New coach? Same results.
Brent Sowder stepped in as head coach of Campbell County, succeeding Hall of Fame coach Aric Russell, and the winning tradition continued. With a 37th District Championship and a state quarterfinal appearance under their belt last season, the question now is: who has what it takes to dethrone them?
Scott came the closest to challenging the Camels last season, falling by an average of 11.5 points in two matchups. Brossart, meanwhile, hasn’t managed a win against Campbell County since 2020, and Calvary struggled mightily, losing by a combined 83 points in their meetings with the powerhouse from Claryville.
Campbell County (27-7 in 2023-24)
Last season’s 10th Region Championship was a memorable achievement, but the Camels are hungry for more.
“One of the best quotes I’ve heard is, ‘Treat your next one, like it’s your first one,'” Campbell County head coach Brent Sowder said. “We’re coming in with the same mentality, like it’s our first go around.”
Fortunately for the Camels, they have the pieces to make another title run, led by last season’s hero and one of northern Kentucky’s top players, Garyn Jackson.
“I told him last year that he’s a cheat code for a first-year coach,” Sowder said. “We’ll go as Garyn goes. He’s got a dominating personality.”
Jackson wasn’t just the player who sent the Camels to the state tournament with his game-winning shot against Harrison County—he was a consistent force all season, averaging 11.7 points, shooting 64.7% from the field, 43% from three, and 82% at the free-throw line, while adding 4.8 rebounds per game.
With the departure of top scorers Conner Weinel (15.3 PPG) and Broc Sorgenfrei (12.8 PPG), the Camels must replace key offensive production. Zach Franzen and Xavier Fancher, who played all 34 games last season, are expected to step into larger roles as the team reloads for another championship push.
Bishop Brossart (3-26 in 2023-24)
The past is behind the Mustangs, but it can still serve as motivation.
Brossart is coming off a tough season, but one that provided valuable experience the team hopes will fuel a turnaround.
After starting last season 3-2, the ‘Stangs endured a 24-game losing streak, ending with a 39-point loss to Scott in the district semifinals.
To avoid a repeat, a strong start is crucial.
“We’ve got a team that didn’t get a lot of taste of winning last year, so it’s important to get off on the right foot and learn how to win,” Bishop Brossart coach Ben Franzen said. “I’m confident in our guys to do that with the way they’re working. I think they’re ready for the schedule ahead.”
With no seniors on last season’s roster, Brossart returns a group of players familiar with the challenges ahead.
“We’ve got three returning seniors and several juniors that are returning from significant playing time last year,” Franzen said. “They all provide different attributes to our team that we believe will provide success for our program. Just being a year older and the way their bodies have improved I think will result in how we want to play.”
Parker Mulberry, an All-10th Region performer last season, returns as the ‘Stangs leading scorer, averaging 10.9 points per game.
Scott (14-18 in 2023-24)
The Eagles are entering a rebuilding phase.
They face a significant overhaul after losing eight players, including their top three scorers—Dylan Giffen, Connor Griffin and Xarek Sarakatsannis—who collectively averaged 37.5 per game.
“We are trying to develop kids that are ready to compete in varsity basketball games,” Scott coach Steve Fromeyer said. “We’ve got four seniors this year that we’ll expect a lot from. They’ve been around, they understand what we’re trying to do and we’ll expect them to be good leaders”
One senior expected to take on a significant role this season is Kaymon Coleman. He appeared in 32 games last year, averaging 3.7 points per game.
“He’s played a significant role for us the last two years,” Fromeyer said. “He’s had spot starts here and there when kids have been injured. He’s who we will be leaning most heavily on.”
The rebuilding process won’t happen overnight, but the opening month of play in December will be crucial for Scott to establish a strong foundation.
“The December schedule is pretty tough,” Fromeyer said. “If we can use the month of December to put the ball in the basket, their defense will come, the confidence will come. The DNA is there for this group.”
Early on their schedule, Scott faces tough matchups against Highlands, Mason County, Walton-Verona, three teams from Ohio and more.
Calvary Christian (12-19 in 2023-24)
Youth and experience don’t often go hand in hand, but for the Cougars, it’s a perfect blend.
The Cougars lost just one key senior, Race Zachary, their second-leading scorer, but the emphasis on developing young talent is expected to pay dividends.
“Halfway through the season we decided to change strategies and invest a lot of time into our young guys.” Calvary Christian head coach Benjamin Mulling said. “Race was the only senior who was really playing minutes for us and everybody else starting was either a freshman or sophomore.”
Sophomore Peyton Morris is back after an impressive season, averaging 15.5 points and sinking 75 three-pointers. He’s joined by five other players who saw action in over half of last season’s games.
“He’s one of our captains this year,” Mulling said. “He’s going to need take a step forward from a leadership standpoint and I think he’s set up well to do that and he’s really stepped up his offseason workouts. Skill-wise and talent, I think he’s going to be one of the best players in the area.”
While a district title would be an incredible accomplishment for the Cougars, they’re focused on first becoming more competitive against their district opponents.
In four total games against the other three, they were defeated by an average of 34.5 points last season.