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SPORTS
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May, 2008 |
NewCath Baseball Ninth Region Championship NewCath 9, CovCath 4 Congratulations to the NewCath Varsity Baseball Team on winning the 9th Region Championship! This is their 1st regional title since 1999. Congratulations to All-tournament team picks Michael Enzweiler and Mark Kelly, and MVP Jeramie Connor. NewCath advances to play the 11th regional champion Lexington Catholic in a best-of-3 semi state series. The games are scheduled for Wednesday (6/4), Thursday (6/5) and Friday (6/6) at Franklin County.
Congratulations to NewCath Baseball
Coach Jeff
Schulkens
on being named Coach of The Year by the Enquirer.
Congratulations to players, Mark Kelly, Jeramie Connor and Johnny
Pabst who will be honored at the NKBCA All Star game.
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Regional Champs - NewCath Freshman Baseball Team
Congratulations to the NCC Freshman Baseball Team on winning the Regional Tournament.
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CONGRATULATIONS! May, 2008 |
Congratulations to the
following NCC student athlete who received an award at the end of
the season boys track banquet:
Most
Valuable Track: Sr. Mitch Buller
Most
Valuable Field: Sr. Sam Kloeker
Most
Improved Track/Field: Sr. Sam Kloeker
Most
Valuable Sprinter: Jr. Logan Ferrara
Best
Supporting Runner: Sr. Ian Hamilton and Soph. Cole Little
NCC
Thoroughbred: Sr. Brian Kirst
Academic All State Team: Sr. Mitch Buller
Sr. Ian Hamilton
Sr. Brian Kirst
Jr. Charlie Kloeker
Soph. Cole Little
Academic All State Honorable Mention:
Sr. Sam Kloeker Jr. Logan Ferrara
ALSO... FAST PITCH SOFTBALL
Congratulations to NCC fast pitch softball players, Michelle Woods and Courtney Sandfoss on being selected for the All Tournament Team in the Regional Tournament. GIRL TRACK TEAM...
Congrats to NCC Girl Track Team Members on the following
accomplishments and recognition.
Track Awards:
Most Valuable Track: Corryn Muench and
Samantha Sutkamp
Most Valuable Field: Annie Gruenschlaeger
Best Supporting Track: Kaitlin Smith and
Alexa Hlebiczki
Best Supporting Field: Alyx Schulte
Most Improved Award: Amy Schwarber and
Frannie Schultz
Thoroughbred Award: Corryn Muench, Kaitlin Smith,
Samantha Sutkamp
State Results:
The girls team finished as Class 'A' State Runner Up for the
2nd year in a row.
3200 Meter Relay: Natalie Buller, Amy Schwarber, Kaitlin
Smith, Kaela Freppon State Runner-Up
100 Meter Hurdles: Kimmy Bihl 8th place
800 Meter Relay: Alexa Hlebiczki, Sam Sutkamp, Kaitlin
Smith, Corryn Muench State Runner Up
400 Meter Relay: Sarah Suedkamp, Andi Macke, Alexa
Hlebiczki, Corryn Muench 8th place
400 Meter Dash: Sam Sutkamp State Runner-Up
300 Meter Hurdles: Corryn Muench 5th place
800 Meter Run: Kaela Freppon State Champion
(2nd year in a row)
1600 Meter Relay: Kaela Freppon, Sam Sutkamp, Kaitlin
Smith, Corryn Muench State Champions (4th year in a
row)
Long Jump: Alyx Schulte 8th place
Triple Jump: Alyx Schulte 6th place
Discus: Annie Gruenschlaeger 3rd place
Shot Put: Anne Gruenschlaeger State Champion
Alyx Schulte 8th place
Pole Vault: Sam Sutkamp State Champion (2nd
year in a row)
Kimber Schultz State Runner
Up
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CONGRATULATIONS! |
Congratulations to the NewCath Baseball Team on winning the
Touchstone
Energy Ninth Region All "A" Classic tournament. NewCath advances to
play in
the sectional against the 10th Region winner. |
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CONGRATULATIONS
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NCC
Head Football Coach Mr. Bob Schneider is a NHSACA Coach of the
Year Finalist and Hall of Fame Inductee.
