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!
2015 Covington Catholic soccer
For decades, the 9th Region had come agonizingly close to winning a Kentucky boys soccer state championship, but no team could finish the job. The 2015 Covington Catholic Colonels changed that forever, becoming the first—and still the only—9th Region boys soccer team to capture a KHSAA state title.
Coached by Jeremy Robertson, the Colonels finished 24-2-2, with both losses coming to Ohio opponents.
CovCath ranked first in Kentucky by allowing just 0.6 goals per game and sixth in average margin of victory at 3.3 goals. They outscored opponents 109-18, recorded 16 shutouts, and set school records for wins, goals scored, and shutouts in a season. In the postseason, the Colonels outscored their opponents 33-4, avenged regular-season ties by defeating Ryle in the 9th Region championship and Louisville Trinity in the state quarterfinals, then capped their championship run with a 3-0 victory over Henry Clay. The victory also marked the first boys soccer state championship in CovCath history after the Colonels had reached the finals twice without winning.
Jacob Litzler led the team with 25 goals and 15 assists before becoming the head boys soccer coach at St. Henry. Team captain Bryce Day added 17 goals and 14 assists while earning State Tournament MVP, First Team All-State, NSCAA All-Region, and Northern Kentucky Player of the Year honors. Griffin Lamb contributed 18 goals and 13 assists, Michael Wessels scored eight goals, Nick Jacobs added seven, and Ryan Massie recorded eight assists. Goalkeeper Sam Romes anchored a stingy defense, allowing just 15 goals all season while earning State Tournament All-Tournament Team honors and the Riherds Above and Beyond Award. Ben Darpel also earned All-Tournament recognition. Robertson, who has coached Covington Catholic since 2011, later guided the Colonels to state runner-up finishes in 2016, 2021, and 2025.
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
