By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Fifty years ago, Jenny Niehaus Mertle was a senior guard on the Holy Cross High School girls basketball team that played in the first 9th Region tournament following federal Title IX gender equity legislation.
The milestone anniversary has been overlooked during this week’s region tournament, but restoring statewide girls basketball playoffs that had been discontinued since 1932 was a watershed moment in Kentucky high school sports.
Mertle, 67, was a four-year varsity starter on Holy Cross girls basketball teams during the early 1970s. She said the Indians had a 99-9 record during her career and expected to win that first 9th Region tournament, but it didn’t work out that way.
In the championship game, Newport defeated Holy Cross, 58-56, in overtime behind a 38-point performance by junior Donna Murphy to qualify for the first Kentucky “Sweet 16” girls state tournament.
“We were furious,” Mertle said. “We all had been planning on playing in that (state) tournament. He couldn’t believe we lost that game. Our bags were packed, so to speak.”
Holy Cross had three players foul out before the fourth quarter, according to Mertle. She said coach Bill Goller was so angry after the game that he punched a locker and broke his wrist.
Mertle made a field goal that tied the score and and sent the title game into overtime. Murphy scored nine points in the extra period, including two free throws that clinched the win.
Mertle netted 18 points in her final high school game. She became one of the first players to receive a women’s basketball scholarship at Northern Kentucky University. Murphy was named the first Ms Kentucky Basketball in 1976 and had a record-setting career at Morehead State University.
Over the years, Mertle took part in other 9th Region girls basketball tournaments as a coach and official. She has seen the sport grow and prosper in the area. In 2015, Holy Cross became the first 9th Region girls team to win a state championship and Ryle took the state title four years later.
“I think the teams are more balanced and there’s obviously more talent in the way they play now,” Mertle said. “There’s a much faster pace and the 3-point shot has made a huge difference.”
There’s a good chance that Donna Murphy will be on hand for the 9th Region championship game between Notre Dame and Cooper on Friday. Her younger brother, Kes, is head coach of the Notre Dame team. He was 2 years old when his sister’s team won the first 9th Region tournament.
Athletes win 11 events at indoor state track meet
Covington Catholic won three events and had five second-place finishers at the Class 2A boys indoor track and field state championship meet to take the team title for the second straight year.
CovCath topped the team standings with 90 points. The scoring leader was senior Will Sheets, who won the 3,200-meter run, placed second in the 1,600 and was a member of the winning 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams.
The Colonels’ other second-place finishers were Rhett Butler (400 dash), Joe Mayer (800, 3,200 runs) and Paul Klosinski (pole vault). Lloyd senior Josiah Lockridge placed second in the 55 and 200 dash events.
Beechwood junior Lily Parke was a double winner in the Class 1A girls indoor state meet. She placed first in the 800 and 1,600 runs and was on the 4×800 relay team that placed second.
The only local winner in field events was St. Henry sophomore Hayden Harlan in girls high jump.
In the Class 1A boys meet, Newport Central Catholic senior Charlie Ford won the 55-meter dash, placed third in the 200 and second in the long jump. Beechwood sophomore Tyler Fryman won the 200 dash and was a member of the winning 4×200 team.
The indoor state meet concluded Thursday with Class 3A competition and two local athletes won gold medals. Conner junior Paul Van Laningham finished first in the boys 1,600 run and Simon Kenton junior Alexis Howard won the girls long jump event.
Campbell county senior Olivia Holbrook placed second in the 1,600 and 3,200 runs in the Class 3A girls meet. Final results and team scores for all classes are posted on the khsaa.org website.
EVENT WINNERS AT INDOOR TRACK & FIELD STATE MEET
CLASS 1A GIRLS
800 run — Lily Parke (Beechwood) 2:18.94
1600 run — Lily Parke (Beechwood) 5:02.59
High jump — Hayden Harlan (St. Henry) 5-3.25
CLASS 1A BOYS
55 dash — Charlie Ford (NewCath) 6.57
200 dash — Tyler Fryman (Beechwood) 22.15
4×200 relay — Beechwood (Nathan Pabst, Luke Erdman, Koen Henderson, Tyler Fryman) 1:32.07
CLASS 2A BOYS
3200 run — Will Sheets (CovCath) 9:332.5
4×400 relay — CovCath (Garrett Gallagher, Sam Stout, Will Sheets, Jackson Schmid) 3:31.86
4×800 relay — CovCath (Joel Barczak, Jack Salyers, Luke McLane, Will Sheets) 8:14.56
CLASS 3A BOYS
1600 run — Paul Van Laningham (Cooper) 4:13.04
CLASS 3A GIRLS
Long jump — Alexis Howard (Simon Kenton) 17-11.75