By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
FRANKFORT, Ky. — A pair of Northern Kentucky high school basketball teams picked up historic victories in the Kentucky Touchstone Energy All “A” Classic championship finals on Sunday at the Frankfort Convention Center.
Holy Cross edged Murray, 47-46, in the girls’ title game to earn their school’s first state championship trophy in girls’ basketball. A few hours later, the Newport Central Catholic boys’ team whipped Monroe County, 78-36, to become the first team to win the small-school state tournament three consecutive years. This was also the first time that two 9th Region teams swept the girls’ and boys’ state titles in the same year since the classic began in 1990.
With 10 seconds left in the girls’ championship game, Holy Cross senior forward Ally Mayhaus drove the baseline and hit a short jump shot to give her team a one-point lead. Murray rushed up the court and got off one last shot, but it came up short.
Mayhaus wasn’t supposed to take what turned out to be the game-winning shot. During a timeout before that play, Holy Cross coach Kes Murphy told her to pass the ball to one of her teammates after she received it. But the senior made a split-second decision that paid off.
“I knew I had to get it to Dejah Turner, but she wasn’t open and I saw that the back door (to the basket) was wide open so I just drove and it went in,” Mayhaus said.
Newport Central Catholic’s boys’ team became the first school to win three consecutive All A Classic titles when it topped Monroe County (Terry Boehmker Photos)
Turner scored a team-high 14 points for Holy Cross in the title game and was named most valuable player on the all-tournament team. During the timeout before Mayhaus’ game-winning play, Turner had a feeling she would be closely guarded and may not be able to get the ball.
“I told Ally they’re going to be watching for that so she had to have confidence in herself and take it down the baseline and she was going to score,” Turner said.
After Murray guard Elizabeth Grogan made two free throws to give her team a 46-43 lead, the Tigers intentionally fouled Turner to keep Holy Cross from getting off a 3-point attempt.
Turner hit both free throws and Holy Cross immediately applied full-court defensive pressure that forced Murray to commit a turnover under the Indians’ basket. That set up the game-winning play by Mayhaus, who was 2-for-8 from the field at that point in the game.
“She showed a whole lot of courage,” coach Murphy said. “We believe in her no matter what and we knew eventually that would pay off.”
Trailing 24-22 at halftime, Holy Cross opened the third quarter with a 17-6 run that included baskets from six different players. But both of Murray’s guards hit 3-point shots in the final minute of the period to trim the Indians’ lead to 39-36. In the fourth quarter, Holy Cross scored six of its eight points at the free throw line. The team’s only field goal was the game-winner by Mayhaus.
“Coach told us we had to keep fighting until the very end,” Mayhaus said. “That’s what we did and we got the win.”
NewCath made the first basket in the All “A” Classic boys’ championship game and never fell behind. The Thoroughbreds had a 39-23 lead at halftime and put the game away with a 20-9 scoring run in the third quarter.
NewCath coach Ron Dawn pulled his starters early in the fourth quarter, but the officials still had to institute a running clock toward the end of the game because the margin was so wide.
“I thought this was going to be a tough one for us,” Dawn said. “I never dreamt that we’d get a running clock in the finals of this tournament. Our guys just keep getting better and better.”
NewCath junior forward Ben Weyer had his best game of the tournament in the championship final. He scored a game-high 26 points, hitting nine of 12 field goal attempts that included two 3-pointers and a couple of slam dunks.
“He was unbelievable,” coach Dawn said. “He struggled a little bit with his shooting through out this tournament, but he stepped up huge today. And he guarded their best player the whole game.”
Weyer’s defensive assignment was to keep Monroe County senior guard Dillon Geralds in check. Gerald finished with 12 points, five below his season average coming into the tournament.
Monroe County ended up shooting just 27 percent (13 of 48) from the field and was held to less than 50 points for the first time in 25 games this season. NewCath shot 63 percent (29 of 46) from the field and had 40-17 rebounding advantage.
NewCath senior point guard Zack Pangallo scored 12 points and tied a tournament record with 12 assists in the championship game. That’s why he was named most valuable player on the all-tournament team.
“Zack played good in all these games,” Weyer said. “He’s been getting us the ball and knocking down shots. When he does that we’re a pretty tough team to beat.”
This is the second consecutive year that Pangallo has received the tournament’s most valuable player award. But his No. 1 goal this season is leading the Thoroughbreds to their first 9th Region title since 2000 in the post-season playoffs that begin in three weeks.
“We’ve just got to keep moving forward and keep getting better every day,” Pangallo said. “In March, hopefully, we can play our best and get down to Rupp Arena (for the post-season state tournament).”
