The Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches have made their votes and the Coach of the Year selections are in for each region.
In the 9th Region, Covington Catholic’s Jake Thelen and Holy Cross’ Ted Arlinghaus won boys and girls Region Coach of the Year, respectively. Campbell County’s Davey Johnson won the 10th Region girls Coach of the Year.
Jake Thelen
Thelen has the Colonels at 26-2 headed into the postseason and for a couple weeks as the No. 1 team in the state in the statewide Elite 16 media poll. He’s the fastest to reach 50 wins as a coach in Covington Catholic program history, currently at 50-11 in his two seasons in Park Hills.
They’ve mowed through the 9th Region, posting a 10-0 record in 9th Region play, winning by an average of 35.2 points per game. They also own wins over Lexington Catholic, North Laurel, North Oldham, St. Xavier (OH), Moeller (OH) and Trinity. The Colonels open postseason play on Tuesday against Holmes as the heavy favorite to win the region.
Ted Arlinghaus
Holy Cross girls basketball coach Ted Arlinghaus is the KABC girls 9th Region Coach of the Year. Photo provided | Charles Bolton
Despite turnover and injuries, Arlinghaus continues to put out a winning product at Holy Cross. They are the undisputed best “small school” team in the state, having won three of the last four All “A” state titles. Even with the loss of D’Myah Williams early in the season, they enter the postseason with a 25-4 record and one of the contenders for a 9th Region title. They are 12-2 in region play this season.
In six seasons at Holy Cross, Arlinghaus has posted a 139-49 record.
Davey Johnson
Johnson has guided Campbell to a 20-6 record, including a perfect 5-0 in region play and an undefeated mark in district play. They’ve been a mainstay in the Elite 16 statewide media poll, cracking the top 10 at times this season.
Johnson was most recently acknowledged for his 100th career victory, 70 of those coming at Campbell County over the last four seasons, compiling a 70-47 record with the Camels. They enter the 37th district tournament as the favorite and the top contender to try and dethrone George Rogers Clark as 10th Region champions.