Highlands Volleyball Season Ends in Region Quarterfinals

Bluebirds Put Up Fight Against Lady Jaguars

PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands juniors, from left, Lauren Buemi, CC Shick and Nicole Ossege line up in the region quarterfinal game against Cooper on Tuesday.

The Highlands Bluebirds volleyball team (13-8 overall) has not beaten three teams that consistently make the 9th Region Tournament since the current 9th Region alignment started in 2012.

Those three teams are Notre Dame, St. Henry and Cooper. Highlands drew the 33rd District runner-up Cooper Lady Jaguars (13-4) to open the 9th Region Tournament at Covington Holmes on Tuesday after winning a fourth straight 36th District Tournament on Thursday.

Highlands battled Cooper in a 3-1 loss. The Bluebirds took the first game, 25-22 and fought hard in the second in a 25-23 defeat. But Highlands could not keep up the face in the next two games losing 25-14 and 25-16.

"We've played them this season and that was super helpful for us because we had film," said Katelyn Sallee, Highlands Head Coach. "We didn't always get to scout and prepare as well as we did so we came into this match really prepared, really focused, as ready as you can be for weapons like that and I feel like we handled that really well in the first two sets. We also knew that we had to be at our very best. We didn't have a lot of room for errors and a lot of runs. Then you get a little later in the match, maybe some fatigue sets in. I think there was a little bit of a release that caught up with us."

Highlands Girls Basketball Handles Cooper

Bluebirds Win Second Straight

PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands junior Emma Riccobene (center) plays defense in a recent game.

The Highlands Bluebirds girls basketball team is back at .500 on the season at 6-6 with a 71-32 win on the road against the Cooper Lady Jaguars.

Highlands Thursday Results

Bluebirds Go for 21st Win of Season Friday

PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. The Highlands volleyball team lost at home to Cooper on Thursday.

The Highlands Bluebirds volleyball team (20-6 overall) dropped a 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-18) 9th Region decision at home to the Cooper Lady Jaguars (19-8).

Highlands fell to 10-4 in region play. The Bluebirds dropped both region games this week.

Bluebirds Handle Lady Jaguars

Highlands Pulls Away in Middle Two Quarters

PHOTO: Bob Jackson. Highlands freshman Anna Greenwell (left) drives to the bucket in a recent game. Greenwell scored nine points in the 79-47 win over Cooper on Thursday.

After one quarter, the heavily-favored host Highlands Bluebirds girls basketball team (16-4 overall) led just 20-17 over the young Cooper Lady Jaguars (2-14).

But the Bluebirds turned the intensity up in the next two quarters and pulled away for a 79-47 9th Region victory. Highlands moved to 5-2 against region opponents. The Bluebirds led 48-27 at halftime and 68-36 entering the fourth quarter.

Highlands Blasts Out Another 9th Region Win

Bluebirds Score 11 in First Inning

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands senior Brooke Dill lights into a pitch against Cooper on Tuesday. Highlands won its third in a row with a 16-7 win.

It was one of those innings that turned into a coach's dream.

The Highlands Bluebirds softball team (5-2 overall) scored 11 runs in the first inning on its way to a 16-7 9th Region win over the Cooper Lady Jaguars (2-6) on Tuesday. The Bluebirds have won three straight and improved to 4-0 in region play. Field conditions moved the game to Fort Thomas.

Clutch Win for Bluebirds

Highlands Snaps Two-Game Losing Streak with Road Region Win

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior Nate Roberts goes in for a lay-up in a recent game. Roberts hit the game-winning shot against Conner with two seconds left Tuesday.

The Highlands Bluebirds boys basketball team (7-8 overall) came up with a clutch play at the end when needed to pull off the road win Tuesday.

Bluebirds Move to Holiday Title Game

Highlands Earns Win Over Cooper

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands senior guard Brooke Dill (4) goes in for a shot while Cooper senior guard Lexi Held (10) pursues. Highlands advanced to the championship game of the LaRosa's Holiday Classic with a 68-57 victory over the Lady Jaguars. Highlands faces host Conner for the title at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

It was more about advancing to the championship game of the seventh annual LaRosa's Holiday Classic at Conner for the fourth time since its inception more than anything else.

End of Road for Ladybirds

Cooper takes down Highlands in 9th Region Quartefinals

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands sophomore Zoie Barth attacks the rim Monday. Barth scored 15 points, but Highlands lost 77-62 in the 9th Region Quarterfinals.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS - Things started off on the right note for the Blue and White.

Junior standout guard Lexi Held picked up her second foul just 1:02 into the game for the Cooper Lady Jaguars forcing her to take a seat. That gave the Highlands Ladybirds a huge opportunity.

Tough Region Quarterfinal for Ladybirds

Highlands faces tough Cooper squad in 9th Quarterfinals

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands senior Lauren Epperson (10) dribbles toward the hoop in last week's District 36 semifinal win over Newport. Epperson averages seven points and a team-high 4.8 rebounds per game. The Ladybirds face Cooper in the 9th Region Quarterfinals on Monday at 6:30 p.m. at NKU's BB&T Arena.

The possibility loomed when the Highlands Ladybirds basketball team saw who it could draw to open the 9th Region Tournament.

The Ladybirds (22-8 overall) own a 15-2 record against region competition this year. Prior to Friday, the possibility of facing one of the two region teams Highlands lost to during the regular season in the region quarterfinals stood at 67 percent.

