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Prep Sports Notebook: Murphy welcomes the opportunity to coach Kentucky All-Stars team


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Thirty-one years ago, Kes Murphy was a ball boy during the Kentucky-Indiana All-Stars Classic boys basketball game in Louisville and got to watch the best high school seniors from the neighboring states battle it out up close.

Murphy, who is now girls head coach at Notre Dame Academy, will be a part of the annual basketball showcase once again this year as an assistant coach for the Kentucky All-Stars girls team. He will then be head coach of the team next year.

Kes Murphy

“As soon as I got it, I responded immediately,” Murphy said of the email he received about coaching the team. “It’s a bucket list opportunity for me. It’s a huge honor and I never thought I’d get the opportunity to do it.”

Four years ago, Murphy was named Coach of the Year in Kentucky after his Holy Cross team won the All “A” Classic small-school state tournament and then became the first 9th Region team to win the state championship in the post-season playoffs.

He left Holy Cross last spring to take charge of the Notre Dame program. In his first season, he guided the Pandas to their best record (20-13) in the last five years with only one senior and one junior on the roster.

Murphy said tryouts for the Kentucky All-Stars boys and girls teams are scheduled to start April 20 in Elizabethtown. The players selected will get together in late May to practice for the boys and girls doubleheaders against the Indiana All-Stars on June 7 at Bellarmine University in Louisville and June 8 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

In addition to working with the senior all-star team, Murphy said he’ll coach a team of juniors in a scrimmage game against them. “Everything is still being worked out,” he said. “I don’t have a full agenda yet, but it’s coming soon.”

Invitations to the senior all-star tryouts go to the Player of the Year selections in each region. The list includes Lauren Schwartz of Ryle and Zoie Barth of Highlands, who were co-winners in the girls 9th Region. The boys selections included Tahj Harding of Newport in the 9th Region and Dionte Miles of Walton-Verona in the 8th Region.

Menefee resigns as Campbell County girls basketball coach

Beau Menefee has resigned as Campbell County girls basketball coach after compiling a 110-53 record and winning one 10th Region championship over the past five seasons.

“I am stepping back to attend to some recent family matters,” he said in a text message. “My plan is to continue coaching in the future. I hope the Lady Camels basketball team can build off our achievements these past five years.”

Campbell County had four consecutive 20-win seasons under Menefee before finishing 14-15 this year. He said it was the most wins over a five-year period in the history of the program. In 2016, Menefee was named Coach of the Year in Northern Kentucky after the Camels won the 10th Region championship and posted the program’s first state tournament victory.

Menefee was named 10th Region Coach of the Year by the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches in 2016 and 2018, when his team climbed to No. 2 in the state power rankings and finished with a 29-4 record.

Campbell County is one of three Northern Kentucky high schools with a head coaching vacancy to fill. Walton-Verona and Ryle have both posted an opening for a boys head basketball coach.

Player of the Year from Highlands going to Kentucky Wesleyan

Ben Sisson, the leading scorer and rebounder on the Highlands boys basketball team last season, has signed a letter of intent with  Kentucky Wesleyan.

The 6-foot-5 center was named Division II Player of the Year by local coaches after averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Bluebirds, who posted winning record (20-12) for the first time in nine years. He also shot 67.7 percent from the field, which was among the state leaders.

“To persevere through injury as a junior and have the senior season he had is a tribute to his commitment to the process of getting better every day,” said Highlands coach Kevin Listerman. 

Volleyball players to sign letters of intent with club members

Morgan Kelly of Cooper and Shannon Gormley of Notre Dame will sign letters of intent with NCAA Division I volleyball teams during the Northern Kentucky Volleyball Club’s annual Senior Signing Day at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Town & Country Athletic Center in Wilder.

Kelly is a middle and outside hitter recruited by Duquesne University in Pittsburg. Gormally is an outside hitter headed for Florida International University. They are teammates on the NKVC Tsunami 18-under select team.

Four club players from Ohio high schools will also be signing with Division I teams on Sunday. The club will also celebrate Kayla Kluemper of St. Henry signing with Chapman University of California and Marley Jackson of Covington Latin signing with Indiana Tech.


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