Fite and Sims win Laurel Oaks 2-Day Scramble for second straight year

Sarah Fite and Sophia Sims are back-to-back champions of the Laurel Oaks Ladies 2-Day Scramble.

Fite and Sims were one shot off the lead after shooting a 6-under par 66 on Saturday. They shot another 66 on Sunday for a 36-hole total of 12-under 132.

Libby Moses and Kathy Neuman finished second at 10 under. The teams of Cynthia Rhorer and Kristen Lottman, and Samantha Schumacher and Macey Littleton tied for third place at 7 under.

It's the fourth straight year Fite has been on the winning team in the scramble. She teamed up with Jordan Frodge for back-to-back wins in 2022 and 2023.

Other flight winners include:

First Flight

Mo Kroness and Jenny Braillier 144

Second Flight

Kelly McHugh and Tammy Crouch 149

Third Flight

T1 Susan Candiotti and Kathy Schenk 164

T1 Jayne Lickert and Bev Breitenstein 164

Tryouts for Mason County Lady Royals golf team are set for Wednesday

Tryouts for the Mason County Lady Royals varsity golf team will take place on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Laurel Oaks Golf Course.

The tryouts are open to girls in grades 7-12.

You need to have an updated physical, golf clubs, golf balls and tees.

Fleming County/Kenton Station Two-Man Scramble set for July 26-27

The Fleming County Golf Association/Kenton Station Golf Course Two-Man Scramble is set for July 26-27.

The first round will be played at Kenton Station on July 26 and the second round will take place at Fleming County on July 27.

Shotgun tee times are 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The entry fee is $90 per golfer for members and $110 per golfer for non-members.

At least one golfer per team must be a member of one the courses.

Bryan Walton and Trey Cracraft won last year's scramble.

NFHS approves rules changes for softball and track and field

The National Federation of State High School Associations has approved rules changes for softball and track and field for the 2025-2026 school year. 

Here are the links to the press releases:

Softball

Track and field

Mason County Royals golf schedule

The Mason County Royals golf team will open the season on July 21 in the Trojan Cup hosted by the Barren County boys' golf team at Willow Oaks Golf Club in Glasgow.

Here is the rest of the schedule:

July 22 Scotties Cup at Willows Oaks in Glasgow

July 25 East Carter Invitational at Hidden Cove in Olive Hill

July 26 Eagle Trace Invitational at Eagle Trace in Morehead

July 27 Mason County/St. Patrick Invitational at Oak Ridge

July 29 Chargers Open at Heritage Hills in Shepherdsville

July 30 Kentucky Cup at UK Club in Lexington

July 31 Beechwood Invitational at Hickory Sticks in California

August 4 Ashland Invitational at Bellefonte in Ashland

August 6 Mason County Open at Laurel Oaks

August 9 Pikeville Invitational at Stonecrest in Prestonsburg

August 11 Bronco Invitational at Kearney Hill in Lexington

August 16 Paintsville Invitational at Paintsville Country Club

August 23 Region 12 Preview at Laurel Oaks

August 24 Harrison County Invitational at Houston Oaks in Paris

September 1 5-Star Invitational at Picadome in Lexington

September 6 Bowling Green Invitational at Bowling Green Country Club

September 8 2A State Championship at Owensboro Country Club

September 14 Kentucky Shootout at Henry County Country Club in New Castle

September 14-15 All-State Championship at UK Club in Lexington

September 23 Region Tournament at Laurel Oaks

September 30 State First Round at Winchester Country Club

October 9-11 State Championship at Bowling Green Country Club

KHSAA Dead Period over, fall sports dates

Wednesday was the last day of the KHSAA Dead Period. Here are the key dates for fall sports:

July 10 Helmets-only football practice

July 15 First practice for golf, soccer, volleyball, cross country and competitive cheer

July 22 Helmet and shoulder pads football practice and first golf match 

August 1 Full gear football practice

August 8 First soccer match

August 4 First football full contact scrimmage

August 15 First cross country meet and first volleyball match

August 19 First football game

Double first base required in high school baseball next season

High school baseball fields will be required to have a double first base beginning next season.

The new rule, one of 10 announced by the National Federation of High School Associations, is designed to reduce the number of collisions between base-runners and fielders.

Here is a link to the press release.

Lex Turner will be the head coach of the St. Patrick Saints next season

Lex Turner will be the head coach of the St. Patrick boys' basketball team next season after serving with Chris Bauer as interim coach during the latter part of the 2024-25 season.

Turner was the Saints' head coach for twenty-eight seasons before retiring in 2004. His teams won 365 games, two district championships and two All "A" 10th Region championships.

Tony Moore had been the Saints' head coach since the 2020-21 season but was unable to coach last season due to health issues.

St. Patrick athletic director Angie Brant said "it was in the best interest of the program to move in a new direction."

Turner coached the Saints in summer basketball last month.

Moore has joined the Terry King's coaching staff at Bracken County. He says he will be the head coach of the freshman team.

Nathan Kerns wins 58th Firecracker

Former Marshall University golfer and 2012 Ohio Amateur champion Nathan Kerns of Ironton, Ohio matched his opening round 8-under par 62 on Saturday with another 62 on Sunday to win the 58th Firecracker tournament at Kenton Station Golf Course at 16-under 124.

Kern, who began the day one shot off the lead, shot a 31 on the front nine and a 31 on the back nine on Sunday.

