By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Nell Fookes, the most successful coach in the history of 9th Region girls basketball, was inducted into the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday in Owensboro. Scott Draud and Doug Schloemer, two former all-state boys basketball players from the 9th Region, were also among this year’s 12-member induction class.
This year’s inductees into the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame included, left to right, Scott Draud, Nell Fookes and Doug Schloemer.
Fookes was head coach of the Boone County girls basketball program for 30 years. Her teams compiled a 686-255 record and won nine 9th Region championships. She holds 9th Region records for most career wins and most regional titles.
None of her Boone County teams won a state championship, but two of them made it to the final four in the girls state tournamment.
Draud was a high-scoring guard for Highlands before the 3-point shot was added to high school basketball. He led the state in scoring twice, averaging 30.5 in 1984-85 and 35.3 in 1985-86.
Draud finished his varsity career with 2,865 points. He was the all-time scoring leader in 9th Region boys basketball for 28 years before that mark was broken in 2014 by Brandon Hatton of Dixie Heights.
Schloemer became the first 9th Region player named Mr. Kentucky Basketball in 1978 after leading Holmes to the “Sweet 16” state championship game. As a four-year starter for the Bulldogs, he scored 2,617 total points.
Holmes won three straight 9th Region championships with Schloemer in the lineup. He made a game-winning shot at the buzzer in the 1977 regional final and posted a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds in the 1978 title game.
Three St. Henry volleyball players on pre-season all-state watch list
All three returning starters on the St. Henry volleyball that made it to the semifinals of the state tournament last year are on the pre-season all-state watch list compiled by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association.
Taylor Preston
The St. Henry nominees are senior middle blocker Zoe Epplen, sophomore libero Abby Schaefer and sophomore middle blocker Taylor Preston, who was the leading hitter in last year’s state tournament with a .587 percentage in nine sets.
Ryle sophomore Lucy Trump, who was voted first-team all-state last season, made the watch list along with third-team all-state nominee Irene Wogenstahl of Dixie Heights.
The other local players on the watch list are Kaitlyn Luebbers and Holland Morris of Cooper, Torie Houston and Torri Wurtz of Holy Cross, Jada Gentry of Lloyd, Abby Powers of Notre Dame, Madison McCloskey of Newport Central Catholic and Gabby Kallmeyer of Scott.
The Kentucky high school volleyball season will begin Monday, Aug. 19. Local teams will compete in the 8th, 9th and 10th Region post-season playoffs in October.
Simon Kenton grad wins four medals at Junior Olympic track meet
Sophia Delisio, a recent graduate of Simon Kenton High School, earned medals in four events at the AAU Junior Olympic national track and field meet held last week in Greensboro, N.C.
A member of the BCK Track Club, Delisio competed in the girls 17-18 age division. She placed fourth in the 3,000-meter run, sixth in the 2000 steeplechase and seventh in the 1500 run. She was also a member of the 4×800 relay team that placed seventh.
Last fall, Delisio won her third Class 3A regional title in cross country and placed eighth in the state meet. She will continue her distance running career at Northern Kentucky University.
CovCath grad among college basketball players touring Croatia
Covington Catholic graduate Cole Von Handorf is one of nine college basketball players selected for the Global Sports Academy (GSA) team that will take part in a summer tour in Croatia that begins Wednesday.
A junior guard on the Fairmont State University basketball team, Von Handorf and his GSA teammates will play games and perform community service projects during a nine-day tour of the European country.
Last season, Von Handorf started every game for the 22-9 Fairmont State team that qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs. He averaged 10 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Falcons.
Walton teenager competing in Pan-Am Games with U.S. swim team
Mariah Denigan of Walton is the only Kentucky resident on the United States swimming team that will be competing in the Pan-Am Games in Lima, Peru, starting on Wednesday.
Denigan, 16, who is taking online high school classes at home, is scheduled to compete in the women’s 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle and 400 individual medley events at the international games for North, South and Central America nations.
A member of the Northern Kentucky Clippers club team, Denigan won a bronze medal in the 5K event at the World Junior Open Water Championships in Israel last summer.
