Lady Breds tie Lady Crusaders

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The host Newport Central Catholic Lady Breds (8-0-1) tied the St. Henry Lady Crusaders on Monday.

NewCath soccer teams advance to All "A" 9th title games

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic soccer teams won their All “A” 9th Region semifinal contests Wednesday. They scored two goals each and let the defense do the rest.

Weekend Sports Briefs

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Ladybirds soccer team played the host and defending state champions tough Saturday.

NewCath Wednesday Sports Briefs

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds volleyball team won its third game in three days, 3-1 (13-25, 25-17, 26-24, 25-16) over the visiting Conner Lady Cougars on Wednesday.

NewCath continued its outstanding all-around play. Setter Alyssa Maier had 21 assists and 10 digs with Rachel McDonald recording 13 kills and nine digs. Keyaira Lankheit followed with eight kills with teammates Laura Brannon and Nikki Kiernan adding three aces each.

Thursday Sports Briefs

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds boys soccer team has been celebrating a lot lately.

The Bluebirds won for the 10th time in 12 games Thursday, 3-1 over the Cincinnati LaSalle Lancers. Highlands (12-5-1) finished the year 1-1 against teams from Cincinnati.

Colin Dean, Jordan Jarvis and Vadim Lightner scored the goals for Highlands. Senior goalkeeper Nathan Tippenhauer played the entire game and made 12 saves.

Highlands has two games left this season. The Bluebirds play host to Cooper on Tuesday. Game time is 8 p.m.

Wednesday Sports Briefs

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds boys and girls cross country teams have continued to do well in recent meets.

The girls are still the top-ranked team in Class AA followed by North Oldham, Louisville Christian Academy, Scott and Lexington Catholic. Molly Mearns is still the top-ranked runner in the class.

The boys dropped two second in Class AA following the recent Trinity Invitational. North Oldham is the top-ranked team with Covington Catholic, Wayne County and Russell following the Bluebirds. Ethan Shuley is the second-ranked runner in Kentucky.

Both teams recently partook in the Trinity/Valkyrie Invitational. The girls finished 15th out of 43 teams without Paige Dauer and Francis Tracy. They were taking the ACT exam.

A total of 347 girls ran in the race. Mearns led Highlands (57th in 19 minutes, 41 seconds). Teammates Chloe Gastright (67^th in 19:55), Sydney Ossege (85 in 20:17), Lauren Ossege (108 in 20:38) and Brianna Collins (234 in 22:37) followed Mearns.

The boys finished 19th out of 53 teams. Shuley led the way for Highlands finishing 47th in 16:05 out of 473 runners. John Michael Griffith followed at 92nd in 16:37. The other Highlands scorers were Geoff Mearns at 170th in 17:10, Matt Gray (182 in 17:23) and James Smith (220 in 17:42). Jackson Paul (221 in 17:43) and Will Backscheider (297 in 18:19) rounded out the Highlands runners.

The Bluebirds also won the Campbell County Championships beating Bishop Brossart. Mearns won the race on the girls side in 19:29 with Gastright taking second in 19:47, Sydney Ossege fourth in 20:27, Lauren Ossege fifth in 20:36, Dauger sixth in 20:48, Tracy eighth in 21:38 and Collins ninth in 21:49 out of 30 girls.

There were 43 boys in the race. Griffith finished second in 16:17 followed by Shuley (third in 16:30, Gray (sixth in 17:34), Smith (ninth in 17:47), Paul (12th in 18:01) and Backscheider (17th in 18:23).

Highlands faces more stiff competition in the Cincinnati St. Xavier Invitational on Saturday. The Bluebirds also participate in the Williamstown Invitational on Oct. 5 and the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Meet on Oct. 8.

Soccer, Girls:

Newport Central Catholic 1, Dixie Heights 1:

The Lady Breds (8-1-2) tied the Lady Colonels on Wednesday in Crestview Hills.

Both goals came on penalty kicks. Allie Otten scored the lone goal for NewCath.

Dixie Heights got off four shots. NewCath freshman goalkeeper Meg Martin made three saves.

The Lady Breds travel to the All “A” State Tournament on Saturday at the Elizabethtown Sports Park. They take on Pikeville at 9 a.m. on Field 11.

Weekend Soccer Roundup

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Lady Breds soccer team (7-1-1) won the Ashland Tournament over the weekend for the second straight year.

