NewCath handles OCath; Highlands girls lose at buzzer

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The defending tournament champions started the boys basketball tournament off with the expected bang.

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds (18-3) handled the Owensboro Catholic Aces, 60-39 to open the All “A” State Tournament on Thursday. All games are taking place at the Frankfort Convention Center.

Highlands seniors contributed well to program legacy

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The end result did not turn out the same for the previous six senior classes.

But the senior class of this past football season did what it could to add to the great history of Highlands Bluebird football. The Bluebirds rank second in the nation for the most wins in school history with 855 dating back to 1915. Valdosta (Ga.) is first with 882 victories since 1913.

Girls Hoops: NC dominates Paintsville, HHS falls

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds had no problem in the All “A” Girls State Basketball Tournament opener on Wednesday.

The Thoroughbreds (18-2) dominated the Paintsville Lady Tigers (11-7) by a 56-26 count at the Frankfort Civic Center. They jumped out to a 27-3 advantage after the first quarter and never looked back.

NewCath doubles up Highlands, 56-28

G. Michael Graham Photo. Highlands senior Drew Houliston (25) passes the ball against Newport Central Catholic junior Grant Moeves (13) in Tuesday's 36th District contest. NewCath won 56-28 for its eighth straight win in the series.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

NEWPORT – Lately, the home team had dominated the series.

The visiting team sought a signature win in building toward the time when these two men’s basketball teams battled for not just district titles, but 9th Region crowns between 1997 and 2001. The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds (17-3 overall, 3-0 district) continued that against the Highlands Bluebirds (3-10, 1-2) with a 56-28 victory on The Hill on Tuesday.

Highlands pulls away from Bellevue; NC-Ryle make-up date announced

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds girls basketball team completed its undefeated run through 36th District regular-season play Monday.

The Bluebirds handled the host Bellevue Lady Tigers, 67-31 to finish 4-0 in district play and clinch the top seed in the district tournament in February at Newport Central Catholic. Highlands improved to 14-3 overall and Bellevue dropped to 7-9 overall.

NewCath boys win another 9th All "A" Title

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Another year marked another All “A” 9th Region title for the Royal Blue and Gold.

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds handled the in-town rival Newport Wildcats, 67-40 for the crown at Dayton on Saturday. It was not as close as last year’s region title game at Bellevue that NewCath had to hit a good amount of free throws down the stretch to pull away.

NC Boys advance; Highlands boys and girls, NC girls games cancelled

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

This was supposed to be their biggest challenge in the tournament.

All the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds boys basketball team did was respond with an 83-67 victory over the St. Henry Crusaders in the All “A” 9th Region semifinals Friday at Dayton. NewCath (15-3) has won eight in a row and moved to 10-0 in region action.

Highlands basketball games cancelled

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands basketball games scheduled for Thursday have been cancelled because of frigid temperatures.

McDonald hits 1000 career points in Thoroughbred rhomp

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Junior post Drew McDonald scored his 1,000th career point in helping the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds to victory Wednesday.

Highlands basketball games called off

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands girls basketball game scheduled for tonight against Boone County has been rescheduled.

NewCath handles Bellevue; Girls basketball Notes

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbred boys basketball team had little trouble in the All “A” 9^th Region opener Monday.

NewCath handled the Bellevue Tigers, 82-24 at Covington Holy Cross. The Thoroughbreds moved to 8-0 against 9th Region competition.

NCC wins another All "A" Girls crown; Highlands teams win

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

They had to overcome a slow start.

But the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 49-39 win over the Beechwood Lady Tigers to claim their eighth straight All “A” 9th Region championship. NewCath (17-2) will take on 15th Region champion Paintsville (10-6) at 5 p.m. at the Frankfort Convention Center on Jan. 29 to open the tournament.

Ware's lay-up lifts NewCath

G. Michael Graham Photo. Newport Central Catholic junior Loren Zimmerman (right) guards Holy Cross' Aleah Tucker in Friday's All "A" 9th Region semifinal contest. The Thoroughbreds won 39-37 in the final seconds to advance to the title game.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

ERLANGER – Some may call it the Newport Central Catholic Invitational.

It is understandable because the Thoroughbreds have won the previous seven All “A” 9th Region girls basketball crowns. But one region opponent has not been intimidated by that in recent years in the Covington Holy Cross Lady Indians (11-4).

Holy Cross gave NewCath its closest game in last year’s tournament losing just 51-43 in the first round. It took the Thoroughbreds (16-2) the final seconds of this year’s semifinal contest Friday to beat the Lady Indians, 39-37 at St. Henry.

Highlands hoops games cancelled

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands basketball games for Thursday have been cancelled because of cold and snowy weather.

Highlands diversifies winter conditioning

 

 

 

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Now that the big decision has been made, they are back hard at work preparing for the 100th season in school history.

The returning Highlands Bluebirds football players hit the weight room for winter conditioning immediately after the school promoted Brian Weinrich to Head Coach filling in for the retired longtime Head Coach Dale Mueller. Weinrich had been on staff the previous 19 seasons including Defensive Coordinator since 2002.

NewCath teams post victories

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds girls basketball team advanced to the All “A” 9th Region semifinals with another sound win.

Highlands boys fall to Newport; Girls beat Cooper

G. Michael Graham. Highlands senior Brandon Hergott (32) goes up for a score against Newport's Ethan Snapp in Tuesday's 36th District contest. Hergott scored 16 points in the Highlands loss.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

NEWPORT – They hoped to show how far they’ve come despite their record.