First round leader and three-time champion BJ Knox shot a 67 on Sunday and finished second at 12-under 128.

Matt Malott and Elijah McCarty tied for third place at 9-under 131.

Other flight winners include:

First Flight

Deron Feldhaus 132

Second Flight

Bryan Walton 138

Third Flight

Tyler Sallee 139

Fourth Flight

T1 Chad Raines 151

T1 Brandon Cox 151

Fifth Flight 

Dave Shively 158

Championship Flight Scores

Nate Kerns 62-62 124

BJ Knox 61-67 128

Elijah McCarty 67-64 131

Matt Malott 64-67 131

Matt Logan 67-66 133

Patrick England 66-67 133

Troy Grooms 65-68 133

Rick Harmon 64-69 133

Randy Ross 67-69 136

Eric Schumacher 67-69 136

Johnny Evans 67-70 137

Rex Schalch 66-73 139

Amirah Reed and her AAU teammates win the gold medal at Midwest Showcase

Mason County rising senior Amirah Reed and her Cincy Swish Chialastri teammates won the gold medal at the 5th Annual Midwest Showcase on Sunday at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

After going 2-0 in pool play on Saturday, Cincy Swish Chialastri beat Cincy Chargers Mahoney 61-53 in the semifinals on Sunday morning and defeated TNBA Cleveland Select 48-37 in the championship game on Sunday afternoon.

@reedamirah4 and @CincySwishBlue brought home some GOLD from the 5th Annual Midwest show case @CapitalWBB this weekend they played amazing! Congratsgirls. @DannyEWeddle pic.twitter.com/jYedMUDOEH

— Kathryn Reed (@Krer21) July 6, 2025

BJ Knox has a one-shot lead after the first round of the 58th Firecracker

Three-time champion BJ Knox has a one-shot lead after the first round of the 58th Firecracker tournament at Kenton Station Golf Course.

Knox, who had a three-peat from 2019-2021, shot a 9-under par 61 on Saturday.

Nate Kerns is in solo second place after shooting a 62.

Matt Malott and Rick Harmon are tied for third at 6-under 64.

Troy Grooms shot a 65. Patrick England and Rex Schalch each shot a 66.

A group of five golfers rounds out the championship flight with 3-under 67s: two-time champion Eric Schumacher, Randy Ross, Johnny Evans, Matt Logan and 2023 champion Elijah McCarty.

The final round will be played on Sunday.

Dashawn Overly wins the KC's Joe Donovan Memorial River Run

Dashawn Overly won the Knights of Columbus Joe Donovan Memorial River Run for the second straight year on Friday morning in downtown Maysville.

Overly completed the 5K run in 16:40.

Morgan Carpenter was the top female finisher with a time of 24:29.

Ninety-five golfers signed up for the 58th Firecracker

Ninety-five golfers will play in the 58th Firecracker, a 36-hole stroke play tournament, at Kenton Station Golf Course this weekend.

The field will be placed into flights based on Saturday's first round scores. The final round will be played on Sunday.

The shootout is on Friday at 6 p.m.

Here is a list of the past Firecracker champions:

1968 Earl Boles

1969 Joe Traxel

1970 Steve Poynter

1971 Ray Litteral

1972 Ross Smith

1973 Gerald Dixon

1974 Ross Smith

1975 Jim Rollins

1976 Jay Spiller

1977 Ross Smith

1978 Ross Smith

1979 Ron Henson

1980 Jim Klapper

1981 Gerald Dixon

1982 Mort Bertman 

1983 Robert Walton

1984 Gerald Dixon

1985 Jim Caudill

1986 Jim Klapper

1987 Jim Klapper

1988 Mike Fields

1989 Mike Fields

1990 Willie Feldhaus

1991 Steve Grayson

1992 Steve Grayson

1993 Russ Coleman

1994 Rick Hensley

1995 Steve Grayson

1996 Harold Wallace 

1997 Rick Hensley

1998 Russ Coleman

1999 Deron Feldhaus

2000 Eric Schumacher

2001 Rick Hensley

2002 Deron Feldhaus

2003 Robert Walton

2004 Tim Ailes

2005 Harold Wallace

2006 Deron Feldhaus

2007 Troy Grooms

2008 Shawn Armstrong

2009 Shawn Armstrong

2010 Shawn Armstrong

2011 John Kelly

2012 Eric Schumacher

2013 Bobby Kearney

2014 Troy Grooms

2015 Deron Feldhaus

2016 Deron Feldhaus

2017 Deron Feldhaus

2018 Deron Feldhaus

2019 BJ Knox

2020 BJ Knox

2021 BJ Knox

2022 Tyler Lippert

2023 Elijah McCarty

2024 Corey Richmond

Dylan Whitehead promoted to head coach of the women's soccer team at IU East

Former Mason County Royal Dylan Whitehead has been promoted to head coach of the women's soccer team at Indiana East University in Richmond, Indiana.

Whitehead has been an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at IU East since 2023.

Here is a link to the news release.

New soccer coaches announced at St. Patrick

The girls' and boys' soccer teams at St. Patrick High School have new head coaches.

Javier Cardenas is the Lady Saints' new coach, while A.J. Walters will be at the helm for the Saints.

The new coaches succeed Father Michael Black who started a new assignment in Northern Kentucky on Tuesday.