To be the winning team, fan votes play a heavy role, along with consideration from our sports team here at LINK.
Nominations are reader-submitted or recommended by our sports team. Our Team of the Week program honors all local sports at all levels, whether it’s youth or adult-oriented recreation, high school or college, professional or amateur.
Want to get a jump start on next week’s Team of the Week nominations? Email: [email protected] to nominate a team for next week.
This week’s nominated teams are listed below with some information provided by the submitter or LINK nky staff. The poll where you can vote follows at the end of the article.
Voting is open until Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
DIXIE HEIGHTS BASEBALL
The Colonels turned their season around in a hurry and ended up winning their third straight 34th District title with a 3-0 victory over St. Henry.
Sitting at 7-17 on April 28, Dixie Heights went 8-5 in their last 13 games to finish their season at 15-22, ending Monday night in the region semifinals with a 4-2 loss to Beechwood.
They didn’t allow a run in the district tournament, blanking Lloyd Memorial 7-0 in the semifinals and the shutout over St. Henry in the championship.
Brach Rice was the first to pitch a shutout, allowing just three hits and striking out six without a walk against the Juggernauts. Brayden Runion, Rice and Luke Abeling provided the pop at the plate, each driving in two runs apiece.
Runion pitched a complete game one-hitter in the victory over the Crusaders, walking four and striking out four. Abeling had two runs driven in, Ethan Bosley the other as the two collected two hits apiece along with Sean Mitchell.
The Colonels then won their first region tournament game since 2017 with a 8-5 victory over Newport Central Catholic on Sunday.
RYLE SOFTBALL
Coming into the 33rd District Tournament on a five-game losing streak, Ryle was able to turn things around pretty quickly in knocking off Conner and Cooper for a second consecutive district title.
They first dispatched the Cougars 8-4 in the semifinals, collecting 11 hits as Laney Schuster and Lerin Moreland led the way with three hits apiece, Moreland driving in two runs, Avery Parsons also driving in two with two hits. Makenna Hirshey also tallied two hits, courtesy runner Kiley Patterson swiping six bases and scoring three runs.
In the championship 3-0 victory over Cooper, it was Madison Goddard doing the damage in the circle, pitching a complete game shutout. Goddard allowed four hits and struck out four. Aaliyah Kaseke drove in the game’s first run in the three-run third for the Raiders, Parsons driving in a run and Moreland with two hits and a run scored. Laci DeLauder and Grace Tranbargar crossed home plate for the other two runs.
Ryle looks to claim a 9th Region title this week, opening up with Beechwood on Thursday. The Raiders are currently 16-11 on the season.
COVINGTON CATHOLIC TENNIS
The Colonels finished off their 21st straight boys Ninth Region team title on their home court last week as Brady Hussey won his third straight region singles title, Kalei Christensen and Alex Yeager winning the doubles title.
Hussey breezed through his match, defeating Beechwood’s Neel Reddy, 6-0, 6-1. Christensen and Yeager also won comfortably, defeating Villa Madonna’s Joey Case and Shayaan Ahmad, 6-2, 6-1.
Hussey was limited throughout the season with an ankle injury he suffered towards the end of basketball season, but got back just in time to defend his title. Christensen and Yeager reunited this season; they played doubles at Holy Cross two years ago.
In the boys team scoring, CovCath racked up 15 points, St. Henry in second with eight points.
NOTRE DAME TENNIS
Defending doubles champions Hailey Fullenkamp and Taylor Meenach of Notre Dame fought off Beechwood’s Haley King and Sadie Jones in the 9th Region championship on Friday. Fullenkamp and Meenach won their second titles, 6-1, 5-7, 1-0 (10-3).
Fullenkamp and Meenach dropped just five games leading into the title match. They jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first set and then fell down 4-2 in the second set. In the third set tiebreaker, they took control of the match with a 8-2 edge. Panda teammates Clare Shay and Sam Spellman gave King and Jones everything they could handle in the semifinals before eventually falling, 1-6, 6-3, 0-1 (8-10).
Notre Dame won the team title with 10 points. Ryle was second with seven, and Villa Madonna, Beechwood and Dixie Heights tied for third with six.
Click on the team below on who you feel deserves the LINK nky Team of the Week!