Congratulations to the Class of 2011

Good luck to this year's graduating class!  Whether it be in college, the military, or the workforce you will do great things!

MOS Certification for Office 2007

Students in the Microsoft: MOS course offered by the Business Department of Larry A. Ryle High School have earned multiple Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certifications during the 2010-11 school year. These certification exams are offered in many countries of the world to indicate proficiency using Microsoft application programs. The exams were created for adults in the business world, and our students have studied, tested, and earned several certifications this school year.

No. of  Tests Administered for 2010-11:         196

No. Earning MASTER (4) Certifications:  19             

Total Successes:                194

            

Percentage of Successes (based on number of students passing--(194/196):        98.98%

 

 

Congratulations to all students that earned MOS certifications this year and to the 19 students that achieved Master Certification!

Shown left to right, Row 1: Erica Feiler, Devin Martin, Kelly Catalan, Megan Shefchick, Brandi Vogelpohl Row 2: Mrs. June Madison, Mrs. Lora Evans, Gabby Gonzales, Kate Cremer, Amber Mercedes, Ashley Cheesman, Alyssa Davis, Mrs. Ruth Davis  Row 3: Chris Rini, Kyle Powell, Ethan Stieha, Elliot Yoakum, Austin Stambaugh, Andrew Buchanan, Dominic Michele, Tanner Brown, Logan Brown

Special thanks to our MOS testing coordinators:  Mrs. June Madison, Mrs. Ruth Davis, and Mrs. Lora Evans of the Business Department.

Ryle Students Excel in Reflections Contest

Congratulations to the following Ryle students for their exceptional work in the PTA Reflections contest

Katherine Poe - Award of Excellence - Dance Choreography (Senior Division) **
Mallory Gardner - Award of Excellence - Dance Choreography (Senior Division)
Amanda Postolowski - Award of Excellence - Film Production (Senior Division) **
Amanda Postolowski - Award of Excellence - Photography (Senior Division) **
Sara Ingoglia - Award of Merit - Photography (Senior Division)

** - representing Kentucky at the national PTA Reflections contest.

Reflections is a cultural arts program that was established by National PTA in 1968. This arts program is open to any student through a local PTA/PTSA in good standing as of October 15 of each year. Students, grades P-12, may submit entries in six categories: literature, musical composition, photography, visual arts, dance choreography, and film production. Students may submit an entry in any (or all) category (categories). Reflections entries are judged at the local level, the district level, then at the state level.

For more information http://www.kypta.org/site/programs/

Baseball Raiders over Beechwood 13-2

By John Lachman, Ky Post - Ryle's Roesel out for district tournament

UNION, Ky. - Beechwood was without its head coach on Saturday, and in the bottom of the first inning, Ryle lost its skipper as well.

But Tigers coach Bob Myerhoff will return for the district tournament this week, while the Raiders’ Pat Roesel will serve a two-game suspension.

Ryle beat Beechwood, 13-2 in five innings, but Roesel was ejected for arguing with the home plate umpire. According to KHSAA bylaw 11-7, an ejected coach is suspended for the subsequent two games.

“I probably aught to not make a comment about it – it can only get me in trouble,” Roesel said.

For the Raiders, that would be their district semifinal vs. Conner on Tuesday and the final on Wednesday, should they win the first game. If Conner wins on Tuesday, Roesel would have to sit out the 2012 season opener.

Meanwhile, Myerhoff was not at the game because he was serving his own suspension after getting the boot for arguing on Friday night. But fortunately for the Tigers they had a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday, so Myerhoff will return for districts.

Trailing 1-0, senior third baseman Conner Hempel led off the bottom of the first for Ryle. He tried to avoid an inside pitch, but the Raiders claimed it hit him.

Roesel walked down from the third base coaches’ box to confront the umpire. After a few seconds, the home plate umpire warned Roesel to quit arguing.

While walking back to third, Roesel said “then get it right, that’s all I’m saying.”

That prompted the umpire to eject Roesel, leaving the game between two of Northern Kentucky’s best teams to be completed without their head coaches.

“I just thought the ball hit our batter, the batter told our coach it hit him, I asked (the home plate umpire) to check (with the second base umpire), and he didn’t check with his partner, and I’ll leave it at that,” Roesel said.

