By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Notre Dame’s impressive run in the first state sanctioned playoffs for girls lacrosse ended Monday with a 10-8 loss to Lexington Sayre in the state semifinals at Shelby County High School.
Sayre took a 5-1 lead in the first period and remained on top through the rest of the game. Notre Dame scored three consecutive goals in the opening minutes of the fourth period to pull within, 10-8, but couldn’t continue the rally.
It was the Pandas’ first loss to an in-state opponent this season. They won a home match against Sayre, 14-11, on April 1 and went on to post a best-ever 17-2 record under head coach Jimmy Marshall.
In the state semifinal game, Notre Dame seniors Hannah Powers, Andrea Carothers and Georgi Kirtley got two goals each.
The team’s other goals came off the sticks of senior Hannah Dusing and sophomore Caitlin Ross.
Powers was the state’s leading scorer going into Monday’s semifinal match. She finished the season with 93 goals in 18 games for a 5.1 average. Powers and Kirtley were both recruited by NCAA Division II college teams.
Notre Dame was one of four Northern Kentucky high schools with a girls lacrosse team this spring. The others in the 5th Region were Ryle, Cooper and Dixie Heights.
Sayre (17-4) will play Kentucky Country Day (18-3) in the state championship game at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Collins High School. KCD defeated Louisville Manual, 21-6, in other state semifinal game on Monday.
Fields set for 9th Region baseball, softball playoffs
The eight-team fields are set for next week’s 9th Region baseball and softball tournaments that will determine local representatives in the state playoffs.
The 9th Region baseball tournament at Thomas More Stadium in Florence will include defending champion Ryle, Conner, Dixie Heights, St. Henry, Beechwood, Covington Catholic, Highlands and Newport Central Catholic.
The bracket for the 9th Region softball tournament at Thomas More Field on campus will include defending champion Highlands, Conner, Ryle, Dixie Heights, Lloyd, Notre Dame, Holy Cross and Newport Central Catholic.
Local teams that will be playing in 8th Region tournaments are Simon Kenton in both baseball and softball and Walton-Verona in baseball. The 10th Region baseball qualifiers are Scott and Campbell County. In softball, Scott will be joined by the winner of the Campbell County vs. Calvary Christian district playoff game.
State tennis qualifiers play for eight girls teams
Tennis players from eight different high schools made it to the 9th Region semifinals in singles and doubles to clinch berths in the girls state tournament to be played May 27-29 at the University of Kentucky.
Region semifinal matches were played Monday evening and the championship finals are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Ryle High School.
The two singles players in the title match are Beechwood senior Sadie Jones and Cooper junior Kayla Johnson. The region doubles final will be Avery Love and Niveditha Salvaraju of Ryle vs. Cassidy Derry and Isabella Norvell of Dixie Heights.
A complete list of local state tournament qualifiers is below. Notre Dame won the 9th Region girls team title and will compete in the 16-team state tournament June 3-4 at the University of Kentucky.
Local qualifiers for state tennis tournament
9th REGION GIRLS
Singles – Sadie Jones (Beechwood), Julia Lyons (Villa Madonna), Kayla Johnson (Cooper), Eva Greene (NewCath).
Doubles — Avery Love & Niveditha Salvaraju (Ryle), Maggie Kute & Lyndsey Payne (St. Henry), Cassidy Derry & Isabella Norvell (Dixie Heights). Isabella Mcelwee & Malia Christensen (Notre Dame).
8th REGION GIRLS
Doubles – Gabrielle Browning & Hope Dupin (Simon Kenton), Annika Derks & Natalie Lukey (Simon Kenton).
10th REGION GIRLS
Singles – Kaylin Lovell (Scott), Rylee Ritter (Campbell County).
9th REGION BOYS
Singles — Alex Yeager (CovCath), Shayaan Ahmad (Villa Madonna), Neel Reddy (Beechwood), Naveeth Selveraju (Ryle).
Doubles — Kalei Christensen & Blake Hussey (CovCath), Will Tribble & Jacob Kramer (CovCath), Griffen Derry & Collin McClure (Dixie Heights), Louis Schlosser & Isaac Macke (Beechwood).
8th REGION BOYS
Singles – Finlay Mackay (Walton-Verona).
10th REGION BOYS
Doubles – Chris Wells & Cameron Wells (Campbell County)