By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Notre Dame Academy has hired former player Molly McDermott as the new head coach of its volleyball program.
“We are pleased to have someone of Molly’s caliber join our staff,” said athletic director Myanna Webster. “She has extensive experience in the sport of volleyball and we are confident that her experience will help the NDA volleyball team continue its winning tradition.”
McDermott was a senior co-captain on the 1989 Notre Dame team that won one of the program’s eight state volleyball championships. The Pandas have also been state runner-up 12 times.
After graduating from Eastern Kentucky University with a degree in biology, McDermott was head coach at McNicholas High School in Cincinnati for six years and a varsity assistant at Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati for four years. She has also coached select teams for the Northern Kentucky Junior Volleyball club.
McDermott is replacing Buck McCoart, who was Notre Dame’s head coach the past four seasons. His teams won three consecutive 9th Region championships before losing to St. Henry in the last year’s regional final. The Pandas were state runner-up in 2104 and a state semifinalist in 2015 under McCoart.
“We are excited to have Molly back at NDA to lead our program,” said Notre Dame principal Jack VonHandorf. “We are looking forward to a very successful volleyball season this fall.”
Notre Dame will also be hiring a new girls’ head basketball coach to replace Mia Cooper, who was in charge of that program the last two years.
Teams meet again in 9th Region All “A” Classic baseball final
Newport Central Catholic and Beechwood will meet in the championship game of the 9th Region All “A” Classic baseball tournament at 5 p.m. Tuesday at UC Health Stadium in Florence.
The same two teams played in the title game last year and NewCath scored a run in the top of the ninth inning to come away with a 4-3 victory. That win ended Beechwood’s three-year reign as small-school regional champion.
In semifinal games played on Monday, NewCath edged Holy Cross, 5-4, and Beechwood buried Newport, 14-0, to set up their rematch.
Junior pitcher Dylan Doverspike threw a no-hitter for Beechwood, which is off to a 7-2 start under new head coach Kevin Gray. NewCath scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to get past Holy Cross and improved its record to 4-0.
The winner of the 9th Region title game will play the 10th Region champion in the sectional playoffs. The eight sectional winners will advance to the All “A” Classic state tournament to be played May 5-6 at Whitaker Bank Park in Lexington.
In the last five years, Beechwood won the All “A” Classic state baseball tournament in 2016 and 2014 and NewCath won it in 2013.
Junior varsity baseball tournament wants to raise autism awareness
Junior varsity baseball teams from seven local high schools will play games in the sixth annual Drew Michels Autism Awareness Tournament on Saturday at Covington Catholic High School.
Drew Michels, the 11-year-old son of CovCath junior varsity coach John Michels, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4. The purpose of the tournament is to raise awareness of the fast-growing disabilty that affects one in 68 children.
The four games on Saturday will be CovCath vs. Dixie Heights at 9 a.m., Ryle vs. Beechwood at 11:30 a.m., Conner vs. Highlands at 2 p.m. and CovCath vs. Newport Central Catholic at 4:30 p.m.
Admission to the games is $5 for adults and $3 for students. There will be plenty of food and drinks as well as raffle prizes that include four Cincinnati Reds tickets and a pre-game visit to the radio broadcast booth, Samsung Smart TV, IPad Air and a weekend stay at Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
All proceeds will benefit the Ken Anderson Alliance, which builds living facilities for the underserved community of Greater Cincinnati adults living with autism and developmental disorders.