NewCath started the tournament Saturday with a 2-1 win over the Spencer County Lady Bears. Loren Zimmerman and Michaela Ware scored the goals for the Lady Breds with Sam Bunzel and Mikayla Seibert tallying assists. This marked the 200th win for Head Coach Kevin Turnick.

NewCath then took down the Ashland Blazer Kittens, 6-0. Zimmerman had two goals with Ware, Seibert, Ansley Davenport and Allie Otten scoring one each. Bunzel recorded three assists and Chandler Cain had another.

The Lady Breds then beat the Russell Red Devils, 3-1 to win the tournament Sunday. Cain, Zimmerman and Seibert had goals. Bunzel had two assists and Taylor Tolle had the other.

NewCath faces county rival Bishop Brossart on Wednesday in the All “A” Section Tournament. The game takes place at Pendery Park at a time to be announced.

Soccer, Girls:

Woodford County 1, Highlands 0:

The Bluebirds dropped another 1-0 contest at Tower Park on Saturday.

Highlands (2-4-3) has scored 14 goals on the year, which is as many as the Bluebirds scored all last year. But Highlands has not scored in three games going 0-2-1 in that stretch.

Highlands faces Woodford County again Monday at 6 p.m. in the Lexington Catholic Cup. It is the first of three games.

Soccer, Boys:

Newport Central Catholic 2, Montgomery County 0:

The Thoroughbreds (7-2-1) won for the seventh time in nine games with a home win Saturday.

Gault Nolan and Patrick Louis scored the goals for the Thoroughbreds. Teammates Ben Tierney and Noah Connolly recorded assists.

NewCath goalkeeper Paul Grosser recorded six saves for the shutout. That marks the third shutout on the season for the Thoroughbreds.

NewCath takes on county rival Bishop Brossat in an All “A” Section match on Tuesday. Game time is 6 p.m. at Morscher Field.

Thursday Sports Briefs

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds boys soccer team ventured to Taylor Mill and handled the previously unbeaten Scott Eagles, 3-0 Thursday.

Highlands (5-3-1) extended its winning streak to three in a row. Scott fell to 6-1-1.

Mitch Gesenhues, Vadim Lightner and Chris Garbig scored goals for the Bluebirds. Highlands goalkeeper Nick Breslin stopped five Eagle shots and Nathan Tippenhauer blocked one.

Highlands plays again Saturday at 11 a.m. The Bluebirds battle Henderson County at Ryle.

Soccer, Girls:

Highlands 0, Beechwood 0:

Highlands is 2-3-3 after the winless tie Tuesday at Tower Park.

Beechwood took just one shot and Highlands goalkeeper Sarah Owen stopped it for her lone save of the game.

Highlands plays host to Woodford County on Saturday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Soccer, Boys:

Covington Catholic 4, Newport Central Catholic 3:

The visiting Colonels snapped the Thoroughbreds’ five-game winning streak with the win Thursday.

NewCath (6-2-1) saw Matt Tolle, Patrick Louis and Seth Martin score goals. Thoroughbred goalkeeper Paul Grosser finished with four saves.

NewCath plays host to Montgomery County on Saturday. Game time is 4:30 p.m.

Volleyball:

St. Henry 2, Highlands 0:

The Lady Crusaders handed the host Bluebirds a 25-18, 25-21 defeat on Thursday.

Highlands fell to 4-9 overall including 4-4 since an 0-5 start. The Bluebirds next play at home Monday at 7:30 p.m. against Beechwood.

Lexington Tates Creek 3, NewCath 1:

The Thoroughbreds (7-8) dropped a four-game match with Tates Creek on Thursday, 3-1 (21-25, 17-25, 25-19, 11-25).

Setter Alyssa Maier again had 26 assists with Keyaira Lankheit recording four kills and four blocks for NewCath. Teammate Abbie Lukens had eight kills with Laura Brannon recording four aces and Madison Volk 13 digs.

NewCath plays again Tuesday against Lloyd Memorial. Game time is 7:30 p.m. on the Hill.

  

Wednesday Sports Briefs

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands cross country teams are off to good starts as expected.

Both own the top rankings in the state on ky.milesplit.com. Covington Catholic is ranked second on the boys side and Lexington Catholic ranks second on the girls side.

The Highlands boys finished second in the Ryle Invitational and won the Grant County Invitational recently. Highlands sophomore Ethan Shuley has led the way in both meets and is currently the top-ranked runner in AA. Senior John Michael Griffith ranks fourth in the state followed by sophomore Geoff Mearns at 11th and sophomore Matt Gray at 12th.

