Weyer helps NC to state semifinals

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Fort Thomas resident Ben Weyer puts up a shot in the state quarterfinals against Murray on Friday. Weyer scored 27 points to help the Thoroughbreds to their first state semifinal appearance since 1953.

Fort Thomas resident Ben Weyer helped the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds basketball team do something it had not done since 1953 when his grandfather Jim played.

Highlands, NewCath girls face tough 35th opponents in 9th semifinals

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior Brianna Adler (10) puts up a three-point shot in the 9th Region Quarterfinals on Monday. Adler averages 11.6 points per game for the Ladybirds.

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Newport Central Catholic sophomore Olivia Schalk makes a move in Tuesday's 9th Region quarterfinal game against Dixie Heights.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS – It is not a surprise the girls 9th Region Tournament comes down to the representatives of these two districts.

Teams from 35th to provide biggest challenges to Highlands, NewCath in 9th Region Tournament

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands sophomore Kiersten Clukey (middle) jumps up for a shot in a recent game against Simon Kenton. Clukey has provided valuable minutes for the 36th District champion Highlands Ladybirds. Highlands (29-3) is looking for its first 9th Region championship since 2001.

COVINGTON – The hope entering Saturday’s 9th Region Basketball Tournament draw was to put yourself in the best position possible against the 35th District teams.

Thoroughbreds capture seventh straight district title

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Newport Central Catholic senior Drew McDonald goes in for a score in a recent game. The 6-foot-7-inch post had a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Thoroughbreds to their seventh straight district championship on Friday.

NEWPORT – No one was expected to deny the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbred boys basketball team its seventh straight district championship.

More cancellations announced

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

More area games were called off because of the weather Wednesday.

Hoops Roundup: Ladybird win streak hits nine

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands senior Lydia Graves (20) tips the ball to Haley Coffey (15) in a recent game. Highlands beat Walton-Verona, 69-50 Saturday to earn its 26th win of the season.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Ladybirds basketball team stepped out of region for the last two games of the regular season.

NC Hoops Roundup: Thoroughbreds win 13th straight

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Newport Central Catholic senior Zack Pangallo (12) goes to the basket in a recent game. NewCath beat Bellevue, 78-39 Wednesday for its 13th straight win.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Make that 29 in a row over 36th District opponents.

Hoops Roundup: Bluebirds give valiant effort in road loss

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior Bo Hebel (55) puts up a shot in Friday's game at Covington Holmes. The Bluebirds put up a fight in the 68-57 loss.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds basketball team (6-14) put up a valiant effort on the home court of a 9th Region contender Friday.

Hoops Roundup: Ladybirds move to 16-1 with non-region win

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands senior Alex Combs (42) fires up a three-point shot in Tuesday's game against Mason County. Highlands won 54-37 to move to 16-1 on the season.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Ladybirds basketball team rolled to another sound victory Tuesday to move to 16-1 on the season.

NewCath teams split Saturday

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. NewCath's Ansley Davenport (3) fires up a shot in Saturday's game over Sacred Heart's Grace Berger (23). Davenport scored 17 points in the 52-45 Throughbred loss.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbred boys basketball team knocked off South Knox (Indiana) on Saturday at New Castle (Indiana).

Highlands bests another rival

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior McKenzie Leigh (31) goes up for a shot against Notre Dame's Allison Gribben in Monday's game. Highlands won 42-34.

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands juniors Haley Coffey (15) and Brianna Adler (10) battle for a rebound in Tuesday's game at Notre Dame. Highlands beat the Pandas for the first time since 2010.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The rival girls basketball team may be down from previous years.

Past basketball season provided great memories

G. Michael Graham

Each year has many great memories.

Region Tournament continues Friday

G. Michael Graham Photo. Newport Central Catholic center Drew McDonald goes up for a shot in Wednesday's 9th Region quarterfinal game against St. Henry. The Thoroughbreds battle Covington Catholic in the semifinals at Noon on Sunday.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Entering the weekend, all four Highlands and Newport Central Catholic basketball teams remain alive in the 9th Region Tournament.

Field set for 9th Region Tournament

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

A coach once said blind draws involve a lot of luck.

Based on that, the Highlands Ladybirds and Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbred girls basketball teams received good draws for the 9th Region Tournaments to be held at Northern Kentucky University’s Bank of Kentucky Center. But that was not so much the case for their male counterparts.

Notre Dame posts low-scoring win over NCC

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The battle of 9th Region contenders turned out a sloppy performance Thursday on the Hill.

All "A" Semifinals: Danville upsets NC

G. Michael Graham Photo. Newport Central Catholic senior Nikki Kiernan takes the pass and scores a fast-break lay-up in Saturday's All "A" Semifinal loss to Danville. Kiernan scored 16 and grabbed 17 rebounds for a double-double.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

FRANKFORT – It did not look good at halftime.

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds trailed the upstart Danville Lady Admirals, 34-24 at that point of the All “A” State Semifinals despite a size advantage because of a bad second quarter. The fears came to fruition as Danville (13-4) pulled a second straight upset, 71-55 Saturday at the Frankfort Convention Center.

NewCath teams advance in All "A" State; Highlands boys down Bellevue

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Experience helped out in this situation.

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds girls basketball team led by just five points in the fourth quarter against the Trimble County Lady Raiders. But NewCath pulled away for a 65-48 All “A” State Tournament quarterfinal win Friday. The game took place at the Frankfort Convention Center.

Girls Hoops: NC dominates Paintsville, HHS falls

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds had no problem in the All “A” Girls State Basketball Tournament opener on Wednesday.

The Thoroughbreds (18-2) dominated the Paintsville Lady Tigers (11-7) by a 56-26 count at the Frankfort Civic Center. They jumped out to a 27-3 advantage after the first quarter and never looked back.

NC Boys advance; Highlands boys and girls, NC girls games cancelled

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

This was supposed to be their biggest challenge in the tournament.

All the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds boys basketball team did was respond with an 83-67 victory over the St. Henry Crusaders in the All “A” 9th Region semifinals Friday at Dayton. NewCath (15-3) has won eight in a row and moved to 10-0 in region action.

NewCath handles Bellevue; Girls basketball Notes

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbred boys basketball team had little trouble in the All “A” 9^th Region opener Monday.

NewCath handled the Bellevue Tigers, 82-24 at Covington Holy Cross. The Thoroughbreds moved to 8-0 against 9th Region competition.