NCC wins behind Kiernan's triple-double

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds girls basketball team bounced back from its first loss of the year with a 65-55 victory over the rival Bishop Brossart Lady Mustangs on Monday.

The host Thoroughbreds (6-1) moved to 4-0 at home. The Lady Mustangs fell to 7-2. Their only other loss came to Highlands.

NewCath received a monster game from junior post Nikki Kiernan. She dominated the paint recording a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 12 blocks. Kiernan made all five free-throw attempts.

The Thoroughbreds also saw Alexus Mayes tie Kiernan with 19 points. Teammate Michaela Ware added eight.

Junior guard Madison Eisenman came off the bench to score 20 points to lead the Lady Mustangs. NewCath held Bishop Brossart standouts Sarah Futscher to six points and Abby Stadtmiller to seven.

The Lady Mustangs did shoot better from the free-throw line. They made 14-of-20 for 70 percent and the Thoroughbreds made 25-of-40 for 63 percent.

The game was tied at 13 after the first quarter. But NewCath led 30-27 at halftime.

NewCath travels to 1-7 Lloyd Memorial on Friday. Game time is 7:30 p.m

Highlands falls at Brossart; NCC boys win, girls lose

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds basketball team fell to 2-2 with a 68-38 loss at undefeated Bishop Brossart (6-0) on Friday.

The Bluebirds fell behind 34-17 at halftime and never recovered. They are 0-2 away from Fort Thomas on the young season.

Highlands saw eight different players score. But none hit double-digits as Drew Houliston led the way with nine points and Jake Gronotte scored eight.

The Mustangs saw 10 player score. Justin Saunders led Bishop Brossart with 20 and Alex Trentman added 16.

Bishop Brossart hit five three-pointers and Highlands made two. Spencer Hackworth made two for the Mustangs with Trentman, Saunders and Austin Shannon all making one. Houliston and Luke Turner made one three-pointer a piece for the Bluebirds.

The Bluebirds head to Bracken County for a 3 p.m. contest today.

Newport Central Catholic boys 75, Glen Este 49:

The Thoroughbreds (5-0) stayed undefeated with a dominating win just across the Ohio River in Cincinnati on Friday.

NewCath pulled away in the second half. The Thoroughbreds outscored the Trojans, 49-22 during that time frame.

Sophomore Drew McDonald scored 22 points to lead the way for the Thoroughbreds. Teammates Jake Schulte and Michael Buetter followed with 14 and 13 points respectively.

Senior Austin Rieck scored a game-high 24 points for Glen Este. But no other teammate hit double-digits for the Trojans.

NewCath plays host to Louisville Christian Academy (6-1) at 4:30 p.m. today.

Boone County girls 45, Newport Central Catholic 37:

In a battle of two teams with the last four 9th Region championships, the Lady Rebels pulled away in the second half for the win.

NewCath junior forward Nikki Kiernan led the way with 21 points. She had 16 at halftime including the first eight of the game.

But Boone County took her out in the second half with a box-and-chase defense led by Alexis Switzer and Tennessee Tech recruit Jessica Jones. Jones and Switzer also ended up leading the Lady Rebels with 13 and 11 points respectively.

NewCath had been hitting shots from the outside. But that did not happen Friday. The Lady Breds made just 15-of-60 for 25 percent overall and just 3-for-23 for 13 percent from three-point range.

Kiernan made two three-pointers and Alexus Mayes had the other on her way to 13 points. But NewCath scored just three points by Stephanie Lewis outside Kiernan and Mayes. On the other side, Boone County saw six players score.

NewCath returns home Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. to face 6-1 Bishop Brossart. The Lady Mustangs’ lone loss came to Highlands.

Lady Breds remain undefeated

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds girls basketball team remained unbeaten with another lopsided win Tuesday.

The Breds (5-0) crossed the Licking River and dominated the Covington Holmes Lady Bulldogs (2-4), 69-41. NewCath beat Lexington Catholic by that same score on Friday. NewCath improved to 3-0 against 9th Region opponents and has won all five contests by at least 13 points.

Nikki Kiernan led NewCath with 20 points and six rebounds. The junior scored 10 points in the third quarter.

But the Breds saw three other players reach double-digits. They were Stephanie Lewis with 13 including three three-pointers, Loren Zimmerman with 11, and Michaela Ware with 11.

