A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Prep Sports Notebook: CovCath football player creates own fundraiser for head coach’s brother


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Trey Gronotte, junior place kicker on the Covington Catholic football team, will be raising money for a good cause every time he converts an extra point and field goal this season.

CovCath place kicker Trey Gronotte

Gronotte created an online platform where people can pledge to donate a dollar amount for every point he scores. The money will go to Team “B”elieve, an organization providing support for families battling ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

The teen-ager is doing it because CovCath football coach Eddie Eviston’s older brother, Brian, was diagnosed with ALS in 2016. That’s when Team “B”elieve was created and began planning fundraisers to support Brian’s family as he battles the degenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

One of the fundraisers is the annual football scrimmage game between CovCath and Newport Central Catholic at 7 p.m. Friday. Gronotte created his “Kicking ALS With Team “B”elieve” platform to raise money through out the season.

Last year, Gronotte scored 83 points in 15 games for the CovCath team that was Class 5A state runner-up. His goal is to raise $3,000 kicking for the Colonels this season. He already has more than $800 in pledges.

Admission to the NewCath-CovCath scrimmage game will be $7 for adults and $4 for students. There will be a Split the Pot raffle to raise additional money for Team “B”elieve.

Donations can also be made online by going to gofundme.com/team-believe.

Top three golfers in boys all-state standings from local schools

The top three golfers in the latest boys all-state point standings are on local high school teams.

Highlands junior Justin Gabbard leads the standings with 395 points in six events. The two golfers tied for second place with 345 points are St. Henry senior Evan Schwarz after six events and Cooper sophomore Rylan Wotherspoon after five events.

Last year, Wotherspoon and Gabbard were both named second-team all-state by the Kentucky Golf Coaches Association based on points earned in regular season invitational events and post-season tournaments.

In his first five invitational tournaments this season, Wotherspoon’s average score was 68.4. He was medalist in four of those events and placed second in the other. In two of the tournaments, Gabbard placed second behind Wotherspoon.

“Rylan’s ability, competitive nature and calm demeanor are definitely a few reasons for his success,” said Cooper golf coach Terry Trame. “The other reason — practice, practice, practice. This young man has not been handed anything. He has worked on a daily basis to become what I would consider one of the best golfers in Northern Kentucky history.”

Three football games on Skyline Crosstown Showdown schedule

Northern Kentucky high school football teams will play in three of the 18 games on this year’s Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown schedule.

Highlands at Simon Kenton on Sept. 13 is the first local game. Last season, Highlands snapped a three-game losing streak against Simon Kenton with a 38-9 victory. Both teams made it to the quarterfinals in last year’s state playoffs with Highlands in Class 5A and Simon Kenton in Class 6A.

The other two Showdown games will be Beechwood at Dixie Heights on Oct. 4 and Covington Catholic at Conner on Oct. 25.

The last time Dixie Heights played Beechwood was 2014 with the Colonels coming away with a 48-21 victory. That was the year Dixie Heights made it to the Class 4A state final and Beechwood lost in the Class 1A semifinals.

CovCath at Conner will be the final Class 5A district game for both teams. They were in different classes last year when CovCath was Class 5A state runner-up and Conner made it to the Class 6A quarterfinals.

At the Dixie Heights game, there will be a Tailgate at the Showdown live stream internet broadcast. For more information, go to xtownshowdown.com.


Recent Posts

Leave a Comment