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Late run carries Cooper to first girls district title; Senior guard hits game-winner for Walton-Verona


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Cooper claimed its first 33rd District girls basketball championship in the 14-year history of the program with a 60-49 win over Ryle on Thursday at Ryle.

The Jaguars closed the game with an 13-6 run led by junior guard Liz Freihofer, who scored nine of her 14 points on her team’s final nine possessions. Ryle committed turnovers on five of its last eight possessions.

Cooper guard Kay Freihofer (Photo by Ted Jackson)

Freihofer was named the district tournament’s most valuable player. Cooper’s leading scorers — Logan Palmer with 17 points and Whitney Lind with 14 — were also named to the all-tournament team.

Ryle had won the 33rd District title the last four years, but the Raiders were outscored 24-10 in the first quarter Thursday and never took the lead. Their leading scorers were Sarah Baker (16), Quinn Eubank (15) and Austin Johnson (12).

Both teams advance to the 9th Region tournament that begins Sunday at Northern Kentucky University’s BB&T Arena. A draw to determine first-round pairings is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at Holmes High School.

Newport Central Catholic defeated Highlands, 51-48, Dixie Heights defeated Ludlow, 51-49, and Notre Dame defeated Holy Cross, 47-40, in other girls district finals between 9th Region tournament qualifiers on Thursday.

In the 32nd District girls final, Walton-Verona edged Simon Kenton, 56-54, to win that championship for the fourth consecutive year. This was the third time in four years that the two teams faced each other in the title game and each one was decided by two points.

Walton-Verona senior Audrey Carrico scored 23 points, including the game-winning basket, in the win over Simon Kenton. (Photo by Carla Martin)

Walton-Verona senior guard Audrey Carrico hit a 15-foot jump shot with two seconds left to win Thursday’s game for the Bearcats. She finished with a game-high 23 points, six rebounds and four assists to earn the most valuable player award.

The Bearcats’ other double-figure scorer was junior Grace Brewer with 16 points. The team’s leading rebounders were freshman Braylin Terrell with 10 and Brewer with eight.

Simon Kenton’s leading scorer was junior Emilee Eggleston with 17 points. The Pioneers shot 31 percent (17 of 54) from the field compared to the Bearcats’ 44 percent (22 of 50). Both teams advance to next week’s 8th Region girls tournament at Grant County High School.

In the boys 37th District final on Thursday, Campbell County whipped Brossart, 75-32, to claim the title for the ninth consecutive year. They will both play in next week’s 10th Region boys tournament at Holmes High School.

There are five boys district championship games on Friday’s schedule, including Covington Catholic at Holy Cross at 7 p.m. CovCath came into the post-season playoffs ranked No. 3 in the state and Holy Cross junior guard Jacob Meyer is the state’s leading scorer with a 38.3 average.

Meyer needs four points to become the first 9th Region boys basketball player to surpass 1,000 in a single season since Scott Draud of Highlands netted 1,094 in 1995-96.

Boys basketball district finals

32nd DISTRICT AT WALTON-VERONA HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Championship: Grant County vs. Walton-Verona, 7 p.m.

33rd DISTRICT AT RYLE HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Championship: Cooper vs. Conner, 7 p.m.

34th DISTRICT AT LUDLOW HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Championship: Dixie Heights vs. Lloyd, 7 p.m.

35th DISTRICT AT HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Championship: Covington Catholic vs. Holy Cross, 7 p.m.

36th DISTRICT AT BELLEVUE HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Championship: Highlands vs. Newport, 7 p.m.

 


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