The Highlands girls finished third to Cincinnati Ursuline and St. Henry at the Ryle Invitational and second to St. Henry at the Grant County Invitational. Sophomore Molly Mearns has led the way and is the fourth-ranked runner in AA. Following her are freshman Chloe Gastright at eighth, freshman Sydney Ossege at 11th, senior Page Dauer at 14th, senior Francis Tracy at 15th and sophomore Lauren Ossege at 17th.

Volleyball:

NewCath 3, Scott 0:

The Thoroughbreds (7-7) recorded an impressive 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-12) win in Taylor Mill on Wednesday.

Alyssa Maier again led NewCath with 19 assists with Rachel McDonald landing six kills and Keyaira Lankheit notching five kills and three blocks. Teammates Abbie Lukens and Nikki Kiernan had four kills each and Kiernan had five aces with Madison Volk digging up 10 balls.

NewCath plays host to Lexington Tates Creek at 7:30 p.m. today.

All “A” Soccer updates:

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association originally had the Newport Central Catholic and Bishop Brossart girls soccer teams facing off in the All “A” Sectional today. But NewCath Head Coach Kevin Turnick confirmed the game will be either Tuesday or Wednesday of next week against either Bishop Brossart or Calvary Christian.

NewCath’s next game is Saturday in the RAT Tournament in Ashland. The Lady Breds take on Spencer County at 1 p.m. before facing host Ashland Blazer at 7 p.m.

On the boys side, NewCath will play Bishop Brossart at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Morscher Field. The Thoroughbreds play host to Covington Catholic at 6 p.m. today.

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Saturday Sports Briefs

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds boys soccer team ventured to Falmouth on Saturday and came away with a 4-0 win over the Wildcats.

Highlands (4-3-1) saw Colin Dean, Cole Davis-Roberts, Andrew Barnes and Mitch Gesenhues score goals. Junior Bluebird goalkeeper Nick Breslin played the entire game and recorded a three-save shutout.

Highlands returns to action Tuesday at Covington Catholic. Game time is 6 p.m.

Soccer, Boys:

Newport Central Catholic 2, Boone County 1:

The Thoroughbreds (6-1-1) won their fifth in a row with a road win in Florence and rematch of last year’s 9th Region championship. Boone County won that game 2-0 on its way to a state semifinal finish.

Connor Hanneken and Jacob Hensley scored the NewCath goals. Paul Grosser made eight saves in net for the Thoroughbreds.

NewCath plays host to Covington Catholic at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Volleyball:

Highlands goes 2-3 in September Slam:

The Bluebirds are 4-8 after going 2-3 in the September Slam Tournament on Saturday at Scott.

Highlands beat Pike County Central, 2-0 (25-13, 25-10) and Dixie Heights, 2-0 (25-20, 25-22). But the Bluebirds lost to Conner, 2-1 (16-25, 26-24, 25-20), host Scott, 2-1 (25-15, 16-25, 25-8) and Pulaski Southwestern, 2-0 (26-24, 25-16).

Highlands plays host to Campbell County on Tuesday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

NewCath goes 2-1 in LIVT:

The Thoroughbreds (5-7) came home with two wins on the second day of the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament on Saturday.

NewCath started the day with a 2-1 loss (16-25, 25-18, 25-23) to Lexington Paul Dunbar. Alyssa Maier led the Thoroughbreds with 18 assists and three aces with Rachel McDonald recording eight kills. Laura Brannon followed with four aces and Madison Volk had 13 digs.

The Thoroughbreds then took down Louisville Butler, 2-1 (16-25, 25-22, 25-21).

Maier had 22 assists, three aces and 12 digs with Amanda Ruwe contributing 10 digs and three aces. McDonald had 13 kills and Nikki Kiernan followed with nine. Keyaira Lankheit followed with seven kills and four blocks.

NewCath finished the day with a 2-0 (25-16, 25-22) win over Louisville Presentation.

Maier again led NewCath with 12 assists. Lankheit followed with seven kills and two blocks with McDonald contributing five kills and seven digs.

NewCath plays host to Dayton at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Soccer, Girls:

Newport Central Catholic 1, St. Henry 1:

The Lady Breds (4-1-1) held a 1-0 lead until the host Lady Crusaders tied the game with six minutes remaining Saturday.

