A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Prep Sports Report: St. Henry volleyball team reclaims All “A” Classic state title with 12-0 run

By Terry Boehmker NKyTribune sports reporter St. Henry’s volleyball team returned to the All “A” Classic state tournament after a one-year absence and won 12 consecutive sets in six matches to claim the small-school championship for the seventh time. The only team in the tournament ranked among the top 25 in the latest statewide coaches poll was St. Henry at No. 7. The Crusaders defeated...

Kentucky remains undefeated, but not without flaws after Saturday’s 35-3 win over Akron

By Keith Taylor Kentucky Today For the third straight time, Kentucky opened the season undefeated at 3-0, but is still lacking offensive perfection three weeks into the season. The Wildcats defeated Akron 35-3 Saturday night at Kroger Field in their final tuneup before opening the Southeastern Conference at Vanderbilt next Saturday in Nashville. Kentucky’s first-half struggles, especially on offense,...

‘Crosstown Showdown’ actually crossed a couple of towns but showdown it was for CovCath-Beechwood

By Dan Weber NKyTribune sports reporter Covington Catholic’s annual “Braveheart” Week could not have been more perfectly timed. Anything less than an inspired comeback from 21 points down, an effort that would have made William Wallace and his fighting Scots’ proud, would not have been enough. Not enough to send the “Colonel Crazies” cheering section, decked out in their...

Simon Kenton football team snaps string of early season setbacks with 42-21 win over Conner

Conner quarterback Wyatt Hatfield gets tackled before reaching the goal line by Simon Kenton linebacker Aven Bohms. (Photo by Allee Fay) By Terry Boehmker NKyTribune sports reporter After a series of setbacks over the last three weeks, Simon Kenton’s football team  got the win it’s been waiting for on Friday when the Pioneers powered past Conner, 42-21, in Hebron. Earlier this month,...

Stoops expects Wildcats to continue improving in final non-conference game Saturday against Akron

By Keith Taylor Kentucky Today Kentucky coach Mark Stoops won’t change his message going into his team’s final tuneup before the Wildcats open the Southeastern Conference portion of the schedule. Stoops expects Kentucky (2-0) to build on a strong second half in last week’s 28-17 win over Eastern Kentucky. The Wildcats will host Akron in the second meeting between the two programs in a 7:30 p.m....

Game of the year has Dixie Highway neighbors Beechwood and CovCath going at one another again

By Dan Weber NKyTribune sports reporter They’re just seven minutes apart, 2.3 miles according to Mapquest, from Park Hills to Fort Mitchell. But that stretch of the Dixie Highway is where the power of Northern Kentucky High School football is centered these days as the unbeaten, three-time Class 2A state champion Beechwood Tigers (4-0) host another unbeaten program in Covington Catholic’s...

Prep Sports Report: Beechwood girls cross country has perfect record after first four invitational meets

By Terry Boehmker NKyTribune sports reporter Lily Parke has been the front-runner in the Beechwood cross country team’s pack attack. (Photo by Bob Jackson) The Beechwood girls cross country team is taking a well deserved break this weekend after winning the first four invitational meets on its schedule with sophomore Lily Parke as the Tigers’ front-runner. After opening the season with...

TMU’s week in sports: Saints open GMAC football schedule at home Saturday coming off a big win

By Dan Weber NKyTribune sports reporter Coming off an impressive 37-0 win over the University of Virginia Wise, the Thomas More Saints prepare to open their new NCAA Division II Great Midwest Athletic Conference schedule Saturday (7 p.m.) against Ohio Dominican at Republic Bank Field. The 1-1 Saints seem to be in a good place on both sides of the ball after recording their first shutout in five...

Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority finds no single factor in equine fatalities at Churchill Downs

By Tom Latek Kentucky Today The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) released a report on Tuesday, saying its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 12 equine fatalities that took place at Churchill Downs Racetrack in April and May 2023, found no single factor led to the deaths. HISA’s investigation evaluated three primary factors: 1. the potential role of Churchill Downs’...

Matt’s Take: Bengals have worst performance in recent memory; Reds in the hunt

By Matthew McAdow NKyTribune sports columnist Football finally arrived over this past week and I was more than excited to finally get back to watching Bengals football. We have finally got to a point where we are expecting to be the best team in football each year and it’s a great feeling. Unfortunately though, this team put together possibly their worst performance in recent memory. 24-3 isn’t...

Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops offers appreciation for first responders on 22nd anniversary of 9-11

By Keith Taylor Kentucky Today On the 22nd anniversary of 9-11, Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops offered his appreciation for first responders and gave a greater sense of appreciation after offensive coordinator Liam Coen suffered a medical episode early Sunday afternoon. “It doesn’t take you very long to be in any type of situation where you need first responders and doctors and it happens...

Prep Sports Report: Volleyball player, coach reach career milestones in matches played the same week

By Terry Boehmker NKyTribune sports reporter Holy Cross senior Julia Hunt and Ryle coach Tasha Tanner-Lovins reached career milestones in high school volleyball during the same week, according to posts on Twitter. Tosha Tanner-Lovins Hunt surpassed the 2,000 mark in career kills in a home court win against Scott on Tuesday. The 6-foot-3 middle hitter also has more than 500 blocks during her varsity...

Kentucky uses big second half to hold off gritty Eastern Kentucky Colonels for 28-17 win

By Keith Taylor Kentucky Today Mark Stoops is undefeated against Eastern Kentucky University and all three wins have been close calls, including the latest meeting on Saturday. The Wildcats (2-0) scored on three of their four possessions in the second half and held on for a 28-17 win over the Colonels at Kroger Field. The close margin between the two teams have become routine since the Wildcats scored...

Northern Kentucky’s state championship prospects, top individuals, in KHSAA high school football

By Dan Weber NKyTribune sports reporter Not to get ahead of ourselves here but then we reckoned that we were no longer coaching high school football, but writing about it, so we decided it’s OK to take a long look ahead. And so we will, using this week’s Kentucky AP High School Football Poll as a starting point, and coming at it from a strictly Northern Kentucky point of view, here’s...

On a break-the-scoreboard night, Beechwood and Simon Kenton combine for 112 points in regulation

By Dan Weber NKyTribune sports reporter George Washington made the line famous before it became a part of our sporting lexicon. “The best defense is a good offense,” the Father of Our Country once said. But then, he wasn’t here Friday in Fort Mitchell. George might have reconsidered. Beechwood 58, Simon Kenton 54. And in regulation. It was standing room only in Fort Mitchell for...