NCC
Head Volleyball Coach Mrs. Jenny Mertle is one of 8 finalist for
the NHSACA Coach of the Year.
A
banquet and induction ceremony will be held in June in Colorado.
In June 2008, NCC Head Volleyball Coach Mrs. Jenny Mertle attended the banquet sponsored by the National High School Athletic Coaches' Association. Jenny was one of 8 finalist for the NHSACA Coach of the Year. She was honored to be nominated as a finalist and grateful for the opportunity to attend the banquet.
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NCC April, 2008 |
Congratulations to Nicole Ellison
for being named to the Northern Ky. High School Bowling Regional 1st team
and to Jessica Wimsatt for being
named to the 2nd team. Also, congratulations to Nicole Ellison and Brandon Johnson for receiving bowling scholarship.
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Congratulations to March, 2008 |
Whitney Cundiff,
a senior center for the girls’ Newport Central Catholic Basketball Team,
committed to Thomas More College. Career highlights for Whitney include:
Finished 4th on NewCath's career scoring list with 1416 points and 5th in rebounds with 713 Named to Northern Kentucky Coaches Association - All Region Team. Named to Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference - All Region Team Named Enquirer - All Region Team Awarded Kentucky High School Athletic Association - All State Honorable Mention Named Newport Central Catholic - Best Offensive Player Award. Whitney is the daughter of Tim and Debbie Cundiff of Alexandria, Kentucky. Congratulations to NewCath Senior Mariah Cutter. Mariah was named Family Watch/Helping Hand 6th Man Award. This award is presented to the senior in Northern Kentucky who made the impact for her team coming off the bench. She received a $250 scholarship with the award. Congratulations to NewCath sophomore Courtney Sandfoss who was named to the Northern Kentucky Coaches Association All Region Team.
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SOCCER March, 2008 |
Congratulations to NCC Senior Soccer Players
April Gibson and
Sam Sutkamp who were nominated by
the No. KY Girls Soccer Coaches Association for the Greater Cincinnati /
Northern Kentucky Womens Sports Association High School Athlete of the
Year. |
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CHEERLEADERS March, 2008 |
Congratulations to the following NewCath
cheerleaders who received special recognition at the end of the season
banquet.
Thoroughbred Award: Emily Wiseman
Coaches Award: Kayla Johnson
Most Improved: Abby Caudill
Leadership Award: Betsy Schneider
Leadership Award: Cassie Juniet
Most Spirited: Samantha Sampson
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STUDENTS Mar. 2008 |
Congratulations to the following NCC student athletes who received
individual awards and were honored at the basketball banquet.
Girls
Varsity Basketball
MVP - Courtney Sandfoss
Thoroughbred Award - Mariah Cutter
Most Improved - Mariah Tabor
Best Offense - Whitney Cundiff
Best Defense - Kimber Schultz
Most Assists - Courtney Sandfoss
Most Rebounds - Courtney Sandfoss
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KHSAA Academic
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FIRST TEAM
Burke Beiting HONORABLE MENTION
Michael Lipscomb
Congratulations to the NCC students who achieved Academic All State for
Winter Sports through KHSAA.
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NewCath
JV Boys Basketball - Wins Region!
The NewCath JV Boys Basketball Team ended their season on February 16 as Regional Champs. They defeated Covington Catholic 40-35. They finished the season with a record of 17 wins and 4 losses. Congratulations to all team members and coaches!
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Congratulations to the following members of the NewCath Football Team who
received recognition for the 2007 football season.
