By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Holy Cross and Newport Central Catholic have both won the 9th Region All “A” Classic girls basketball championship 15 times. The two teams will break that tie Monday when they meet in the title game of the 35th tournament at 6 p.m. at St. Henry High School.
In the region semifinals on Saturday, three-time defending champion Holy Cross defeated St. Henry, 55-33, and NewCath knocked off Bellevue, 57-36, to set up a rematch of last year’s final. Holy Cross won that title game, 67-48, and went on to claim its second straight All “A” Classic state championship.
Freshman guard Jai Johnson scored a career-high 22 points for Holy Cross in Saturday’s semifinal win over St. Henry. The Indians outscored the home team, 24-9, from behind the 3-point line with Johnson hitting four treys.
Her last long-range basket sparked a 13-2 run that put Holy Cross ahead, 38-24, late in the third quarter. St. Henry got five straight points from sophomore guard Joey Powers to make it 38-29, but the Crusaders scored only four points the rest of the game.
It was the 12th consecutive win for Holy Cross (15-1). The Indians shot 44.6 percent (21 of 47) from the field compared to 24.4 percent (12 of 49) for St. Henry (5-7).
The Crusaders’ leading scorer was Powers with 12 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Her senior teammate Corrine Blackburn also had 10 rebounds.
NewCath (9-6) took a 35-10 lead in the first half of its semifinal game against Bellevue (6-8) and cruised to its fourth straight win under first-year head coach Trevor Steiner.
The leading scorers for the Thoroughbreds were senior guard Caroline Eaglin with 22 points and senior forward Jaylee Brannen with 12. Bellevue senior forward Jayda Dowell netted 13 points.
Eaglin has been a double-figure scorer in every game this season and will take a 22.6 average into the region final against a Holy Cross team that’s allowing just 41.6 points per game with its unrelenting defensive pressure.
All of the other All “A” Classic region tournaments involving Northern Kentucky teams will be played this week. The opening games of the 9th Region boys tournament on Monday at Dayton High School will be Beechwood vs. St. Henry at 6 p.m. and Newport Central Catholic vs. Dayton at 7:45 p.m.
HOLY CROSS 14 10 16 15 — 55
ST. HENRY 8 9 12 4 — 33
HOLY CROSS (15-1): Johnson 9 0 22, Arlinghaus 5 0 12, Nelson 3 4 12, Carter 1 1 3, Williams 3 0 6. Totals: 21 5 55.
ST. HENRY (5-7): McElheney 1 0 2, Jones 1 0 3, Pieczonka 1 1 3, Sieg 0 2 2, Armbruster 1 2 4, Powers 5 0 12, Slocum 1 1 3, Blackburn 2 0 4. Totals: 12 6 33.
Three-pointers: HC — Johnson 4, Arlinghaus 2, Nelson 2. SH — Powers 2, Jones.
NEWCATH 22 13 8 14 — 57
BELLEVUE 5 5 13 13 — 36
NEWCATH (9-6): K. Brannen 0 2 2, Giesler 1 0 3, J. Brannen 4 4 12, Eaglin 7 7 22, McFarland 2 0 5, Cole 2 1 6, Schill 3 1 7. Totals: 19 15 57.
BELLEVUE (6-8): Long 3 0 6, Jaylah Dowell 1 2 4, Jayda Dowell 3 6 13, MacPherson 1 2 4, Wight 1 0 2, Massey 2 2 7. Totals: 11 12 36.
Three-pointers: NC — Giesler, Eaglin, McFarland, Cole. B — Massey, Jayda McDowell.
Boys All “A” Classic region basketball schedules
9TH REGION BOYS AT DAYTON HIGH SCHOOL
Monday
Beechwood vs. St. Henry, 6 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic vs. Dayton, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday
Villa Madonna vs. Newport, 6 p.m.
Ludlow vs. Bellevue, 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday
Holy Cross vs. Beechwood-St. Henry winner, 6 p.m.
Heritage vs. Newport Central Catholic-Dayton winner, 7:45 p.m.
Friday
Semifinal games, 6 and 7:45 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8TH REGION AT OWEN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Monday
Walton-Verona vs. Trimble County, 5:30 p.m.
Cornerstone Christian vs. Gallatin County, 7 p.m.
Owen County vs. Williamstown, 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Eminence vs. Walton-Verona-Trimble County winner, 6 p.m.
Cornerstone Christian-Gallatin County winner vs. Owen County-Williamstown winner, 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
10TH REGION AT MULTIPLE SITES
Monday
Paris at Bracken County, 7:30 p.m.
Nicholas County at Calvary Christian, 7 p.m.
Brossart at Robertson County, 7:30 p.m.
Augusta at St. Patrick, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday at Robertson County High School
Bracken County-Paris winner vs. Calvary Christian-Nicholas County winner, 6 p.m.
Brossart-Robertson County winner vs. St. Patrick-Augusta winner, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday at Robertson County High School
Championship game, 6 p.m.
Girls All “A” Classic region basketball schedules
9TH REGION AT ST. HENRY HIGH SCHOOL
Monday
Championship game: Holy Cross vs. Newport Central Catholic, 6 p.m.
10TH REGION AT MULTIPLE SITES
Monday
Paris at Bracken County, 6 p.m.
Brossart at Robertson County, 6 p.m.
Augusta at St. Patrick, 6 p.m.
Wednesday at Robertson County High School
Nicholas County vs. Bracken County-Paris winner, 6 p.m.
Brossart-Robertson County winner vs. St. Patrick-Augusta winner, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday at Robertson County High School
Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
8TH REGION AT OWEN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday
Walton-Verona vs. Gallatin County, 6 p.m.
Owen County vs. Trimble County, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday
Williamstown vs. Eminence, 6 p.m.
Walton-Verona-Gallatin County winner vs. Owen County-Trimble County winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.