From Bellevue to Belfry to Bardstown, public school children took state achievement tests this week. Bellevue’s boys track team passed an extra exam Tuesday – the Tigers won the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division III team title at Ludlow over Villa Madonna Academy, 107-87. The Tigers’ win was the first since 1997 – a goal […]
Author Archives: Ray Schaefer
Mustangs corral NKAC track team titles
Storms and a downed tree did not prevent Bishop Brossart from taking two Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division II track and field team titles. In an event that began April 27 at St. Henry and was postponed until Monday at Holmes, the Mustangs completed their sweep. The girls beat Beechwood, 126-69, and the boys did […]
Camels, Colonels win NKAC track titles
As she drove to a junior varsity track meet at Boone County Wednesday afternoon, Toni McKee was maybe more joyful than she was the day before. Such glee was possible because McKee and Campbell County won their first Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division I title since 2012 on Tuesday at Notre Dame, a 101.5-89 win […]
Another milestone: Highlands’ Dixon reaches 1,000 strikeouts
The rise ball Kaitlyn Dixon threw Tuesday looked like a few thousand others. But it wasn’t. Highlands senior pitcher struck out Dixie Heights first baseman Madison Skees and reached another milestone – her 1,000th career. She now has 1,004 after fanning six in the Bluebirds’ 14-3, five-inning win at Winkler Field. You wouldn’t have known […]
Speedy siblings: Blettner twins lead CovCath, Notre Dame
When sprinting is the subject at the Blettner house in Park Hills, the dinnertime conversation sometimes features playful trash-talking. It doesn’t take much for Notre Dame senior Kate Blettner and her older by seven minutes fraternal twin brother, Covington Catholic senior Rhett Blettner, to tease each other. Rhett starts with his quicker times – a […]
Milestone day: NewCath unveils athletic complex, Walton-Verona launches new weight room
Newport Central Catholic athletic director Jeff Schulkens wondered when the school’s athletic complex would ever be finished. On Tuesday, Schulkens – and the entire NewCath community – had an answer. A ceremonial Mass dedicated the Ciafardini Family Athletic Complex. Schulkens called the day “awesome,” and NewCath principal Kenny Collopy knew work on the $10 million […]
Pioneer production: Simon Kenton boys volleyball remain undefeated in inaugural season
Lacey Maley has a theory about the Simon Kenton boys volleyball team she coaches. “They like to hit things,” she said Friday. It’s been a working hypothesis so far. Including Thursday’s 3-0 win over Collins (25-19, 25-17, 25-17), the Pioneers have served, set and hit to a 7-0 record in their inaugural season, and they’ve […]
‘Pretty good’ Walters seeks more gold for Brossart
Ava Walters’ pre-practice routine didn’t change Tuesday afternoon: up-and-down stretches, leg swings, easy tosses in shot put and discus, full-power throws, cool-downs and more stretching. “Just getting my body and, like, getting some flow in there,” Bishop Brossart’s senior thrower said. “I go through a progression I’ve been doing for a while; it’s about seven-, […]
2026 outdoor track and field preview: NKY well-represented (again)
It’s a verity as certain as daffodils, pansies and hyacinths blooming in April. The 2026 high school outdoor track season started some three weeks ago, and once again Northern Kentucky is well-represented in the ky.milesplit.com state all-class polls. Especially on the girls side. Simon Kenton is sixth, Cooper is seventh, Bishop Brossart is ninth, Dixie […]
‘Be us’: Simon Kenton seeks first-round win over Ashland
Simon Kenton’s basketball philosophy is simple. Just Be Us. Those two words are working well enough. The Eighth Region champion Pioneers meet 16th Region winner Ashland in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Girls Sweet 16® first round at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Simon Kenton (31-2) coach Jeff Stowers coined the phrase after Simon Kenton’s […]


