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Holy Cross basketball is family affair for players, coaches on teams headed to All “A” Classic


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

For several members of the Holy Cross boys and girls basketball teams, going to the Kentucky All “A” Classic state tournament in Richmond this week will be somewhat like a family outing.

Three players on the girls team — Aleah Arlinghaus, Alyssa Arlinghaus and Ella Lehmkuhl — are first cousins. Alyssa’s father is head coach Ted Arlinghaus and Aleah’s father is assistant coach Ben Arlinghaus. The two coaches are brothers and Ella’s mother is their sister.

After winning the 9th Region girls All “A” Classic, Holy Cross coach Ted Arlinghaus, left, poses with players, left to right, Ella Lehmkuhl, Aleah Arlinghaus and Alyssa Arlinghaus, and assistant coach Ben Arlinghaus.

On the boys team, Cade Lehmkuhl and Zach Arlinghaus are first cousins and Dylan Arlinghaus is their second cousin.

Zach is Aleah’s brother and Cade is Ella’s brother. Alyssa has a younger brother, Luke, who’s playing on the Holy Cross boys freshman team.

They’re all members of a family that has taken part in the small coed Catholic school’s proud basketball tradition.

“Both myself and Ben are Holy Cross alumni,” said Ted, who is in his second season as girls head coach. “Ben graduated in 1993 and I graduated in 1999. Ironically enough, my senior year of 1999 was the last time both boys and girls programs went downstate (for the All “A” Classic) in the same year.”

Holy Cross is one of seven high schools sending boys and girls region champion teams to this year’s All “A” Classic state tournament. First-round games will be played Wednesday for girls and Thursday for boys at Eastern Kentucky University’s McBrayer Arena.

Dylan Arlinghaus, right, is the second leading rebounder on the Holy Cross boys team. (Photo by Ted Jackson)

Holy Cross swept the 9th Region titles and Walton-Verona won the 8th Region boys championship to earn berths in the small school state tournament that began in 1990. Ted got to experience it as player and will return this week as a head coach.

“Having relatives that play definitely helped my decision to take over the girls program, but my heart has and always will be with Holy Cross and the school,” he said. “My wife graduated from Holy Cross as well and was on the girls basketball team when she played. I have a passion for coaching and love the small school atmosphere.”

The Holy Cross girls team will take a 13-8 record into its first-round game against 10th Region champion Paris (12-5) at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. The Indians’ top player is sophomore Julia Hunt, averaging 16.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Aleah Arlinghaus is a junior averaging 6.8 points and 3.1 rebounds.

All eight of their losses have come against teams from much larger schools, but the last four have been by margins of eight points or less. In 10 of their 13 wins, they held their opponent to 42 points or less.

The Holy Cross boys team won six of its last seven to raise its record to 15-6 going into a first-round game against 11th Region champion Lexington Sayre (9-10) at 9:30 p.m. Thursday. Junior guard Jacob Meyer leads the state in scoring with a 39.9 average, but he sat out the Indians’ win over Holmes on Monday with an injured ankle, so his playing status is unknown.

The Indians’ other junior guard, Javier Ward, is averaging 17.9 points. Zach and Dylan Arlinghaus are both senior starters who will go into the state tournament with combined averages of 10 points and nine rebounds per game. Holy Cross has one of the state’s highest team scoring averages (77.8) under first-year head coach Casey Sorrell.

Kentucky All “A” Classic at Eastern Kentucky University

GIRLS TOURNAMENT
Wednesday — Upper bracket
Owen County vs. Carlisle County, 8:30 a.m.
Jackson County vs. Cumberland County, 10 a.m.
HOLY CROSS vs. Paris, 11:30 a.m.
Campbellsville vs. Lyon County, 1 p.m.
Wednesday — Lower bracket
Berea vs. Owensboro Catholic, 5 p.m.
Whitefield Academy vs. Louisville Holy Cross, 6:30 p.m.
Knott County Central vs. West Carter, 8 p.m.
Pikeville vs. Danville Christian, 9:30 p.m.
Friday
Upper bracket quarterfinals, 8:30 and 10 a.m.
Lower bracket quarterfinals, 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinal games, noon and 1:30 p.m.
Sunday
Championship game, noon

BOYS TOURNAMENT
Thursday — Upper bracket
Danville Christian vs. Murray, 8:30 a.m.
Pikeville vs. Owensboro Catholic, 10 a.m.
West Carter vs. Todd County Central, 11:30 a.m.
Kentucky Country Day vs. Evangel Christian, 1 p.m.
Thursday — Lower bracket
WALTON-VERONA vs. Bracken County, 5 p.m.
Campbellsville vs. Harlan, 6:30 p.m.
Breathitt County vs. Lyon County, 8 p.m.
HOLY CROSS vs. Lexington Sayre, 9:30 p.m.
Friday
Upper bracket quarterfinals, 5 and 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket quarterfinals, 8 and 9:30 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinal games, 3 and 4:30 p.m.
Sunday
Championship game, 2 p.m.

 

 


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