Many 9th Region games could be like this during the regular season and the post-season.
It could come down to one uncleared ball, one nice pass and one nice finish to decide a low-scoring game. The Cooper Jaguars (3-0-2 overall) earned one of those tough victories holding off the Dixie Heights Colonels (5-1) for a 1-0 home win.
“Dixie is a good team and they’re one of the favorites in the 9th Region this year so to have a grind and an absolute battle for 80 minutes then come out victorious says a lot about what we can do come October in the postseason,” said Doug Flesch, Cooper head coach. “So we’re starting to find our flow in August, which is phenomenal.”
“Our boys worked hard,” said Trey Crone, Dixie Heights head coach. “We’re sore. We’re limping around. We’re fighting each game and they worked the whole 80 minutes. I’ll never fault them for working. But we came up short. It happens. That’s the game of soccer. We’re two of the top teams in the 9th Region. Hopefully, we can get better and see these guys again. It should be a fun regional tournament.”
Senior goalkeeper Mason Pemberton had three saves in the first half for the Jaguars and senior Keegan Truebner had four in the second half.
Dixie made a hard push to tie the game in the second half. The Colonels had one shot in the box that Truebner wrapped up. Then minutes later, he cleared a ball from the box in a one-on-one situation.
“In those one-on-one battles if the ball is coming at you and the ball is spaced out a couple yards in front of him about 15 to 20 yards and it depends on the pace of the ball, if I think I can get there before he does, I’ll come out,” Truebner said. “But if I think he will get to the ball before me, I’ll stay back. Then it’s just a shot and save.”
The lone goal of the game came in the first half. Senior midfielder Vance Dawson scored on a pass from junior defender Angel Ramirez. That marked the first goal for Dawson and first assist for Ramirez this season.
“It was a great cross,” Dawson said. “Our left back Angel drops it in the same spot every time. He’s great at using corners and crosses. I knew where the ball was going. I looped to my run-around and just went up for it. It went up perfect to the back corner.”
Cooper travels to Highlands (2-3-1) on Tuesday for an 8 p.m. game. Dixie Heights plays host to Montgomery County (4-3) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Boys soccer scores
Walton-Verona 4, Gallatin County 0
The Bearcats (3-3-2) won the All “A” 8th Region crown for the first time since 2017 over the Wildcats (1-5) at Carroll County.
“It was about a team that pulled back, put two in to take the lead and then held on for that lead,” said Jeremy Riggs, Walton-Verona head coach. “It’s not about one guy. It’s every guy.”
Senior Arif Ceylan scored twice to lead the Bearcats. Junior Tyler Wolfe had one goal and one assist with senior Mateo Mains scoring the other goal. Juniors Mason Morwessel and Trace Padgett had the assists with junior goalkeeper Sam Kunkle making eight saves.
“I took ice baths and did all sorts of things to perform,” Ceylan said of playing three games in three days. “After playing with (my teammates) for so long, it gets a lot better. We know how each other plays and we evolve from that.”
Riggs credited senior defender Landon Rogers for doing the dirty work. He won the tournament most valuable honors.
Walton-Verona travels to Bullitt Central (5-1) on Saturday. Game time is 10 a.m.
Ryle 3, Highlands 3
Senior forward Coline Pieper tallied a hat trick for the Bluebirds (2-3-1) in the tie against the Raiders (1-2-2). Senior forwards Jack Lavin and Casey Stiles had assists with junior goalkeeper Jack Wilson tallying three saves.
Pieper has nine goals and one assist on the season. Lavin leads Highlands with two assists.
Ryle travels to Cincinnati Elder on Saturday for a 2 p.m. Highlands plays host to Cooper (3-0-2) on Tuesday for an 8 p.m. game.
Other Boys Soccer Scores
Campbell County 1, George Rogers Clark 1
Simon Kenton 3, Collins 2
Grant County 9, Holmes 1
Newport Central Catholic 1, Holy Cross 0
Calvary Christian 3, Mason County 3
Montgomery County 3, Bishop Brossart 1
North Oldham 2, Covington Catholic 1
Scott 1, Harrison County 1
St. Henry 2, Beechwood 1
Girls soccer
Walton-Verona 4, Carroll County 0
The Bearcats (7-1) beat the host Panthers (2-3) to win the All “A” 8th Region title for the 10th straight year.
