Cancellation

The Highlands Bluebirds could not open the season against Conner on Tuesday because of the weather. Highlands travels to Walton-Verona on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Highlands-Newport softball cancelled

The Highlands Ladybirds softball team scheduled its season-opener at Newport on Tuesday. But it was cancelled because of cold weather.

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). 

Fourth title in Five Years for Ladybirds

Highlands handles NewCath for 36th crown

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. The Highlands Ladybirds basketball team captured its third straight 36th District championship with a 69-41 win over Newport Central Catholic on Thursday at Dayton. This also marks the fourth crown in five years and the sixth one since Jaime Walz-Richey became head coach in 2002.

DAYTON - It became evident in early January the 36th District Girls Basketball Tournament would be the Blue and White's to lose.

But instead of playing like that, the Highlands Ladybirds (22-8 overall) made it their tournament to dominate. They finished off the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds (12-16), 69-41 to win their third straight district championship and fourth in the last five years Thursday at Dayton.

Tough Ending for Bluebird hoops

Wildcats pull away in fourth quarter

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands senior Bryce Traylor (14) puts up a shot in the 36th District semifinals Wednesday at Dayton. Traylor scored 13 points in the 73-50 Bluebird loss to Newport.

One wonderful stretch saw the Blue and White win six out of seven games.

But unfortunately, the Highlands Bluebirds (12-17 overall) could not bring any magic from that stretch into the last couple games of the season and carry it into the postseason. The second-seeded Bluebirds lost their last four games as a result including a 73-50 defeat to the third-seeded Newport Wildcats (15-15) Wednesday in the 36th District semifinals.

Runaway Win for Ladybirds

Ladybirds handle Ladycats in district semifinals

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands eighth-grader Rory O'Hara puts up a free throw in Tuesday's 36th District semifinal game against Newport.

DAYTON - It may seem odd to think about it.

After all, the Highlands Ladybirds basketball team won its four 36th District seed games by an average of 34.75 points during the regular season on its way to a fourth straight top seed in the district tournament. Add to that, the Ladybirds have lost just once in the district semifinals in Jaime Walz-Richey's 15-year tenure as head coach. That came by a 55-47 score in 2010 when the district used a blind draw format.