Ware's lay-up lifts NC to 9th Region crown

Allen Ramsey Photos. Top: NewCath's Michaela Ware (11) scores the game-winning lay-up in overtime. Center: The Thoroughbreds celebrate their fourth 9th Region title since 2003. Bottom: The team poses with the trophy.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS – If the script sounds familiar, it’s because it has happened before.

Thoroughbreds re-claim 36th district crown

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

NEWPORT – The games in this rivalry are always physical.

That’s especially the case near the rim. The winner of the annual 36th District girls basketball title game between the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds and Highlands Ladybirds fought through the contact and finished better near the hoop.

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.

NC girls take care of Boone County

G. Michael Graham Photo. Newport Central Catholic guard Michaela Ware goes in for a lay-up in Saturday's win over Boone County. The Thoroughbreds stayed undefeated at 5-0 with a 58-46 win on The Hill.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

NEWPORT – They showed there may not be much opponents can do in the big win Saturday when certain things happen.

The Boone County Lady Rebels basketball team tried to slow down standout post Nikki Kiernan and the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds by throwing two and sometimes three players at her just like last year. That resulted in a 45-37 win at Boone County last year and was also NewCath’s first loss of the season.

But the Thoroughbreds made sure that did not have the same effect this time around. NewCath stayed undefeated at 5-0 with a 58-46 9th Region win over the Lady Rebels (2-2) on The Hill. The two squads have combined to win eight of the last 11 region crowns.

Lady Breds hope to continue winning ways despite youth

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

It is a case of a youth movement.

But that does not go for just the players, but also the head coach of the Newport Central Catholic Lady Breds basketball team. George Stoll, a 2006 NewCath graduate, enters his first season as head coach taking over for the retired Ron Dawn. Stoll has been on staff since 2009 when Dawn took over as head coach.

“It’s actually gone in my opinion very smooth so far,” Stoll said. “The girls come to work every day. They know what’s expected of them. They’ve followed through with that. They’re still coming out and getting after it. Since I was here last year, they know how I am as a coach already and I know how we are as a team so we’re already somewhat on the same page heading into this year.”