By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
When he attended the memorial service for former Conner football coach Dave Trosper last Friday, Noel Rash was deeply saddened by the unexpected death of his friend and colleague at the age of 55.
As the newly hired head coach of the Conner team, Rash said his mission is to honor Trosper, who spent the last 18 seasons building the Cougars program.
“I said this thing is never going to be about me,” Rash told the Conner players in a meeting on Thursday. “It’s going to be about you and this senior class. You guys coming together and playing for each other and honoring coach Trosper.”
Rash was officially named Conner’s new head coach on Thursday. He was introduced to the players at 3:30 p.m. and met with parents at 6 p.m., but his impact on Northern Kentucky high school football is already well known.
During his 17 years as Beechwood’s head coach, the Tigers made it to the state football finals nine times, won eight state championships and compiled a 62-9 record in Class 1A and 2A playoff games. When he left the program after the 2022 season, the Tigers’ overall record during his tenure was 193-46 for an 80.7 winning percentage.
Conner principal Andy Wyckoff said hiring Rash was a “no-brainer” in a media release on Thursday.
“Not only is he an incredible head coach with years of experience and an incredible track record to prove it, but he also loves Dave and wants to honor his name and coaching legend,” Wyckoff said.
“His reputation for fostering a winning culture, while emphasizing sportsmanship, academics and community involvement, make him the ideal candidate to lead the next chapter of Conner football.”
When he retired as Beechwood’s head coach, Rash said, “the time and stress involved in coaching football can take its toll.”
He agreed to take charge of the Conner team for the sake of the returning players after talking to Trosper’s wife, Ginny. She came to the players meeting Thursday to show her support.
“My goal is to make the most out of this season and hopefully finding a long-term solution, whether that’s with me or not,” Rash said.
He’s taking over a Conner program that compiled a 111-93 record in 18 seasons under Tropser. Last year, the Cougars lost in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs and finished with a 7-4 record.
One of the 16 graduating seniors was quarterback Wyatt Hatfield, who had a combined total of 1,980 rushing and passing yards and scored 25 touchdowns. The Cougars’ top returning player is Cordian Abernathy, who rushed for 715 yards, scored seven touchdowns and made a team-high 54 tackles as a junior two-way starter.
Rash said that former Dixie Heights head coach Tom Spritzky has agreed to be the team’s offensive coordinator. Trosper was in charge of that phase of the game while he was head coach.
CovCath basketball team picks up new player
Covington Catholic’s basketball team will play the final three games on its summer schedule with newcomer Braeden Myrick on the roster during the KABC Summer Shootout that begins Friday in the Lexington area.
Myrick, one of the leading scorers in 10th Region boys basketball last season, transferred to CovCath from Mason County in May. He has been participating in leagues and summer camps with the Colonels this summer, according to CovCath athletic director Tony Bacigalupo.
The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 19.1 points as a sophomore starter on the Mason County team that made it to the 10th Region semifinals last season.
He shot 50.4 percent (202 of 401) from the field overall, 45.7 percent (107 of 234) from 3-point range and 82.7 percent (81 of 98) at the free throw line for the Royals.
Myrick has joined a CovCath team that lost in the 9th Region semifinals last season and finished with a 24-9 record. The top three scorers on that team were junior guards Athens McGillis (20.6) and Cash Harney (15.8) and 6-foot-5 junior forward Donovan Bradshaw (12.4).
As a freshman, Myrick set a Mason County team record with 11 3-point goals in a game. Several of his family members are on Mason County’s list of all-time leading scorers, including his father, Tim, a 1994 graduate.
CovCath is one of 144 teams registered for the KABC Summer Shootout that will be played at seven sites. The other Northern Kentucky teams listed are Highlands, Campbell County, Ryle, Newport, Conner, Simon Kenton and Lloyd.
Admission is $10. To access games scheduled for each team, there’s a drop-down box on the Summer Shootout website.
Camels baseball coach selected for Hall of Fame
Campbell County coach Scott Schweitzer is among the inaugural group of inductees chosen for the 10th Region Baseball Hall of Fame.
Schweitzer just finished his 16th season as head coach of the Camels. His teams have won more than 300 games and four 10th Region titles. His first region championship team in 2016 lost to Louisville St. Xavier, 1-0, in the state tournament final and finished with a 29-11 record.
The Camels also won 10th Region titles in 2018, 2021 and 2022 under Schweitzer. He was an all-state player at Campbell County and selected in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. As a left-handed pitcher, he played in the minors for four seasons with 84 innings pitched and a 4.07 ERA.