That’s especially because the Highlands Bluebirds boys basketball team might have to face the Newport Wildcats for the right to head to the 9th Region Tournament later in the season in the 36th District Tournament. But the host Wildcats prevailed in this one 65-53.

NewCath girls dominate Villa Madonna

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds girls basketball team had no problems in the opener of the All “A” 9th Region tournament Monday on The Hill.

NewCath (14-2) pounded the overmatched Villa Madonna Blue Lightning (7-6) by a 51-29 count. The Thoroughbreds have won the last seven All “A” region crowns.

Highlands boys, NC girls drop Saturday games

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds boys basketball team (2-8) fell to 0-4 in 9th Region action with a 58-51 loss to the Cooper Jaguars (8-6) on Saturday.

Highlands had two players reach double-digits. They were Brendan Buten and Brandon Hergott with 20 and 11 respectively.

Notre Dame bests Highlands girls; NC-CovCath boys game suspended

G. Michael Graham. Highlands point guard Haley Coffey brings the ball upcourt in Friday's game against Notre Dame. The Pandas won the 2013 9th Region title game rematch, 67-59.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

A couple big things needed to happen for the Highlands Bluebirds girls basketball team to pull off another big win.

They did not allowing the Notre Dame Pandas to leave Fort Thomas with a 67-59 9th Region win Friday. This game marked the first meeting since the 9th Region title game at Northern Kentucky University in March that the Pandas won 63-44 on March 4, 2013. Notre Dame finished state runner-up last year before Head Coach Nicole Levandusky left for Cooper.

NC girls post another big win; Highlands boys best Bracken

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds girls basketball team followed up a big win Wednesday with a bigger one Thursday.

After handing rival Bishop Brossart its first loss Wednesday in Alexandria, the Thoroughbreds (13-1) ventured to Independence and beat the 8th Region contender Simon Kenton Lady Pioneers (13-3), 72-50. NewCath had lost the previous two meetings against Simon Kenton.

NewCath girls hand Brossart first loss; Highlands girls, NC boys win

G. Michael Graham Photo. Newport Central Catholic's Stephanie Lewis (middle) pulls down a rebound in Wednesday's win over Bishop Brossart. Lewis scored eight points in the win.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

ALEXANDRIA – There are no more undefeated girls basketball teams left in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds took care of the last of them Wednesday with a 50-40 victory here over the Bishop Brossart Lady Mustangs (11-1). The Thoroughbreds (12-1) grabbed the lead in the second quarter with an 8-0 run and never looked back.

Weinrich only one interviewed in extremely smooth transition

G. Michael Graham. New Highlands Head Football Coach Brian Weinrich addresses the community after being named 19th head coach in school history Wednesday. Weinrich has been on staff for 19 years.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

There may not be a smoother transition than this one.

The search committee that consisted of Highlands High School Principal Brian Robinson, former Head Football Coach and Director of Athletics Dale Mueller among others knew they had their guy the moment he came in for the interview. They just had to make it official.

Brian Weinrich became the 19th head coach of the vaunted Highlands Bluebirds football program Wednesday. That program is the second-winningest in the country with an overall record of 855-227-26 since the program began in 1915. Only Valdosta (Georgia) has more wins with an overall record of 882-214-34 dating back to 1913.

Highlands basketball games postponed

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands basketball games scheduled for Tuesday have been postponed because of frigid temperatures.

NC, Newport Boys Game Cancelled

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds had a game scheduled at the Newport Wildcats (6-4) tonight.

Saturday Basketball Roundup

G. Michael Graham Photo. Highlands guard Drew Houliston (25) looks to make a move on Covington Catholic's Ben Heppler (24) in Saturday's 9th Region game while teammate Luke Brockett (21) gets in position. The Colonels won 67-29.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Ladybirds basketball team did not suffer a letdown Saturday.

Highlands (10-2) followed Friday’s big win at Newport Central Catholic with a 60-50 win over the Green County Lady Dragons (5-5) in the Centria Metals/Staxx BBQ Shootout at Franklin County. The Lady Birds have won two in a row.

Highlands pull off huge win on The Hill

G. Michael Graham Photo. Highlands junior Lydia Graves (20) makes a move against Newport Central Catholic forward Alexus Mayes (middle) in Friday's game on The Hill. Highlands won 45-40 for its first win there since 1999.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

NEWPORT – The latest trend in the regular season in this 36th District rivalry is to be the underdog on the road.

In a reversed role from last year, the Highlands Bluebirds girls basketball team came into Friday’s game on the Hill against the undefeated Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds in that underdog role. But Highlands pulled off a huge 45-40 district victory for its second straight win in the series.

NC boys dominate Holy Cross

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds boys basketball team crossed the Licking River and brought back a convincing victory Friday.

The Thoroughbreds (9-3) pounded the Covington Holy Cross Indians (3-9), 72-36 in 9th Region action. NewCath moved to 4-0 in region play with the win.

Mueller's Successor to be named Monday

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The anticipation will come to a climax Monday.

Peggy Hughes, spokesperson for the Fort Thomas Independent School District, sent out an e-mail announcing Highlands High School will have a press conference announcing the successor to Dale Mueller as Head Coach of the vaunted Highlands Bluebirds. It will take place at 3 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. Everyone is invited to attend.

Mueller announced his retirement from the position on Dec. 9 of this past year after 20 years on the job. Mueller guided the Bluebirds to a record of 250-36, 11 state championships and three state runner-up finishes making him the winningest and longest-tenured coach in the 99 years of the program.