2007
Team Recognition:
13 - 2
Class AA
State Runner - Up
Newport
fireman's Bell City Champion
District
Champion
Regional
Champion
Semi-State
Champion
Individual Award Recognition:
Chris Grosser - Kick Scoring
Matt Ritter -
Thoroughbred
Vinny
Ciafardini - Thoroughbred
Alex Pangallo
- Thoroughbred
Chris
Flaherty - Most Improved Offense
Ryan Kruer -
Most Improved Offense
Pat Collpy -
Most Improved Defense
Mike McGarr -
Most Improved Defense
Steve Young -
Best Scout Team
Garrett Brown
- Best Scout Team
Burke Beiting
- Best Special Teams
Clint Nessler
- Best Defensive Back
Eric Wedding
- Best Defensive Line
Jake Smith -
Best Blocker
John Pabst -
Best All-Purpose
Mark Kelly -
MVP Offense - Best Rusher
Brian
Wrobleski - MVP Offense - Best Receiver
Wes Diehl -
MVP Defense - Ball Hawk
Dustin
Giesler - MVP Defense
Nick Franzen
- Player of the Year - Most Tackles
Rob Kues -
Player of the Year - 2000 Yard Passer
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Congratulations to senior Monica Lonneman who recently signed to play
soccer for Notre Dame College. Shown in the attached photo with Monica
are her parents, Doug & Lisa, her sister Allie, NCC Athletic Director Rob
Detzel, Principal Bob Noll and Notre Dame soccer coach Mike Shiels.
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APRIL GIBSON LaRosa's Nov. 2007 |
Congratulations to NCC Senior April
Gibson on being named LaRosa's MVP of the Week for her soccer
accomplishments.
MVP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: This senior 4-year
varsity starter is an all-NKY, all-region and all-state soccer goalkeeper
who notched 45 shutouts in her great career. April holds the school record
in single-season shutouts (15 this season, breaking her own record), and
was one of only 44 players in the nation invited last summer to the Nike
Premier Soccer Camp in Portland, Oregon. She plays for the Ohio Elite
Soccer Academy during the summer, and has been named to the USA all-region
team. April has helped the Thoroughbreds win 3 straight All “A” state
soccer championships, and helped her team to a 23-4-1 record her junior
year and a 16-4-1 record and district runner-up finish this season. Active
in community service and a great student with a 4.0 GPA, April will play
soccer next year at the University of Cincinnati. Her favorite entertainer
is Will Ferrell, favorite athlete is Michael Jordan and most-like-to-meet
is David Beckham.
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BOYS |
Congratulations to the following who
received soccer awards at the end of the season banquet.
Varsity |
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GIRLS |
Congratulations to the following who
received soccer awards at the end of the season banquet.
MVP - April Gibson and Sam Sutkamp
MVP Offense - Kim Neises
MVP Defense - Jane Giesler
Hustle - Corryn Muench
Thoroughbred - Laura Bueter
Most Improved - Natalie Ludwig
12th Man - Kaitlin Smith
Junior Varsity
MVP - Madison Freeman
MVP Offense - Morgan Dubuc
MVP Defense - Katie Allen
Hustle - Courtney Stone
Most Improved - Stephanie Hardesty
Thoroughbred - Kimmy Bihl
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BOYS |
Congratulations to the student athletes who received awards at the end of the cross country season.
Most Valuable Runner: Sr. Adam Kramer and Sr. Jared Grothaus Most Improved Runner: Soph. Jesse Chandler NCC Thoroughbred: Sr. Adam Kramer and Sr. Jared Grothaus |
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GIRLS |
Congratulations to the following who
received award recognition at the end of the cross country season.
Girls Cross Country Awards:
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GIRLS GOLF |
Congratulations to senior Colleen Gough who received the "low average" award for girls golf.
