Kentucky
Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky high school bowlers to watch in 2025-2026
The high school bowling season started last week in Ohio and Kentucky. Here are some top returners to watch for the season.
Who are the top returning boys bowlers?
Matthew Alvear, Lebanon – He was first-team All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference with a 206.9 average. He shot 629 in the sectional tournament.
Jace Amann, La Salle – The junior was co-bowler of the year in the Greater Catholic League-South. He averaged 208 with a high game of 298. He finished 15th in the state tournament with a 665, including a 269 game. He finished 23rd in the sectional tournament.
Tyler Blume, Simon Kenton – The senior finished as singles runner-up in the Region 5 tournament and finished seventh in the state tournament. He helped the Pioneers finish runner-up in the regional team tourney.
Jayden Brown, Elder – The senior was first-team all-league in the Greater Catholic League-South with a 216.8 average. He had a high game of 269 and a high series of 526 during the season. He finished 18th in the sectional tournament.
Michael Brown, Cincinnati Christian – The senior is the top returner in the Miami Valley Conference with a 195.3 average. He finished 11th in the sectional tournament.
Connor Copeland, Lebanon – The junior last year was the bowler of the year in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. He had a 210 average including a perfect 300 game. He shot 641 in the sectional tournament to finish eighth.
Dylan Davis, Covington Catholic – The senior led the Colonels to the Region 5 team championship. He finished third in the regional singles tournament and placed ninth in the state tournament.
Tony Fox, Simon Kenton – The junior helped the Pioneers finish runner-up in the Region 5 team tournament and finished 15th in the singles tournament.
Peyton Frank, Reading – The senior was first-team all-league in the Cincinnati Hills League with a 211.6 average, leading the team to the league title. He had a high game of 268.
Drew Freeman, Mason – The senior averaged 205 last year and had a 278 game. He finished third in the sectional tournament with 638.
Maddox Kuryla, Boone County – He had the highest average in the regular season, 222. He won the Region 6 championship and finished fifth in the state tournament and led the Rebels to the second-best record behind Simon Kenton in the regular season.
Joe Mil, Deer Park – The senior was Cincinnati Hills League Player of the Year with a 216 average. He finished fifth in the sectional tournament and shot a 641 in the district tournament.
Ryan Monahan, Mason – The senior is second in the Greater Miami Conference among returning averages with 206.6. He had a 265 game last year.
Easton Pierani, Sycamore – The senior has the top returning average in the Greater Miami Conference with a 210. He shot 644 in the sectional tournament to finish seventh, 730 in the district tournament and 635 at state.
Jordan Rottinghouse, Elder – The junior was first-team all-league in the Greater Catholic League-South with a 213.5 average. He had a high game of 299 and high series of 558.
Tyler Sanders, McNicholas – The senior was the Greater Catholic League-Coed player of the year after averaging 200.3 with a high game of 258. He finished 18th in the sectional tournament.
Bryce Sargent, Campbell County – The junior finished fifth in the Region 5 singles tournament.
Gabe Schmidt, Reading – The senior was first-team all-league in the Cincinnati Hills League with a 207.7 average, helping the team win the league title. He had a high game of 299 and high series of 533. He finished fourth in the sectional tournament.
Carson Singleton, Northwest – The senior was the Southwest Ohio Conference player of the year with 215 average. He had a high game of 259 and high series of 514. He finished 27th in the sectional tourney.
Who are the top returning players in girls bowling?
Alyssa Bechtol, Notre Dame – The sophomore has transferred from Dixie Heights, where last year she was the Region 6 singles champion and helped the Colonels to the team title. She finished 14th in the state tournament. She started this year by breaking Notre Dame’s team records for high game (257) and series (466).
Ella Bohnert, Lakota East – The sophomore won a sectional title last year with a near-perfect 290 and 680 series. She averaged 179 in her first match this season.
Kree Brewer, Pendleton County – The sophomore won the Region 5 singles championship and led the Wildcats to the team title. She finished 19th in the state tournament.
Sophia Carazo, Summit Country Day – The senior is the top returning average in the Miami Valley Conference and finished fifth in the sectional tournament. She averaged 176 in the team’s first match this season.
Kendall Cook, Mercy McAuley – The junior was first-team All-Girls Greater Catholic League after averaging 185 with a high game of 251
Carolyn Edmisten, Georgetown – The senior had the highest average among Southwest Ohio DII bowlers with 202.5, helping her team win the SBAAC-National Division and sectional championships. She won the Cherry Grove sectional championship with a 638 and finished 15th in the district tournament with a 540.
Makayla Geer, Colerain – The junior is the reigning Greater Miami Conference player of the year after averaging 179 last season. She finished 14th in the sectional tourney and 32nd at the district tourney.
