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G. Michael Graham |
Each year
has many great memories.
This past
basketball season provided its own great set of them. Both the Newport Central
Catholic teams earned a number of championships and the Highlands teams showed
they have great futures in different ways.
No one will
soon forget Michaela Ware’s heroics in the 9th Region girls basketball title
game as the Thoroughbreds edged defending champion Notre Dame, 48-46. The
junior point guard took the ball in the back court with about nine seconds left
in overtime, dribbled toward the basket off a nice pick from Alexus Mayes and
scored with about a second left to lift NewCath to its fourth region crown
since 2003.
Down at
Bowling Green, the Thoroughbreds gave a valiant effort against eventual state
champion Louisville Butler. In fact, no one came closer than NewCath’s 54-52
loss in the first round of the state tournament. That culminated an impressive
29-5 mark. It also included a fifth 36th District championship in six years in
addition to an eighth straight All “A” 9th Region crown and Gateway Holiday
Classic title at Montgomery County.
The
Thoroughbreds will definitely miss senior post Nikki Kiernan. She finished her
career with 1,869 points and 1,139 rebounds. She posted a double-double many
nights and constantly drew plenty of attention in the paint. It will take a
collective effort to replace her next season. Stephanie Lewis and Chelsea
Schack also graduate for NewCath.
Ware will
lead the Thoroughbreds next fall. Alexus Mayes and Ansley Davenport are the
other two returning starters. But players like Sarah Neace in addition to Meg
Martin and Taylor Tolle will need to pick up their games to keep the tradition
on The Hill going.
Their male
counterparts also finished with an impressive 29-4 record including 22 in a
row. The Thoroughbreds again fell short of their main goal of winning their
first 9th Region crown since 2000.
But they
still have plenty to be proud of. The Thoroughbreds claimed their second
straight All “A” State Tournament and their sixth straight 36th District title.
NewCath also beat state powers Knott County Central, Cordia twice, Louisville
Pleasure Ridge Park and Louisville Trinity.
It was hard
to pick your poison with them each and every night. They started three players
at 6-foot-5-inches and above in Ben Weyer, Drew McDonald and Jake Schulte. Then
Grant Moeves, Tanner Moeves and Zack Pangallo could burn you from outside so
teams could not double the posts easily.
Tanner
Moeves and Schulte will play college basketball next year. Tanner Moves is
going to nearby Thomas More and Schulte will play at South Carolin-Upstate in
the Atlantic Sun with Northern Kentucky University. Reserves Mac Franzen, Josh
Verkamp and Tyler Rawe also graduate.
But the
Thoroughbreds will be right back in the thick of things. They will just need to
figure out a rotation including a fifth starter. A list of candidates includes
Jacob Smith, Brian Anderson and Eric Anderson.
Few people
knew what to expect in Fort Thomas with both Highlands teams. The Ladybirds
graduated six starters from the previous year’s 9th Region runner-up squad and
the Bluebirds started over with first-year Head Coach Kevin Listerman.
The
Ladybirds made it back to the region semifinals losing once again to Notre
Dame. But they finished with a 23-8 mark and lose one senior in Tomi Blanton
off that team. That showed their time is coming soon.
Highlands
saw any of its five starters light it up on any given night. Sophomore McKenzie
Leigh tore things up in the region tournament. But Alex Combs, Briana Adler, Haley
Coffey and Lydia Graves all had their shining moments. Seventh-grader Zoie
Barth and freshman Kiersten Clukey in addition to Blanton also provided big
lifts off the bench. They sky is the limit for them if they stay as dedicated
as they were this past offseason.
Highlands
had plenty of big wins this year. The biggest one came on Jan. 3 at Newport
Central Catholic, 45-40. The Ladybirds had not won there since 1999.
The
Bluebirds did go through their struggles losing their first six games before
finishing 9-15. But they found an identity toward the end of the season and it
paid off with a huge 75-64 win over Newport in the 36th District semifinals
good for their first trip to the 9th Region Tournament in two years.
Highlands
graduates six seniors. But the Bluebirds do return two starters in Parker
Harris and Mitch Cain. Harris scored in double-digits in all three Highlands
postseason games.
That brings
the offseason. This is where individuals develop and help build more memories
come next season.
Note: Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter G. Michael Graham has covered high school sports in Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, Texas and Tennessee since 1993.
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