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BOYS GOLF |
Lowest
Average - Colton Sharp
Thoroughbred
- Michael Lipscomb & Ross Riesenbeck
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VOLLEYBALL |
Congratulations to the students who received volleyball awards at the end of the season banquet:
Junior Varsity MVP Maria Burns & Trisha Taylor
Varsity
MVP
Kaela Jo Freppon & Alyx Schulte Best Setter Kaela Jo Freppon Best Hitter Alyx Schulte Best Defense Alexa Abner Thoroughbred Jaclyn Klare & Trisha Taylor
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Kohrs Nets Academic Honor
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Josh Canafax - UC Freshman Thought you might like a photo of Josh. This was taken after the UC game Saturday night. Josh is a red-shirt freshman and is doing very well academically and athletically at UC. Go Bearcats and Go Thoroughbreds!!! Kevin W. Canafax |
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NewCath
Volleyball - 10th Regional Champs
Congrat to
All Tournament Team: Annie Gruenschlaeger, Alex Schulte and MVP, Kaela
Freppon
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FALL SPORTS
CONGRATULATIONS! 2007 |
NewCath
Boys Soccer - District Champs
The following were named to the District All Tournament Team: Bobby Gardner, David Roy, Chris Grosser, Elliott Heil. Congrats to Bobby Gardner who tied the school record for assists in a season with 15. Congrats to David Roy who tied a school record with 23 goals in a season. Congratulations to Boys Soccer Coach Steve Bornhoffer on being named soccer coach of the year.
NewCath
Girls Soccer - District Runner-up
The following were named to the District All Tournament Team: Andi Macke, Corryn Muench, Monica Lonneman. Congrats to April Gibson who currently has 15 shutouts for a new school record.
Congratulations to the Region 10 All Tournament Team.
April
Gibson
Laura
Bueter
Congratulations to the following who made an All State Team for Girls
Soccer.
1st Team All State
April Gibson
Sam Sutkamp
Honorable Mention
Kim Neises
Jane Giesler
Laura Bueter
Congratulations to Girls Soccer Coach Kevin Turnick who was named Division
II Coach of the Year.
NewCath
Volleyball
The following were named to the District All Tournament Team: Annie Gruenschlaeger, Kaela Jo Freppon & MVP Alyx Schulte.
The following
were named to the Regional All Tournament Team: Annie Gruenschlaeger,
Alyx Schulte & MVP Kaela Freppon.
Congratulations to Kaela Freppon who was voted the 10th Region Player of
the Year.
Congratulations to Jenny Mertle for being
voted by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association as the 10th Region
Coach of the Year.
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GIRLS SOCCER |
Congratulations to the NCC Girls Soccer Team who
earned the All A State Title this weekend for the
3rd consecutive year.
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ROBBIE KUES |
Congrats to
Junior Football Player, Robbie Kues who was selected as the player of the
game in the NCC vs. Simon Kenton (Newport Bowl) Game.
Robbie
received a $500 scholarship.
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THOROUGHBRED CROSS COUNTRY ALUMNI RUN Aug. 11, 2007 |
Over twenty-five graduates
came back to participate in the two-mile Newport Central Catholic High
School Thoroughbred Cross Country Alumni Run held Saturday, August 11.
Greaham Niemer, a 2002 NCC Graduate, took first place for the men and Lauren McCafferty, a 2006 graduate took first for the women. Other top finishers included Billy Scott ‘07, Dan Kloeke ’88, Andrew Trice ’03, Katie Craven ’97, Dennis Geiger ’69, Ben Williams ’00, Tom Geiger ’05, Andy Livingston ’64, Jennifer Mariani ’92, Dan Geiger ’02, Christen Peters ’99, and Ed Grothaus ’76. Following the race the
runners enjoyed lunch and a medal ceremony. Each year, Mr. Dave Ueding, NCC
cross country and track coach, coordinates the alumni event. |
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BELLEVUE VETS August, 2007 |
Congratulations to the
following NCC students who are members of the Championship
- Bellevue Vets Athletics Knothole Team
- Division 1 A Greater Cincinnati Baseball
tournament:
T. J. Schowalter, Jared Leick, and Kevin Prigge.
Congratulations!!
