High‑School Sports Stars Shine in February

In late February, fans voted on the standout athletes from high‑school games that wrapped up by the end of the month. Winners receive certificates and can print them from a shared Dropbox folder starting the following Monday. Teams are encouraged to send pictures of their athletes holding these awards for a community photo collection. The boys’ basketball scene highlighted teams that kept winning streaks alive. The Kings from a major school secured two wins, while Waynesville from a smaller school boasted an 18‑game run without a loss. Newport Central Catholic finished the week with victories over Ludlow and Bishop Brossart. Girls’ basketball also saw strong performances. Mercy McAuley, a major‑school team, claimed its first postseason win against Roger Bacon. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy continued a seven‑game winning streak by defeating Batavia, and Boone County’s Lady Rebels capped the regular season with wins over Augusta, Williamstown, and Dayton—marking a double‑digit win total for the first time since 2021. Winter sports brought their own champions. West Clermont’s bowling team claimed the Division I sectional title, while Oak Hills wrestling captured its inaugural Greater Miami Conference championship with a team score of 175 points. Individual athletes also shone: Elijah Jones posted a double‑double for Hamilton, Conner Enderle broke 30 points for Fenwick, and Max Rubemeyer hit his career‑high of 33 points for Dixie Heights.Across the board, athletes from Ohio and Northern Kentucky made headlines. A freshman at Mount Notre Dame recorded a career‑best 11 points, and a sophomore from CHCA scored 20 in a postseason win. Newport Central Catholic’s Kendall Thompson tallied 24 points, and West Clermont’s Ty Barrett tied for first in the sectional with a 667 series. Bowling, archery, gymnastics, swimming, and wrestling added depth to the awards. A bowler from Fayetteville‑Perry finished ninth in a district meet, while a girl from Clinton‑Massie secured a seventh place that qualified her for state. Archery stars Robert Scroggin and Bella Bowen topped their respective divisions at the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference tournament. Gymnast Caroline Pritts earned third on floor, helping her team take first place overall. Swimming and diving saw multiple state champions. James Hossler qualified for the Division I state meet in breaststroke, and Chase Knopf won both 200‑yard and 500‑yard freestyle titles—his first individual state title for his school in over a decade. In diving, Marissa Zang claimed the district championship, and Clare Herfel repeated her 500‑yard freestyle state title. Wrestling rewards included Kaiden Patton’s two pins in the 215‑pound finals for Kings, Deacon Heisler’s regional championship at 144 pounds for Campbell County, and Eleanor Polking’s recognition as Greater Miami Conference Wrestler of the Year after a dominant freshman season. The newspaper has shifted to digital certificates, sending PDFs to families each Monday instead of mailing them. Families can print the award and share a photo with the publication to celebrate their local sports heroes.