By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
This could be the week that Cooper senior Cam O’Hara joins an elite list of Kentucky high school quarterbacks who have passed for 10,000 yards or more in their varsity career.
O’Hara needs 118 passing yards in Friday’s game at Dixie Heights to reach that impressive career milestone. The four-year starter currently holds Northern Kentucky career records in both passing yards (9,882) and passing touchdowns (128).
Kentucky high school football records posted on the khsaa.org website have not been updated since September of 2021.
At that time, there were only 11 quarterbacks who had passed for 10,000 yards or more. One of them was Tanner Morgan, who had 10,303 passing yards in two seasons at Hazard and two seasons at Ryle.
Cooper reached the Class 5A state final the last two seasons with O’Hara running the offense. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior made a verbal commitment with Western Kentucky University last February.
The Jaguars enter Friday’s game with a 3-3 record and were ranked No. 4 in Class 5A in this week’s statewide media poll. O’Hara has passed for 489 yards and six touchdowns with one interception in the last two games. His season totals are 886 yards, eight TDs and five interceptions
Dixie Heights won its last two games after getting off to an 0-4 start this season. The Colonels and the Jaguars are both 1-0 in the Class 5A, District 5 standings that will determine playoff pairings. Boone County at Conner is the other Class 5A district game on Friday’s schedule.
Cooper voted No 1 in local girls basketball coaches poll
The Cooper girls basketball team that has won four consecutive 9th Region championships was voted No. 1 in the Northern Kentucky preseason coaches poll.
The Jaguars received seven of the 13 first-place votes cast by local coaches. Simon Kenton was second with six first-place votes, followed by Notre Dame, Campbell County and Highlands.
Dixie Heights, Ryle, Holy Cross, Brossart and Conner were next in the top 10 standings. Basketball teams can begin preseason practice on Oct. 15.
Cooper has four starters returning from last season’s 26-6 team that lost in the state quarterfinals. The veterans include junior point guard Addyson Brissey and junior swing player Haylee Noel, who had team-high averages of 16.4 points and 7.5 rebounds.
Christian Prohaska is the new head coach of the Cooper team. She was hired to replace Justin Holthaus, who led the Jaguars to an unprecedented four consecutive 9th Region titles.
Simon Kenton has five starters back from the team that won the 8th Region championship last season. The Pioneers finished with a 26-5 record that included a stunning victory over Louisville Sacred Heart, a team that had won 92 straight games against in-state opponents.
Senior forward Haylie Webb and junior point guard Brynli Pernell are the top returning players for Simon Kenton. Pernell is a four-year starter who led the team in scoring, assists and steals last season.
Ryle boys golf team qualifies for state tournament finals
The Ryle boys golf team earned a berth in next week’s state championship tournament by placing second in a state qualifier on Wednesday at Pendleton Hills Country Club.
Louisville St. Xavier won the team title with a 299 total, followed by Ryle (304) and Christian Academy-Louisville (311). They are three of the nine teams that will compete in the boys state tournament finals Oct. 10-11 at Bowling Green Country Club.
Will Judd of Christian Academy won Wednesday’s qualifier with a 2-under 70. Ryle’s four scoring golfers were Hayden Li (74), Thomas Leone (75), Paxton McKelvey (75) and Jake Roscoe (80). Li tied for fifth place while Leone and McKelvey tied for ninth.
The 15 individual qualifiers for the state championship tournament included CovCath teammates Brady Pangotto (74) and Joseph Mangine (76), Aaron Gutman of Walton-Verona (78), Parker Isaacs of St. Henry (79) and Jace Hammons of Beechwood (79).
CovCath tied for fourth and Newport Central Catholic placed ninth in the team standings. Complete results are on the khsaa.org website.