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NCC June, 2007 |
Congratulations to Stephanie Reckers and
Courtney Sandfoss for being named Outstanding Player of the Year by the
Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference. Congrats, also to Kay Lantry and
Amanda House who made the all-conference team.
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NCC BOYS TRACK May, 2007 |
Regional Medalists were: Sam Kloeker 1st in the pole vault; Charlie Kloeker 4th in the pole vault; Michael Niedzielski 4th in the 110 high hurdles and 6th in the 300 hurdles; Mitch Buller 3rd in the 400 dash and 6th in the triple jump; Dan Riddle 2nd in the discus and 5th in the shot put; Elliott Heil placed 6th in the 400 dash; the 400 relay team of Corey Schaefer, Michael Niedzielski, Ian Hamilton and Paul Bell placed 2nd; the 800 relay team of Niedzielski, Buller, Hamilton and Bell placed 2nd; the 1600 relay team of Heil, Hamilton, Schaefer, and Buller placed2nd and the 3200 relay team of Hamilton, Jared Grothaus, Heil and SAchaefer placed 6th. Medalists In the State Meet: Dan Riddle placed 8th in the shot put and 7th in the discus; Mitch Buller was 7th in the 400 meter dash; and the 1600 relay team of Heil, Buller, Hamilton and Bell placed 7th.
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NCC GIRLS TRACK May, 2007 |
Congratulations Kaitlyn Smith on being named Kentucky Enquirer
Track/Athlete of the Year!
Congratulations to all! Medalists include: 3200 Meter Relay of Julia Schulenberg, Alexa Abner, Mary Gerner, and Kaela Freppon was 5th 800 Meter Relay of Alexa Hlebiczki, Sam Sutkamp, Corryn Muench, and Kaitlin Smith was 4th 400 Meter Relay of Tricia Schaber, Katie Schiebel, Andi Macke, and Corryn Muench was 5th 400 Meter Dash: Kaitlin Smith was State Champion and Sam Sutkamp was State Runner-Up 300 Meter Hurdles: Corryn Muench was 6th 800 Meter Run: Kaela Freppon was State Champion 1600 Meter Relay of Kaela Freppon, Sam Sutkamp, Kaitlin Smith, and Corryn Muench were State Champions High Jump: Mary Gerner was 8th Shot Put: Anne Gruenschlaeger was 5th Pole Vault: Sam Sutkamp was State
Champion and Kimber Schultz was 8th |
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Congratulations to the NCC Fastpitch Softball Team on winning the
District.
Congratulations to NCC's Girls Fast Pitch Baseball for winning the All A Regional. Congratulations to Coach Denny Barnes and the entire coaching staff on being named Coach of the Year
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Shannon Klei May, 2007 |
Congratulations to NCC Senior Basketball Players
Shannon Klei and Zack
Kiernan on being named
Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame
Players of the Year for Ky Div II.
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NewCath Senior
Brian Riesenberg signs a letter of intent to play soccer at Tusculum College
in Greenville, Tennessee while his parents and teammates look on.
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Eddie Eviston '97 |
Congratulations to NCC Alum Eddie Eviston, '97 who was inducted into the
Georgetown College Athletic Hall of Fame.
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Justin Fussinger |
Justin Fussinger, NCC Class of 2003, has signed
to be the Varsity Defensive Line Coach for the Campbell County Camels
Football Team. |
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Katelyn Koeninger |
Congratulations
to NCC Senior Katelyn Koeninger who was the recipient of the National City /KHSAA
Sweet 16 Scholarship. Katelyn qualified to represent the 9th Region. This
scholarship opportunity is open to student-athletes and is based on
excellence in three areas -- Academic Achievement, School Leadership and
Community Service. Katelyn was awarded the $1000 scholarship at an awards
ceremony at Rupp Arena. Katelyn is the daughter of Dan and Nancy Koeninger
of St. Thomas Parish. |
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Josh Canafax |
Congratulations to 2006 NCC graduate Josh
Canafax who was invited to officially walk-on to UC Bearcats Football
Team.
