With all fall sports wrapped up for the season, Rockets are looking ahead to the upcoming winter sports season.
Boys’ Basketball. Coming off last season as the District runner-up season led by two-year captain (now graduated) Andrew Ehlers, the McNicholas Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team looks to make it back to Dayton this year and take the GCL title from Alter.
McNicholas’s first game is on December 6 at McNicholas against Carroll. Head coach Tim Monahan said the team’s biggest challenge this year is, “Inexperience. We’re going to be really young, so just getting them used to the varsity play [will be a challenge].” The team graduated six seniors last year and has five seniors this year with a couple of players coming out that didn’t play last year. Monahan and senior Charlie Clark said the team’s strategy this year will consist of a lot of three-point shots and, “faster pace” games. Clark said, “We have a lot of young guys, and I think this year we have the best team chemistry we’ve had.” The Rockets are looking to take over the GCL and set a standard for future years to leave their legacy.
Girls’ Basketball. Last year, the varsity team ended their season as Sectional Champs and District runners-up with a 15-11 record, and began this season with a win. The girls first game this season was Nov. 24 against Turpin High School, where senior Ava Strange led the team with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 1assist. Their next game is Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at Carroll High School in Dayton. Coach RJ Strange said he is looking to establish an identity for the team. Strange said, “This is also a year that we need to develop a lot of young players that are in the program to take over in a few years. Defense needs to be the identity and consistency and confidence is what we are trying to instill in our young players.”
The team did not graduate any seniors last year, but this year the team has three seniors: Mia Nienaber, Ava Strange and Jordan Wheatley. These players, “have set the foundation for what the program is today,” Coach Strange said. According to Coach Strange, the key strategies for the Rockets this year are to, “Get production from our top two players makers Mia Nienaber and Jordan Wheatley, but if we can get great play out of some of our other role players that will help us put a lot more W’s in the win column.”
Girls’ Bowling. Coming off a GCL Co-Ed league Championship winning season for the first time ever, Coach Brian Combs said he hopes to continue that success to “first, win our league and then to advance in the postseason state tournament. We have made it to Districts several times but have never had a bowler or team advance beyond that to the state tournament and I would like to clear that hurdle this season.” The girls first match for the season was Nov. 19 against West Clermont in which they lost. Their first league match is against Carroll on Dec. 3 in Dayton. Combs graduated three seniors last year, and said, “The loss of three senior starters will be very difficult to replace but there are several girls competing to fill their spots in the lineup.” Combs said that key strategies this season for the girls is looking to Katie Noble to take over as the anchor and be the senior leader. “Ellen Robey, a junior, saw significant playing time last year and will help replace the seniors who graduated last May,” Combs added.
Boys Bowling. Coming off a season where the boys won the league tournament in January, the team looks to win their league and then to advance in the postseason state tournament. Coach Brian Combs said, “There are several bowlers on the boys team who have a chance [at advancing to the State Tournament].” Their first match was Nov. 19 against West Clermont in which they lost, and their first league match is Dec. 3 against Carroll and will be played in Dayton. Combs graduated one senior last year but said, “We have a core of experienced bowlers who will make us very competitive again this year.” The key strategy this year is to utilize their five seniors and their experience. Senior Colin Koran already this season has bowled a 245 and a 243 and in that match the boys set a record for the highest score in a match in school history and earning him the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Athlete of the Week for bowling.
“I am grateful for the help running the program from Assistant Coach Mark Brugger as well as the support from the Athletic Department and Rocket Nation.” Coach Combs said bowling is becoming, “one of the biggest sports programs at McNicholas High School” with a total of 42 participants this year.
The McNicholas Milestone 