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.
VILLA MADONNA BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Saturday looked a lot like a Villa Madonna training run at the Class A, Region 4 meet in Williamstown.
The Vikings went 1-2-3 and placed five in the top 20 in a 29-55 win over St. Henry.
Villa won the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference team title two weeks ago.
Saturday was Mark Antrobus’ first individual win this season. He finished about 14 seconds over fellow Viking Ethan Martin, and Brendan Ramdass was third. Alex Chadwick was sixth, and Ethan Barker was 17th.
Antrobus also became the second Villa runner to win region; 2015 alumnus Eric Baugh did it 2014 on the way to finishing second in the state.
COOPER FOOTBALL
For the first time in program history, Cooper finished off a 10-0 regular season in Friday’s 63-21 victory over Dixie Heights.
The Jaguars have been impressive in doing so as they outscored the opponent in the regular season, 426-129.
Their potent offense has some off the chart numbers, averaging 42.6 points and 376.8 yards per game despite six of their games resulting in a running clock.
The defense has been just as solid, surrendering just 12.9 points per game and 240.6 yards per game.
Cooper is just the fourth Boone County school to finish off a regular season undefeated. Boone County did it twice in 1987 and 1994, Conner in 2003 and Ryle in 2016.
RYLE GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Six points.
That was the margin between the top three teams in the Oct. 26, Class 3A, Region 5 cross country meet at Williamstown High School. Ryle defended its title over Notre Dame, 60-64, and Campbell County was third with 66.
The backs of the Ryle girls warmup shirts bore the slogan, “Let the only negative in your life be your splits.” The Raiders had nothing but positives – senior Allie Kopser covered the 5K (3.1 miles) in 18 minutes, 54.60 seconds – her first regional win since she was an eighth-grader – Isabelle Morin was sixth in 20:04.15, Julie Morin was eighth in 20:35.51, Jaz Bartlett was 20th in 21.29.22, Aubrey Poore was 25th in 21:56.92.
They’ll head to the Class 3A state meet on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
SIMON KENTON VOLLEYBALL
The Pioneers (28-5) won a seventh straight district championship and will enter the 8th Region tournament with the best record in the field.
They’re 14-0 in region play with the region tournament starting on Monday. The Pioneers open up tournament play on Tuesday against Oldham County.
Madeline Johnson and Keira Hans were named to the All-Tournament team for Simon Kenton while Jenna Kitchens was named Tournament MVP.
Click on the team below on who you feel deserves the LINK nky Team of the Week!