By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Noel Rash called a team meeting with Conner football players on Wednesday to tell them he would not be returning as head coach next season.
Rash came out of retirement to take charge of the Conner team last summer following the unexpected death of Dave Trosper, who was head coach for 18 years. The Cougars posted a 4-7 record this season with mostly first-year starters in the lineup.
“The school community extends its deepest gratitude to Coach Rash for his service, dedication, and unwavering leadership during an especially challenging period,” Conner athletic director Jim Hicks said in a media release.
“His willingness to guide the team through that difficult transition demonstrated exceptional character and compassion. Conner High School acknowledges and deeply appreciates the stability, professionalism, and heart he brought to the program when it was needed most.”
Rash retired as Beechwood’s head football coach after the 2022 season. During his 17 years in charge of that program, the Tigers compiled a 193-46 record and won eight state championships.
When he took the Conner job last summer, Rash was uncertain about his future with the program. At that time, he said his goal was “finding a long-term solution, whether that’s with me or not.”
This season, the inexperienced Conner team got off to a 1-5 start and then won three of its last five games to earn a berth in the Class 5A playoffs. Most of the team leaders once again were seniors, including quarterback Grayson Montgomery, one of the area’s top passers with 2,065 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Conner is one of five Northern Kentucky football teams that will have a new head coach next year. Brossart, Campbell County, Holmes and Scott have also had coaches step down since the end of the 2025 season.
O’Hara, Savage named Player of the Year co-winners
Cooper quarterback Cam O’Hara and Ryle two-way starter Jacob Savage, two seniors who will sign with NCAA Division I college teams this week, were named co-winners of Division I Player of the Year by the Northern Kentucky Football Coaches Association.
O’Hara is a Western Kentucky University recruit who set Northern Kentucky career records in passing yards (11,227) and passing touchdowns (146).
Savage is headed for Indiana University after setting a Ryle team record with 509 career tackles to go along with 2,853 rushing yards and 65 touchdowns.
The other three Player of the Year award-winners were two-way starters for their teams. They are Covington Catholic senior quarterback/safety Cash Harney in Division II, Beechwood junior wide receiver/defensive back Tyler Fryman in Division III and Newport Central Catholic senior running back/linebacker Eddie Bivens in Division IV.
Fryman is among the state’s top pass receivers this season with 62 catches for 1,320 yards and 23 touchdowns. Bivens led his NewCath team in rushing yards (1,389) and touchdowns (27). Harney provided 1,941 yards passing and 1,002 yards rushing for CovCath.
Each of the 22 teams in the NKFCA also select one player for the Top 28 Awards and six others are at-large nominees. Those award-winners include O’Hara, Savage, Harney and Bivens.
NKFCA TOP 28 AWARDS
Beechwood — Chase McDaniel. Bellevue — Derrick Fortner. Boone County — Dakota Daniels. Brossart — Landon Ruth. Campbell County — Elijah Depperschmidt. Conner — Grayson Montgomery. Cooper — Cam O’Hara, Keagan Maher. CovCath — Cash Harney, Dylan Gaiser. Dayton — Elias Lopez-Torres. Dixie Heights — Mason Fields.
Highlands — Max Merz, Tayden Lorenzen. Holmes — Xarion Foster. Holy Cross — Max Hunt. Lloyd — Kaleb Evans, Aiden Dolan. Ludlow — Jackson Mays. Newport — Kayveion Sharp. NewCath — Eddie Bivens, Will Sandfoss. Ryle — Jacob Savage, Dylan Lee. Scott — Trey Cook. Simon Kenton — Grayson Harris. St. Henry — Caden Kunstek. Walton Verona — Brayden Donato.
Lloyd boys basketball coach reaches 100 wins with team
Lloyd boys basketball coach Michael Walker enters Friday’s home game against Simon Kenton with a 100-46 record in six seasons with the Juggernauts program.
After posting a 7-11 record in the 2020-21 season that got off to a late start due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Juggernauts went 92-45 over the next four seasons. On Monday, Lloyd defeated Pendleton County, 93-78, in their season opener to give Walker 100 wins.
Last season, Lloyd made it to the 9th Region tournament final for the first time since 1996 under Walker. His teams won the 34th District title the last three years.