2017 Highlands Bowling Preview

Bluebirds Have Eyes on Ultimate Prize

Fort Thomas Matters Photo by G. Michael Graham. Highlands senior Kate Schneider is part of a deep, talented group of bowlers this season.

Fort Thomas Matters Photo by G. Michael Graham. Highlands senior Andy Campbell prepares for a bowl in a recent practice. He's one of four key returning players from last year for the Bluebirds.

Just outside of Fort Thomas at La Ru Lanes in Highland Heights, another Highlands sports tradition has been building quietly over the past six years.

Highlands Girls CC Continues Region Domination, Boys Finish Runner-Up

PHOTO: Bob Jackson. Highlands senior Karsen Hunter runs in the Class AA, Region 4 Meet in Union on Saturday. The Highlands girls cross country team won its sixth straight region championship.

The deep Highlands Bluebird girls cross country team wants nothing more than to climb back to the top of the Class AA mountain.

The first step to that came in proving its dominance in the Class AA, Region 4 meet in Union on Saturday. That turned out to not be an issue as the Bluebirds dominated the girls race on their way to the sixth consecutive region championship while the boys finished region runner-up.

Fantastic Finish for Highlands Freshmen Football

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands freshman Sam Vinson hauls in a two-point conversion pass during the 15-12 win Thursday over Newport Central Catholic. The Bluebird Freshmen team finished 8-1 on the season.

The Highlands Bluebirds pulled out a 15-12 victory over the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds to finish the season Thursday at David Cecil Memorial Stadium.

End of Great Season

Bluebirds Put Up Tough Fight with 9th Region Power

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands sophomore Casey Dunn (center) takes a swing while teammates Olivia Gessner (6), Gracie Schweitzer (2) and Margot Seidel (19) watch. Highlands finished its season witn an impressive 25-11 record.

The Highlands Bluebirds volleyball team (25-11 overall) came out playing loose against the six-time defending 9th Region champion Notre Dame Pandas in the 9th Region semifinals Wednesday at Holmes.

Another Goal Accomplished for Highlands Volleyball

Bluebirds Advance in 9th Region Tournament

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands senior setter Skyler Phillips (middle) plays the ball forward while teammates Joy Kappesser and Ava Hockney (right) get in position. Highlands beat Dixie Heights in the 9th Region quarterfinals Monday at Holmes for its first region tournament win since 2010.

Solid net play put the Highlands Bluebirds volleyball team one game away from another first in a while.

Dixie Heights did not go down without making Highlands (25-10 overall) earn it. But the Bluebirds withstood the challenge taking down the Lady Colonels (20-10), 3-2 (25-19, 25-23, 20-25, 23-25, 15-7) in the 9th Region quarterfinals on Monday at Covington Holmes. That marked the first region tournament win for Highlands since finishing 10th Region runner-up in 2010 and the first-ever since the current 9th Region alignment changed in 2012.

9th Region Volleyball Preview

Bluebirds Face Dixie Heights in 9th Quarterfinals

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands sophomore Audrey Graves (8) and the team come take the 36th District volleyball championship trophy Thursday. Highlands takes on Dixie Heights in the 9th Region Quarterfinals on Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Holmes.

Once a major goal is accomplished, teams take a day or so to celebrate it. Then it is time to move on to the next order of business.

The accomplishment of 36th District champions for the Highlands Bluebirds volleyball team (24-10 overall) ranked high on the preseason priority list. Highlands beat Newport Central Catholic, 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 28-26, 25-13) for its first district title since 2012. That also marked just the third time in 27 meetings that the Bluebirds beat the Thoroughbreds since 2005 including two out of three times this year. But Head Coach Katelyn Sallee said the championship meant something bigger in the grand scheme of things.

Counter-Ending to Highlands Soccer Season

Ryle Tops Bluebirds, 3-1 for 9th Region Championship

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands senior Nick Gish fires a penalty kick earlier in the week against Covington Catholic. He is one of six seniors on the team that finished 15-8 this year.

It not be a traditional soccer strategy.

But the bottom line is it worked. The visiting Ryle Raiders let the Highlands Bluebirds dribble into the attacking zone of the field then counter-attack in the 9th Region boys soccer championship Saturday at Tower Park. The Raiders walked away for a 3-1 victory and their first region championship since 2011 when they finished state runner-up losing 3-0 to Louisville St. Xavier in the state championship.

Rough Ending to Good Highlands Girls Soccer Season

St. Henry Upsets Highlands on Penalty Kicks

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior Lindsey Meyer battles between two Cooper defenders in the 9th Region Quarterfinals. Highlands lost on penalty kicks to St. Henry in the region semifinals at Dixie Heights on Wednesday.

The Highlands Bluebirds girls soccer team hoped to use its speed once more to move on to the 9th Region title game.

But to earn another shot at the arch-rival and six-time region champion Notre Dame Pandas, Highlands had to take down the St. Henry Crusaders. St. Henry employed a strategy of pulling back seven defenders anytime Highlands dribbled into the attacking half of the field in the 9th Region semifinals Wednesday.

Golden Tuesday for Highlands Soccer, Volleyball

Bluebirds Advance in Region, District Tournaments

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior Luke Schweitzer (14) goes up for a header in the 9th Region quarterfinals against Cooper on Tuesday at Tower Park.

It seemed fitting these two teams met after the regular season meeting was cancelled.