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Congratulations
to Shannon
Klei on being named KABC (Kentucky Association of
Basketball Coaches) Player of the Year for Region 9. All KABC coaches vote
for a player of the year in their region. Shannon received
this very prestigious honor of being recognized by our local coaches. She
will be honored/recognized at the Sweet 16 Tournament next Friday with the
other 15 Players and Coaches of the Year from around the state. |
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Girls Indoor Track Team March, 2007 |
Congratulations to the NCC Girls Indoor Track Team
who placed 2nd out of 28 teams in the State Indoor Track & Field Meet.
Individual accomplishments were as follows:
Kaela Freppon, Alyx Schulte, Kaitlin
Smith and Corryn Muench are State
Champs in the 1600 meter relay;
Kaela Freppon, Julia
Schulenberg, Mary Gerner, and Kaitlin
Smith - placed 2nd
in the 3200 meter relay;
Corryn
Muench - placed 6th place
in the 55 meter hurdle, 7th in the 55 meter dash, and 2nd in the 400 meter
dash;
Julia Schulenberg -
placed 8th in the 1500 meter run;
Mary Gerner - placed 6th
in the 800 meter run;
Kaela Freppon, Katie
Schiebel, Tricia Schaber,
and Kaitlin Smith placed 3rd in
the 800 meter relay;
Maria Schuman placed
8th in the 3000 meter mile run;
Alyx Schulte placed
3rd in shot put and 4th in the triple jump;
Sam Sutkamp placed
2nd in the pole vault and
Katie Schiebel
placed 4th in the long jump.
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Girls Basketball |
Congratulations to our boys basketball team on winning the 9th Region District Basketball Tournament. Congratulations to Zack Kiernan - MVP and Jesse Huesman and Dustin Giesler - All Tournament Team.
Congratulations to Shannon Klei
and
Courtney
Sandfoss
on being named to
the All Tournament District Team.
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February, 2007 |
Congratulations Coach Christie McDonald - 200 wins! NewCath
coach Christie McDonald won her 200th game as the NCC girls’
basketball team defeated Connor 59-49. This is Coach McDonald’s 11th
season. |
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February, 2007 |
NCC JUNIOR APRIL GIBSON VERBALLY COMMITS WITH UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI April Gibson, a junior goalkeeper for the girls’ Newport Central Catholic Soccer Team, verbally committed with University of Cincinnati. April was instrumental in leading the NCC team in consecutive All “A” State Titles. April is the daughter of Suzanne and
Grady Gibson of Fort Thomas, Kentucky. |
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Zachary Kiernan |
Congratulations to senior Zachary Kiernan who officially signed a letter
of intent to attend the University of Louisville.
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February, 2007 |
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Congratulations
to NCC Athletic Director Rob Detzel
who has been inducted into the Covington
Catholic Hall of Fame for basketball and baseball. Rob is a 1986 graduate
of Covington Catholic High School. |
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Shannon Klei January, 2007 |
SENIOR
SHANNON KLEI SCORED 21 POINTS AGAINST
NEWPORT & BECAME THE 4TH GIRL IN NCC HISTORY TO GO
OVER 1000 POINTS IN HER CAREER.
NCC Senior
Shannon Klei has been
named the Papa John's Athlete of the Week by WCPO. She and the team will
be featured on the Ryland Homes Sportsrush Show on January 7, 2007. John
Popovich and Channel 9 will be here Wednesday after
practice at 5:00 PM to honor
Shannon and the team. Shannon is
the daughter of Dave and Nancy Klei of Cold Spring, Ky.
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Twenty years after
being named Kentucky’s first Mr. Football at Newport Central Catholic High
School,
Frank Jacobs,
38, maintains the appearance of a star athlete who enjoyed a two-sport
career as a tight end at Notre Dame University and as a baseball player in
the minor leagues.
