CovCath’s Gaiser Senior Bowl MVP
The Blue Team got a snappy performance from Covington Catholic running back Dylan Gaiser and beat the Red Team 23-22 at the Northern Kentucky Football Coaches Association’s newly christened senior all-star football game. The annual event, which raises scholarship money for graduating seniors, was Thursday at Dixie Heights High School. The Snappy Tom Potter Senior Bowl honors former area prep football assistant Tom Potter, who is deceased. Snappy Tomato Pizza sponsors the game.
Gaiser helped make it a memorable occasion by having a hand in three touchdowns for, fittingly enough, the Blue Team. He threw a touchdown pass and scored one each on the ground and in the air while representing the blue Colonels. He was the Senior Bowl MVP awardee after generating all three touchdowns in the first half, which helped the Blue Team build a big first-half lead.
Gaiser threw a 22-yard TD pass to Dixie Heights’ Nishawn Golsby. He added an 8-yard rushing score and a 35-yard scoring grab from Scott’s Trey Cook. That gave the Blue a 20-8 halftime lead. The Red Team scored 14 second-half points to make it a game. Beechwood back Brody Aylor’s short fourth-quarter TD run and ensuing 2-point reception for the Red Team set the final score.
Gaiser was also one of 21 recipients of $500 scholarships from the NKFCA. Gaiser, tied for third on the CovCath all-time scoring list, is heading to Centre College to play football. He rushed for a team-best 1,238 yards and 24 touchdowns with 328 yards receiving as a senior and finished with 27 total TDs. He also passed for 93 yards on three completions in three pass attempts.
Highlands’ Rom back in the majors
Former Highlands baseball standout Drew Rom made his major league return Saturday in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform. Rom, a 2018 Highlands graduate, pitched one inning of one-hit relief. He had a pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth inning and slammed the door on host Colorado. Wearing No. 38, Rom threw 17 pitches, 11 for strikes, and the Brewers won 7-1. It was his first major league appearance as a reliever and marked his first game finished as a big leaguer.
Rom, a 26-year-old left-hander, made his Brewers debut in support of the fastest-throwing pitcher in Major League Baseball history. Jacob Misiorowski started and picked up the win for Milwaukee. He threw a record-setting 103.7 mph pitch in the third inning to Kyle Karros. It was the fastest pitch by a major league starter since tracking began in 2008. His previous high was 103.4 mph in May against St. Louis, Rom’s old team.
Rom, the 2018 Kentucky Mr. Baseball, was a draftee by the Baltimore Orioles that same year. He was a fourth-round pick with the 115th overall selection. The Orioles traded him to St. Louis in August 2023 when he made his major league debut. Rom started eight games that season, finishing with a 1-4 record and an 8.02 ERA. Rom spent all of 2024 and 2025 in the minors and became a free agent in November.
The Brewers signed Rom as a free agent December 17, 2025. He made 22 appearances this spring for Triple-A Nashville, putting together a 2-1 record and 3.04 ERA. He had 39 strikeouts and one save in 26-plus innings.
Nichols named Scott girls soccer coach
Corey Nichols is the new head coach for the Scott High School girls soccer team. He replaces Allie Ast, who left the program in May after three seasons with a 23-29-5 record and no postseason wins. The Eagles finished 6-10-2 in 2025 with a third straight loss in as many years to Campbell County in the first round of the 37th District Tournament. Scott’s last postseason win was in 2020. The Eagles haven’t won a district championship since 2018.
Nichols is on board to change all that. “Can’t wait to see these ladies battling together here soon,” said the coach, who brings unique experience to his new job.
He’s been a local U18 club coach with the School of Ginga in Florence in the Kentucky Premier League. Nichols is also the Boone County Youth Soccer Association vice president and game day coordinator. A recreational soccer league with teams for kids ages 3-12, the BCYSA has been serving young soccer players of Northern Kentucky since 1979.
Nichols takes over a Scott squad losing two of its top three scorers. Expected back is Ava Karl, who scored seven goals as a junior. Also due back are Noelle Price and Cassidy Grome, who scored four goals each as sophomores. Rylee Gribble scored three goals as a freshman. Both of last season’s goalkeepers were juniors: Savannah Black and Cadence Charles. Black gave up 1.9 goals per game and posted six shutouts. Charles yielded just one goal in limited duty.
Sparks takes over Cooper girls soccer
Amadeus Sparks is the new girls soccer coach at Cooper High School. The Lawrenceburg, Ind. native and Mount St. Joseph University graduate was hired in May. That followed the resignation of longtime coach Scott Hughes. Sparks played soccer at Lawrenceburg High School and various club teams. He also played at Mount St. Joe where he earned a degree in sports management.
“Cooper High School is excited to welcome coach Sparks to the Jaguar family and looks forward to the future of the girls soccer program under his leadership,” the school said in a statement.
Hughes left with a 121-69-16 record, two 33rd District championships, five district final appearances and five 9th Region tournament berths. The Jaguars finished 11-9-2 last season. They made it to the 33rd District championship game where they lost 1-0 to Conner. Cooper ended the season with a 2-0 loss to Highlands in the first round of the 9th Region Tournament.
The Jaguars lose nine seniors from the 2025 squad. Seven new seniors are due back. Three of last season’s top five scorers were sophomores. They were Olivia Haswell (13 goals), Leila Allen (8 goals) and Hayden Johnson (7 goals). Lyna Ewell scored eight goals as a freshman.