But one thing did not change from the regular season. The Highlands Bluebirds boys soccer team (14-7 overall) used its speed advantage to down the visiting Cooper Jaguars, 3-1 in the 9th Region Quarterfinals on Tuesday at Tower Park.

Region One-Sider

Bluebirds Earn Comfortable Win Against Cooper

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands sophomore Maria Wiefering heads one home in Monday's 6-0 win over Cooper. Wiefering leads Highlands with 54 points on 22 goals and 10 assists this year.

It has not been a problem advancing past the 9th Region quarterfinals for the Highlands Bluebirds girls soccer team in the four seasons with Brian Wiefering as head coach.

It's just that the wins have been a little too close for comfort. But that changed Monday. The Bluebirds (17-4-1 overall) dominated the Cooper Jaguars (14-9-1) from start to finish in a 6-0 victory.

Familiar Soccer Draws

Highlands Soccer Teams Face Cooper in 9th Region Quarterfinals

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior Mike Penrod makes a move in the 36th District championship game against Newport Central Catholic on Tuesday. Both Highlands teams take on Cooper in the 9th Region Quarterfinals at Tower Park.

After claiming 36th District championships over the Newport Central Catholic teams, both Highlands soccer teams knew they could draw an opponent from the same school after all four districts had almost identical results.

Saturday Sports Round-Up

Highlands Girls Cross Country Wins NKAC Division I Crown

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands juniors Logan Guy (4) and Liam Ehram (85) celebrate a touchdown in a recent junior varsity game.

The Highlands Ladybirds cross country team ran away with the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division I crown Saturday at Idlewood Park in Burlington.

Highlands finished with 36 points out of nine teams. Second-place Ryle finished with 72 points.

Thursday Sports Notes

Highlands Volleyball, Freshman Football Team Record Victories

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. The five Highlands volleyball seniors pose with their families on Senior Night. Highlands celebrated with a 3-0 win over Bishop Brossart. The five seniors, from left, are Joy Kappesser, Maddie McCoy, Skyler Phillips, Mary Claire Redden and Gracie Schweitzer.

The Highlands Ladybirds volleyball team is headed into the postseason with the most wins since 2010.

Tuesday Sports Briefs

Ladybird Volleyball, Soccer Victorious

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands senior Joy Kappesser makes some signs in a recent game against Cooper.

The Highlands Ladybirds volleyball team hopes to have 22 victories entering the regular season.

Not only would that add to a season-high since current Head Coach Katelyn Sallee took over in 2014, it would be the most wins in a season since 2010. The 2010 team was led by the likes of seniors Kelsey Dunn and junior Jesse Bryson, who is in her second year as head coach at George Rogers Clark in Winchester, Kentucky. Highlands finished 22-19 in 2010 and lost to Newport Central Catholic in both the 37th District and 10th Region Tournament championship games.

Bluebirds Freshmen Shut out Cooper

The Highlands Bluebirds freshmen football team moved to 5-1 on the year with a home win Monday.

Weekend Round-Up

Bluebirds Finish Regular Season with Convincing Win

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior Will Hochleutner (13) dribbles up the field in a recent game against North Oldham.

The Highlands Bluebirds soccer team served notice it is playing some great soccer headed into the postseason on Saturday.

The Bluebirds (12-7 overall) took down the solid Simon Kenton Pioneers (15-5) by a convincing 5-1 mark at Tower Park. They finished the solid week with two wins over teams with 15-plus wins. They recorded a huge 2-0 win at Ryle on Tuesday.

Thursday Sports Briefs

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands freshman Jason Noe (24) looks for running room in a recent game. The Highlands freshman team defeated Conner on Thursday.

The Highlands Bluebirds soccer team (11-7 overall) could not earn another big win Thursday losing 2-1 to the Cincinnati Madeira Mustangs at Tower Park.

Gabbard Ties for 20th in State Golf Tourney

HHSBlueBirdies Twitter Photo. Highlands freshman JD Gabbard prepares for the second day of the state golf tournament Wednesday. Gabbard shot a 76 for a two-day total of 150 good for a tie for 20th in the state tournament.

Highlands freshman JD Gabbard had the best individual performance in recent years for the Bluebirds golf team.

Gabbard shot a 76 good for four over par at the state golf tournament at Bowling Green Country Club on Friday. That made a two-day total of 150 strokes good for a four-way tie for 20th in the tournament.

Tuesday Sports Results

Gabbard Moves on to Second Day of State Golf Tournament

HHSBlueBirdies Twitter Photo. Highlands junior Ryan Leigh fires a shot in the state golf tournament Monday. Highlands shot 331 as a team to tie for 17th out of 24 teams in the state tournament, but freshman JD Gabbard qualified for the second day as a freshman.

 The Highlands Bluebirds golf team had a nice showing on the first day of the state golf tournament Tuesday at the Bowling Green Country Club.

The Bluebirds tied for 17th as a team with Clay County shooting a 331. While the team did not make it to the second day, Highlands freshman JD Gabbard qualified for the second day shooting a 74 on the Par 72 course.

Weekend Round-Up

Ladybird Soccer beats Girls GCL leaders; Volleyball Goes 3-2 in JCIVT

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands sophomores Audrey Graves (8) and Ava Hockney (26) go up for a block in a game earlier this year. Highlands went 3-2 in the JCIVT over the weekend to move to 19-9 on the season equaling last year's win total.

The Highlands Ladybirds soccer team (14-4-1 overall) concluded the regular season with a huge 3-2 victory on the road over the St. Ursula Bulldogs from the Girls Greater Catholic League.