By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
If the St. Henry boys basketball team wins its final regular season game on Friday, Dave Faust will move into a tie for second place on the list of 9th Region boys basketball coaches with the most career victories.
In his 30 seasons as St. Henry’s head coach, Faust has compiled a 451-372 record going into Friday’s game at Holy Cross. The only 9th Region boys basketball coaches ahead of him in career victories are Stan Arnzen (452) and Kenney Shields (460).
Last month, Holy Cross held off a late rally to defeat St. Henry, 71-65, in the semifinals of the 9th Region All “A” Classic. After that loss, the Crusaders won eight of their next nine games to put Faust in position to move up a notch on the region’s list of most successful coaches.
Holy Cross has a 5-3 record over the last five weeks. The Indians (18-8) lost their last game, 74-71, to Newport Central Catholic despite a 40-point performance by junior guard Jacob Meyer, the state’s leading scorer with a 38.6 average.
St. Henry (14-8) started the season with mostly first-year starters in the lineup, but seniors Camden Fedders and Owen Setters have provided the leadership the Crusaders needed to post a winning record for the fourth consecutive year under Faust.
Fedders has team-high averages of 13 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Setters is next in line, averaging 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds. They were both reserve players on the St. Henry teams that won back-to-back All “A” Classic state championships in 2020 and 2021.
If St. Henry does not win Friday’s game at Holy Cross, the Crusaders will get another chance to move coach Faust into the No. 2 spot on the career wins list in a 34th District playoff game against Lloyd next week.
Notre Dame swimmer has fastest state qualifying times in two events
Notre Dame junior Lainy Kruger has the top qualifying times in two events going into the state swimming championships on Friday and Saturday at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center in Lexington.
At the Region 7 swim meet, Kruger won the girls 200 freestyle in 1:47.84 and 100 breaststroke in 1:02.25. Those were the fastest times recorded in those events at region meets across the state, earning her the top seed in both for the state championship meet.
Kruger is the only local swimmer who will enter the state meet as a top seed. Last year, the University of Florida recruit won the 100 breaststroke state title and placed second in the 100 freestyle.
Cooper sophomore Peytton Moore won the girls 1-meter diving state title for the second straight year with a score of 505.65 in the state finals last Saturday. Dixie Heights junior Alex Warning and Covington Catholic sophomore Jacob Larkin placed second and third in the boys state diving finals.
Holmes will honor Lincoln Grant alumni at Friday’s basketball games
As a tribute to Black History Month, Holmes High School will recognize alumni of Lincoln Grant High School between the girls and boys varsity basketball games on Friday.
Lincoln Grant was a segregated high school for African American residents in Covington that closed in 1965 and students were integrated into public schools, including Holmes. The former high school had a very successful boys basketball program that won 9th Region championships in 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1964.
The Holmes girls basketball team will play Villa Madonna at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by the Holmes vs. Pendleton County boys game. A reception for Lincoln Grant alumni will begin at 6 p.m. in the Hartman Center that’s adjacent to the gym.
If you attended Lincoln Grant and want to attend the games, please contact Holmes coach Brad Carr at brad.carr@covington.kyschools.us for more information.
Three local basketball players selected for 10th Region Hall of Fame
Two Northern Kentucky boys basketball players who were named 10th Region Player of the Year as seniors have been selected for induction into the 10th Region Hall of Fame.
Campbell County center Matt Wilson was named the region’s top player in 2016 and Scott guard Jake Ohmer received the award in 2017. Wilson had career averages of 15 points and 12 rebounds per game for the Camels. Ohmer is the all-time leading scorer for the Eagles with 2,705 points and a 22.2 career average.
Brett White, a three-year starter for Campbell County who graduated in 2006, is also among this year’s inductees. He was named first team all-region in 2005 and 2006 when he led the Camels in points, rebounds and assists.
More information on the 10th Region Hall of Fame inductees is available on the Maysville Ledger-Independent website.