By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Newport Central Catholic has won more 9th Region All “A” Classic girls basketball championships than any other team and the Thoroughbreds enter next week’s tournament with one of the best records in the nine-team field.
NewCath won three of four games in a holiday tournament this week to push its record to 10-4 going into the classic that begins Monday at Ludlow High School. The Thoroughbreds, who won the small-school region title the last two years, will play Dayton (3-10) in a quarterfinal game at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
NewCath senior guard Rylee Turner
Ludlow is the only team in the bracket with a better record than NewCath. The tournament hosts won their first nine games, forfeited their next three due to COVID-19 precautions and beat Holmes on Thursday to finish December with a 10-3 record.
NewCath and Ludlow are in opposite sides of the bracket. They would both have to win two games to meet in the region final. If that happens, two of the state’s leading scorers will be facing each other. NewCath senior guard Rylee Turner is averaging 29 points per game and Ludlow senior center Jenna Lillard is right behind her with a 26.4 average.
Last year, Turner scored 66 points in her team’s three region tournament victories and received the most valuable player award. NewCath has won 15 of the 30 9th Region All “A” Classic girls tournaments played since the the small-school playoff began in 1992.
The 8th Region and 10th Region All “A” Classic boys and girls tournaments will also begin next week. The 9th Region boys tournament will tip off on Jan. 10.
Region champions will advance to the All “A” Classic boys and girls state tournaments scheduled for Jan. 26-30 at Eastern Kentucky University.
All “A” Classic girls region tournaments
9th REGION AT LUDLOW H.S.
Monday, Jan. 3
Bellevue vs. Villa Madonna, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 4
St. Henry vs. Ludlow, 6 p.m.
Beechwood vs. Bellevue-Villa Madonna winner, 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 5
Newport Central Catholic vs. Dayton, 6 p.m.
Holy Cross vs. Newport, 7:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 7
Semifinal games, 6 and 7:45 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 8
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8th REGION AT EMINENCE H.S.
Tuesday, Jan. 4
Walton-Verona vs. Williamstown, 5 p.m.
Gallatin County vs. Trimble County, 6:30 p.m.
Carroll County vs. Eminence, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 6
Owen County vs. Carroll County-Eminence winner, 6 p.m.
Gallatin County-Trimble County winner vs. Walton-Verona-Williamstown winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 8
Championship game, 8 p.m.
10th REGION AT BRACKEN COUNTY H.S.
(Note: opening game at different site)
Friday, Jan. 7
Robertson County at Calvary Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 8
Paris vs. St. Patrick, 12:30 p.m.
Brossart vs. Nicholas County, 3:30 p.m.
Bracken County vs. Augusta, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 10
Robertson County-Calvary Christian winner vs. Paris-St. Patrick winner, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 11
Brossart-Nicholas County winner vs. Bracken County-Augusta winner, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 13
Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
All “A” Classic boys region tournaments
8th REGION AT EMINENCE H.S.
Monday, Jan. 3
Trimble County vs. Owen County, 5 p.m.
Williamstown vs. Gallatin County, 6:30 p.m.
Carroll County vs. Eminence, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 5
Walton-Verona vs. Trimble County-Owen County winner, 6 p.m.
Williamstown-Gallatin County winner vs. Carroll County-Eminence winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 8
Championship game, 5 p.m.
10th REGION AT BRACKEN COUNTY H.S.
(Note: opening game at different site)
Friday, Jan. 7
Robertson County at Calvary Christian, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 8
Paris vs. St. Patrick, 11 a.m.
Brossart vs. Nicholas County, 2 p.m.
Bracken County vs. Augusta, 5 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 10
Robertson County-Calvary Christian winner vs. Paris-St. Patrick winner, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 11
Brossart-Nicholas County winner vs. Bracken County-Augusta winner, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 13
Championship game, 6 p.m.
9th REGION AT VILLA MADONNA ACADEMY
Monday, Jan. 10
Dayton vs. Villa Madonna, 6 p.m.
Holy Cross vs. Bellevue, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 11
Heritage vs. Dayton-Villa Madonna winner, 6 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic vs. Ludlow, 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 12
Beechwood vs. Holy Cross-Bellevue winner, 6 p.m.
Newport vs. St. Henry, 7:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 14
Semifinal games, 6 and 7:45 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 15
Championship game, 7 p.m.
