We gave you the 50 greatest sports icons from NKY last summer. Since we had so much fun with that, we’re bringing you another list of the 50 greatest things this summer…The 50 greatest prep sports teams from NKY.
Each day for the next 50 days, we’ll release one of the area’s 50 greatest prep sports teams. It starts June 22 and runs into August. This is not a ranking 1-50, it’s just a collection of the 50 best sports teams ever assembled.
We’ll preface this by saying you may or may not agree with all 50 and that’s fine. Sports editor Evan Dennison assembled a panel of dedicated and longly-tenured NKY sports fans to weigh in and give their takes on who should be on the list. I trust those people because of their history and knowledge of the game in NKY. We compiled numerous lists and identified the most certain candidates for inclusion.
Some of the traits we sought in these teams were state championships (almost certainly a requirement), dominance, and standout players and coaches. We may have cheated a little by lumping some dominant teams together that achieved numerous consecutive state titles, but that gives a few more teams an opportunity to be recognized.
I hope you enjoy this, as sports are slow in the summer. This list serves as a way to remember the past a little and keep you entertained daily as it continues.
Another note, while we respect and give coverage to golf, tennis, wrestling, bowling, track and field and cross country, we consider those individual sports, so any teams from those sports will not make the list.
Here we go!
2013 Notre Dame soccer
Defense wins championships, and the 2013 Notre Dame Pandas proved it to be true. Fueled by one of the stingiest defenses in the state and a high-powered offense, the Pandas captured the program’s third KHSAA girls soccer state championship, finishing 24-2-3 and defeating top-ranked Sacred Heart 2-0 in the title match at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.
Coached by Sara Raaker-McSorley, Notre Dame capped one of the most dominant defensive seasons in state history. The Pandas led Kentucky by allowing just nine goals all season, an average of 0.3 goals per game, while recording 22 shutouts. They ended the year with 11 consecutive shutouts, including nine in the postseason, where they outscored opponents 38-0. Notre Dame overwhelmed 9th Region competition, outscoring opponents 67-6, and avenged their lone regional loss by defeating Highlands 3-0 in the 9th Region championship. Overall, the Pandas outscored opponents 99-9.
Mandy Arnzen led the attack with 22 goals and nine assists, finishing her career with 50 goals before continuing at Ohio University. Team captain Maddie Tierney paced the team with 16 assists, earned State Tournament All-Tournament Team honors, set school records for career and single-season assists and continued her career at Xavier University. Ellen Combs scored eight goals, including one in the state championship, while earning 9th Region Tournament MVP and State Tournament All-Tournament Team honors. Christin Sherrard added 14 goals, Taylor Watts contributed 13 before continuing her career at Belmont University, and Carissa Dyer scored nine goals before playing at the University of Southern Indiana. Goalkeepers Courtney Hansel and Maddy Kim combined to allow just nine goals all season, while Libby Greenwell, who later played at the University of Cincinnati, was named State Tournament MVP. As of 2023, Notre Dame’s 24 victories were tied for the fifth-most wins in a season in KHSAA history.
Here’s the rundown of the 50 greatest NKY prep sports teams day by day:
Day 1: 1998 Highlands Football
Day 2: 1963 Holmes Baseball
Day 3: 2019 Covington Catholic football
Day 4: 2021 Notre Dame Academy Girls Soccer
Day 5: 1960 Highlands Football
Day 6: 1980 Villa Madonna Volleyball
Day 7: 1976 Lloyd Memorial Football
Day 8: 2009 Holmes Boys Basketball
Day 9: 1991 Beechwood Football
Day 10: 1954 Newport Catholic Baseball
Day 11: 1982 Highlands Football
Day 12: 2019 Ryle Girls Basketball
Day 13: 1987 Boone County Football
Day 14: 1981 St. Henry Volleyball
Day 15: 2021 Beechwood Football
Day 16: 2002 Covington Catholic Baseball
Day 17: 1957 Highlands Football
Day 18: 2006 Ryle Softball
Day 19: 1975 Ludlow Football
Day 20: 1979 Notre Dame Volleyball
Day 21: 1977 Bellevue Football
Day 22: 2015 Holy Cross Girls Basketball
Day 23: 1970 Highlands Football
Day 24: 2013 Notre Dame Soccer