Ryle tied the score at one in the bottom of the second on a junior catcher Marshall Long single through the hole on the left side.

In the third inning, sophomore left fielder Tyler Mason lined a single to left-center field with runners at the corners, and with the man on first on the move, both runners were able to score. The next three batters all walked, forcing in a run and chasing starting pitcher junior Darrick Brilz.

Long laid down a suicide squeeze to make it 5-1.

The Raiders sent 13 men to the plate in the fourth inning. Hempel tripled home one and senior center fielder Caleb Lonkard singled him in.

Mason followed with a two-run double, and Long plated two with a double later in the inning, during which Ryle scored eight times to put the game away.

Mason and Long finished with four RBI each.

“This was a momentum game,” Mason said. “You’ve got to make the most of it when you’ve got the momentum, get big hits in big situations.”

Ryle’s offensive outburst has not been the norm this season. The Raiders’ average of 7.2 runs per game is the lowest among Region 9’s five 20-game winners.

Ryle also beat a Covington Catholic team with excellent pitching, 4-0 on Friday.

“I have enjoyed how we’ve hit the last two days,” Roesel said. “We have struggled mightily with the bats the entire year, but I’m happy that they started hitting, and hopefully we’ll keep the ball rolling.”

BEECHWOOD 100-10—2 7 1
at RYLE 014-8X—13 10 1

WP: Pomfrey. LP: Brilz. Hitting leaders: R—Hempel 2-2, 3B, 2 RBI; Lonkard 2-4; Mason 2-3, 2B, 4 RBI; Long 2-2, 2B, 4 RBI. B—Colosimo 2-3; Cottingham 3-3, 2 2B. Records: Ryle 22-9, Beechwood 28-7.

Boys Track & Field Team Win Regional Runner-up

The Boys' and Girls' Regional Track & Field Championship meet was held on Saturday at Borland Stadium on the Ryle campus.  The Ryle boys placed 2nd overall while the Ryle girls placed 3rd overall.

Here are the individual results for Raiders that placed 1st or 2nd and qualified for the State Championship meet next weekend in Louisville:

BOYS
200 m Dash - Travis Elliott - 2nd in 22.65 sec.
High Jump - Jeff Huntley - 1st at 6' 2"
Long Jump - Jeff Huntley - 1st at 20' 9.25"
110 m Hurdles - Jeff Huntley - 1st in 15.08 sec.
110 m Hurdles - Tanner McConvey - 2nd in 15.26 sec.
300 m Hurdles - Tanner McConvey - 2nd in 42.37 sec.
4 x 100 m Relay - 1st in 43.97 sec.
Triple Jump - Zhock Mason - 2nd at 41' 5.5"

GIRLS
1600 m Run - Gabby Gonzalez - 2nd in 5:26.41
3200 m Run - Gabby Gonzales - 1st in 11:58.64
Triple Jump - Ashlee Howe - 1st at 33' 8.25"

Recent Brain Research Offers Insights into Math Anxiety

by Erik Robelen in Curriculum Matters blog

Researchers are probing the earliest causes of math anxiety, a phenomenon that can impede learning and discourage young people from pursuing careers in the STEM fields, my colleague Sarah D. Sparks reports in a new EdWeek story.

"No one walks around bragging that they can't read, but it's perfectly socially acceptable to say you don't like math," Sian L. Beilock, a University of Chicago psychology professor and the author of Choke, a 2010 book on brain responses to performance pressure, said in an interview.

Mathematics anxiety is more than just disliking the discipline, the story explains. Someone with this anxiety feels negative emotions when engaging in an activity that requires numerical or math skills. In one forthcoming study from Beilock, simply suggesting to college students that they would be asked to take a math test triggered a stress response in the hypothalamus of students with high math anxiety.

Beilock and other experts who attended a Learning and the Brain conference in Chicago this month are searching for the earliest problems in a child's math career that can grow into lifelong fears and difficulties.

Ryle student fundraising for tornado victims

A student with Southern ties is looking to help tornado victims.  Ryle sophomore Katie Connor organized a fundraiser to benefit victims of the tornadoes that devastated Southern states last month.

Tom's Papa Dino's in Florence

“I wanted to do something to help,” Connor said.  When the tornadoes hit, the news had a big impact on Connor.  “I was born in Tuscaloosa, (Ala.),” she said.

