article BluegrassPreps.com 9th Region Weekly Rankings (12/4)

1. Covington Catholic (1-0) – Covington Catholic will return three key players after winning 5a State Football Championship. Covington Catholic started the season off with a big road win against Lexington Catholic ( 54-53). Covington Catholic was led by Aiden Ruthsatz (27.0 ppg.) and CJ Fredrick ( 11.0 ppg). Games coming up: Saint Henry ( Dec.5) and Newport Catholic ( Dec.5).

2. Cooper (1-1) – Started the season off with a win against Campbell County( 50-37) and a loss to Hilliard Bradley (OH) (68-70). Cooper was led by Adam Kunkel (20.5 ppg.) and Chris McNeil (15.5 ppg.).Games coming up: Conner(Dec.5) and Elder ( Dec.8).

3. Newport (2-0) - Started the season off with two wins Bishop Brossart( 62-59) and Ponitz Career Tech( 77-70). Newport was led by MeKell Burries(23.5 ppg.), Makhi McGuire(18.0 ppg.) and Tahj Harding (14.0 ppg.) Games coming up: Boone County ( Dec.5) and Holmes (Dec. 8).

4. Newport Central Catholic (2-0) – Started the since off with two wins against St. Henry (71-52) and DeSales (73-72). Newport Central Catholic was led in scoring by Brennan Hall ( 23.0 ppg) and Brendan Luken (19.0 ppg). Games coming up: Lloyd Memorial ( Dec.4), Dixie Heights(Dec.6) and Covington Catholic (Dec.8).

5. Holmes (1-1) – Started the season off with a win against Highlands (46-45) and a loss to North College Hill( 56-65). Holmes was led in scoring by Donavin Saxon (12.0 ppg) and Kerex Race(11.0 ppg) Games coming up: Newport(Dec.8).

6. Ryle (3-0) – Started the season with wins against: Grant County (67-56), Villa Madonna(56-42) and Bellevue ( 66-38). Ryle was led in scoring by Vince Rankin(19.3 ppg) and Jacob Travin (12.3 ppg). Games coming up: Simon Kenton( Dec.5) and St. Henry (Dec.7).

7. Beechwood (2-1) - Started the season off with big wins against Boone County (60-57) and Holy Cross of Louisville (69-40). Beechwood was led by Scotty Draud( 23.3 ppg.), CJ Brannen( 9.7 ppg.) and Ben Toebbe(9.3 ppg.) Games coming up: Scott( Dec.6) and Bishop Brossart(Dec.8).

8. Conner (1-2) - Started the season off with a win against Ludlow(52-32) and two losses against St. Henry (52-55) and Whitley County(45-64). Conner was led in scoring by Tanner Craddock(13.7 ppg.). Games coming up: Cooper ( Dec.5) and Boone County (Dec.8)

9. Dixie Heights (0-2) – Dixie Heights started the season off with losses to Walton Verona( 42-51) and Bryan Station (40-71). Games coming up: Newport Central Catholic (Dec. 6) and Simon Kenton (Dec.8)

10. Boone County (1-2) – Boone started the season off with disappointing losses to Beechwood (57-60) and Holy Cross (57-65) and beat Highlands (67-50). Raymond Rodgers( 20.7 ppg) and Ethan Robbins (14.0 ppg.) was the leaders for the first three games for Boone County. Games coming up: Newport(Dec.5) and Conner(Dec. 8).

11. St. Henry (2-1) – Started the season off by winning vs Conner (55-52) and Ludlow(74-43). Games coming up: Covington Catholic (Dec.5) and Ryle (Dec.7).

12. Lloyd (2-0) - Started the season off by winning two big games against Carroll County( 58-4) and Owen County ( 73-67). Games coming up: Newport Central Catholic ( Dec.4) and Villa Madonna( Dec.7).