It was 20 years ago when a tight end from Newport Central Catholic became the initial winner of what has become one of our state's most coveted high school sports individual honors. Kentucky's first Mr. Football. "Oh, man, at the time, it really didn't sink in what an honor that was," said Frank Jacobs last week. "I appreciate that so much more now. Being the first, it's kind of like my claim to fame." Jacobs won the award presented to the top senior high school football player in Kentucky after a splendid high school career that saw him lead Newport Catholic to three straight Class 2A state championship games including the 1984 2A state title. An old-fashioned multi-sport star, Jacobs also stood out in basketball and baseball at NewCath. His sports success helped in a small way fill a tragic void in Jacobs' life. His father, Albert, died when Frank was in second grade. His mom, Janette, died when he was a seventh-grader. Had it not been for the family tragedy, Frank Jacobs probably wouldn't have been in Kentucky to be the first Mr. Football. His parents were raising their family of four children north of the Ohio River, in the Cincinnati suburb of College Hill. After both mother and father died, the two youngest Jacobs children went to Northern Kentucky to live with their aunt, Dolores Kiernan. "It really was tough losing your mom and dad at such a young age," Jacobs said. "I'm sure it's tough losing your parents at any age, but when you are little, you need them. Our mom died right before Christmas. My little sister and I were still at home, and we came over (to Kentucky) with our aunt." His cousin, Mike Kiernan, became like a big brother. (Pedigree experts would rank the bloodlines in this family as potent. Mike was a standout at NewCath himself and played football at Notre Dame; Mike's son, Zach, was a star lineman on this season's Newport Catholic Class A state champs and has committed to Louisville). Yet not only did Jacobs find a loving home in Northern Kentucky. Almost as importantly, an unusually tall, skinny, self-conscious seventh-grader in the full throes of grief found a new school that was accepting of a new kid whose size made him different. "We went to St. Joseph in Cold Spring," Jacobs said. "In seventh grade, I was like 6-2. I was a giant. But that school couldn't have been more welcoming." By the time Jacobs got to Newport Catholic, he had grown into his frame. And he became a big man on campus in the best sense. As a sophomore, he had 37 catches for 653 yards to help NewCath capture the state title. His Mr. Football-winning season saw Jacobs record 37 catches for 580 yards and 11 touchdowns on offense; as a nose guard on defense, he was in on a whopping 132 tackles with two sacks. "He was as good a kid as we've had come through here," said veteran Newport Catholic Coach Bob Schneider. "He was fast. He had good hands. And he was such an outstanding blocker. And the thing about Frank, he was a good-hearted kid." Not only does Newport Catholic boast our state's first Mr. Football; in Schneider, it has Kentucky's all-time winningest high school football coach with 312 wins (and counting). As slices of history go, not bad for one high school. Let's also give a shout to Campbell County itself. In former Newport High star Donna Murphy, it also gave Kentucky its first Miss Basketball. As slices of history go, not bad for one county. A recruiting frenzy engulfed Jacobs after his final high school football season. At the time, Louisville was not much of a player in "out-in-the-state" recruiting wars. UK was, and Jerry Claiborne and Co. desperately wanted to sign the first Mr. Football. So did UCLA, Penn State and Notre Dame, among many others. "It was a lot of pressure," Jacobs said. "I loved Kentucky. They treated me great. If I'd been a basketball player, I'd have gone to Kentucky without even thinking about it. But, when you're a football player, you want to go to a school that's known for football." For a Catholic kid with family ties (through Mike Kiernan) to Notre Dame, that made Lou Holtz and the Irish impossible to resist. In South Bend, Jacobs never became the star that many expected. He did have his moments. As a true freshman in 1987, he caught two passes against Michigan. As a sophomore, he caught the game-clinching touchdown pass -- a sweet 3-yard jump pass from Tony Rice -- that gave Notre Dame a Fiesta Bowl victory over West Virginia for the national title. Midway through the 1989 season, Jacobs was blocking on a kickoff return against Air Force when he broke his left ankle. After he recovered, he chose to switch full-time to baseball. "I lost a lot of