The seventh LINK nky Team of the Week (TOW) for the spring sports season presented by Ortho Cincy is the Cooper boys track and field team.
A bonus for the Cooper boys track and field team is that they are now eligible for Team of the Season (TOS) for the spring sports season. St. Henry’s boys cross country team won TOS for the fall, Highlands swim and dive team winning TOS for the winter. The TOW for the spring sports season will run through the end of May. Simon Kenton boys volleyball team won the first TOW for the spring sports season, Campbell County’s softball team won the second TOW, Villa Madonna the third, St. Henry softball the fourth, Campbell County’s girls track and field team the fifth winner and Bellevue boys track and field the sixth. A vote will follow for TOS when the spring sports season is wrapped up to determine the winner. Then we’ll turn to Team of the Year (TOY) voting in the middle of June. Each TOS winner will receive a $500 scholarship that will go to an athlete of their choice and they will then be considered for TOY.
For the team that is awarded TOY, 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.
COOPER BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
Cooper squeaked past Ryle, 128-117 for the Class 3A, Region 5 title.
Paul Van Laningham won four events, the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and ran the anchor leg of the winning 4×800 relay.
Van Laningham was not Cooper’s only regional champion – Carson Clark won the shot put, Julienne Knuckles took the high jump, and Corey Freihofer won the pole vault.
The Cougars followed it up with their best finish in program history at the 3A state track and field meet on Saturday. Individual winners were Paul Van Laningham in the 1,600 and Corey Freihofer in the pole vault.
Congratulations to our other nominees as well: Dixie Heights boys lacrosse, Bishop Brossart girls track and field, Covington Catholic track and field, Ryle girls tennis, Beechwood boys track and field.