By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

The first day of full-fledged practice for Kentucky high school fall sports is set for Monday, if they get the go-ahead from the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Board of Control.

The board will conduct a virtual meeting at 10:30 a.m. Thursday to vote on permitting high school sports competition amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has become an international health crisis.

Noel Rash will begin his 15th season as Beechwood’s head football coach if fall sports get the go-ahead from the KHSAA.

The meeting will be carried live on the KHSAA YouTube channel and is expected to draw thousands of followers from around the state.

If the board members vote in favor of a proposal to conduct fall sports, the first day of competition has been set for Sept 7 for soccer, volleyball, cross country and field hockey with football games starting on Sept. 11.

Up until now, all of those sports have been limited to conducting small group conditioning, weight lifting and skills training with no game-like practice drills in accordance with the Center of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines adopted by the governor.

Golf is the only fall sport that didn’t have its season sidetracked by the pandemic. High school golfers have been competing in matches and tournaments since July 31.

Board of Control members could also vote to postpone or cancel fall sports competition except for golf at Thursday’s meeting. Whatever they decide, school districts across the state will make the final call regarding high schools in their area.

All four Catholic dioceses around the state decided to open their schools this week instead of following Gov. Andy Beshear’s recommendation to delay the start of in-person classes until Sept. 28. A split decision regarding sports competition among schools systems around the state would cause some major rescheduling problems.  

If fall sports competition is permitted, the Board of Control will also have to decide on the number of spectators allowed at games and events, whether or not masks will be mandatory and if concession stands can operate.

Award-winning girls basketball players will be college teammates

Two award-winning girls basketball players have made commitments with the University of Tampa women’s program prior to their senior seasons.

Sofia Allen of Scott and Rory O’Hara of Highlands will be future teammates at Tampa, last year’s Sunshine State Conference regular season champion that earned a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs before they were cancelled due to the coronavirus.

Allen, a 6-foot small forward, averaged 13.9 points and 7.9 rebounds for Scott last season. She was voted one of the 10th Region’s top five players and named to the Northern Kentucky Division I all-conference team.

O’Hara was named to the Northern Kentucky Division II all-conference team after averaging 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds as a 5-foot-10 small forward for Highlands. She was the team leader in field goal percentage, hitting 79 of 168 for 47 percent.

Three local golfers lead the way in high school all-state standings

The top three golfers in the latest boys all-state point standings are all from Northern Kentucky high schools with Ryle junior Rylan Wotherspoon heading the list.

Wotherspoon accumulated 435 points by placing among the leaders in six events. He is followed by Highlands teammates Luke Muller (395 points, seven events) and Justin Gabbard (325 points, seven events).

Evan Stewart of Cooper is in eighth place with 225 points in four events.

Points earned in high school invitational tournaments and the post-season regional and state tournaments are used to select the boys and girls all-state teams each year. The point leaders are named Mr. and Ms. Kentucky Golf.

Wotherspoon finished fourth in last year’s boys standings to earn first-team all-state honors. He was second-team all-state as a freshman.