High school athletes geared up for post-season competition in three fall sports this week

By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Northern Kentucky high school athletes will compete for region championships in volleyball and state championships in soccer and cross country this week.

The post-season action begins Monday with first-round matches in three region volleyball tournaments. The 9th Region field includes defending state champion Notre Dame and Ryle, a team that has not lost to a region opponent this season.

Notre Dame soccer players race toward the sidelines to celebrate with friends and family after a 2-1 win over Lexington Catholic on Saturday. (Photo by Bob Jackson)

The two local teams in the 10th Region are Scott and Campbell County. Over the past nine years, Scott has won the region five times and Campbell County has claimed four titles. This season, Campbell County has a 3-0 record against the defending region champs.

Simon Kenton is the only local team in the 8th Region volleyball tournament at Eminence. The Pioneers take a 10-match winning streak and 24-9 record into their first-round match against Trimble County on Tuesday.

In soccer, the Covington Catholic boys and Notre Dame girls won tight matches on Saturday to reach the semifinals of the state tournaments at Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington.

CovCath defeated Somerset, 2-1, in overtime and will play Daviess County at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Notre Dame edged Lexington Catholic, 2-1, to remain undefeated and has a match against West Jessamine at 7 p.m. Thursday. The Pandas have a 26-0-1 record that’s one shy of the state record for most wins in a season.

CovCath won the region’s first and only boys state soccer title in 2015 and was state runner-up in 2016. Notre Dame, a three-time girls state soccer champion, won its last title in 2013.

State cross country meets will be Friday and Saturday at the Bourbon County course in Paris. Last year, Brossart won the Class 1A girls state championship and three local teams placed second — St. Henry in Class 1A boys, Highlands in Class 2A girls and Conner in Class 3A boys.

Volleyball region tournaments

9TH REGION AT CONNER H.S.
Monday
Ryle vs. Newport Central Catholic, 5:30 p.m.
Notre Dame vs. Dixie Heights, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Highlands vs. Cooper, 5:30 p.m.
St. Henry vs. Holy Cross, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Semifinal matches, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Thursday
Championship match, 6 p.m.

10TH REGION AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY H.S.
Monday
Scott vs. Harrison County, 6 p.m.
Montgomery County vs. Bracken County, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday
Campbell County vs. Pendleton County, 6 p.m.
St. Patrick vs. Bourbon County, 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday
Semifinal matches, 6 and 7:45 p.m.
Thursday
Championship match, 6:30 p.m.

8TH REGION AT EMINENCE H.S.
Monday
Eminence vs. Oldham County, 6 p.m.
Woodford County vs. Williamstown, 8 p.m.
Tuesday
Collins vs. North Oldham, 6 p.m.
Simon Kenton vs. Trimble County, 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Semifinal matches, 6 and 8 p.m.
Thursday
Championship match, 7 p.m.

Soccer state tournaments

BOYS TOURNAMENT AT FREDERICK DOUGLASS H.S.
Wednesday
Covington Catholic vs. Daviess County, 4 p.m.
Elizabethtown vs. Lexington Dunbar, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Championship match, 4 p.m.

GIRLS TOURNAMENT AT FREDERICK DOUGLASS H.S.
Thursday
Henderson County vs. South Oldham, 4 p.m.
Notre Dame vs. West Jessamine, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Championship match, 7 p.m.