“Our pressure got to them,” said George Stoll, NewCath head coach. “We forced some turnovers. We shot the ball pretty well against their zone.”

NewCath finished the first quarter with a 13-0 run and never trailed again. The Breds led 36-16 at halftime. NewCath made 13-of-17 free throws for 76 percent and Holmes made just 8-of-15 for 53 percent.

Holmes did play without injured DeAsia Turner. Stoll said Turner may return soon. Tamra Holder led the Lady Bulldogs with 11 points and Jameela Salaah had 10.

NewCath travels to Boone County (2-3) for a 6:30 p.m. contest Friday. The two have combined to win the last four 9th Region titles. Boone County eliminated NewCath in the first round of region play last year.

The Lady Rebels graduated Sydney Moss and Lydia Nash from last year’s 9th Region champion team. They come into the game off a 61-44 loss at Lexington Catholic on Tuesday.

Highlands downs Bellevue; NCC bests MC

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The host Highlands Bluebirds basketball team moved to 2-0 with a convincing 78-38 victory over the 36th District rival Bellevue Tigers on Saturday.

Highlands led 20-4 after the first quarter and 48-19 at halftime. This marked the first loss for the Tigers (2-1).

The Bluebirds saw 12 different players score with three in double-digits. Luke Turner led the way with 12 with Drew Houliston and Bailey Witte scoring 11 each and Nick True tallying nine.

Bellevue saw 10 different players score. Senior Joseph Hornback led the way with 13 points.

Highlands travels to Dixie Heights (3-1) for a huge 9th Region contest Tuesday. Game time is 7:30 p.m. The Colonels have won three in a row since opening the year with a 65-63 loss to Newport Central Catholic.

Girls Hoops:

Newport Central Catholic 58, Montgomery County 45

The Lady Breds ventured to Mount Sterling on Saturday and came away still undefeated at 4-0.

The Lady Indians fell to 2-2. They’ve won the 10th Region seven of the previous eight seasons.

Freshman Ansley Davenport led the way with 20 points for the Lady Breds. Teammate Michaela Ware followed with 10 points and seven assists.

The Lady Breds travel to Covington Holmes (2-3) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Bluebirds open with win; Lady Breds down LexCath

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The host Highlands Bluebirds basketball team opened Friday with a 60-59 overtime win over the St. Henry Crusaders (0-5).

“It was a hard-fought game,” said Mike Flynn, Highlands head coach. “It went back-and-forth. Neither team led by more than four the entire second half.”

Bailey Witte led Highlands with 19 points and Drew Houliston scored 13. Witte hit a shot inside with eight seconds left to send the game into overtime and Luke Turner hit two free throws in overtime to put the Bluebirds up for good.

The Crusaders also saw two players reach double-digits. They were Jordan Noble with 16 and Darius Mieman with 13.

Highlands takes on Bellevue (2-0) at 7:30 p.m. tonight back in Fort Thomas.

NCC girls 69, Lexington Catholic 41:

The host Lady Breds moved to 3-0 with an impressive win over the Lady Knights (1-3) Friday.

NewCath led 15-4 after the first quarter and 33-15 at halftime. Junior standout forward Nikki Kiernan scored 13 of her game-high 29 points in the second quarter.

Kiernan added eight rebounds and a blocked shot. Teammates Stephanie Lewis and Alexus Mayes followed with 15 and nine points respectively. Mayes had 10 rebounds and Lewis had six.

“We shot the ball really well,” said George Stoll, NCC head coach. “We’re a tough team to zone. We played hard. We’re a pretty balanced team even though we’re young.”

The Lady Knights saw two players reach double-digits in scoring. They were Bailey Browning with 16 and Octavia Wilson with 11 points and eight rebounds.

NewCath travels to defending 10th Region champion Montgomery County (2-1) for a 4:30 p.m. contest today.

Lady Breds beat Newport in Stoll's debut as head coach

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The George Stoll Era started off well Saturday.

The Newport Central Catholic Lady Breds basketball team knocked off in-town rival Newport (1-3), 63-23. It marked the first game as head coach for Stoll.

Junior post Nikki Kiernan controlled the post like recent years. Kiernan finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four blocks.

NewCath saw three others in double-digits after Kiernan. They were Stephanie Lewis with 12 followed by Ansley Davenport and Alexus Mayes with 10 each.

The Lady Breds take on Beechwood (1-0) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

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.”