Connor still knows people in Tuscaloosa and is hoping to visit them this summer.  Once Connor decided she wanted to help, it was time to get a fundraiser organized.  She met with management at Tom’s Papa Dino’s in Florence who agreed to host the fundraiser and give to the cause.

The fundraiser is scheduled from 6 p.m. to midnight, Friday, May 27, at the restaurant.  Tom’s Papa Dino’s is giving 10 percent of the revenue to the cause on anyone’s order who mentions the fundraiser, and tips from the night will be donated as well. To drum up support, they’re also offering free delivery that night.  While the fundraiser is happening, there will be a DJ playing music and cornhole.

Connor doesn’t have a particular goal in mind for how much she’s looking to raise.  “I just want to get as much as possible, so we can help as much as possible,” she said.

Tom’s Papa Dino’s is located at 290 Main St. in Florence. To order by phone call 859-371-5567 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 859-371-5567 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Ryle twin tries to stop streak

Written by Marc Hardin, NKY Enquirer

Playing on side-by-side tennis courts at Boone Woods, Ryle twins Yushi Okita and Kento Okita battled their respective Covington Catholic opponents in Thursday’s singles semifinals of the Ninth Region boys’ tournament with clear heads but with much on the line.

The brothers have signed to play tennis at Western Kentucky, making them Ryle’s first NCAA Division I male tennis recruits. They were comfortable in the knowledge that each had earned state tournament berths by virtue of quarterfinal victories Wednesday, but they wanted more.  Their goal? Face each other in the final and help the Raiders beat the eight-time regional champion Colonels.

Yushi Okita, the second seed, moved on to Friday’s championship match with a 5-7, 6-0, 6-0 victory against CovCath’s third-seeded Haden Cotton.  “I just focused on every point,” Yushi Okita said. “And I tried to exploit his backhand.”

Moments later, the Colonels’ top-seeded Stephen Schafer spoiled the twins’ dual hopes for victory by beating fourth seed Kento Okita, 6-4, 7-5.

“I had to beat Kento because if I didn’t they (the Raiders) would have stopped us from winning the region outright,” Schafer said. “All we have to do to win the region (today) is win one of the finals, either singles or doubles.”

Schafer (17-3) will attempt to hand Yushi Okita (19-0) his first loss. The players had their previous meeting suspended after two complete sets at the conference tournament with Shafer leading 3-2 in the third set.

“It’s going to be a boxing match and they are going to slug it out,” CovCath coach Al Hertsenberg said.

To read the entire article - Ryle twin tries to stop streak

On Tough Run, Ryle Raises Game

Written by Richard Skinner, Enquirer contributor - On tough run, Ryle raises game

Both Ryle and Covington Catholic are among the teams with a strong chance to win the Ninth Region baseball tournament this season, but on Friday one gained momentum at the expense of the other heading into the postseason that starts next week.

Ryle senior Matt Isler pitched a three-hitter, senior third baseman Conner Hempel homered and sophomore catcher Marshall Long had two run-scoring singles as the Raiders defeated CovCath 4-0 at Ryle.

The win improved the Raiders (21-9) to 3-1 on the week - including a 1-0 win on Monday over Holy Cross, the No. 1 team in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches poll - with a game to be played today against No. 6 Beechwood. Ryle is fourth and CovCath (24-10) is second in the poll.

The tough schedule, which included a 5-3 loss to a solid Lexington Bryan Station team Thursday, has provided the test Ryle coach Pat Roesel wanted heading into next week's 33rd District tournament.
"It was very good to try to get on a roll and hopefully tomorrow it will continue," Roesel said. "Our district is a bear. (CovCath) talks about their district (the 35th, which includes Holy Cross and Beechwood), but I don't think anyone's going to swap me. I wanted to play some good games, and with the two pickups (Bryan Station and Beechwood) I wanted to play something tough."

While Roesel was happy, the coach he once played for at CovCath, Bill Krumpelbeck, was not, especially with a 35th District semifinal matchup looming against Holy Cross on Wednesday.
"That was a waste of a game," Krumpelbeck said. "We came out very lethargic tonight ... We're in a funk right now."