Taylor Hooks, West Clermont – The senior is the top returning bowler in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference after averaging 181 last year. She finished 20th in the sectional tournament.
Caitlyn Kober, Lebanon – The senior averaged 178 last year and is the second-best returning average in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. She finished 14th in the district tourney and 18th in the sectional.
Jacelyn Lawson, Clinton-Massie – The senior is one of the top returners in the SBAAC with a 177 average. She finished second in the sectional tournament and 17th in the district.
Alex McDonald, Taylor – The junior was Cincinnati Hills League player of the year after leading the team to the league championship. She averaged 160 last year and finished 16th in the sectional tournament.
Hayley Pelstring, Notre Dame – She finished ninth in the Region 6 singles tournament.
Izzy Rhoads, Wilmington – The junior is one of three top returners with Kiley Comberger and Mackenzie Pyle for the Hurricane, who won the SBAAC-American championship. She averaged 185 and qualified for the state tourney after finishing eighth in the district tourney.
Abby Sargent, Campbell County – The sophomore finished third in the Region 5 singles tournament and 17th in the state tournament.
Meadow Williams, Indian Hill – The sophomore was first-team All-Cincinnati Hills League with a 155 average. She finished 22nd in the sectional tournament and 36th in the district.
Abree Young, Dixie Heights – The senior finished third in the Region 6 singles tournament and 16th in the state tournament. She helped the Colonels to the regional title.
KENTUCKY – The Kentucky Department for Public Health is investigating 100 reported cases of cyclosporiasis statewide, 61 of which have been confirmed.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the microscopic parasite Cyclospora; the highest risk of infection is for people living in or traveling to subtropical regions.
Foodborne outbreaks are associated with various types of produce, such as raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas, and mixed greens.
Symptoms typically begin two to 14 days after exposure.
The most common symptoms include diarrhea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. It is commonly treated with a combination of antibiotics.
Public health experts are urging people to follow food-safety guidelines to reduce the risk, such as washing hands with soap and warm water after handling produce, cleaning food preparation areas and tools with soap, and water and washing all fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking.
Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.
Kentucky State Police seeks public vote for national cruiser contest
Published 3:12 pm Monday, July 13, 2026
FRANKFORT – Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky State Police are calling on Kentuckians to help power a statewide push in a national competition that celebrates the most eye-catching police cruisers in the country.
KSP has entered the 2026 Best Looking Cruiser Contest, held annually by the American Association of State Troopers (AAST). The contest consists of the public voting on their favorite cruiser photo, with the winning image earning the cover of the association’s 2027 calendar.
“The men and women of the Kentucky State Police represent the very best of public service,” Beshear said. “I encourage every Kentuckian to show their support by voting in this national contest.”
This year, KSP is highlighting the dedication and training required to be a trooper by featuring a 2024 Mustang GT cruiser outside of the KSP Academy in Frankfort, Ky. Beyond its striking design, the image also serves as a tribute to fallen heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The Kentucky State Police have 39 troopers, officers and patrolmen who lost their lives in the line of duty. Among them was Trooper James W. McNeely who drowned during a rescue mission on the Kentucky River in 1972 and his body was never recovered.
In 2015, the KSP unveiled a nearly 10-foot-tall bronze statue, titled ‘The Trooper’, which is in front of the Academy Building. This statue was created in Trooper McNeely’s likeness and depicts a trooper walking towards the future to serve the citizens of Kentucky.
“This year’s contest photo symbolizes what it means to be a Kentucky State Police trooper, by showcasing the devotion, hard work, commitment and sacrifice that our troopers give to their local communities daily,” stated KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. “We would be humbled and honored to have your vote and support on social media.”
KSP has placed in the top five in the past eight years, taking home back-to-back wins in 2021 and 2022. While the Florida Highway Patrol won the competition last year, Kentucky is ready to take the top spot and needs your help to win it all.
Kentuckians are encouraged to vote for KSP’s entry now through Friday, July 10, at 12:00 p.m.
4th of July celebrations in Louisville begin early at Locust Grove
To celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, organizers set out to acknowledge as many cultures and nationalities at Historic Locust Grove
CYNTHIANA, KY ― Pam Abnee voted for Donald Trump in 2024. Susan Bramel, her friend of 50 years, did not.
As the nation commemorated its 250th birthday this month amid a hyperpartisan election season, these politically opposed women sat next to each other on a bench outside the Harrison County Courthouse in Cynthiana on the Fourth of July.
Over the course of that week, the small town in Kentucky’s north central Bluegrass region hosted historical walking tours, a community mural painting, a day of prayer and a chance to sign a facsimile of the Declaration of Independence, culminating in the county’s bicentennial time capsule unearthing on that special Saturday.
