Is that Tom Thacker? Did he play for L. Grant or Holmes ? I'm not really sure. I know he went on to play at UC and Boston. I think he was a part of the championship at UC the year after Big O left. I could be wrong on this, correct me if I am. He youst to host a tourney every summer in Covington.

 

Tom Thacker played at Grant.

 

He was part of the UC run.

Thacker, Barton, Schloemer, Draud, and Beal would certainly come to mind.

 

How would you compare those 5 to the Johnson Brothers and Pittman of this year?

How would you compare those 5 to the Johnson Brothers and Pittman of this year?

 

Too early for one thing. Pittman has a chance to be in the discussion at some point in the future.

Tom Thacker played at Grant.

 

He was part of the UC run.

 

My father and a lot of my uncle's played for L. Grant. How competitive was L. Grant at that time.

Thacker, Barton, Schloemer, Draud, and Beal would certainly come to mind.

 

I only saw Thacker play in college and I don't remember seeing Barton play, but I did see Doug Schloemer, Draud and Beal all play HS basketball.

 

I would have to include Randy Noll in the above group. Tall kid 6'7" who could dribble like a guard and had a deadly shot from the corner. He of course signed with UK, then transferred to Marshall (they had an outstanding team during his years there), and played Pro ball in Europe..

Dick Vories, Newport class of '58.

Yes I do.....:cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry:

Still hard to forget isn't it? That was pretty hard to take.

For what it's worth, here is a list of past 9th region champions, stretching all the way back to 1939. It might help jog some memories about past dates!

 

1939 - Covington

1940 - Newport

1941 - Dayton

1942 - Walton

1943 - Dayton

1944 - Dayton

1945 - Covington

1946 - Campbell County

1947 - Dixie Heights

1948 - Holmes

1949 - Bellevue

1950 - Newport

1951 - Holmes

1952 - Newport

1953 - Newport Central Catholic

1954 - Newport

1955 - Newport

1956 - Boone County

1957 - Dixie Heights

1958 - Grant

1959 - Grant

1960 - Campbell County

1961 - Grant

1962 - Newport

1963 - Newport Central Catholic

1964 - Grant

1965 - Covington Holy Cross

1966 - Newport Central Catholic

1967 - Covington Catholic

1968 - Covington Catholic

1969 - Covington Catholic

1970 - Covington Catholic

1971 - Covington Catholic

1972 - Covington Holy Cross

1973 - Newport Central Catholic

1974 - Newport Central Catholic

1975 - Newport Central Catholic

1976 - Holmes

1977 - Holmes

1978 - Holmes

1979 - Highlands

1980 - Holmes

1981 - Simon Kenton

1982 - Highlands

1983 - Highlands

1984 - Newport Central Catholic

1985 - Boone County

1986 - Highlands

1987 - Highlands

1988 - Holmes

1989 - Scott

1990 - Holmes

1991 - Covington Holy Cross

1992 - Covington Catholic

1993 - Conner

1994 - Covington Holy Cross

1995 - Simon Kenton

1996 - Boone County

1997 - Highlands

1998 - Highlands

1999 - Highlands

2000 - Newport Central Catholic

2001 - Highlands

2002 - Ryle

2003 - St. Henry

2004 - Covington Catholic

2005 - Holmes

2006 - Covington Catholic

2007 - Holmes

2008 - Holmes

Still hard to forget isn't it? That was pretty hard to take.

 

If I close my eye and think about it, I can see the kid take the shot from around half court, the ball just crazes the rim and instead of bouncing off to the side or out of bounds, it drops straight down into the hands of a Earlington players who is as surprised as anyone! The rest is history.

 

I am not at all ashamed to admit, I cried.....:cry::cry::cry:

Who is the greastest 9th region player of all time ?

Dicky Beal gets my vote. He was amazing with the ball. He could dribble the length of the court faster than most players could run it. He was so much fun to watch and when they said he wasn't a scorer he dropped 50 on Holy Cross with a lot of shots that would have been 3s today. A lot of people don't know about his leaping ability either. I have a newspaper picture of him dunking in a scrimmage at Holmes over Dexter Bailey (Summit Country Day / Xavier). Dexter had one of the best verticals around, was about 6'3" and Dickie was all of 5'9". I believe Dickie had at least a dozen dunks that season of 1980. Never got to see Tom Thacker in high school but he was a great college player who got a pretty good taste of the NBA as well. Also never got to see Dick Maile play but he was a good player at CovCath and LSU, I believe All-American there. Some of the old-timers will tell you about George Stone @ Covington Lincoln Grant. He was a legend in Covington but a little bit early for me. Maybe someone out there can elaborate on him.

For what it's worth, here is a list of past 9th region champions, stretching all the way back to 1939. It might help jog some memories about past dates!