“We had consistent attacking pressure the entire game. Carroll County’s goalkeeper played an outstanding game,” said Pat Luken, Walton-Verona head coach. “We probably put 30 to 40 shots on goal and we were missing the goal by inches throughout the game. We definitely controlled the game. I don’t think we controlled possession of the game. Despite not necessarily putting forth our best game, the girls kept fighting. The girls showed a lot of mental toughness. It didn’t always look pretty at times. But at the end of the day when you’re talking tournament, your job is to survive and advance and that’s what they did.”
Junior defender Kassie Evans, junior forward Emma Landrum, sophomore forward Cam Christy and freshman midfielder Kaitlyn Lemming had the Bearcat goals. Lemming and junior midfielder Olivia Sams had assists.
Walton-Verona kept the ball out of its attacking third of the field for the most part. Senior goalkeeper Payton Kenny only had to make two saves.
“I definitely think it helps with communication and outside of soccer definitely team building,” Kenny said. “Having really strong passing also helps. Our boys team came down to watch our game and we watched theirs. I’m very happy that we’re able to show off our school and willing to work to win at anything.”
The Bearcats play host to Woodford County (4-2) on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Other girls soccer scores:
Dayton 5, Bellevue 3
Gallatin County 5, Holmes 0
Volleyball
Ryle 3, Conner 0
The Raiders and Cougars met in the first crucial 33rd District seed game this season in front of a nice crowd at John L. Crigler Gymansium.
The Raiders came to town, ran their fast-paced offense and left with a 25-18, 25-18, 25-14 victory for their 33rd straight victory in the series dating back to 2003 before the current players were born.
Both teams are 3-1 on the season.
“I feel like the 33rd District is one of the toughest districts,” said Tasha Lovins, Ryle head coach. “Between us, Conner, Cooper, Boone County, it’s anybody’s ballgame. We needed to be under control. We knew there was going to be a big student section. We prepped for that.”
The unofficial stats may look somewhat better for Conner. The Cougars had 26 kills, 18 assists, 34 digs, nine blocks and two aces to 22 kills, 17 assists, 30 digs, six blocks and seven aces for the Raiders. But Conner made more errors and Ryle took advantage of them.
Freshman Morgan Heater had three aces, six digs and four kills for Ryle with sophomore Olivia Karlosky recording two aces, seven digs and two kills. Junior Alexis Woolf dug up nine balls to lead Ryle with senior Maddie Clark digging up six balls to go with her 14 assists.
Junior hitter Kiana Dinn committed to the University of Pittsburgh a day earlier and displayed her talents hitting all over the court from outside with 10 kills for Ryle. She also had three blocks.
“When we get in system, we have hitters all across the line that make smart plays, how to see the holes,” Dinn said. “It makes it difficult for other teams. We just focus on our process and what we can control. I feel like if we come out and play our game, we can beat any team.”
Dinn and junior hitter Abby Lester had to fight at the net with Conner’s two powerful middle blockers Lillian Hamburg and Peyton Walker. Lester had a block. Hamburg finished with 15 kills and four blocks and Walker had seven kills and three blocks.
“They’re really strong hitters,” Lester said of Hamburg and Walker. “They get really high in the air so you have to make sure that your timing is right. You have to do your best to get in front of them and put a big block up.”
Junior libero Anna Hamilton had another phenomenal game digging up 18 balls to give Conner a chance to run its offense. Senior setter Bri Stone had 15 assists and two blocks to go with three digs.
Conner never led in the game. The Cougars tied it twice in the second game.
“Ryle did an excellent job of controlling the ball better than we did,” said Douglas Rabe, Conner Head Coach. “Their serve-receive was much better. I know we’re going to attack and put points on the board. They’re going to attack and put points on the board. But I feel like too many times, we were out of system and they were still attacking.”
Ryle plays on the road at North Oldham on Saturday in a tri-match. The Raiders take on Elizabethtown at 10 a.m. then North Oldham at 1 p.m. Conner plays Bryan Station and Graves County in the Thoroughbred Smash on Friday at 6 and 7 p.m.
