When Bob Sphire was hired as Highlands High School head football coach three years ago, he faced a significant challenge. The proud 23-time state champion had fallen on difficult times and needed a special coach who was capable of restoring its winning tradition. Enter the veteran Sphire, who brought championship-level success from his previous coaching […]
Author Archives: Marc Hardin
Posted inSports
Hope springs eternal during Sorrell’s summer of change in Bellevue
This story originally appeared in the July 26 edition of the weekly LINK Reader. To get these stories first, subscribe here. Last summer, TJ Sorrell sat in the dugout with his teammates on the J.B. Yeager 16-under baseball team. He can’t recall the exact game or opponent, but he remembers moments of reflection while sitting in […]
Posted inFootball
Four downs with Ryle
This promises to be a record-breaking season at Ryle for head football coach Mike Engler, who needs three wins to become the program’s all-time winningest coach. Engler has an impressive ledger of 71-48 over his 10-year career at Ryle. Engler led the Raiders to an 8-5 record in 2023, marking the fourth consecutive year without […]
Posted inGolf
Hebron’s Anthony sisters capture tour championships
Kid sisters Reese Anthony and Nora Anthony are back at it on the golf course. The remarkable Hebron duo performed a rare feat Thursday, with both capturing GCGA 1905 Junior Tour individual championships at Blue Ash Golf Course. Reese Anthony won the girls ages 10-12 championship with an 18-hole score of 14-over-par 85, securing a […]
Posted inSports
Covington’s first baseball stars were pioneers of Kentucky’s major league legacy
This story originally appeared in the July 19 edition of the weekly LINK Reader. To get these stories first, subscribe here. Covington ranks near the top for Kentucky cities producing major league baseball players. There have been nearly two dozen major leaguers born in Covington according to Baseball-Reference.com and verified by the Society of American Baseball […]
Posted inFootball
Four downs with Bellevue
It’s season two for Bellevue under head coach Chad Montgomery, who returned to the high school last year after coaching stints at Dayton and Cooper. Montgomery, a Bellevue alum, came back with the primary goal of restoring pride to a program that had fallen on hard times. By that measure, 2023 was an unqualified success. […]
Posted inSoccer
Boys prep soccer: Ryle Raiders’ summer of transition and promise
Following the conclusion of this week’s tryouts, Ryle coach Stephen Collins is gearing up for the boys’ first soccer practice of the season on Monday at Borland Stadium in Union. The team, a two-time defending 9th Region champion, is setting its sights on a fourth regional title in five years. The program boasts over 70 […]
Posted inGolf
Bellevue’s Sorrells team up for third at Bluegrass Golf Tour’s Adult-Child Scramble
Bellevue High School girls basketball coach Tommy Sorrell and son TJ Sorrell combined for a third-place finish Monday at the annual Kentucky Adult-Child Scramble. The Bluegrass Golf Tour event was held at Griffin Gate Golf Resort and Spa in Lexington. “It was a lot of fun to play in something like that,” coach Sorrell said. […]
Posted inGolf
Lassing Pointe hopes to regain No. 1 ranking now that renovations are complete
Golfweek Magazine recently published its yearly golf course rankings for each state. Once again, Lassing Pointe Golf Course in Union was recognized as one of the best in Kentucky. The good news for Lassing Pointe: it’s still considered among the best public golf courses in Kentucky by the experts. The less-than-good news: Lassing Pointe was […]
Posted inBaseball
Baseball trailblazers: Covington’s early contributors to the major leagues run the gamut
When it comes to Kentucky’s leading birthplaces of Major League Baseball players, Covington ranks among the best. The city has produced 23 major leaguers, according to Baseball-Reference.com, a comprehensive database of baseball statistics. Lexington has produced nearly 30 major league players, while Louisville boasts nearly 90. Together, these three cities account for 40% of all […]