But that changed to 33 percent after the district championships concluded as the 2015 state champion Covington Holy Cross Lady Indians (18-10) took down defending region champion Covington Holmes (24-5), 47-39 in the 35th District championship. The two region losses for Highlands came the same week at Holy Cross (58-56 on Jan. 17) and to Cooper (74-63 on Jan. 19). 

Slow Start

Cooper uses fast start to leave Fort Thomas with win

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands sophomore Zoie Barth (left) goes up for the score that put her in the 1,000-point scoring club. Barth scored 13 points in the 74-63 Highlands loss.

The Highlands Ladybirds basketball team (13-6 overall) saw its two standout guards hit major feats Thursday.

But Highlands could not overcome a 22-9 hole after the first quarter dropping its second straight 9th Region contest, 74-63 to the Cooper Lady Jaguars (10-4). Highlands fell to 7-2 in region action.

Highlands volleyball season ends

The volleyball season ended for the Highlands Ladybirds volleyball team (19-17 overall) with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-8) loss to the Cooper Lady Jaguars in the 9th Region quarterfinals on Tuesday at Dixie Heights.

Tuesday Briefs: Highlands soccer handles Boone County

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior midfielder Joe Broering (5) boots the ball ahead in Tuesday's game against Boone County. Highlands won 7-0.

The Highlands Bluebird soccer team found itself on the positive end of a 7-0 final just three days after experiencing the opposite.

The Bluebirds moved to 2-1-1 overall and 2-0-1 in 9th Region action with a victory by that score over the Boone County Rebels (0-4) at Tower Park after Louisville Trinity won at Tower Park by that score on Saturday. Highlands has beaten Boone County two straight times since the Rebels eliminated the Bluebirds in the 9th Region quarterfinals in 2014.

Ladybirds move to 7-0 in 9th Region play

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands sophomore Kierstyn Clukey (middle) makes a move to the basket in a recent game at Notre Dame. Highlands moved to 14-1 with a 75-54 win over Cooper on Tuesday.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Ladybirds basketball team has just one blemish halfway through the season.

NewCath opens with win over Cooper

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds girls basketball team started the season on the right track Wednesday.

Cooper ends NC volleyball season

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds volleyball team saw its season end Wednesday in the 9th Region quarterfinals to the Cooper Lady Jaguars, 3-1 (25-17, 25-13, 16-25, 25-15).

Cooper, NC girls soccer cancelled

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM
Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Lady Breds soccer team had a game scheduled at Cooper to open the season Wednesday. It was cancelled because of lightning storms.

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 soccer opens with win

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The host Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds girls soccer team knocked off the Cooper Lady Jaguars, 5-1 to open the season Wednesday.

Freshman Taylor Tolle led NewCath with two goals. Teammates Loren Zimmerman, Chandler Cain and Mikayla Seibert added one each.

NewCath travels to Ryle on Monday. Game time is 7 p.m.

Highlands girls, boys; NCC boys post victories

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Ladybirds basketball team won its fourth straight Saturday with a 51-37 home victory over the Cooper Lady Jaguars.

Highlands moved to 5-2 and Cooper fell to 6-3. The Lady Jags had won two in a row entering the contest. Highlands moved to 5-0 at home and 3-0 against 9th Region opponents.

Freshman guard Hayley Coffey led the Ladybirds with 16 points. But Highlands again had contributions from many players as nine different players scored. Vanessa Fisse made two three-pointers on her way to eight points and Alex Combs made the other on her way to seven points. The Ladybirds made 18-of-46 shots for 39 percent and 12-of-19 free throws for 63 percent.

Highlands played without injured seniors Leah Schaefer and Emilie Parton. Schaefer, a Xavier University signee, sprained her right ankle in the win over Bishop Brossart. But she is back walking and is expected to return for the Christmas tournaments.

On the other side, the Lady Jaguars made 13-of-42 shots for 30 percent and 9-of-14 free throws for 64 percent. Paige Ross led Cooper with 10 points.

Highlands continues action Thursday in the Sam Swope Queen of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic at 8:15 p.m. at defending state champion Louisville DuPont Manual (4-1). The Ladybirds face either Frankfort (4-1) or the hosts who play Wednesday.

Highlands boys 57, Bracken County 53

The Bluebirds earned their first road win of the season Saturday in Brooksville.

Junior Drew Houliston again led Highlands with 17 points. Teammates Bailey Witte and Nick True contributed 14 and 10 respectively.

“We grabbed the lead from the beginning,” said Mike Flynn, Highlands head coach. “It got close a couple times, but we held on.”

The Bluebirds moved to 3-2 on the young season while the Polar Bears fell to 2-3. Highlands moved to 1-2 on the road and snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory.

The Bluebirds do not play again until Thursday. They take on the Jeffersontown Chargers (2-4) at 9 p.m. in the Woodford County Invitational in Versailles.

Newport Central Catholic boys 63, Louisville Christian Academy 34

The Thoroughbreds stayed undefeated at 6-0 with a thrashing of the visiting Centurions (6-2).

Drew McDonald led NewCath with 18 points and Jake Schulte had 10. McDonald has scored 40 points in two games and Schulte has scored 24.

NewCath plays host to Lloyd Memorial (2-4) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.