Ryle begins delayed preseason practice ranked No. 1 in Northern Kentucky girls basketball coaches poll

By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Northern Kentucky girls basketball coaches have selected Ryle as the No. 1 team on 10 of 12 ballots — even though the Raiders no longer have Maddie Scherr, who was named the 2020 Miss Kentucky Basketball following her senior season.

Most of the other players on the Ryle team that won a third consecutive 9th Region championship last March are returning. The list of veterans includes senior guard Brie Crittendon, a three-year starter who averaged 15.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Crittendon, an Eastern Kentucky University recruit, was voted the top player in the preseason coaches poll. She led the Raiders to their final two victories in the 9th Region tournament last March after Scherr was sidelined with a sprained ankle.

In the region final, Crittendon scored 11 of her game-high 20 points during a fourth-quarter run that secured her team’s 47-42 victory over Notre Dame. She was named most valuable player on the region all-tournament team.

Notre Dame was voted the No. 2 team by area coaches. The Pandas have everyone back from last season when they won 25 games and advanced to the 9th Region final for the first time since 2014.

The remaining top 10 teams listed according to voting points are Dixie Heights, Highlands, Cooper, Simon Kenton, Brossart, Scott, Newport Central Catholic and Conner.

The list of top players behind Crittendon includes Dixie Heights senior Sydney Lockard, Scott senior Mya Meredith, Brossart senior Marie Kiefer, Notre Dame junior Lacey Bradshaw, Notre Dame junior Macie Feldman, Cooper sophomore Whitney Lind, Ryle sophomore Abby Holtman, Highlands senior Kelsey Listerman and Simon Kenton junior Sereniti Webb.

The starting date for the 2020-21 Kentucky high school basketball season was moved back to Jan. 4 due to concerns over the pandemic. Teams will be permitted to play 30 games during a 10-week regular season with the district playoffs set to begin on March 15.

Northern Kentucky boys basketball coaches released their preseason coaches poll in November before the starting date for the season was postponed.