“Well done,” Covington Catholic coach Eddie Eviston said Friday. And it was. The Colonels gained 514 total yards, junior Dylan Gaiser scored three touchdowns, and the defense intercepted four Simon Kenton passes in a 42-3 running clock win at Dennis Griffin Stadium. “It was really all the line,” Gaiser said. “If I had an open […]
Author Archives: Ray Schaefer
Posted inFootball
Ryle uses weather delay to run past Conner
Mike Engler was grateful for Friday’s weather delay. Ryle’s football coach used the break to retool the Raiders offense and run past Conner for a 46-8 running-clock win at Tom Stellman Field. The Raiders compiled some strong numbers: Nathan Verax was 12-of-13 for 157 yards and touchdowns to Jacob Savage, Jaden Galicia and Landon Lorms, […]
Posted inVolleyball
Villa’s Kitchen celebrates 30 years as Vikings volleyball coach
There have been many changes at Villa Madonna Academy since 1993. A new athletic complex opened in 2000. The facility’s name changed from Thunderdome to Villhalla, and the teams have been known as the Vipers, Blue Lightning and currently Vikings. What has remained constant: seeing Sandi Kitchen coach girls volleyball. Fans, parents and players celebrated […]
Posted inSoccer
St. Henry boys soccer: rebounding from 2023 nightmare
Talk about your turnarounds. The 2024 boys soccer season is only two weeks old, and St. Henry has surpassed 2023’s 3-14-2 debacle. Saturday’s 3-2 penalty kick win over Newport Central Catholic in the Ninth Region All “A” final gave the Crusaders a 4-1-1 record and the first small-school regional title since 2019. “I couldn’t have […]
Posted inFootball
Bluebirds’ defense shines in 17-7 victory over Lexington Catholic
Highlands football coach Bob Sphire said the Bluebirds “looked like they were supposed to look in pads.” “Linemen looked like linemen, receivers looked like receivers,” Sphire said before Friday’s home opener against Lexington Catholic. And the Bluebirds won like winners do – a 17-7 triumph at David Cecil Memorial Stadium. “I really think that the […]
Posted inSports
Pizza, chili and a helping of history: six receive NKYSHOF awards
Wednesday’s Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame Summer Reunion was as much a joyful history lesson as chowing down on pizza and Cincinnati-style chili. Six sports legends were honored at The Gardens of Park Hills: former Covington mayor and City Commissioner Denny Bowman (Bill Cappel Volunteerism Award), the late Derrick Rhoden (Thomas Fricke Service Award), […]
Posted inSoccer
Dunlevy, Brossart ‘pleased’ to defend boys 10th Region soccer title
Bishop Brossart’s boys soccer team is off to a 3-0-1 start despite having only four returning seniors from last year’s 17-5-5 squad, with seven Mustangs having scored goals and Luke D’Alessandro making 20 saves and allowing just five goals.
Posted inSoccer
Mike Hughes: Conner’s main motivator leads resurgent Cougars
See the picture with Mike Hughes on the left? Conner’s fourth-year girls soccer coach would rather not be in it. Hughes would rather you notice his players. It’s a philosophy that’s worked – the Cougars are 44-23-9 in Hughes’ three seasons and three games in Hebron, including a 3-0 start this year. “I think the […]
Posted inSoccer
Pandas begin quest for second straight Ninth Region title
Cory Dan didn’t want the job at first. Notre Dame’s first-year soccer coach kept telling former bench boss Brian Woeste he didn’t want to guide the defending Ninth Region champion Pandas – until he capitulated. “Brian Woeste kept calling me and calling me, and I kept telling him no,” Dan said. “I eventually said yes, […]
Posted inSports
Gutierrez and the Covington Stars: striving to unite cultures through basketball
Sergio Gutierrez owns the eponymously named Olla Taqueria Gutierrez restaurant at 301 W. 12th St. in Covington – better known as Olla Cov. He remembers the Monday afternoon he invited some of the employees to play pickup basketball at a local park – including Estephany Perez, whose family moved to Northern Kentucky from Guatemala three years […]