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.
BEECHWOOD BASEBALL
A four-peat! The Tigers won their fourth consecutive 9th Region baseball title with a 6-5 victory over Highlands in the championship. On their way there, they knocked off Ryle (6-4) and Dixie Heights (4-2).
Sometimes to win a tournament, a break or two has to go your way. After holding off one of the tournament favorites Ryle in the opening round, the Tigers were trailing Dixie Heights in the semifinals 2-0 headed into their last at-bat, the Tigers exploded for four runs, Landon Johnson’s two-run double as the Tigers were down to their final strike giving them a 3-2 lead. Nazario Pangallo added an insurance run with an RBI single and the Tigers lived to fight another day.
They jumped out to a 6-1 lead over Highlands in the championship, hanging on for the 6-5 victory as Torrin O’Shea closed the door in the bottom of the seventh. Johnson was later named the Tournament MVP, coach Kevin Gray saying, “If it weren’t for Landon Johnson, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
The Tigers will take on Apollo on Thursday in the first round of the state tournament at Counter Clocks Field in Lexington at 5 p.m.
HIGHLANDS SOFTBALL
A repeat! The Bluebirds won their second consecutive 9th Region title with a 4-2 victory over Dixie Heights in eight innings. They also knocked off Villa Madonna (18-0) in the first round and Cooper (2-1) in extra innings in the semifinals.
The Bluebirds went 16-0 in 9th Region contests this season and certainly had to earn every ounce of them in the last two games. After a 0-0 stalemate with Cooper through seven innings, the Jaguars broke through with a run in the top of the eighth, putting Highlands season on the brink. But Carley Cramer hit a sacrifice fly RBI in the bottom half to tie the game up at 1-1.
Michelle Barth then delivered the game-winning hit in the 10th inning, singling home Peyton Brown who double to lead off the inning.
The day after on Sunday, they needed extra innings again. Tied at 2-2, Michelle Barth once again came through with a two-run double in the top of the eighth inning to plate Brown and Morgan Pompilio for a 4-2 victory. Barth was named the Tournament MVP after the game.
Kaitlyn Dixon was lights out in the circle in the two games, allowing just one earned run over 18 innings pitched.
Highlands now heads to the state tournament to take on Johnson Central on Thursday at 11 a.m. at John Cropp Stadium at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.
BISHOP BROSSART TRACK AND FIELD
Bishop Brossart swept the Class 1A, Region 4 meet on their home track at the Mustang Athletic Complex.
The Mustangs dominated the Class 1A, Region 4 meet scoring 157 points and defeating runner-up Beechwood by 65 points.
The girls team overcame some adversity with injuries throughout the season, but still reigned supreme in the region by scoring 174.5 points, topping runner-up Beechwood by 43 points.
Nathan Ruth was the top point scorer for the Mustangs, scoring 28 points individually and was a part of the region champion 4×800 relay team. The distance runner won the 1,600 meters (4:26.96) and the 800 (2:01.23) and finished second in the 3,200 (10:17.68).
Chloe Hein led the way on the girls team, also scoring 28 points individually, placing first in the 200 (25.96) and long jump (16-11) and second in the 100-meter dash (12.86). Hein also helped the 4×100 relay team claim a region title.
Other regional winners for the Mustangs were:
- Discus: Austin Schadler (121-09)
- Pole Vault: Noah Everett (11-06)
- Boys 4×800 relay (8:21.91), 4×200 relay (1:31.61), 4×100 relay (44.35)
- 3,200 meters: Amy Klocke (11:53.27)
- Pole vault: Anna Curtsinger (7-06)
- 300-meter hurdles: Kaitlyn Kramer (48.52)
- 4×100 relay: Bishop Brossart (51.32)
Brossart will compete in the Class A state meet on Thursday for those who qualified.
RYLE BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
Ryle’s boys track and field team captured their first team title in program history with a 134-103 win over Cooper in the Class 3A, Region 5 meet.
Raiders Kaden Gardner won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.49 seconds, the 300 in 40.00, finished third in the high jump at six-feet and joined Evan Smith, Sawyer Haley and Braxton Portwood to take third in the 4×400 relay.
Tiger Bartlett set a personal record by winning the 1,600 in 4:19.02. He also finished fourth in the 3,200.
Ryle’s 4×100 team of Abram Cusick, Dylan Lee, Nathan Verax and Derril Carr won the 4×100 in 44.20, and Cusick, Lee, Logan Verax and Nathan Verax were third in the 4×200.
Benjamin Coker was also a region champ for the Raiders in the long jump (20-2.75).
They’ll head to the Class 3A state meet in Lexington on Saturday for those who qualified.
NOTRE DAME TRACK AND FIELD
Notre Dame snuck past Dixie Heights in the Class 3A, Region 5 meet with a 110-100.5 victory over Dixie Heights for their first team title since 2019.
Ellie Greenwell won the 800 by a little more than two seconds over Simon Kenton’s Allie Atchley. Greenwell also won the 1,600. Greenwell was the lone individual region champ, but the Pandas had five runner-up finishes and five others finish in third, including three of the four relay events.
Notre Dame will compete in the Class 3A state meet on Saturday for those who qualified.
Click on the team below on who you feel deserves the LINK nky Team of the Week!