Newport Central Catholic’s lone goal came off the feet of Taylor Tolle. Fellow freshman goalkeeper Meg Martin made four saves for the Lady Breds.

NewCath plays county rival Bishop Brossart (5-2) on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the All “A” Sectional Tournament at Pendery Park. Bishop Brossart beat Paris, 5-0 in the 10^th Region All “A” Classic title game Saturday.

Highlands soccer beats Anderson on Special Night for Frink; Tuesday Briefs

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM
Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter
On a memorable night at Tower Park on Tuesday, the Highlands Bluebirds soccer team took down the nearby Cincinnati Anderson Redskins, 6-1.
Both teams used the game to raise funds for to offset medical costs for the family of Highlands junior Clay Frink. Frink was hit by a car in July.
"The whole idea came from Anderson," said Matthew Winkler, Highlands head coach. "Both teams ran with it. It was a good night."
Everyone involved at the game wore a special jersey. The Anderson players wore orange jerseys and the Highlands players wore blue jerseys. The goalkeepers wore red jerseys and the coaches wore gray jerseys. Highlands sold white jerseys to the public.
The Bluebirds ended a three-game winless streak in the process moving to 6-4-1 scoring four goals in the second half. They'd gone 0-2-1 since beating Boone County, 1-0 on Aug. 28.
Cole Davis-Roberts and Ethan Schmits led Highlands with two goals each. Devin Dupont and Franklin Graves scored the other two goals. Michael Cirulli added three assists with Andrew Barnes and Jordan Jarvis adding one each.
"We executed better in the second half," Winkler said. "We got things under control then. Our work rate was higher. We were able to pass through the midfield."
On the other end, Anderson got off just four shots. Highlands goalkeeper Nick Breslin made three saves.
The Bluebirds play again Thursday. They take on Villa Madonna at 5 p.m.
Highlands volleyball loses at Campbell County:
In a battle of two teams trying to get above .500, host Campbell County downed Highlands in volleyball action Tuesday.
The Lady Camels won 3-1 (25-16, 16-25, 25-8, 25-20) to move to 9-8 overall and drop the Ladybirds to 8-9. Highlands has lost two in a row.
Setter Kaitlin Hall led Highlands with 18 assists and Jessica Ginter led the Ladybirds with six kills. Highlands had three other leaders in Katie Van Curen with 16 digs, Mallory Seidel with two blocks, and Frances Tracy with six aces.
Highlands plays host to Covington Holy Cross on Thursday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Assumption shuts out Ladybirds soccer in Lexington Catholic Challenge Cup:
The Louisville Assumption Lady Rockets shut out the Highlands Ladybirds, 4-0 on Tuesday to open the Lexington Catholic Challenge Cup.
Highlands dropped to 2-6-2 and Assumption improved to 9-1-2. The Lady Rockets entered the year as the top-ranked team in Kentucky and have just one loss to Lexington Catholic.
"This is the best team we've played so far," said Tommy Kearns, Highlands head coach. "They're very solid at every position."
Highlands continues to struggle offensively. This marks the sixth time they've not scored in 10 contests. The Ladybirds have just seven goals all season.
Highlands held tight for the first 30 minutes of the game before Assumption scored with nine, four and three minutes left in the half. The Lady Rockets scored once in the second half.
Jesse Daley and Sarah Owen once again split halves at goalkeeper. Daley had five saves in the first half and Owen two in the second half.
Highlands continues in the tournament tonight at 8 p.m. The Ladybirds battle Woodford County.
NCC volleyball takes down Bishop Brossart:
The Newport Central Catholic Lady Breds downed old Region 10 rival Bishop Brossart, 3-1 (25-14, 25-16, 20-25, 25-12) Tuesday.
NewCath improved to 6-13 with the tougher schedule. Brossart fell to 10-3.
Nikki Kiernan had 18 kills and four blocks to lead NewCath. Alyssa Maier followed with 41 assists and Senior Maria Froendhoff had 23 digs and six aces.
The Lady Breds take on Holmes at 7:30 p.m. tonight.
NCC Soccer ties Boone County:
The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds put up some goals in Florence but could not pull out the win.
The Thoroughbreds are 1-5-2 overall. The Rebels are 7-3-1.
Matt Tolle scored two goals for NCC with Conner Heneken and Josh Liles scoring one each. Nathan Grosser had five saves at goal.
NewCath plays again Thursdat at Calvary Christian. Game time is 5 p.m.