By sports reporter Terry Boehmker, NKyTribune
After a 64-59 victory against Holy Cross on Thursday, Dixie Heights took the lead in the 9th Region boys basketball rankings, with four of the six schools who started the season with new head coaches having winning records.
With the win, the Colonels now have an 18-6 record under head coach Scott Code, who took over last spring after serving as an assistant coach for the previous two seasons. Conner (16–5), Holmes (13–12), and Covington Catholic (18–7) are the other region teams who have performed well under their new head coaches.
The Northern Kentucky preseason coaches poll did not place Dixie Heights among the top ten teams, although the Colonels have not lost consecutive games this season.
Despite falling down by 10 points in the second quarter and seven points in the third and fourth quarters, they managed to win the game against Holy Cross.
Without two of its top players on the floor, Holy Cross struggled to hold onto those leads.
Nate Rominger, a junior forward, was injured and did not play at all. Luke Arlinghaus, a junior guard, exited the game during the first quarter and never came back. The combined average of those two players’ points per game is 26.1.
Jonah Crail, a senior, made a 3-pointer late in the second quarter to give the Indians a 30–20 advantage. The home team surged ahead, 39-32, early in the third quarter after Dixie Heights replied with an 8-0 run to make it 30-28 at the half.
With less than six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Holy Cross embarked on an 11-4 run to take a 53-46 lead after the Colonels leveled the game, 42-42, thanks to a 3-pointer from senior player Griffen Derry.
However, the momentum shifted once more. With 2:05 remaining, Dixie Heights took a 57-53 lead after scoring 11 points in a row, including two more treys by Derry. With three seconds left, junior Will Collins made two free throws to give the Colonels the victory after both teams scored on their last three possessions to tie the score at 62-59.
Brady Gabbard, a junior at Holy Cross, led the squad in scoring with 23 points, while Will McElheney, a senior, finished with 16. Hunter Seng (14), Max Rubemeyer (14), and Derry (18) were Dixie Heights’ three double-figure scores.
Highlands will play Holy Cross (13–10) at home on Friday at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday at 2:30 p.m., Dixie Heights will make an appearance at CovCath.
