By sports reporter Terry Boehmker, NKyTribune
According to a post on his X account, Cooper’s record-setting quarterback Cam O Hara verbally committed to Western Kentucky University on Thursday.
When his team finished 14-1 last season, losing in the Class 5A state championship game, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior established school records in passing yards (3,617) and passing touchdowns (52).
With one season left, O Hara also holds the career records for Northern Kentucky in throwing touchdowns (120) and yards (8,996). He might become one of the few quarterbacks from Kentucky high schools to pass for 10,000 yards or more in their career.
O Hara was the best quarterback prospect in the state for the Class of 2026, according to his college recruiting profile on the 247Sports website. Additionally, he was offered scholarships by Yale, Penn, Bowling Green, Akron, Miami of Ohio, and Kentucky.
In 2024, he chose to play for Western Kentucky, who finished 8-6 and qualified for the bowl for the sixth straight year. The Hilltoppers play NCAA Division I college football at the FBS level and are a part of Conference USA.
With O Hara leading the offense, Cooper advanced to the Class 5A state final the previous two seasons. This season, the team’s top three pass receivers were seniors. Isaiah Johnson was one of them, setting records for both career receiving yards (3,343) and touchdowns (53), both of which were previously held by Northern Kentucky.
Pairings set for state basketball tournaments
The Jaguars will play the 6th Region champion in the opening round of the state tournament on Thursday, March 13 at Rupp Arena if Cooper becomes the first girls basketball team to win four straight 9th Region titles next month.
The Sweet 16 boys’ and girls’ state tournament pairings were decided by a draw that took place in Lexington on Friday. On Thursday, March 27 at Rupp Arena, the boys’ champion of the 9th Region will play the champion of the 2nd Region. Each game’s exact time will be revealed later.
Cooper leads both the boys’ and girls’ Rating Percentage Index, which ranks teams based on record and schedule strength, with one week remaining in the regular season.
The Cooper boys team hasn’t won the championship since 2017 and finished second in the region the previous two years.
Both boys’ and girls’ teams from Northern Kentucky will be vying for the eighth and tenth region titles. The top RPI teams in each of those regions are given here along with their first-round opponents.
TOURNAMENT OF CLARK S PUMP-N-SHOP GIRLS STATE* George Rogers Clark, Brossart, Montgomery County, 10th REGION vs. Franklin-Simpson, Metcalfe County, Barren County, 4th REGION, Wednesday, March 12.* The 11th Region (Madison Central, Franklin County, Frederick Douglass) versus the 8th Region (Simon Kenton, Anderson County, Spencer County).* Thursday, March 13* Louisville Butler, Whitefield Academy, Louisville Valley vs. 9th Region (Cooper, Notre Dame, Holy Cross).
UK STATE TOURNAMENT FOR HEALTHCARE BOYSThe 8th Region (South Oldham, North Oldham, Simon Kenton) will play the 12th Region (Danville Christian, Mercer County, Pulaski County) on Wednesday, March 26.*George Rogers Clark, Campbell County, Montgomery County, 10th Region vs. 15th Region (Pikeville, Paintsville, Johnson Central), Thursday, March 27.* Second Region (Henderson County, Lyon County, Madisonville-North Hopkins) versus 9th Region (Cooper, Lloyd, Covington Catholic).
Distance runner wins event at multi-state meet
High school competitors from multiple states traveled to Louisville for the Eastern Indoors track and field tournament, where senior Olivia Holbrook of Campbell County won the invitational girls 800 race in 2:11.16.
Northern Kentucky’s sole gold medal winner was Holbrook. She set the state record for the quickest time in the indoor 800-meter race, which had 71 finishers. With a time of 5:00.22, she also finished seventh out of 71 runners in the girls’ one-mile race.
Holbrook placed second in the Class 3A girls 800 run at the outdoor state championship and won the race at the indoor state meet during her junior year. The indoor state meet this year will take place in Louisville from March 4–6.
Holbrook was also a top high school cross-country runner in the state. Last November, she finished 10th in her last Class 3A girls state competition.
