Covington is in the news on several sporting fronts. Information is coming fast from Covington Catholic and Holmes high schools and the city itself, where an official has received his due. Commitments, offers and transfers are all here and I have a fish story in the fastest 1,000 words in sports.
GULLETT STEPS DOWN AS HOLMES SOCCER COACH
Austin Gullett has resigned as Holmes boys soccer coach. He posted a record of 11-27-1 in two seasons. He put together a high-water mark of 7-12 in 2023 with a much-improved squad. Gullett, a 2014 Holmes High School graduate, guided the Bulldogs to three straight wins in their final three regular season games with a goal-scoring advantage of 18-3.
“Coaching at my alma mater has always been a dream of mine,” Gullett wrote in a statement. “I am a Holmes Bulldog through and through. I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to live out my dream and be the Head Coach of the Boys Varsity Soccer Team.”
Holmes’ whittled its goal-scoring differential substantially in Gullett’s second season, scoring 56 goals and allowing 71 for a differential of minus-15. The Bulldogs scored 33 goals and allowed 113 his first season, a difference of 80 goals.
Gullett played soccer, football and baseball at Holmes. He was student body president and a member of the National Honor Society. He was a midfielder on the soccer team under former coach John Bradley.
Gullett inherited a Holmes soccer program that was on a major downturn. Holmes did not put together a winning season in five years under its previous coach.
COVINGTON’S ADKINS MAKES IT OFFICIAL
Covington’s Jordan Adkins of the Northern Kentucky Officials Association was a finalist for the KHSAA Outstanding Official of the Year in football. Each year, the KHSAA honors the top officials in 10 high school sports. One official in each sport is named most outstanding. Adkins is one of three football officials recognized by the KHSAA.
Adkins is on the board of directors and is vice president of the Northern Kentucky Officials Association. The NKOA provides football officials for 30 Northern Kentucky schools at the varsity and middle school levels.
COVCATH, BROSSART REEL IN RESULTS
Covington Catholic’s Brandon Smith and Phoenix Parks finished 27th out of 206 teams at the Kentucky High School Student Angler Federation State Championship at Lake Cumberland. The duo finished with a total of 9 pounds and 12 ounces in rough conditions.
Bishop Brossart’s Levi Snowball and Carson Schultz finished 36th at the event with a haul of 8 pounds and 4 ounces. The Mustangs had two teams in the top 50 as Lincoln Schabell and Brendan Hill placed 45th with a total of 7 pounds and 3 ounces. Owen County’s Jayce Clemons and Riley Dean reeled in 17 pounds and 7 ounces of fish to win it.
ALL “A” CLASSIC BASEBALL UPDATE
The 9th Region All “A” Classic baseball schedule has been changed. The semifinals are Sunday April 7 at Meinken Field in Covington. St. Henry plays Newport Central Catholic at 1:30 p.m. and Holy Cross plays Beechwood at 4 p.m. The final is Monday April 8 at 7 p.m. at Thomas More Stadium.
Over in the 8th Region, Walton-Verona hosts Cornerstone Christian Academy on Monday in a 5:30 p.m. first-round contest. Local 10th Region All “A” Classic baseball teams are eliminated. The All “A” Classic state baseball tournament is scheduled April 27-28, site to be determined.
COMMITMENTS
Lloyd Memorial basketball player Sierra McCoin officially committed to the Wilmington College women’s basketball team. Ludlow basketball standout Elijah Perrin has signed with the Campbellsville University-Harrodsburg men’s basketball team. Cooper basketball standout Jashaun Pouncy has accepted an offer from Thomas More University. Campbell County catcher Parker Schweitzer has committed to play baseball at Kentucky Wesleyan. Simon Kenton baseball player Daniel Uhl has committed to Otterbein. Covington Catholic pitcher Bradley Zekl recently committed to Hanover.
TRANSFERS
According to The Portal Report, Northern Kentucky University transfer Marques Warrick has received interest from Arizona State, Arkansas, Cincinnati, College of Charleston, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Xavier. Warrick is NKU’s all-time leading scorer with one year of college eligibility remaining.
Nathan Dudukovich is transferring from Thomas More University to IUPUI/IU-Indianapolis of the Horizon League. Dudukovich, a 6-foot-3 guard, just completed his freshman season at Thomas More. The former Lakota West standout finished second on the Saints in scoring with an average of 12.2 points per game with a season-high 27 points against Kentucky Wesleyan. He’s Lakota West’s all-time leading scorer.
OFFERS
Beechwood football standout Mattox Kelly received his first NCAA Division I college football scholarship offer from Illinois State. Kelly, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound junior two-way lineman, has been visiting Louisville. The Cardinals invited him to attend a game in September. Eastern Kentucky University invited him to Junior Day in February. He has made several other college visits.
THOMAS AND MOORE WIN FOR THOMAS MORE
A pair of former high school state champion wrestlers added national championships for Thomas More University. Former Ryle wrestler Cole Thomas won the 141-pound weight division title at the National Collegiate Wrestling Association championships in Shreveport, Louisiana. Thomas, a TMU sophomore, won all five of his matches, four by pin. He defeated Bruno Alves from Apprentice in the championship match with a 16-10 decision helping the Saints place third at the 86-team meet. Thomas More sent 10 wrestlers to the event.
Former Walton-Verona grappler Ryan Moore won the 149-pound title. The fifth-year Saints standout won all six of his matches. He beat Bellarmine’s Zac Cowan by 7-2 decision in the final. He won three matches by pin at the NCWA event, a special national tournament for college wrestlers ineligible for NCAA championships. The Saints are in the middle of a transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II and ineligible for D-2 championships this academic year and next.
Thomas and Moore combined to win six KHSAA state wrestling championships with Thomas winning a state record-tying four and Moore winning two. Thomas is from Walton. Moore is from Crittendon.
SPEED READS
Northern Kentucky University baseball player Treyvin Moss is the April 2 Horizon League Batter of the Week. NKU teammate Ben Gerl snagged Horizon League Pitcher of the Week March 26. The Norse had an 11-game winning streak snapped March 27.
St. Henry High School’s Anna Guard set a Diocese of Covington track and field meet record in the discus with a throw of 124 feet, 11 inches.
Highlands is No. 25 and the lone Northern Kentucky team ranked in the first weekly poll released by Kentucky high school softball coaches. A total of 27 coaches took part in the voting.
Covington Catholic pitcher Bradley Zekl is an MVP of the April 3 Skyline Chili Reds Futures High School Showcase contest pitting the Colonels baseball team against Dixie Heights. CovCath won, 8-0 and held Dixie to just four hits.