By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
This season’s first major upset in Northern Kentucky high school basketball occurred Tuesday when Conner defeated Covington Catholic, the state’s second-ranked boys team in a poll of media members.
That brings added interest to a game on Friday between Cooper and Ryle, the No. 4 and No. 5 girls teams in the state according to the media poll. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Cooper.
Last year, Cooper snapped an 11-game losing streak against Ryle by winning the 33rd District and 9th Region championship games between the two teams. With most of the starters on both teams returning, Cooper and Ryle entered this season ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in Northern Kentucky by local coaches.
Cooper takes a 12-2 record and 10-game winning streak into Friday’s showdown. During that streak, the Jaguars averaged 67.6 points per game while holding their opponents to 31.1. Junior forward Whitney Lind was a double-figure scorer in Cooper’s last nine games and has a team-high 15.5 season average.
Ryle won seven straight games before visiting Louisville Sacred Heart on Wednesday and getting outscored 86-49 by the state’s top-ranked team. The Raiders had three double-figure scorers — Abby Holtman, Quinn Eubank and Sarah Baker — in the loss that put their record at 14-4.
Earlier this week, Holtman and senior teammate Austin Johnson learned that they are among five Kentucky players nominated for the McDonald’s All-American Game. There are more than 700 girls from across the nation on the list of nominees and 24 of them will be selected for the game in March.
Athletic complex on campus part of NewCath’s strategic plan
Building an athletic complex for football, soccer and track on campus is part of a long-range strategic plan for Newport Central Catholic High School.
The plan that’s posted on the ncchs.org website also calls for upgrades to the school, updating the curriculum and building a strategic marketing plan to increase enrollment at the co-educational Catholic school.
According to the plan, the athletic complex was the fourth priority because “one of the best ways to develop character is through sport.” It will have an artificial turf field for football and soccer home games as well as a track. The field could also be used as a practice facility for other sports like baseball and softball.
“Studies show an overwhelming high number of benefits for students who participate in athletics,” according to the plan. “We are a school that has a strong tradition of athletics and this facility will take this tradition to the next level.”
NewCath has played its home football games at Newport High School’s stadium for several years while the soccer teams host games at public recreation fields. Last fall, Newport’s stadium was closed for repairs and the NewCath football team had to schedule home games at other sites.
There is a grass training field on the NewCath campus. A retaining wall to prevent erosion of the hillside where it’s located would be necessary before building the athletic complex.
Ryle graduate named top student-athlete in college football
Ryle graduate Jake Chisholm was named the nation’s top student-athlete in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision after his senior season at the University of Dayton.
A 5-foot-9, 191-pound running back, Chisholm set a Dayton team record with 5,063 career all-purpose yards. He has a 3.98 grade-point average as a pre-med major with minors in biology and medicine in society.
That’s why Chisholm received the FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Award during the FCS national awards banquet last Saturday in Frisco, Texas. He was also one of 15 finalists for the William Campbell Trophy, college football’s highest academic honor.
Outside the classroom, Chisholm volunteered 99 hours with the Hospital Elder Life Program, working to prevent hospital-delirium in senior citizens through memory and motion activities.
This season, Chisholm had 1,050 rushing yards to become the first Dayton player to surpass the century mark in three different seasons. He led the Pioneer Football League in scoring (102 points) and all-purpose yardage (1,320).
In high school, Chisholm received the Brian Williams “That’s My Boy” Award for being the top student-athlete in Northern Kentucky high school football after his senior season in 2018. He rushed for a school record 2,315 yards and 33 touchdowns that year while also catching 16 passes for 219 yards and two TDs.