By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The best decade in Northern Kentucky high school basketball came to a glorious end Sunday with Ryle winning the Sweet 16 girls state tournament in front of 5,607 fans at Rupp Arena.
Over the last 10 seasons, teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties posted a winning record in both the boys and girls state tournaments for the first time while winning four state championships.
In boys basketball, 16 teams from the three counties that won 8th, 9th or 10th region titles compiled a 22-14 record in state tournament games from 2010 to 2019. Covington Catholic led the way with a 10-2 record in four appearances, winning the 2014 and 2018 state titles. Cooper was state runner-up in 2017.
This was the first year that three Northern Kentucky boys basketball teams made it to the state tournament. Campbell County got to the semifinals, Walton-Verona lost in the quarterfinals and CovCath was knocked off in the first round.
There were also 16 girls basketball teams from the three counties that won regional titles and played in state tournaments over the last 10 seasons. They compiled a 17-14 record with Holy Cross winning the 2015 state title and Ryle doing the same this year. Notre Dame was state runner-up in 2013.
Here are the records Northern Kentucky high schools in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties have compiled in state tournaments over the last five decades since girls basketball was reinstated:
GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENTS
1975-1979 – 5 teams, 3-5 record
1980-1989 – 10 teams, 8-10 record
1990-1999 – 10 teams, 8-10 record
2000-2009 – 14 teams, 4-14 record
2010-2019 – 16 teams, 17-14 record (Holy Cross 2014, Ryle 2019 state champions)
BOYS STATE TOURNAMENTS
1970-1979 – 10 teams, 8-10 record
1980-1989 – 10 teams, 7-9 record (Simon Kenton 1981 state champion)
1990-1999 – 10 teams, 10-10 record
2000-2009 – 12 teams, 12-11 record (Holmes 2009 state champion)
2010-2019 – 16 teams, 22-14 record (CovCath 2014, 2018 state champions)
9th Region basketball tournaments set new attendance record
The 9th Region boys and girls basketball tournaments played at BB&T Arena this year set a record for attendance with 22,264 fans coming out to watch the games.
With the boys games drawing 15,440 fans and girls games bringing in 6,824, the total attendance figure surpassed the previous record of 19,332 set in 2017, according to statistics compiled by Northern Kentucky high school athletic directors.
This was the 11th year that the 9th Region tournaments were held at the 9,000-seat arena on the Northern Kentucky University campus. Covington Catholic has played in the last seven boys championship games and coach Scott Ruthsatz considers it the “greatest regional tournament venue” in the entire state.
“We are very fortunate to get an opportunity to play at such a great arena,” Ruthsatz said in a press release about the attendance record. “Fans love watching the games because there is not a bad seat in the arena.”
Like most regional tournaments around the state, the 9th Region was held in a local high school gym before it came to the NKU arena. Fans had to be turned away at the door whenever a high school gym reached capacity, but that has never been a problem at the present site.
Each school with a team in the tournament gets a share of the proceeds from the ticket sales after the arena takes out money for its expenses.
Ryle players among top vote-getters on girls basketball all-state team
Two members of the state champion Ryle girls basketball team were among the leading vote-getters on the all-state team chosen by coaches in a statewide poll conducted by the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper.
Junior guard Maddie Scherr and senior guard Lauren Schwartz finished second and third, respectively, in the balloting behind Boyd County senior Savannah Wheeler, who was earlier named Miss Kentucky Basketball.
Katie Haitz was voted Coach of the Year by her peers after leading Ryle to its first state championship. Scott sophomore Mya Meredith got enough votes to make second-team all-state.
Dieonte Miles of Walton-Verona and Reid Jolly of Campbell County placed seventh and eighth in the boys all-state voting. Both seniors had impressive performances during the state tournament at Rupp Arena and were named to the all-tournament team.
The boys third-team all-state selections included Covington Catholic senior Nate Thelen and Beechwood sophomore Scotty Draud.
Scott interviewing candidates for head football coaching position
The first round of interviews in the search for a new head football coach at Scott High School were completed earlier this week, according to athletic director Casey Fisk.
Fisk said the school plans to have a new head coach hired before spring football drills begin in May. Assistant coaches will continue running the winter weight training program until then.
Scott began looking for a new coach in November when Dan Woolley announced he was stepping down after seven seasons. Woolley was the most successful coach in the history of the program. The Eagles posted a winning record five of the last seven seasons with him in charge.