He was asked if he thought his young team, which had eight juniors and one freshman starting Friday's game, could bounce back.  "I don't know," he said. "This team is hard to predict. When you're young and not getting leadership it's sometimes tough, and everything compounds when you don't hit the ball."

A lot of that was due to the performance of Isler, whose brother, Zach, and father, Bill, pitched for Krumpelbeck at CovCath.  Matt Isler allowed only a single to junior pitcher Corey Severson in the second inning, a single to junior third baseman Tommy Arnzen in the third and two-out bunt single to junior center fielder Brady Reese in the seventh. Isler struck three batters but walked just two, struck out five and had only five outs come on balls hit out of the infield.

"His curveball was working and he started working ahead later in the game," Roesel said. "He struggles when he falls behind. He's starting to find it a little bit. Hopefully this game will give him some confidence going into the district."  Isler worked out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the third inning and until Reese's bunt single had retired 11 of the previous 12 batters, with the only base-runner coming on a wild pitch on a strikeout.  "After the third inning I thought I was good," Isler said. "I love playing CovCath."

His performance came six days after Zach pitched a complete-game six-hitter for the University of Cincinnati in a victory over Seton Hall.  "That's pretty cool for my parents," Isler said.

Ryle got the only run it needed in the bottom of the first inning when Hempel, hitting leadoff for the first time this season, doubled down the right-field line off Severson, who was making his first appearance on the mound in two weeks. A bunt single by Daniel Etschied moved Hempel to third base, and he scored on Caleb Lonkard's sacrifice fly to center field.

Long had an RBI single in the second inning and another in the fourth off CovCath junior reliever Brian Fagel, who pitched the final three innings. Hempel homered to deep right center off Fagel leading off the fifth.

"This was a big win and it helps us out a lot," Isler said. "It just shows us we can play with any team and beat any team we want."

WP-Isler. LP-Severson. Hitting Leaders: R-Hempel 2-3, 2B, HR; Lonkard 2B; O'Bryan 2B; Clarkson 2-2; Long 2-3, 2 RBI. Records: Covington Catholic 24-10, Ryle 21-9.

Ryle's Gorbandt chills Crusaders

Written by Richard Skinner, Enquirer Contributor - Ryle's Gorbandt chills Crusaders

Battling a sore arm on a chilly night didn't have Ryle senior left-hander Matt Gorbandt very confident about facing Holy Cross on Monday, but he couldn't have been more wrong.  Gorbandt held a potent Holy Cross lineup that was averaging 8.6 runs per game without a hit for the first 5 2/3 innings and finished with a one-hitter in leading the Raiders to a 1-0 victory in a battle of two of the top five teams in the Ninth Region at Meinken Field in Covington.

Holy Cross senior Nick Jehn was almost as good, finishing with a complete-game three-hitter. Gorbandt needed just 87 pitches, 61 of which were strikes, while walking two and striking out nine to improve to 6-1 on the season. He retired the first nine batters in a row before walking junior right fielder Justin Kohake leading off the fourth, then set down the next eight in order before Kohake chopped a grounder between short and third for Holy Cross' only hit.

The Indians (20-6) then got a two-out walk in the seventh before Gorbandt struck out Chad Fuller looking on a 3-2 curve to end the game.  "I haven't really been pitching that great this year or doing as well as I thought I should be," said Gorbandt. "It's really cold and they're a really dangerous team and I didn't feel great. You never feel comfortable with them. I was just trying to throw strikes. My curveball was really working for me and it's my best pitch. That's why I threw it on 3-2 at the end.  "They think they're the best team in the region; we think we're the best team in the region. It's a big win to get us rolling again."

Ryle (19-8-1) had lost four of its last six games entering Monday night. "They've got a heckuva ball team there's no doubt about that," said Ryle coach Pat Roesel. "He dominated pretty well tonight. He did a good job of mixing pitches and throwing strikes. He was on. If he can do that and we can get a couple of hits we'll take it. We'd like to hit a little bit more."

Roesel stopped short of calling it a statement win, but with the postseason looming in less than a week, he knows it's an important one for his team's confidence.  "There are a lot of teams that consider themselves the best team in the region," said Roesel. "I think we're pretty good."

