie Heights 2, St. Henry 1
35th — Covington Catholic 4, Beechwood 0
36th — Highlands 1, Newport Central Catholic 0
37th — Brossart 1, Campbell County 0