By Don Owen
NKyTribune sports editor
What were the top sports stories in Northern Kentucky during the past year? Unlike most years, it’s not a fun task to identify the significant moments in 2020 simply because so many sports seasons were cut short, canceled or drastically altered.
That means a drastically altered list for 2020. So instead of the usual top 10, here’s a look at several stories that made sports memorable in an otherwise forgettable 2020 calendar year.
1. TIGERS ROAR, WIN CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: The championship tradition continued for Beechwood High School, which claimed the Class 2A state championship with a 24-23 victory in overtime against top-ranked Lexington Christian.
The Tigers, who won 14 state championships at the Class 1A level, demonstrated they will also be a force in Class 2A for years to come. Beechwood easily won the district championship for the second straight season and then steamrolled Breathitt County by a 52-7 score to capture the regional title.
Beechwood rallied behind star quarterback Cameron Hergott for a 35-34 win at West Carter in the final seconds in the state semifinals, setting up a showdown with Lexington Christian. After four quarters, the game was tied at 17-all.
Beechwood took a 24-17 lead on the first play of overtime when Hergott found Torin O’Shea for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Lexington Christian responded with Xavier Brown’s 3-yard touchdown run, cutting the Beechwood lead to 24-23. That set the stage for Brady Moore, who found an opening in the middle and blocked Andrew Dobbs’ kick that would have sent the game into a second overtime. Beechwood players and coaches rushed the field, mobbing Moore and celebrating the state championship.
Beechwood finished the virus-altered season with a 10-2 record.
2. NKU REPEATS IN HORIZON LEAGUE: A new head coach. A completely different system. A one-time role player turned superstar performer.
Those unknown ingredients produced a familiar late-season storyline for Northern Kentucky University, which captured its second straight Horizon League Tournament championship with a 71-62 win over Illinois-Chicago in March. The Norse built a 17-point lead in the second half and held off a late rally to hoist the championship trophy for the third time in four years.
Jalen Tate scored 14 points, dished out four assists and grabbed four rebounds to lead NKU, which improved to 23-9 and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Tate — who was voted the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year — was also named the tournament’s most valuable player.
Once viewed as a defensive stopper who wasn’t one of the team’s primary offensive weapons, Tate emerged as NKU’s go-to player. The 6-foot-6 junior guard also proved to any publications that omitted him from preseason Horizon League honors that he’s Mr. Clutch in key moments.
Several days after winning the Horizon League title and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament, the pandemic forced the cancellation of March Madness. NKU, under the direction of first-year head coach Darrin Horn, was expected to be a No. 15 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
3. PANDAS END 26-YEAR DROUGHT, WIN STATE TITLE: Notre Dame Academy ended a 26-year drought by winning the state championship in volleyball with a five-set thriller against Louisville Mercy.
Anna Long hammered down 20 kills as Notre Dame outlasted Mercy by scores of 21-25, 25-19, 25-22, 22-25, 15-13 at George Rogers Clark High School. Long also added 12 digs and two blocks to earn most valuable player honors of the state tournament.
Notre Dame finished with a 26-3 record and ended the season by winning its final 14 matches. It marked the first state championship for Notre Dame since 1994, when the Pandas defeated Mercy by scores of 12-15, 15-8, 15-13.
In the 26 years since Notre Dame last won a state title, volleyball in the state of Kentucky had been dominated Louisville powerhouses Assumption, Mercy and Sacred Heart. Since 1994, Assumption claimed 20 state titles, Mercy won three championships and Sacred Heart hoisted the trophy twice.
The defeat was the fourth in as many years for Mercy in the state finals, as the Jaguars lost the previous three to Assumption.
4. HIGHLANDS PARTS WAYS WITH WEINRICH: After much speculation and following a losing record this fall, Highlands and football head coach Brian Weinrich parted ways.
Weinrich compiled a 51-36 record in seven seasons as the Bluebirds head coach. Highlands athletic director Wes Caldwell said he could not comment on whether Weinrich stepped aside from the job or was relieved of his duties.
Highlands posted a 5-6 record and advanced to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs in 2020. The Bluebirds dropped home games to Simon Kenton and Class 4A powerhouse Boyle County early in the season, but bounced back with shutout wins over district foes Conner and Boone County.
