Big names and small schools are making news in northern Kentucky. From the golf courses to the volleyball courts and soccer fields, we’ve got the latest on All “A” Classic tournaments and other special events. Get up to speed here with the fastest 1,000 words in sports.
No One Fights Alone: Muller Golf Outing Benefits Mason McMahon, Boone Studer
Northern Kentucky University golfer Luke Muller kickstarted his senior season this week at Marshall University’s Joe Feaganes Invitational. He’s been in Huntington, West Virginia, the last few days competing with teammates at Guyan Country Club where the tournament wrapped up Tuesday. Muller finished 14th at 3-under-par 211. NKU placed seventh in the team standings.
The former Highlands High School standout is having a busy week. On top of NKU classwork, Muller travels with the golf team to Michigan on Friday for Oakland University’s Golden Grizzlies Intercollegiate Tournament at Katke-Cousins Golf Course in Rochester Hills.
Additionally, the 18th annual Luke Muller Golf Outing is Saturday at Kenton County Golf Courses, located at 3908 Richardson Road in Independence. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m., with a 10 a.m. shotgun start. Lunch is provided. The cost is $125 per person, which includes golf, lunch, games and the after-party. All proceeds benefit Mason McMahon, 4, and Boone Studer, 3, so all participants will be playing for a worthy cause. If you can’t golf, come for the after-party and feel good about yourself.
“The main goal is to have a fun day of love and support,” Muller said.
Mason McMahon was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia on June 17, 2023. It was the worst prognosis for what the family thought was merely another bad cold. Mason would get common colds and fevers that he couldn’t shake for weeks at a time.
After having a fever for a week during one of those episodes, Mason’s parents asked his doctor to do some bloodwork. That happened on June 14, 2023. About two hours later, they received a call from a doctor who said to go to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center immediately. Their son’s blood counts were showing obvious signs of cancer. Mason spent 35 days as an inpatient at the hospital and will be undergoing treatment until August 2025.
Boone Studer was born with epidermolysis bullosa, often referred to as “The Worst Disease You’ve Never Heard Of” or EB. EB is the result of a mutated gene. It causes Boone’s body to stop producing an important protein in his skin called collagen-7. This protein helps skin bind together. When there is not enough collagen-7, the results include skin blistering with even the slightest bit of friction. EB affects not just the outside of the body; Boone also suffers from blisters inside his mouth, throat, esophagus and gastrointestinal tract.
There is currently no cure for EB, and up until 2023, there were no approved treatments. Boone wears bandages on his body as a protective barrier to healthy areas of skin. This also protects blistered areas from infection.
Both families of these young children endure substantial medical bills even after insurance coverage, which adds stress to an already difficult situation. The Luke Muller Golf Outing attempts to help them out. The outing presents itself as an event supporting local families in need by bringing together friends, family and community members for a day-long celebration of love, hope and healing.
“I know what they’re going through,” Muller said.
In 2007, as a preschooler, Muller got sick with what his parents thought was an allergic reaction or a chest cold. But that night, he had trouble breathing and was taken to a doctor where tests revealed a tumor pressing against his trachea. He was later diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma, a fast-growing, rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and was hospitalized for a month. He underwent a two-year chemotherapy regimen and three years of regular body scans and blood work at Cincinnati Children’s. Eventually, he emerged cancer-free.
Once a year, Muller returns to the Cincinnati Children’s survivor clinic for a thorough check-up to make sure cancer is in remission. Also, once a year, he’s the namesake for his own golf outing benefitting cancer fighters like himself. The message to the McMahons, Studers and others: No one fights alone.
“That’ll hopefully allow the families to forget their struggles for a day,” Muller said of the annual outing. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Big Improvements For Boys Teams At All “A” State Golf Tournament
The St. Henry, Bishop Brossart and Walton-Verona boys golf teams repeated as All “A” Classic region champs this year and returned to the state tournament. All three improved their scoring Saturday at the state event at Richmond’s Gibson Bay Golf Course.
Boys state champion St. Henry finished with a team score of 305. The Crusaders were All “A” state runners-up to Kentucky Country Day by a shot last season with a score of 312.
