By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Michael Mayer, a two-way starter on the 14-0 Covington Catholic football team, has been named the Kentucky Player of the Year by Gatorade.
Michael Mayer
Mayer is the first CovCath football player to receive the annual award, which recognizes athletic excellence along with academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field. The University of Notre Dame recruit will close out his high school career playing in the Class 5A state championship game on Saturday.
During his senior season, Mayer has made a team-high 90 tackles with four interceptions at the linebacker position. As a tight end, he’s CovCath’s leading pass receiver with 45 catches for 902 yards. He has also scored a team-high 110 points.
In the classroom, Mayer has maintained a 3.49 GPA. He recorded volunteer service hours with Hosea House, Rose Garden Home Mission and a soup kitchen.
As part of Gatorade’s Play It Forward marketing platform, the award-winner from each state has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of his choosing. Mayer is also eligible for the Gatorade National Player of the Year in football that will be announced in December.
Scherr will not play in Hoops for Harvest basketball game
The Ryle girls basketball team will not have senior floor leader Maddie Scherr in the lineup for Saturday’s game against Pickerington Central of Ohio in the Hoops for Harvest Showcase at Dixie Heights High School.
Scherr did not play in her team’s 60-33 loss to Simon Kenton on Thursday due to an undisclosed injury. Ryle coach Katie Haitz said “she should be healed soon,” but the all-state guard won’t be on the court for Saturday’s game against Pickerington Central, the Ohio Division I state runner-up last season and state champion in 2018.
Ryle won its first Kentucky state championship last March and Scherr was named most valuable player on the all-state tournament team. She was widely recruited and signed a letter of intent with the University of Oregon last summer.
Here’s the nine-game schedule for the Hoops for Harvest Showcase at Dixie Heights that includes teams from five states:
10 a.m. — Highlands vs. Princeton (Ohio), 11:20 a.m. — Mount Notre Dame (Ohio) vs. Whitney Young (Ill.), 12:40 p.m. — Hamilton Heights (Tenn.) vs. Aficentric (Ohio), 2 p.m. — Simon Kenton vs. Louisville Sacred Heart, 3:20 p.m. — Scott vs. Kokomo Northwestern (Ind.), 4:40 p.m. — Indianapolis North Central (Ind.) vs. Bolingbrook (Ill.), 6 p.m. — Ryle vs. Pickerington Central (Ohio), 7:20 p.m. — Dixie Heights vs. Louisville Mercy, 8:40 p.m. — Newark (Ohio) vs. Hamilton Heights (Tenn).
Ryle graduate among 12 finalists for NCAA quarterback award
Ryle graduate Tanner Morgan has been named one of 12 finalists for the Manning Award that’s given to the top quarterback in college football.
Morgan led the Minnesota football team to 1o regular season wins for the first time time since 1905. The Gophers also won seven Big Ten Conference games for the first time in school history.
The red-shirt sophomore has set team single-season records in passing yards (2,975) and touchdowns (28). He has completed 191 of 289 passes for 66 percent and ranks among the top 10 in the nation in passing yards per completion (15.58), yards per attempt (10.29) and passing efficiency (180.40).
Minnesota will find out its New Year’s Day bowl game assignment on Sunday. The possibilities include the Rose Bowl, Citrus Bowl and Outback Bowl, which are all scheduled on Jan. 1.
