By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Mark Clinkenbeard planned to retire as head coach of the Walton-Verona girls basketball team at the end of this season, but he’s leaving the program sooner than he expected.
On New Year’s Day, the high school announced on Twitter that Clinkenbeard is stepping down as head coach now “due to health reasons.” Assistant coach Rianna Gayhart is expected to replace him. The Bearcats have a 7-7 record going into Tuesday’s game against Williamstown in the first-round of the 8th Region All “A” Classic at Eminence High School.
Mark Clinkenbeard is retiring as Walton-Verona girls basketball coach with more than 200 wins.
Clinkenbeard was diagnosed with colon cancer before the 2020-21 season. He had chemo and radiation treatments before undergoing surgery last February. While he was away, the Bearcats made it to the All “A” Classic state semifinals with Gayhart in charge.
Clinkenbeard did return for the post-season playoffs in March and guided Walton-Verona to the semifinals of the 8th Region post-season tournament to complete an 18-9 campaign.
In November, he said his last medical scan showed he was cancer free, but he decided 2021-22 was going to be his last season as head coach.
“I went through some health issues last season, and it is time to let someone else take over,” he said in November. “I have enjoyed each season, and I plan to enjoy this one especially.”
Walton-Verona teams compiled a 213-105 record over the past 10 seasons under Clinkenbeard. His first team won the 2012 All “A” Classic state championship, made it to the “Sweet 16” post-season state tournament as 8th Region champion and finished with a 29-7 record.
Over the last six seasons, four of his teams won 24 games or more and the Bearcats made it to the All “A” Classic state championship game the last three years.
“Coach Clink had a tremendous coaching career at WV and he will be deeply missed,” said the high school’s post on Twitter.
Ryle wrestling team finishes on top in NKAC Championships
Ryle wrestlers won six weight class titles in the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Championships on Friday and the Raiders claimed the first-place trophy in the 10-team tournament by a 61-point margin.
The weight class winners for Ryle were Rider Trumble (120), Joey Sander (126), Carter Messerly (157), Caleb Duke (175), Trey Fleek (190) and Noah Duke (215). It was the 30th win of the season for Noah Duke, last year’s 170-pound state champion who is closing in on the Ryle team record for career wins.
Ryle finished on top in the team standings with 257.5 points. Campbell County placed second with 196.5 points and had four weight class champions — Mason Orth (113), Jonah Bowers (138), Orien Stacey (144) and Micah Bowers (160).
In the final two weeks of December, Ryle also placed second and first in two major high school tournaments in Ohio. That means the Raiders will likely retain the No. 1 spot in the Kentucky Wrestling Coaches Association state rankings.
NKAC Wrestling Championship finals
106 — Sebastian Vega (Conner) over Jonah McCloskey (Simon Kenton), 5:11
113 — Mason Orth (Campbell County) over Michael Smith (Scott), 0:46
120 — Rider Trumble (Ryle) over Jeremiah Wilbers (Campbell County), 16-0
126 — Joey Sander (Ryle) over Jason Holden (Campbell County), 5:03
132 — Jeremiah Thomas (Conner) over Brayden Wells (Campbell County), 2:18
138 — Jonah Bowers (Campbell County) over Jameson Smith (Ryle), 2:53
144 — Orien Stacey (Campbell County) over Austin Peace (Ryle), 4-2
150 — Micah Bowers (Campbell County) over Aiden Zinser (Scott), 5-0
157 — Carter Messerly (Ryle) over Bryce Dennemann (Campbell County), 15-0
165 — Joseph Bikakis (Simon Kenton) over Lucas Hughes (Cooper), 3:29
175 — Caleb Duke (Ryle) over Trent Fowler (Simon Kenton), 1:53
190 — Trey Fleek (Ryle) over Willie Rodriguez (Covington Catholic), 16-1
215 — Noah Duke (Ryle) over Cooper Elliston (Conner), 18-2
285 — Dashaun Stevenson (Holmes) over Tayshaun Marshall (Ryle), 6-1
Ball State basketball team has two local players in starting lineup
The starting lineup for the Ball State University women’s basketball team includes two former Northern Kentucky players who have helped the Cardinals get off to a 7-4 start this season.
Scott graduate Anna Clephane is a red-shirt junior guard averaging a team-high 16.2 points and shooting 53.2 percent from the field for the Division I program that’s a member of the Mid-America Conference. She has scored 1,001 points in three seasons.
Brossart graduate Marie Kiefer is a freshman forward averaging 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds. She started the last six games for the Cardinals. In a conference game at Bowling Green on Saturday, she had nine points and a team-high nine rebounds.