“Saturday was a great win for the Crusaders,” said coach Jerod Cahill, a former St. Henry golfer. “This is our third All “A” state championship. It was a true team effort.”
The Crusaders have finished first, second or third at the All “A” state event seven times in the last eight years. They won in 2016 and 2020. They have won 15 All “A” regional titles, including the last 12 in a row.
Bishop Brossart finished sixth Saturday with a score of 335. Walton-Verona placed 14th at 350. Brossart was 11th last year while Walton-Verona was 13th. The Mustangs’ 335 is a 15-shot improvement over last season’s 350. The Bearcats improved nine shots over last year’s 359.
St. Henry Girls Lead Local All “A” Contingent
St. Henry placed seventh on Sunday at the All “A” Classic girls state golf tournament at Gibson Bay, leading local participants. The Crusaders shot a team score of 457, well behind winner Lexington Christian’s 323. St. Henry’s top scorer was Carly Apgar with 104, finishing 33rd.
Bishop Brossart, the only other area team at the girls’ small-school tournament, finished ninth with 480. Emma Laker was the Mustangs’ top finisher, carding 86 for a 14th-place finish, best among locals. Laker finished 15 shots behind medalist Madison Glisson (71) from Ballard Memorial. Beechwood individual qualifier Ellie Stamm finished third among local golfers with a score of 106, tying for 35th.
Local Teams Set For All “A” State Volleyball Tournament
St. Henry’s 2-0 win over Newport Central Catholic last week qualified the Crusaders for the All “A” Classic state volleyball tournament. St. Henry defeated the Thoroughbreds, 25‑10, 25‑6 for the 9th Region title. Madi Demler and Emily Helmers led the Crusaders with five kills each. Madelyn Keipert contributed 15 assists and five digs, while Violet Main added four service aces. Madison Wolf led NewCath with five kills.
St. Henry joins 8th Region champion Walton-Verona and 10th Region champ Bishop Brossart at the All “A” Classic state tournament, held Sept. 20-21 at Bluegrass SportsPlex in Elizabethtown. St. Henry begins pool play Sept. 20 against Somerset Christian. Walton-Verona starts pool play that day against the 5th Region champion, and Bishop Brossart faces the 6th Region champ. The top two teams in each of the four pools advance to the championship division bracket. St. Henry is defending champion.
All “A” State Soccer Tournament Update
Beechwood, Bishop Brossart, St. Henry and Walton-Verona are represented in the sectional rounds of the All “A” Classic state soccer tournaments. These matches take place over the next six days, beginning Wednesday with both the Walton-Verona boys and girls teams in action. Both Bishop Brossart soccer teams are also in the sectionals.
The 10th Region champion Brossart boys play 9th Region champion St. Henry in a Sept. 14 sectional. The Brossart girls face 9th Region champion Beechwood Sept. 16. The eight-team girls and boys All “A” Classic state soccer tournaments will be held at Louisville Assumption and Louisville Collegiate Sept. 21-22.
Thomas More Football Team Drops Opener
The Thomas More University football team fell to visiting Davenport, 24-17, in the season opener Saturday at Republic Bank Field. Davenport raced to a 14-0 first-quarter lead and extended it to 21-0 in the second half. The Saints got on the board with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns and trailed 21-14 heading into the fourth quarter. The teams traded field goals in the fourth.
The Saints received third-quarter touchdowns from Evan Brown, who scored on a 66-yard pass from Rae’Von Vaden, and Mike Kirch, who hauled in a 26-yarder. Scott High grad Luke Iden, who kicked the Saints’ extra points, converted a 31-yard field goal in the fourth to complete the Saints’ scoring.
TMU statistical leaders include Vaden with 160 yards passing, two touchdowns and 55 yards rushing. Brown led the team with 90 yards receiving on three catches. Lineman Trey Weems recorded six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack on defense.
Davenport entered the season receiving votes in the first installment of the NCAA Division II national poll. Thomas More was picked to finish seventh in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference football coaches’ preseason poll.
This is Thomas More’s second season in Division II after posting a 5-6 overall record last year and finishing sixth in the conference. The Saints are back in action Saturday with a home game against Kentucky Christian at 7 p.m.