 

1939 - Covington

1940 - Newport

1941 - Dayton

1942 - Walton

1943 - Dayton

1944 - Dayton

1945 - Covington

1946 - Campbell County

1947 - Dixie Heights

1948 - Holmes

1949 - Bellevue

1950 - Newport

1951 - Holmes

1952 - Newport

1953 - Newport Central Catholic

1954 - Newport

1955 - Newport

1956 - Boone County

1957 - Dixie Heights

1958 - Grant

1959 - Grant

1960 - Campbell County

1961 - Grant

1962 - Newport

1963 - Newport Central Catholic

1964 - Grant

1965 - Covington Holy Cross

1966 - Newport Central Catholic

1967 - Covington Catholic

1968 - Covington Catholic

1969 - Covington Catholic

1970 - Covington Catholic

1971 - Covington Catholic

1972 - Covington Holy Cross

1973 - Newport Central Catholic

1974 - Newport Central Catholic

1975 - Newport Central Catholic

1976 - Holmes

1977 - Holmes

1978 - Holmes

1979 - Highlands

1980 - Holmes

1981 - Simon Kenton

1982 - Highlands

1983 - Highlands

1984 - Newport Central Catholic

1985 - Boone County

1986 - Highlands

1987 - Highlands

1988 - Holmes

1989 - Scott

1990 - Holmes

1991 - Covington Holy Cross

1992 - Covington Catholic

1993 - Conner

1994 - Covington Holy Cross

1995 - Simon Kenton

1996 - Boone County

1997 - Highlands

1998 - Highlands

1999 - Highlands

2000 - Newport Central Catholic

2001 - Highlands

2002 - Ryle

2003 - St. Henry

2004 - Covington Catholic

2005 - Holmes

2006 - Covington Catholic

2007 - Holmes

2008 - Holmes

Thank you I was looking for this. Very helpful in remembering dates. I guess I was wrong about Holmes losing in 1977 in the districts to Beechwood.

When you look and see CovCath winning the Ninth Region five straight years, think about this if you will; An incoming freshmen from the class of 1970 at CovCath or a incoming freshmen from the class of 1971 at CovCath never knew what it was like to not go to the sweet sixteen. Think about the schools in the ninth that have never been and to think two classes of incoming freshmen never knew what it was like not to attend is something.

For what it's worth, here is a list of past 9th region champions, stretching all the way back to 1939. It might help jog some memories about past dates!

 

1939 - Covington

1940 - Newport

1941 - Dayton

1942 - Walton

1943 - Dayton

1944 - Dayton

1945 - Covington

1946 - Campbell County

1947 - Dixie Heights

1948 - Holmes

1949 - Bellevue

1950 - Newport

1951 - Holmes

1952 - Newport

1953 - Newport Central Catholic

1954 - Newport

1955 - Newport

1956 - Boone County

1957 - Dixie Heights

1958 - Grant

1959 - Grant

1960 - Campbell County

1961 - Grant

1962 - Newport

1963 - Newport Central Catholic

1964 - Grant

1965 - Covington Holy Cross

1966 - Newport Central Catholic

1967 - Covington Catholic

1968 - Covington Catholic

1969 - Covington Catholic

1970 - Covington Catholic

1971 - Covington Catholic

1972 - Covington Holy Cross

1973 - Newport Central Catholic

1974 - Newport Central Catholic

1975 - Newport Central Catholic

1976 - Holmes

1977 - Holmes

1978 - Holmes

1979 - Highlands

1980 - Holmes

1981 - Simon Kenton

1982 - Highlands

1983 - Highlands

1984 - Newport Central Catholic

1985 - Boone County

1986 - Highlands

1987 - Highlands

1988 - Holmes

1989 - Scott

1990 - Holmes

1991 - Covington Holy Cross

1992 - Covington Catholic

1993 - Conner

1994 - Covington Holy Cross

1995 - Simon Kenton

1996 - Boone County

1997 - Highlands

1998 - Highlands

1999 - Highlands

2000 - Newport Central Catholic

2001 - Highlands

2002 - Ryle

2003 - St. Henry

2004 - Covington Catholic

2005 - Holmes

2006 - Covington Catholic

2007 - Holmes

2008 - Holmes

 

It all seems so cyclical- like every team has their run for 5 years and then falls away for a bit and then comes back. I wonder if it has anything to do with certain families that all go to the same school and keep sending good players back. :lol:

Does anyone think Covcath's record of 5 straight region titles from 67-71 will ever be touched?

 

If not for Rice getting kicked off the Holmes team in 2006, there's a very good chance we could be talking about Holmes accomplishing that feat this year and then breaking the record next year with 6 straight. If Holmes 3-peat's this year, it will be just the 5th time in 9th region history:

 

Covcath 67-71

Newcath 73-75

Holmes 76-78

Highlands 97-99

 

Also, if Holmes wins region this year, they'll be the only team in 9th region history to ever win 4 titles in a 5 year span more than once.

 

The 9th has definetly had some great teams throughout the years.

It all seems so cyclical- like every team has their run for 5 years and then falls away for a bit and then comes back. I wonder if it has anything to do with certain families that all go to the same school and keep sending good players back. :lol:

 

I think there is plenty of truth to that. Northern Kentucky has so many schools, and many are either "big" or "private." Because of that, there is a large number of schools that can win the regional title. A good family comes through and a school is set for a few years. Another family goes to another place and they have a run. And on down the line. Finally, the family of group A starts having kids and several years later, group A has another run.

 

It's like that in most regions, actually. The biggest difference is that northern Kentucky involves several schools in the rotation, while most regions only have two or three! Very interesting.