By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Ryle cross country runners Allison Kopser and Tiger Bartlett were the top finishers in the girls and boys races at the Northern Kentucky Athlete Conference Championships on Saturday at Idlewild Park in Burlington.
Kopser finished the girls race in 18 minutes, 57 seconds and Bartlett’s winning time in the boys race was 16 minutes, 3 seconds, but neither of their teams took home a first-place trophy after the meet.
Ryle sophomore Allison Kopser, center, won the NKAC girls cross country race ahead of Olivia Holbrook, right, of Campbell County and Maddie Strong, left, of Scott. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
The winning teams were Scott girls and Conner boys in Division II. The Division I champions were Beechwood girls and Villa Madonna boys.
This is the fifth consecutive year that Conner has won a boys conference title. The Cougars were Class 3A state champions last year.
Beechwood’s girls won their first conference championship with two freshmen and three sophomores leading the way.
Kopser and Bartlett competed in Division II. The runners who posted the top times in Division I were Lily Parke of Beechwood (20:47) in girls and Dixon Ryan of St. Henry (16:31) in boys.
The second finisher behind Kopser in the conference girls race was Olivia Holbrook of Campbell County. Last year, they were the top two runners in the Region 5 meet. One week later, Kopser was fourth and Holbrook was seventh in the Class 3A state championship meet.
NKAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Top 5 girls times overall — Allison Kopser (Ryle) 18:57, Olivia Holbrook (Campbell County) 19:13, Maddie Strong (Scott) 19:16, Isabella Gay (Conner) 20:21, Lily Parke (Beechwood) 20:47.
Top 5 boys times overall — Tiger Bartlett (Ryle) 16:03, Will Sheets (Covington Catholic) 16:09, George Johnson (Conner) 16:15, Jonathan Christopher (Campbell County) 16:29, Ryan Dixon (St. Henry) 16:31.
Cooper girls golf team places third in 36-hole state tournament
Cooper placed third in the girls state golf tournament and sophomore Reagan Ramage tied for fifth on the individual leaderboard with a 6-over 150 in the 36-hole season finale at Bowling Green Country Club.
Reagan Ramage
Madison Central topped the team standings with a 634 total, followed by Marshall County (651) and Cooper (667). The Jaguars placed fifth in the last two state tournaments that had 12 teams in the field. A new format reduced this year’s field to nine teams.
The state tournament medalist was Trinity Beth of Marshall County. She shot even-par 72 in the opening round on Friday and 1-under 71 in the final round on Saturday for a 143 total.
Ramage finished seven strokes behind the winner. After posting a 4-over 76 in the opening round, she shot 2-over 74 in the closing round with three birdies, 10 pars and five bogeys on her card.
The other scoring golfers for Cooper were juniors Eva Maley (87-81-168), Ava Finke (89-83-172) and Kendall Brissey (89-88-177). The team’s fifth golfer was senior Skylar Anderson (101-99-200).
Soccer playoffs resume Monday with region tournament games
Northern Kentucky high school soccer playoffs resume Monday when 12 girls teams and one boys team will be competing in region tournament first-round games.
The 9th Region girls games set for 7 p.m. Monday include Conner at Highlands, Beechwood at Dixie Heights, Newport Central Catholic at Notre Dame and St. Henry at Ryle.
Notre Dame won last year’s 9th Region tournament and went on claim the program’s fourth state championship. The Pandas enter Monday’s first-round game with a 15-3-2 record that includes victories over six of the other seven teams in the region field.
The only region qualifier Notre Dame did not play during the regular season was NewCath (7-11-1)
The other local girls teams that have first-round games on Monday are Simon Kenton and Walton-Verona in the 8th Region and Brossart and Campbell County in the 10th Region. The only boys team with a game on Monday is Simon Kenton in the 8th Region.
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES
9th REGION GIRLS
Monday
Conner at Highlands, 7 p.m.
Beechwood at Dixie Heights, 7 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
St. Henry at Ryle, 7 p.m.
Wednesday at Dixie Heights
Semifinal games, 6 and 8 p.m.
Saturday at Dixie Heights
Championship game, 5 p.m.
9th REGION BOYS
Tuesday
Newport Central Catholic at Dixie Heights, 7 p.m.
Conner at Covington Catholic, 7 p.m.
St. Henry at Ryle, 7 p.m.
Beechwood at Highlands, 7 p.m.
Thursday at CovCath
Semifinal games, 5:30 and 8 p.m.
Saturday at CovCath
Championship game, 1 p.m.
10th REGION GIRLS AT HARRISON COUNTY
Monday
Campbell County vs. Montgomery County, 6 p.m.
Pendleton County vs. Brossart, 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Harrison County vs. Campbell County-Montgomery County winner, 6 p.m.
George Rogers Clark vs. Pendleton County-Brossart winner, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 1 p.m.
10th REGION BOYS AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Tuesday
George Rogers Clark vs. Mason County, 6 p.m.
Campbell County vs. Harrison County, 8 p.m.
Thursday
Brossart vs. George Rogers Clark-Mason County winner, 6 p.m.
Montgomery County vs. Campbell County-Harrison County winner, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 5 p.m.
8TH REGION GIRLS
Monday
Anderson County at Simon Kenton, 6 p.m.
Oldham County at Carroll County, 7 p.m.
Walton-Verona at South Oldham, 7 p.m.
Gallatin County at Woodford County, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday at Carroll County
Semifinal games, 6 and 8 p.m.
Thursday
Championship game, 6 p.m.
8TH REGION BOYS
Monday
Woodford County at Henry County, 7 p.m.
South Oldham at Simon Kenton, 8 p.m.
Grant County at North Oldham, 7 p.m.
Carroll County at Collins, 7 p.m.
Wednesday at Carroll County
Semifinal games, 6 and 8 p.m.
Thursday
Championship game, 8 p.m.