speed," he said of the aftermath of the injury. "Plus, I thought with baseball, I was less likely to injure it again." Had he picked baseball straight out of high school, some speculated that Jacobs would have been a first-round draft pick. As it was, the power-hitting first baseman's career in the Mets and Expos minor-league chains pretty well stalled out in Double-A. After his baseball career ended, Jacobs' first thought was to go into teaching and coaching. However, he would have needed more schooling "and I didn't have the money," he said. So, looking for a job that would be both fun and exciting, he got himself trained as a craps dealer. Today, the 38-year-old works the tables at Argosy. He and his wife, Donna, are settled back in Northern Kentucky. If Jacobs has a second-guess, it isn't that he gave up on football short of trying the NFL. "I wonder how I would have done in baseball if I'd gone right out of high school," he said. Jacobs said his other regret was that he didn't take more time to smell the proverbial roses, especially during his football career at Notre Dame. "It just seemed like I was always in a hurry to get to the next thing -- the next class, the next weight lift, the next practice," he said. "If I could do it again, I'd really try to slow that down some, take in the experience. It goes real fast." I've stopped being surprised by the number of athletes -- even those who play at a high level of college or the pros -- who tell me their high school days meant most to them because they were playing with people with whom they'd grown up and for communities that were home. Jacobs is one of those. "That's it exactly," he said. "It's your school. It's your team. I'd been with those guys since the seventh grade. I knew every kid in the school. I wouldn't trade it." He certainly wouldn't trade the honor that capped his high school career, the one that gets his name in the state's newspapers every year when a new Mr. Football is named. Said Frank Jacobs: "I'm proud to have been the first. I see now, that really was a big deal."
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December, 2006 |
NAME:
Zach Kiernan SCHOOL: Newport Central Catholic High School SPORT(S): Football-Basketball GRADUATING YR.: 2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2-sport (basketball & football) all-star who will play football at Louisville.
MVP ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Transitioning from the gridiron to the hardwood is 6'7" senior
Zach Kiernan, a 2-sport all-star. In basketball, Zach averaged a
double-double (15 points-10 rebounds) last year, helping his team
to the regional championship of the Kentucky All "A" Tournament
(he was named tournament MVP). Big games included 36 vs. Dixie
Heights, 25 vs. East Jessamine and 23 vs. Mayfield. In football,
offensive and defensive lineman Zach helped the Thoroughbreds win
back-to-back Kentucky Class A football championships. He was named
1st team all-NKY and 1st team all-state. Showing athletic
bloodlines, Zach's dad Michael played football at Notre Dame. A
National Honor Society student with a weighted 5.26 GPA, Zach is
very active in community service. He will play football next
season at the U. of Louisville. His favorite athlete is Brian
Urlacher, favorite entertainer is Dane Cook and most-like-to-meet
is Deion Sanders.
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NCC vs Danville Danville 34 - NCC 37 NCC STATE CHAMPIONS - TWO-IN-A-ROW! Click here to see photo page. |
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Congratulations NCC Student Athletes!
Kaela Jo Freppon and Alyx Schulte have been chosen to the Enquirer all-city volleyball team. Michelle Bowman, Jane Giesler, Samantha Sutkamp and April Gibson have been chosen for all-city girls' soccer. Dustin Zink has been named to the Enquirer all-city boys' soccer team. Also, Alyx Schulte has been named second team all state by the KVCA.
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Shannon Klei, a
senior guard for the girls’ basketball team, signed with Ball
State University in Muncie, IN on Tuesday, November 14, 2006. She
is an All-Region/All State player who, as a junior, averaged 15.7
points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.9 steals. She is the
daughter of Dave and Nancy Klei of St. Joseph Parish in Cold
Spring, Ky.
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VOLLEYBALL |
CONGRATULATIONS NCC VOLLEYBALL DISTRICT and REGIONAL CHAMPS |
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2006 |
We made the cover of "Cincinnati Bell The Real Yellow
Pages".
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