Abnee and Bramel made sure to find each other outside the courthouse. And they avoided talking about their biggest source of disagreement.
“I’m putting politics aside and I’m looking at the history of 250 years and all that we have gained in that 250 years,” Bramel, 69, said. “We agree on that.”
“That’s one thing we have in common,” Abnee, 73, added. “The history.”
Like most of rural Kentucky, Harrison County skews heavily conservative. More than 69% of the county voted Republican in the past three presidential elections, according to the Kentucky Board of Elections. But like other small county seats across the commonwealth, Cynthiana attracts enough liberals to create a palpable level of friction.
Every Monday, the Cynthiana Peaceful Resistance, a small progressive grassroots movement, gathers on the courthouse lawn to protest the Trump administration’s stance on abortion, immigration, war, LGBTQ+ rights, or the latest dust-up emerging from Washington, D.C.
“We’re very conservative here, so I would like to think the next generation is moving more toward the progressive side,” said Beth Tucker, 60, a retired teacher who runs a farm and sells mules. “I think there’s some hope with them. I think they’re going in that direction. The LGBTQ+ kids are feeling more at home here.”
Jaylou Lewis sees the division while driving through the city delivering DoorDash orders and turning onto streets with Trump and anti-Trump lawn signs crowded on the same block.
“It’s to the point today where it’s not even Democrat or Republican,” he said. “It’s either Trump or anti-Trump.”
Yet Lewis, who moved to Cynthiana in January with his wife, Shay Lewis, and their 2-year-old son, Rayshawn, recalled with amazement how people all over the city came together recently when a woman’s house burned down. Her daughter posted about the destruction on Facebook and people sent donations.
“Even though people are politically divided, as human beings, they united,” the 34-year-old said.
That unity was seen on July 4 as folks like Tucker, Bramel and Abnee flocked to the courthouse lawn to witness the capsule unearthing and celebrate the nation’s historic anniversary.
Surrounded by the thick July heat, Mayor Isaac Dailey delivered a speech before the digging commenced. The 28-year-old, who was born and raised in Cynthiana, implored residents to reflect on what future generations will recall of the legacy being carved out today.
“I hope they remember that we loved our neighbors, that we cared for one another in times of hardship, that we celebrated together in times of joy and that, despite our differences, we never forgot that community is built one relationship at a time,” he said.
Cynthiana natives Mary Ann Lee and John Allen Lee believe residents’ willingness to have conversations, share meals and open doors for each other, regardless of their political affiliations, is what sets their town apart from the animosity of larger cities.
“You don’t see the cancel culture here,” John, 85, said underneath the shade of a maple tree. “Just because they don’t see politics the same as I do, that doesn’t mean he isn’t my friend or she isn’t my friend.”
On the courthouse lawn, city officials, children, parents and seniors pushed shovels into the ground and — with the help of a John Deere backhoe — dug out the 75-gallon, flag-adorned, steel container that was buried on America’s 200th birthday.
They placed it on the ground, cracked it open and gingerly combed through church letters, newspapers, photos, a buckeye ring, a pair of Dr. Scholl’s sandals and a Playboy magazine.
Later that evening, residents migrated to Flat Run Veterans Park for fireworks and a performance by Kentucky native Sam L. Smith, a country singer who competed on “American Idol.”
But not all residents of Cynthiana felt the same sense of patriotism. Amid the squeals of children scampering through the splash pad, Zachary King recalled what it was like growing up gay in Cynthiana.
He experienced bullying at Harrison County High School, which led him to drop out during his sophomore year and complete his diploma online. Today, the 25-year-old is a personal care medical technician.
King didn’t attend the capsule unearthing because he was working, and he believes taxpayer money would be better spent expanding parking, housing and inclusive events for minorities sponsored by the city.
“I’m pretty sure we didn’t have nothing done in the month of June for LGBTQ people, other than some lights on the courthouse,” he said. “I think we’re bigger than the lights on the courthouse.”
Sitting beside him on a metal picnic table, Lewis, King’s brother-in-law, chimed in.
“There was no Juneteenth or nothing,” he said.
Lewis shares in many of the challenges faced by people throughout Cynthiana, Kentucky, and the country as a whole, including the mounting costs of gas, groceries and rent. But he also appreciates the moments of unity he sees in his community. Above all, he’s grateful to live somewhere where he can support his family, while giving his son a shot at a better future.
“Obviously, we’re still struggling as a country, but it’s still a great country, you know?” Lewis said. “I wouldn’t want to live nowhere else.”
This article is part of a collaboration between The Courier Journal and Boyd’s Station, a Kentucky non-profit that provides emerging artists and student journalists a rural place to hone their craft. Nikole Valiente received the 2026 Mary Withers Rural Writing Fellowship grant at Boyd’s Station.
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