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.
The new school year has added to the awards program. OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and LINK nky are excited to expand in addition to the weekly winners, the program will be including three winners for Team of the Season and one overall winner for Team of the Year for the 2024-25 sports seasons.
New this year for the program is the addition of the Team of the Season (TOTS) and Team of the Year (TOTY) awards. Sports seasons are considered fall, winter and spring for the purpose of this awards program. At the conclusion of each sports season, an overall TOTS winner will be chosen from all previous TOTW winners for that season. Their school will also receive a $500 scholarship to be presented to the athlete of their choice at the end of the school year.
Finally, the program culminates by selecting one TOTY from the three TOTS award winners. Online and print articles will again be published, a large commemorative plaque will be presented and the school will receive an additional $500 scholarship to be presented to the athlete of their choice at the end of the school year.
The call for nominations, voting and winning announcement for each will follow the same format as the TOTW.
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 Friday at 11:59 a.m.
CONNER BOYS SOCCER
The Cougars won their first 33rd District title since 2019 with a 3-1 victory over Ryle on Oct. 10. It ended Ryle’s four-year run as district champs.
They defeated Cooper 3-0 in the district semifinals to get there.
In the two matches in the tournament, Grady Noble scored three goals, Brayden Thornton, Dallas Marshall and Kellen Faulkner also finding the back of the net. Thornton registered two assists while Faulkner, Mason Ginn and Trey Wagner recorded one assist each.
Wagner made 13 saves and allowed just one goal in the two games.
Noble was named Tournament MVP while Wagner and Thornton made All-Tournament team.
The Cougars advanced to the region tournament to face St. Henry on Tuesday at home.
CONNER GIRLS SOCCER
The Lady Cougars are district champions for the first time since 2021 after defeating Boone County 8-0 in the semifinals and Cooper 1-0 in penalty kicks in the championship.
It was a dramatic finale, the Jaguars and Cougars needing extra time and then some to determine the winners, Conner winning in penalty kicks with tournament MVP Ally Welch making a save on the seventh kick for the victory.
Izelee Kerns and Cayley Eilers were also named to the All-Tournament team.
Conner starts their 9th Region tournament run on Monday evening at home against Newport Central Catholic. They enter the tournament with a 20-2-1 record, having shut out the opponent in 18 of those games.
HIGHLANDS VOLLEYBALL
It was quite the week for the Highlands volleyball team. After going 2-0 in wins over Campbell County and Bellevue, they traveled down to the Halloween Smash in Lexington and went 5-1.
They earned wins over Ashland Blazer (twice), Montgomery County, Tates Creek and Lafayette.
The team leaders this season are Sydney Schomaker with 406 kills, Bella Thomas with 79 blocks, Ella Cox with 528 assists, Hayden Gessner with 401 digs and Liz Perkins with 44 aces.
Highlands is 26-8 on the season and closes the regular season out this week with a couple of road matchups against Beechwood and Cooper on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
CAMPBELL COUNTY GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Campbell County’s girls cross country team won a tight battle at the NKAC/St. Henry meet at Idlewild Park in Burlington on Saturday.
The Camels scored 42 points, edging out Ryle by six points to claim the title.
Olivia Holbrook and Lila Dunlevy placed in the top three, Holbrook in second in a time of 18:41, Dunlevy in third at 19:00. Aidan Christopher placed sixed (20:01), Brooklyn Phelps in 14th with a PR time of 20:24. Rounding out the scoring was Katherine McKee in 17th (20:37). Arianna Law (21:50) finished 31st, Isabella Evers 47th in a PR time of 23:15.
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC FOOTBALL
Beating your rival 26 straight times doesn’t make it much of a rivalry does it?
That’s probably what the Thoroughbreds are wondering after defeating Newport once again on Friday, 35-7.
NewCath dominated from start to finish, holding the Wildcats to under 100 yards of offense until the game’s final drive when it was 35-0. Kaleb Cole carried the load, scoring four touchdowns and rushing for 102 yards on 18 carries. Emmanuel Miles and Eddie Bivens were also effective in the run game, combining for 114 yards and a touchdown as the Thoroughbreds racked up 251 rushing yards in the contest.
NewCath’s defense forced two turnovers and sacked the quarterback five times. Louie Collopy hit on all five of his extra point attempts.
The Thoroughbreds are now 4-3 on the season with an away game at Dayton on Friday.
Click on the team below on who you feel deserves the LINK nky Team of the Week!