13. Holy Cross (1-0) – Started the season off with a big win at Boone County (65-57). Games coming up: Campbell County (Dec 5.), Grant County (Dec. 9) and South Oldham (Dec. 11).

14. Highlands- (0-3) - Started the season off by losing their first three games against Holmes( 45-46), Boone County( 50-67) and Simon Kenton ( 64-74). Alex Starkey averaged 9.7ppg in the first three games for Highlands. Games coming up: Simon Kenton ( Dec. 2), South Laurel(Dec. 8) and St. Henry’s ( Dec.9).

15. Bellevue (1-1) – Tommy Ratterman ( 11.5 ppg.) and Brett Maehren( 16.5 ppg) both lead Bellevue in scoring. Games coming up: Covington Latin( Dec. 6), Covington Latin( Dec.6) and Heritage Academy( Dec. 8).

16. Ludlow (0-2) - Started the season off by a tough first two games against Conner (32-52) and St. Henry ( 43-74). The leading scorers for Ludlow for the first two games were Trey Donaue (10.0 ppg) and Justin Blackburn ( 9.5 ppg). Games coming up: Calvary Christian ( Dec. 4), Dayton (Dec. 7) and Bishop Brossart(Dec 9.)

17. Dayton (0-4)-Played in the Freedom Automotive Tip Off Classic losing all three games. Games coming up: Ludlow (Dec. 7) and Newport Central Catholic ( Dec. 11).

18. Villa Madonna (1-2) – Villa Madonna starts off the season winning against St. Joseph Central (Ironton,Oh). Villa is lead in scoring for the first three games by Ben Zalla(13.5 ppg) and Sean McIntyre(9.0 ppg). Games coming up: Heritage Academy (Dec. 5) and Lloyd Memorial (Dec. 7)

19. Heritage Academy (0-1) - Started the season off by losing to Walden 48-59. Games coming up: Villa Madonna (Dec. 5) and Bellevue (Dec. 8)

Ratterman for Bellevue is averaging 11.5 through two games. Not 16.5. He scored 15 vs. Silver Grove and 8 vs. Ryle.

Cov Cath is going to be busy tomorrow.

I know these things are always just for fun. So to add to the fun....Ryle, Conner and Boone are too high. Beechwood, St.Henry, Lloyd and Holy Cross are too low.

Based on what?

Based on what?

I'm not @Just Jim, but to play Devil's Advocate, what would be the rationale for having Conner above St. Henry? I understand that H2H isn't everything, but there is nothing else in the body of work for Conner to ignore the H2H outcome. Now, I personally think Conner is a better team, but as of 12/4/17, hard to defend that.

Likewise, what has Boone done (beat HHS?) to warrant placement above Holy Cross? Again, I tend to think you have them in the right spot if you're looking at March 1st, but on December 4th, it is tough for me to understand.

I would also probably have Lloyd above all 4 teams I just mentioned, but they'll get a chance to prove that point tonight against the Breds. If they beat NewCath (highly unlikely), or play them close, I think it reinforces my feeling that I'd put them above the 4 mentioned above.

Based on what?

Ryle, Conner and Boone have beaten nobody to be ranked ahead of these others.

St.Henry beat Conner head to head, and Holy Cross has beaten Boone.

And I'd have Villa ahead of Dayton.

I guess since Cooper lost a game they should drop as well?

Thanks for your insight and taking the time to do the rankings.

Thank you for this weekly update @MidwestUnited. Your efforts are appreciated. :up:

Rankings are sure a great conversation starter, eh?

I guess since Cooper lost a game they should drop as well?

You asked a question, it was answered with logic.

Lloyd lost nearly all scoring from last year! Holy Cross might have one of their worse teams in several years!

Holy Cross might have one of their worse teams in several years!

They definitely have one of their worst teams in years. That is unquestioned.

Besides St Henry beating Conner head-to-head they also beat Ludlow by 30 and Conner beat them by 20. I'd say for this week St Henry should get the nod if we're saying how they are and have fared thus far.