Highlands then suffered consecutive losses against Covington Catholic, Cooper and Cincinnati Moeller. The Bluebirds responded by defeating Campbell County in the regular-season finale and knocking off Conner in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. CovCath eliminated Highlands the following week by a 38-21 score in Park Hills.
Weinrich led Highlands to the Class 4A state championship during his first season in 2014. The Bluebirds posted a 13-2 record and defeated district rival CovCath twice en route to the 2014 state title.
During the next six seasons, though, Highlands compiled a record of 38-34. The Bluebirds also suffered a pair of losing seasons (3-8 in 2016 and 5-6 in 2020) and never challenged for a state title.
Highlands also dropped seven consecutive games against CovCath, which has emerged as a perennial powerhouse in Class 5A. The Bluebirds have not defeated CovCath since 2015, when they knocked off the Colonels twice.
Weinrich replaced Dale Mueller as head coach after the 2013 season. Mueller stepped down after compiling a 250-36 record at Highlands with 11 state championships.
5. RYLE SENIOR EARNS PRESTIGIOUS HONOR: Maddie Scherr of Ryle became the sixth Northern Kentucky girls high school basketball play to receive one of the state’s most prestigious awards when she was named the 2020 Miss Kentucky Basketball in a virtual ceremony.
Scherr received her trophy and No. 1 jersey at home during a live virtual telecast that also included Dayvion McKnight of Collins receiving the Mr. Kentucky Basketball award.
One of the nation’s top prospects, Scheer is now playing at the University of Oregon. The 5-foot-11 point guard ended her career with school records in total points (2,297), rebounds (1,094), assists (679), steals (535) and blocks (233).
During the last four seasons, Ryle won a state championship, three 9th Region titles and compiled a 100-39 record with Scherr playing point guard in all but eight games.
As a junior, she was selected most valuable player in the 2019 state tournament after leading Ryle to the title.
Donna Murphy played at Newport and was the first Miss Kentucky Basketball winner in 1976. The other Northern Kentucky players who received the award following their senior seasons were Jaime Walz of Highlands (1996), Katie Schwegmann of Brossart (2001), Erica Hallman of Holmes (2002) and Sydney Moss of Boone County (2012).
6. THOMAS MORE WOMEN START PERFECTLY: Despite facing a trio of teams ranked in the NAIA top 10, the Thomas More women’s basketball team started the 2020-21 season with an 8-0 record.
Thomas More — which captured the NCAA Division III national championship in 2018-19 before transitioning to the NAIA last season — defeated Southeastern (Fla.), Marian (Ind.) and Shawnee State during its 8-0 start.
Head coach Jeff Hans, who has guided Thomas More to a 237-21 record during the past 10 years, was selected as the National Coach of the Week in late December for leading his team to an 8-0 start.
The Saints advanced to the Mid-South Conference Tournament championship game last season and finished with a 22-10 record. Thomas More’s Zoie Barth, a Highlands High School graduate, earned Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year accolades in 2019-20.
7. HERGOTT NAMED KENTUCKY MR. FOOTBALL: Beechwood star quarterback Cameron Hergott was named Kentucky Mr. Football by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association, capping a sensational senior year.
Hergott led Beechwood to the Class 2A state championship this season and a 10-2 record. He passed for 2,467 yards and 26 touchdowns as the Tigers won their 15th overall state title.
During Beechwood’s 24-23 overtime win against top-ranked Lexington Christian in the Class 2A state championship game, Hergott passed for 154 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also gained 97 yards on the ground in that victory.
A dual-threat quarterback, Hergott rushed for 1,078 yards and 15 touchdowns this fall. He gained 240 yards on just 10 carries and scored three touchdowns during a 52-7 win over Breathitt County in the Class 2A playoffs this season.
Hergott emerged as one of the state’s top quarterbacks this season, both passing and running the football. He combined those two skills late in the fourth quarter of the state semifinals as the Tigers pulled out a 35-34 win at West Carter.
Trailing 34-27 late in the game, Hergott connected with Brady Moore for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 2:32 remaining to pull the Tigers to within 34-33. Hergott then somehow eluded multiple West Carter defenders on the ensuing two-point conversion play to find Moore for the go-ahead score at 35-34.
Don Owen is sports editor of the Northern Kentucky Tribune. Contact him at don@nkytrib.com and follow him on Twitter at @dontribunesport.