By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
One of the best comeback stories in Northern Kentucky high school football this season doesn’t involve a player. Chris Vier, a 47-year-old football official who had his lower right leg amputated two years ago, is returning to the varsity level. He’s on an officiating crew assigned to the Rowan County at Grant County game on Friday, Sept. 18.
Vier worked a few scrimmages and 7-on-7 games during the summer wearing a specially designed prosthetic leg with a shock absorber unit. He plans to work some freshman and junior varsity football games over the next few weeks before making his return to high school varsity action on Sept. 18.
Chris Vier
“I don’t want to rush into it,” he said. “I’m still working with my prosthetic to try and make sure I don’t have issues. During the course of a game, it’s fine. It’s just the aftermath. The moisture builds up and it’s almost like a heat rash from friction kind of thing.”
Vier’s injury took place two years ago when he was head linesman on an officiating crew that volunteered for the Northern Kentucky East-West Senior All-Star Game. He suffered a broken bone in his lower right leg when players collided with him during the game. Doctors later discovered an infection in the bone known as osteomyelitis. Instead of going through multiple surgical treatments to try and restore the infected bone, Vier decided to have doctor’s amputate the leg below the knee.
A lot of people involved with Northern Kentucky high school football showed their support for Vier, who has a wife and four children. He received donations from the local high school coaches and officials associations. Two high school teams – Covington Catholic and Highlands – also had fundraising projects for him.
Vier didn’t let the loss of his leg put limitations on his life. He returned to work and found the prosthetic leg that would allow him to return to football officiating.
“It was depressing for a while,” he said. “I didn’t have a job and then not being able to go back to what I wanted to do. Things are definitely turning around now. I’m employed and I’m able to officiate high school football again. I’ve been a lot happier the last month or so.”
Boone County football team retiring former player’s jersey number
The Boone County High School football team will retire the jersey number 46 worn by Craig Mullins in a ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday before the kickoff of its season-opening home game against Lexington Catholic.
Mullins, who died in May after battling cancer, was quarterback and captain of the first Boone County team to reach the Class 4A state championship game in 1986.
He continued his playing career at Georgetown College and later joined the coaching staff there. He was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Georgetown teams that won NAIA national championships in 2000 and 2001. When he passed away, Mullins was an assistant coach at Morehead State University.
Mullins is the fourth Boone County football player to have his number retired by the team. The others are Irv Goode, George Rudd and Shaun Alexander.
There will also be a permanent memorial unveiled at the stadium on Friday. Two plaques were created to honor Mullins for his playing and coaching career as well as the positive influence he had on the football community around the state.
Notre Dame volleyball player on runner-up team in world championships
Morgan Hentz
Notre Dame Academy volleyball player Morgan Hentz was a member of the U.S. national team that was runner-up in the 2015 Girls’ U18 World Championships in Lima, Peru.
Hentz played libero and outside hitter for the U.S. team that won three of four matches in pool play to earn a berth in the single-elimination bracket. The team then won three more matches before losing to Italy in the world championship final last Sunday.
Hentz, a Stanford University recruit, came off the bench in all three games of the championship final against Italy. She had one dig and one shot, according to the final statistics.
Earlier this summer, Hentz was one of six players from local high schools on the Northern Kentucky Volleyball Club (NKYVC) team that placed second in the National Division of the girls’ 17-under age group at the USA Girls Junior National Championships in New Orleans.
Holy Cross girls’ basketball team unveils state championship street signs
Two bright green road signs on Winston Avenue in Latonia recognize the Holy Cross High School girls’ basketball team that won the 2015 state tournament.
The signs were unveiled last Friday with Covington Mayor Sherry Carran and several city council members joining the Holy Cross players and coaches for the ceremony.
Holy Cross became the first 9th Region girls’ basketball team to win the Kentucky High School Athletic Association post-season state tournament last March. In the championship game, senior forward Abby Hassert made a field goal and free throw with five seconds left to give Holy Cross a 35-32 win over Allen County-Scottsville.
The Holy Cross state championship team will also be honored at an upcoming Cincinnati Reds baseball game, according to coach Kes Murphy.
