By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic senior Joseph Mangine and Ryle freshmen Hayden Li were among 10 golfers who tied for 25th place by shooting 3-over 75 in the opening round of the boys state championship finals on Tuesday at Bowling Green Country Club.
The leader going into Wednesday’s final round is Lexington Christian junior Luke Ebel, who fired a 5-under 67 with eight birdies, one bogey and one double bogey.
He’s two stokes ahead of Christian Academy of Louisville sophomore Luke Elliott and Hazard junior Waylon Clutts. Louisville St. Xavier senior Luc Kelty, last year’s state runner-up, is tied for fourth place with a 2-under 70.
Mangine and Li were in the same threesome that started on the back nine. Mangine made the turn with a 2-over 38 and Li was one stroke behind him. On the front nine, Li shot even par 36 and Mangine finished with a 1-over 37.
First-round scores for Northern Kentucky’s other individual state championship qualifiers were 4-over 76 by St. Henry junior Parker Isaacs, 8-over 80 by Dixie Heights senior Jack Woolwine, 10-over 82 by CovCath junior Carson White and 11-over 83 by Walton-Verona senior Adam Gutman.
The top three teams after the first round were Louisville St. Xavier 287, Louisville Collegiate Academy 292 and George Rogers Clark 296.
Northern Kentucky did not have a team place among the top three in last week’s sectional qualifier to earn a berth in the state tournament finals.
Running back among state leaders in two categories
Boone County senior running back Steven “Malik” Johnson is among the state leaders in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game, according to statistics posted on the KHSAA website.
Johnson ranks fourth in yards per game (161.0) and sixth in total yards (966) going into a Class 5A district seeding game at Scott on Friday. He needs 223 yards to surpass the 1,188 rushing total he had last season.
In other statewide statistics, Brossart senior Brady Boruske ranks third in receiving yards per game (123.8) and Beechwood senior quarterback Emmett Queen ranks fourth in pass completion percentage (.772).
Queen has connected on 71 of 92 passes for 1,178 yards and 13 touchdowns for the 6-0 Tigers, who remain the state’s top-ranked Class 2A team.
Dixie Heights to honor state runner-up soccer team
The Dixie Heights boys soccer team that made it to the state championship final in the 1987 playoffs will be honored during the high school’s Distinguished Alumni Celebration at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, at The View in Cincinnati’s Mt. Adams.
Under the direction of head coaches Jane Coyle and Ed Lett, the 1987 Dixie Heights soccer team defeated Simon Kenton, 5-0, in the 8th Region final to reach the state playoffs. The Colonels won their next two matches before losing to Louisville Ballard, 4-0, in the state championship final.
Three alumni and a beloved educator whose achievements continue to inspire Dixie Heights students will also be honored during the alumni celebration. Tickets are $40 per person and available at gofan.co/event.