Boys Basketball Preview: Coaches expect top-ranked CovCath to continue program’s winning tradition
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic being ranked No. 1 in the Northern Kentucky preseason coaches poll comes as no surprise when you consider the program’s winning tradition under coach Scott Ruthsatz.
Over the last 11 seasons, the Colonels have reached the 9th Region tournament final nine times, won six region championships and compiled a 12-3 record in “Sweet 16”...
Girls Basketball Preview: Last year’s 9th Region finalists voted top teams in preseason coaches poll
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
A team from the 33rd District has played in six of the last seven 9th Region girls basketball championships games. There’s a good chance that will happen again this season because the top three teams in the Northern Kentucky coaches preseason poll are all members of that district.
Cooper and Ryle, the winner and runner-up in last year’s region tournament,...
Sophomore quarterback gets Beechwood football team back in Class 2A state championship game
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Beechwood sophomore Clay Hayden had played in just three varsity games before he became the team’s starting quarterback in preseason practice. A knee injury put him on the sidelines for the first five games, but he recovered in time to get the Tigers back to the Class 2A state final.
In a semifinal game on Friday, Hayden passed for 195 yards and three...
Pikeville knocks off NewCath, 50-14, in semifinal round of Class 1A state football playoffs
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Newport Central Catholic had no answer for Pikeville’s balanced offensive attack on Friday night when the Thoroughbreds’ season ended with a 50-14 loss in the semifinals of the Class 1A state football playoffs.
Pikeville finished with 395 yards in the home field victory that puts the Panthers back in the state championship game that they won...
Composure will be key for Wildcats in Saturday’s matchup against Cardinals in Louisville
By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Kentucky has won just one game in the last month and the Wildcats seek to end the regular season on a positive note Saturday against instate rival Louisville.
Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops would like nothing more than to close the chapter on his first decade with the Wildcats with two victories going into the off-season.
“I think it’s very important to win...
Luke Runyon has played multiple roles in NewCath football team’s success story this season
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
If Pikeville football coaches scouted Newport Central Catholic’s playoff victory last week, they got a good idea of the multiple roles Luke Runyon has played in the Thoroughbreds’ success story this season.
Runyon scored all four of his team’s touchdowns and made a season-high 16 tackles in a 28-21 win at Kentucky Country Day that moved NewCath (11-2)...
Stoops extension agreed upon when ‘things were really good,’ wishes timing could have been better
By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Mark Stoops doesn’t regret signing a contract extension but wishes the timing of the agreement could have been better for both parties.
The Kentucky football coach signed the deal that will run through the 2030 season and expires in June 2031. He will receive a raise that increases to $8.65 million beginning in February. The extension wasn’t made public or released...
Matt’s Take: R.I.P. to the Steelers season, positives and negatives, Reds news, Corky Miller Q&A
By Matthew McAdow
NKyTribune sports columnist
The Bengals End the Steelers Season
In a very close game following the bye week, the Bengals managed to pull out a huge victory against the Steelers to improve their record to 6-4.
This win puts the Bengals in a current Wildcard spot and keeps the Bengals hopes for winning the AFC North alive as well. I am more than happy to not play against the Steelers...
High school football coaches name players selected to All-Northern Kentucky teams for 2022 season
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
His senior season was cut short by a knee injury, but Beechwood football player Mitchell Berger was a first-team selection at both running back and linebacker on the 2022 All-Northern Kentucky offensive and defensive teams.
Berger was one of two running backs and four linebackers who received the most votes in those positions on ballots turned in by members...
Second half rally falls short as Kentucky falls 88-72 to second-ranked Gonzaga in Spokane
No. 4 Kentucky faced a number of obstacles on Sunday night. The Cats were taking on one of the nation’s best teams, second-ranked Gonzaga, in a hostile environment after having traveled about as far as they could travel within the 48 contiguous states.
The Cats, as might be expected, got off to a slow start in the game before rallying in the second half. But in the end, it was not enough as Gonzaga...
Kentucky made No. 1 Georgia earn its second straight perfect season in SEC
By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Kentucky made No. 1 Georgia earn its second straight perfect season in the Southeastern Conference Saturday.
The Bulldogs (11-0, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) weren’t at their best, but did enough to continue their recent dominance over the Wildcats, with a hard-fought 16-6 victory, claiming their 13th consecutive win in the series between the two SEC East foes.
“They’re...
Lloyd advances to football state semifinals for first time since 2003 along with NewCath, Beechwood
Lloyd quarterback Isaiah Sebastian slips between Breathitt County defensive players on one of his carries during Class 2A region championship game. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
It might seem like ancient history to Lloyd High School football players when you tell them the last time their school had a team in the Class 2A state semifinals was 2003. No one had a...
High school football teams in region finals rolled to victories in first two rounds of post-season playoffs
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The three Northern Kentucky high school football teams that remain in the state playoffs won their first two post-season games by huge margins. The two-game point spreads were 117-14 for Beechwood, 102-13 for Newport Central Catholic and 83-7 for Lloyd.
Beechwood and Lloyd get to host Class 2A region finals at 7:30 p.m. Friday because they ranked higher...
Keith Taylor: Football Wildcats have fallen far short of expectations in disappointing season
Kentucky’s football team will not be playing in the Southeastern Conference championship game. The Wildcats won’t be participating in a New Year’s Day bowl encounter this season. They will break even or win seven to eight games depending on the outcome of the last two encounters.
It’s a far cry from last year when the Wildcats were routinely scoring and soaring under former offensive coordinator...
Tshiebwe has big night in return to court as Wildcats fall to Michigan State in 2OT battle in Indianapolis
By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Oscar Tshiebwe made his first appearance of the season and made an immediate impact in the State Farm Champions Classic Tuesday night.
The Kentucky senior scored 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds but it wasn’t enough to keep the Wildcats undefeated. Michigan State used two overtimes to hold off No. 4 Kentucky 86-77 at Gainbridge Arena.
Oscar Tshiebwe dunks the ball...
