By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Teen-age girls signing loudly through the open windows of a school bus might have caused a stir as it rolled past the stately homes on Beechwood Road in Fort Mitchell last week.
The commotion was caused by members of the Beechwood High School girls’ volleyball team. They were signing the school fight song loud and proud after winning the 9th Region All “A” Classic championship. The Tigers had never won a regional championship in volleyball before and the players wanted everybody to know they had finally done it.
Beechwood volleyball players and managers pose with the team’s first regional championship trophy. (Photo from Christina Prindle)
“I thought the coolest thing was them just putting all the windows down and screaming out (the fight song),” said coach Christina Prindle. “I felt like that was their way to celebrate, telling the entire Beechwood Road that they had won.”
The Tigers earned a berth in the All “A” Classic small-school state volleyball tournament on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Mid-America Sports Center in Louisville.
They’ll be the first public school team to represent the 9th Region in the statewide event, and the story behind that accomplishment makes it even better.
Prindle is a first-year varsity head coach and her starting lineup consists of one senior, one junior and six sophomores. They had only played three matches before entering the 9th Region All “A” Classic, but they made it to the final and then upset two-time defending champion St. Henry.
“We had a lot of great serves that threw (St. Henry) off their game and didn’t allow them to set up their offense,” Prindle said. “Our serve receive and passing were just phenomenal, which allowed us to get into our offense and we jumped on them early.”
Beechwood sophomore setter Gabby Ogle was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Two of her teammates, senior outside hitter Liz Pawsat and sophomore middle hitter Julia Popova, joined her on the all-tournament team.
The other Beechwood starters were sophomores Gretchen Wessels and Maggie Stuempel and junior Alexis Schumann. The team roster also includes junior Alyson Swikert, sophomores Lauren Suchanek and Olivia Morehead and freshman Gabby Stringer.
“This is what these girls have been working for and it’s just one of the many goals they have for this season,” Prindle said of winning the program’s first regional title. “They have all the talent in the world and this year they’re actually putting it all together.”
New coach thrilled to take part in Bellevue-Dayton football rivalry
After winning his first game as head coach of the Bellevue football team last week, Woody McMillen is looking forward to being a part of one of the oldest high school rivalries in the state. On Friday, Bellevue will host Dayton in the 136th meeting between the two schools from neighboring cities in the Campbell County.
“I am thrilled to be taking part in such a rivalry steeped in history and tradition,” McMillen said. “Northern Kentucky is the best region in the state for high school football and it doesn’t get any better than Bellevue and Dayton.”
The schools decided to resume playing each other twice this season. The game on Friday will not count in the Class A district standings, but the Bellevue at Dayton game on Oct. 16 will.
The last time the two teams played twice during the regular season was in 2004 and Bellevue won both games. Over the last 10 seasons, Bellevue has a 9-2 record against Dayton, including a win in the 2007 Class A playoffs.
CovCath renovation plan includes installing lights on athletic field
The large crowd that turned out for the Ryle at Covington Catholic football game last Friday evening sparked questions about when CovCath plans to install lights on the athletic field that had new artificial turf put in over the summer.
Lights are part of the stadium renovation plan, according to CovCath principal Bob Rowe. The plan also includes renovations to the press box, bleachers, restrooms, entrances and parking area. Total cost is estimated to be $2 million.
If the private Catholic high school can meet its fund-raising targets by the end of the year, the lights could be installed in time for the 2016 season. That would allow CovCath to play football home games on Friday nights instead of scheduling them at 1 p.m. on Saturday or 5:30 p.m. on Friday.
Renovating the stadium is part of a capital campaign at CovCath that also included an alumni gathering space and tennis courts on campus along with an academic building expansion for a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program.
“The private phase of the campaign has benefitted from many very generous donors and we are approaching the start of a public phase campaign when we hope to have support from a broad base of our community,” Rowe said in an email.
Ludlow hires new head coach for girls’ basketball
Eric King is the new head coach of the Ludlow girls’ basketball program.
King has been coaching at Ludlow for more than 20 years at several different levels. He most recently served as an assistant boys’ basketball coach, according to Ludlow athletic director Andrew Wise.
King will be replacing Vicki Wofford, who was in charge of the girls’ program the last two years. Last season, the Panthers won a Division III conference title and finished with a winning record for the first time in six years.
“We are excited about the hire,” Wise said in an email announcing the new coach. “Eric has a vision for the program and plans to continue to build upon the success of his predecessor.”
