By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
Alex Franzen received phone calls from a few college recruiters after his two impressive pitching performances during the state baseball tournament that helped Campbell County make it to the championship game for the first time.
Franzen didn’t give up an earned run in the Camels’ first-round win over Ohio County or their semifinal win over Bullitt East. He pitched a combined total of 15.2 innings in those two games, allowing eight hits with four walks and 15 strikeouts.
Alex Franzen was named to the state all-tournament team after two exceptional pitching performances. (Photo by Jackson Sports Photography)
His masterful performances on the mound prompted calls from coaches at Kentucky Wesleyan, Kentucky State and Lincoln Memorial in Tennessee to set up recruiting visits. He’s also being courted by Midway University in Kentucky and Miami-Hamilton in Ohio.
“It’s all pretty cool,” Franzen said of the upswing in attention from college recruiters. “I kind of wish it would have happened a little earlier so I’d have more time to pick. I’m hoping to make a decision by the first week of July at the latest. My goal was (to pick a college) by the end of June, but I’m not sure that’ll happen because it’s all pretty competitive.”
After Campbell County lost to Louisville St. Xavier, 1-0, in the state championship game last Saturday, Franzen was named to the state all-tournament team along with teammates Connor Walsh and Matt Reynolds.
Franzen actually started out as a catcher in the Campbell County baseball program. He joined the pitching staff last year and was primarily used as a reliever. The right-hander earned a spot in the starting rotation for his senior season and posted a 12-3 record. He gave up 25 earned runs in 103 innings with 117 strikeouts.
Before the playoffs began, Franzen was interested in playing on the first baseball team at Midway, which was a private school for women until earlier this year when it decided to admit male students and add men’s soccer, basketball and baseball to its athletic program.
He plans to visit the Midway campus next week. With offers from more established college baseball programs on the table, however, he has a lot to consider before making a commitment.
“It’s all pretty exciting,” Franzen said. “I can’t really complain with the situation I’m in now.”
Ludlow rehires basketball coach who resigned earlier this year
One of the applications Ludlow High School officials received for boys’ head basketball coach came from the man who was in charge of the Panthers’ program the last three years.
Randy Wofford
Randy Wofford, who resigned as head coach at the end of last season, had a change of heart and wanted to return. But the job had already been posted and interviews were underway so he had to submit an application and go through the process like everyone else.
“I talked to the kids (on the team) after they contacted me a few times wanting me to come back,” Wofford said. “I really wanted to help the kids. It’s all about them after all, and that’s what happened.”
Wofford was re-hired as Ludlow’s head coach based on his past success with the team. The Panthers won the Division III conference championship the last three years without losing a game to any of their small-school rivals. The team’s overall record was 43-42 during that three-year span.
Wofford will have two starters returning from last year’s team and some promising players coming up from the junior varsity squad who want to continue their string of conference titles.
“We’re going to be young, but we’re going to get after it and be as good as we can be,” Wofford said.
Three Northern Kentucky boys’ basketball teams did hire new head coaches for next season. Those vacancies were filled by Matt Otte at Conner, Ken Collopy at Newport Central Catholic and Steve Frommeyer at Scott.
Three local players named first team all-state by baseball coaches
Three baseball players from Northern Kentucky were named first team all-state by the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association for the 2016 season.
Brayden Combs and Ethan Stringer of Beechwood and Jake Ziegelmeyer of Ryle were among the top 22 players selected by the association. Ziegelmeyer and Combs were nominated by local coaches after being named the top players in Division I and Division II in the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference.
Kyle Rowe of Beechwood was named second-team all-state. Local players selected to the third team were Jeff Purnell of Boone County, Cory Franzen of Campbell County and Kori Embs of Brossart. The honorable mention list included Jake Ohmer and Andrew Trame of Scott and Colton Hartig of Campbell County.
