Sunday, February 27, 2000
NORTHERN KY. INSIDER
State or bust for Schwegmann, Bishop Brossart
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
For Katie Schwegmann, March 22 offers either of two extremes: Floating on Cloud Nine or being put under. Basketball or bed rest. State or surgery.
Make no mistake, she needs an operation. But should the all-state guard and her Bishop Brossart teammates keep winning, surgery will be rescheduled. Her school's first Sweet 16 appearance would take precedence.
“When my doctor said I'd need surgery, I got so scared,” she said. “But when he said I could finish out the season, I said I was definitely going to finish. We've got some dreams we want to take care of.”
Such is the spirit of this Camelot-like quest. After successive heartbreaks in the past two 10th Region title games, Brossart believes this its best chance.
No matter that it's not its best team.
“We realized this year we're not as talented as last year but that the region's also more balanced,” Schwegmann said. “The past several years the program has been building and building, and all those players have added something special to this program. If we could win, it would be everyone's accomplishment, from four or five years back to now.”
Brossart has won 20 or more games in nine of Ray Kues' 10 seasons as coach, including the last eight. It has reached the All “A” Classic state title game three consecutive years, winning once. It has achieved Top 10 state rankings and had a first team all-state player, Schwegmann. It has been Northern Kentucky's top-ranked team the past two seasons.
In short, it has done everything but reach the Sweet 16.
“We haven't quite reached that plateau yet,” Kues said. “In the future it's going to happen, hopefully this year.”
Montgomery County was a powerhouse the past two years, but it was only a hair better than Brossart teams that went 27-7 and 30-2. Montgomery edged the Lady 'Stangs with late rallies in the title game both times.
This year, Brossart (21-8) and Harrison County (23-3) are essentially co-favorites in the region. Despite the fact Schwegmann is the only returning full-time starter, and that she has been slowed by torn cartilage — arthroscopic surgery should sideline her about a month after the season — Kues has found players to fill the gaps.
Senior center Emily Phillips has been a boon, averaging 12.1 points and 11.8 rebounds. The only other senior, Lisa Henke, averages 6.8 points, and junior Carrie Clift is at 10.3.
Schwegmann, despite double-teams, has averaged 22.3 points and earned MVP honors of the state All “A” for the second straight year.
“It has been a tough transi tion,” Kues said. “But we looked at it as a learning experience.”
Four losses came to state-ranked teams. Brossart lost in overtime to Notre Dame and by a point on a last-second shot at Boone County.
“We've had our frustrating moments, but we're getting better late in the season,” Phillips said. “We don't want this season to end.”
MEYROSE HONORED: The U.S. Navy has named Beechwood senior Renee Meyrose to its inaugural Scholastic All-American volleyball team. Meyrose is a first-team selection, one of just six players on the team.
The selections, made on a criteria combining academics, athletics and community service, were made by a National High School Athletic Coaches Association committee.
Meyrose, a four-year starter at outside hitter, has been named second team all-region and honorable mention all-state. She ranks first in Beechwood's senior class with a 4.0-plus GPA. She has not yet picked a college.
SKATERS TO JUNIOR NATIONALS: The Northern Kentucky Skating Club will have five representatives competing at the U.S. Junior National Championships March 6-11 in Amherst, N.Y.:
• Samantha Skavdahl, 10, is the regional champion in juvenile ladies singles. She'll be joined in that event by teammate Mary Siegel, 11.
• Skavdahl will team with Jordan Brauninger, 13, in intermediate pairs.
• Skavdahl's sister, Stephanie, 12, is the regional champ in intermediate ladies singles.
• Ben Woolwine, 16, is the intermediate men's singles regional champ.
All are trained by Stephanie Miller and Ted Masdea at Northern Kentucky Ice Center.
Neil Schmidt can be reached at 578-5582 or nschmidt@enquirer.com.
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