Scott 3, Highlands 0
The Eagles (9-0) are off to the best start in head coach Andrea Sullivan’s tenure with a 25-21, 25-22, 25-23 win against the visiting Bluebirds (2-2).
This marked the first Scott win over Highlands since 2017, ending a seven-game Highlands winning streak in the series.
Senior Makaylah Mitchell recorded 15 kills and six blocks. Mitchell adjusted well at the net. On her last kill in the final game, Mitchell hit the ball over the two Highlands blockers near the right line.
“That’s what we’ve been preaching. Do the little things and the little things will pay off big,” Sullivan said. “It takes a whole team. Highlands is always a well-coached team. They’re solid every year. They have a nice youth program (the Little Birds).”
Senior setter Audrey Griffin recorded 26 assists and 13 digs for Scott. Senior libero Laine Morman had 23 digs and sophomore Elise Manhardt had 15 digs. Freshman Milyn Minor added nine kills. But Sullivan credited every player for her role in the win.
“Volleyball is a great time to get together with your friends,” Griffin said. “We’re having a good time. We have big goals for the season.”
Junior Annie Ellison led Highlands with 14 digs. Junior outside hitter Rachel Ossege had eight kills, four solo blocks and four assisted blocks. Sophomore Sydney Schomaker had six kills with freshman Hayden Gessner and senior Kenzi Vennefron recording nine digs each.
Highlands plays West Jessamine (4-2) in the Thoroughbred Smash at Lexington Lafayette at 6 p.m. Scott plays at St. Henry (4-1) on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
Holy Cross 3, Campbell County 1
The Indians (3-1) took down the Camels (1-2) in non-region action by 19-25, 25-15, 25-18, 26-24 scores.
Senior setter Maya Hunt came in needing 27 assists for her 2,000th career assist and got it with 34 to go with two kills and two aces. Junior sister Julia Hunt had 25 kills, 10 digs and three aces.
“I thought that the middles on Campbell County’s team did a really nice job of putting up a block so they had quite a few blocks, especially in that fourth game,” said Jill Hunt, Holy Cross head coach. “But I think the difference for us was ball control. In games two through four, our passing was super good so we could run our offense pretty well. We were in better system to get good swings in throughout the sets.”
But things started in the back for the Indians. Senior defensive specialist Natalie Bessler had 20 digs with senior outside hitter Rylee Hood digging up 16 balls and recording four kills. Junior right side hitter Luci Wurtz had three aces.
“It was probably the best passing that we’ve had so far this season,” Bessler said. “It’s about form and feet. It paid off really well because that’s all we work on.”
Campbell County plays Henry Clay at 6 p.m. at Lafayette in the Bluegrass Invitational Volleyball Tournament. Holy Cross takes on Ludlow (4-4) to start the 9th Region All “A” Classic at 6:15 p.m.
Bishop Brossart 2, Ludlow 0
The Lady ‘Stangs (4-1) won in convincing fashion over the Panthers (4-4) by 25-18, 25-11 scores.
Bishop Brossart had 23 kills, four blocks, 21 assists, 45 digs and five aces. Senior setter Savannah Seiter had 16 assists and 13 digs with junior libero Maddie Kremer digging up 11 balls. Sophomore Kate Neltner had eight kills and two aces with sophomore middle blocker Corrine Blackburn recording seven kills to go with two aces.
Bishop Brossart plays Nicholas County (2-3) at 11 a.m. Saturday at Robertson County in the All “A” 10th Region semifinals. The title game takes place at Noon.
Dixie Heights 3, Lloyd Memorial 0
The Colonels (2-3) bested the Juggernauts (3-5) in 34th District action. Senior Maia Long led Dixie Heights with 24 kills and five aces with junior Christen Tarter digging up 15 balls. Freshman setter Maddie Kelly had 18 assists and three aces.
Dixie Heights plays host to Bishop Brossart (4-1) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Lloyd Memorial plays at Holmes (4-5) on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Other volleyball scores:
Dayton 3 (25-15, 25-16, 22-25, 25-21), Covington Latin 1
Holmes 2 (30-28, 26-24), Heritage Academy 0
Notre Dame 3 (25-18, 25-11, 25-9), Beechwood 0
Walton-Verona 3 (19-25, 25-10, 23-25, 26-24, 15-10), Calvary Christian 2