By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Northern Kentucky high school distance runners Paul Van Laningham of Cooper and Lily Parke of Beechwood won the boys and girls races at the 16th annual Kentucky Dream Mile on Friday at Louisville St. Xavier High School.
The fields for both races consisted of Kentucky high school runners who recorded the 16 fastest 1-mile times. Parke crossed the finish line in 4:53.69. Van Laningham’s winning time was 4:10.57.
Parke was seeded fourth in the girls field, but she battled top-seed Mabel George of Louisville Assumption for the lead through out the race. With 180 meters left in the final lap, Parke surged ahead and became the first Northern Kentucky girl to win the Dream Mile.
Van Laningham entered the boys race as the top seed, but he needed a strong finish to the post the victory. On the final lap, he passed three runners and pulled away down the stretch to take the title in his third appearance at the event.
Last year, Van Laningham placed fourth behind winning runner Will Sheets of Covington Catholic. The first Northern Kentucky runner to win the Dream Mile boys race was Eric Baugh of Villa Madonna in 2015.
The other local runners in the boys race on Friday were Conner sophomore Ethan Mann and Campbell County junior Grant Holbrook, who placed fifth and ninth, respectively. Notre Dame Academy junior Norah Baker placed 14th in the girls race.
At the state high school cross country meet last October, Parke won the Class 1A girls race and Van Laningham won the Class 3A boys race, setting a new course record. Van Laningham also set a record in the boys 3,200 event at the Class 3A indoor state track meet in March.
After they compete in the Kentucky outdoor state track meet later this month, the two seniors have promising college careers ahead of them. Van Laningham was recruited by the University of Wisconsin. Parke signed with the University of Kentucky.
Ryle boys volleyball seeded No. 1 in Region 6 tournament
Ryle received the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the Region 6 boys volleyball tournament that starts Monday at Simon Kenton High School.
The bracket was seeded according to won-loss records from the first matches played between region opponents during the season. Ryle went 9-0 in seeding matches, including a 3-1 win over No. 2 seed Oldham County.
Those same two teams made it to the region final last year to earn berths in the first boys volleyball state tournament sanctioned by the KHSAA. Ryle defeated Oldham County, 3-0, to take the inaugural region title.
This year’s region final is scheduled for noon on Saturday, May 9 with both teams advancing to the state tournament once again.
Eight first-round matches in the state tournament will be played May 11 with region champions hosting region runner-up teams. The final rounds of the state tournament will be played May 15 and 16 at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester.
Ryle completed its regular season with a 15-3 record. One of its early losses was to defending state champion Louisville St. Xavier, a team that enters this year’s playoffs with a perfect 25-0 record.
REGION 6 BOYS VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
(at Simon Kenton High School)
MONDAY
Boone County vs. Collins, 6:30 p.m.
Scott vs. Shelby County, 8 p.m.
TUESDAY
Ryle vs. Boone County-Collins winner, 6:30 p.m.
Oldham County vs. Scott-Shelby County winner, 8 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Calvary Christian vs. Walton-Verona, 5:30 p.m.
Simon Kenton vs. North Oldham, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY
Semifinal matches, times to be announced
SATURDAY
Championship match, noon
Cooper nabs top seed in Region 5 girls lacrosse with victory
The Cooper girls lacrosse team defeated Ryle, 10-8, on Friday to clinch the top seed in next week’s Region 5 tournament at Dixie Heights.
The other teams in the tournament bracket will be Dixie Heights, St. Henry and defending champion Notre Dame. The Pandas made it to the state tournament semifinals last year.
The Region 5 boys lacrosse tournament will be played next week at Covington Catholic. The top seed in that six-team bracket will be defending champion Dixie Heights.
The two finalists in Region 5 boys and girls lacrosse will advance to the state tournament and play teams from Region 7.