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Prep Sports Notebook: Beechwood upsets CovCath in 35th District baseball championship game


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Beechwood scored five runs in the first two innings and went on to defeat Covington Catholic, 8-4, in the 35th District baseball championship game on Monday at Beechwood.

In the latest Prep Baseball Report Kentucky state rankings, CovCath (32-2-1) was No. 6 and Beechwood (28-6) was No. 13. It was the Colonels’ first loss to an in-state opponent this season.

Beechwood players hoist the championship trophy after their win over CovCath in the 35th District final.

This was the eighth consecutive year that CovCath and Beechwood faced off in the district final, not counting the cancelled 2020 season. Four of the previous seven games were decided by one run, but the Tigers led by four or more runs through out Monday’s game.

Beechwood sophomore Mitchell Berger was named the tournament’s most valuable player after his performance in the district final. He pitched all seven innings and went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs batted in.

Sophomore catcher Bryce Estep also had three hits for the Tigers and junior first baseman Tanner Jackson knocked in a pair of runs. CovCath senior catcher Max McCauley had two hits and two RBI for the Colonels.

Beechwood and CovCath both advance to the 9th Region tournament. The eight-team bracket also includes Ryle and Conner from the 33rd District, Dixie Heights and St. Henry from the 34th District, Highlands and Newport Central Catholic from the 36th District.

The draw to determine first-round pairings is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Ryle High School. Games will be played at UC Health Stadium in Florence.

Scott and Campbell County earned berths in the 10th Region tournament. The 8th Region bracket will include Walton-Verona and Simon Kenton.

Newcomers among eight teams in 9th Region softball tournament

Eight teams have secured berths in the 9th Region fast-pitch softball tournament and two of them have never been in the bracket before.

Villa Madonna and Cooper earned their first trip to the region tournament by making it to district finals. Villa Madonna lost to Dixie Heights, 13-1, in the 34th District final on Monday. Cooper will play Boone County in the 33rd District final on Wednesday.

The other district finalists advancing to the region are Notre Dame and Beechwood from the 35th District and Highlands and Dayton from the 36th District.

Boone County (20-10) will take a 12-game win streak into the 33rd District final against Cooper (21-12) at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Conner. Cooper won both games it played against Boone County during the regular season by scores of 9-0 and 9-4.

A draw to determine first-round pairings for the 9th Region tournament will be conducted after all the district championship games are completed. The region tournament will be played at Dixie Heights High School.

Brossart and Campbell County have clinched berths in the 10th Region softball tournament and Simon Kenton will play in the 8th Region tournament.

CovLatin sophomore among top seeds for state tennis tournament

Covington Latin sophomore Sara Wantanabe is seeded No. 3 in the girls singles bracket for the state tennis tournament at begins Tuesday at the University of Kentucky.

Two weeks ago, Wantanabe became her school’s first 9th Region champion in girls singles since 2001 when she defeated Cooper senior Ellie Zureick, 7-5, 6-4, in the region finals at Notre Dame.

Zureick was placed among the No. 5 to No. 8 seeds in girls singles for the state tournament. None of the other state qualifiers from Northern Kentucky were seeded any higher than No. 9 in boys and girls singles or doubles.

Tennis players from 11 local schools earned berths in the state tournament. Any of them who win two matches on Tuesday will advance to the round of 16 in singles and doubles to be played Wednesday at Top Seed Tennis Club in Lexington.


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