By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The only head coaching vacancy in Northern Kentucky boys high school basketball was filled Wednesday when Holmes announced that Kenny Simpson III will be taking charge of the Bulldogs.
Simpson has served the Covington Independent Public Schools district as both a professional and coach since 2023, according to an article posted on the school system’s website. He’s a former player at North College Hill High School and Mount St. Joseph University in Ohio. In high school, he received all-conference and all-district honors.
“Simpson is a dedicated educator, coach, and lifelong athlete with a deep-rooted passion for basketball and player development,” the website article said. “He is fiercely dedicated to mentoring student-athletes, instilling character, and building a premier athletic program that honors the region’s rich sporting tradition.”
Simpson was hired to replace Sam Elsbernd, who resigned as head coach with a 27-31 record in two seasons. In his first year, Holmes posted its first winning record in nine years at 15-14. Last season, the Bulldogs won eight of their last 13 games to finish 12-17. During that late run they took the NKAC Division III tournament title with wins over Williamstown, Bellevue and Ludlow.
The top two scorers and rebounders on last season’s team graduated. Sophomore guard Michael Chames ranked third in both of those categories, averaging 10.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
The new head coach is the grandson of Kenneth Simpson Sr., who was a member of the 1964 William Grant team that won the 9th Region championship. One year later, the segregated high school in Covington was closed and African American students enrolled in integrated public schools.
Beechwood three-sport athlete back on recruiting lists
Tyler Fryman, a highly recruited three-sport athlete at Beechwood High School, announced this week that he is withdrawing the commitment he made last summer with the University of Louisville baseball team.
During his recently completed junior year, Fryman was among the state’s leading pass receivers in football and top hitters in baseball. He also won three gold medals at the Class 1A state indoor track meet, setting meet records in the 200 and 400 dashes and with the 4×200 relay team.
The 5-foot-11, 179-pound speedster is being widely recruited as a wide receiver by college football teams. He has received scholarship offers from more than a dozen Division I teams, including Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Louisville, Purdue, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Arizona State.
Last football season, Fryman caught 62 passes for 1,320 yards and 23 touchdowns for Beechwood’s l team. He also scored on three punt returns for a total of 180 points.
In baseball, the outfielder was among the state’s top 20 hitters with a .514 average in 42 games. He ranked first in both total hits (73) and runs scored (62), fifth in home runs (12), eighth in RBI (52) and 15th in stolen bases (39).
Last summer, Fryman was selected to play in the Area Code Games, a showcase for the nation’s top high school baseball players held in California.
CovCath football players make college commitments
Two offensive linemen on the Covington Catholic football team have made commitments with NCAA Division I college teams before the start of their senior season.
Jonny Lind, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound inside lineman, was recruited by West Point Academy in New York. As a two-way starter last season, he helped the Colonels average 375 yards on offense while posting 58 tackles and four sacks on defense.
Owen Pitzer, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound tight end, accepted a scholarship offer from Ball State University in Indiana. Last season, he caught 17 passes for 349 yards and four touchdowns in addition to providing outside blocking. On defense, he made 56 tackles with one sack.