The game's only run came in the top of the fourth when designated hitter Tyler Mason doubled off the top of the fence in right with two outs and scored when shortstop Leiff Clarkson tripled to deep right center. Clarkson had been slumping recently and was dropped from No. 3 in the batting to No. 6.
"He's been struggling a little bit," said Roesel. "If he's going to have some good at bats he'll come around. I've told him if you take your walks you're going to get your pitches. He battled to take a great walk his first at bat. He needs to swing at his pitches and that's what he did in that second at bat. As long as he keeps having good at bats he'll be fine."

Holy Cross got only one runner as far as second in the game, but had a chance to rally in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore shortstop Blake Tiberi led off with a line drive to center field that Ryle's Caleb Lonkard appeared to lose in the lights, but Lonkard hustled after his miscue and threw a perfect strike to second to nail Tiberi. It marked the second time in the last three games that Holy Cross had been shutout after being blanked by Covington Catholic on Saturday, 2-0, to snap a 12-game winning streak.

"Saturday and today was just a little about tipping your cap to the opposition," said Holy Cross coach Mike Holtz. "We're in a little stage of hitting it at 'em. I'm not disappointed. I'm mad that we lost, but not disheartened, not disappointed and not worried. ... I'd have been mad and disappointed if he hadn't tried to make something happen."

Ryle's Smith one-hits Grant Co.

NKY Enquirer - Ryle's Smith one-hits Grant Co.

Ryle eighth-grader Haylee Smith carried a perfect game one out into the sixth inning before settling for a one-hitter and her 10th shutout of the season in the Raiders' 6-0 win over Grant County in high school softball action Monday evening in Union.

It was the second the time in her last three starts that Smith has carried a perfect game into the sixth. Smith also settled for a one-hitter Saturday.

The Raiders have won seven straight and improved to 22-8 this season.
Grant County fell to 22-9.

End of Course Exams Starting State-wide Next Year

Here is the press release from the KY Department of Education on the end of course exams beginning next year.  For more details on the Quality Core program by ACT go to http://www.act.org/qualitycore/.


News Release 11-040 - May 6, 2011

(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – Kentucky has selected ACT, Inc. as its vendor for end-of-course (EOC) examinations for the state’s public high school students.

            The initial contract period is from May 9, 2011, to June 30, 2012, and is for a total of $5,486,700.

Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), enacted in the 2009 Kentucky General Assembly, requires a new public school assessment program beginning in the 2011-12 school year. The legislation allowed, with approval by the Kentucky Board of Education, an EOC assessment program at the high school level.

ACT, Inc. will provide assessments for English II, Algebra II, Biology and U.S. History through its QualityCore® program. The program is syllabus-driven and will include curriculum and instruction support materials. QualityCore® was developed based on research in high-performing classrooms that focus on the essential standards for college and career readiness.

The Kentucky Department of Education will provide information on how educators may access the instructional support materials for the four EOC courses in the coming weeks.

The EOC assessments will be administered throughout the year as students earn credits in each course. In addition to the EOC assessments, Kentucky students in grades 10 and 11 also will complete writing assessments provided by NCS Pearson.  The EOC assessments are part of the Next-Generation Learners component of the proposed accountability model for the state’s public schools and districts. The Next-Generation Learners component also includes subject-area tests in elementary and middle schools.

           
             Kentucky also contracts with ACT, Inc. to provide the Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS), which includes the ACT for 11th graders, EXPLORE for 8th graders and PLAN for 10th graders.

Ryle's Smith stops Brossart

By Marc Harden, Enquirer Contributor  See Ryle's Smith stops Brossart

Ryle ace Haylee Smith delivered with her arm and her bat Thursday and the Raiders defeated visiting Bishop Brossart 3-1 in a battle of regional contenders.  The Raiders (19-8), ranked first in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches’ poll, handed fifth-ranked Brossart (18-4) its first loss against a local team.

“There’s no question in my mind the top two softball teams in Northern Kentucky played here today,” Brossart coach Mel Webster said. “They won today. But if we played five times, one would win three and the other would win two.”

Ryle, the defending Ninth Region champion, has clinched the top seed in the 33rd District tournament. Brossart, a 10th Region All “A” finalist this season, has clinched the top seed in the 37th District.
Smith, coming off back-to-back, district-clinching 2-0 shutouts against Boone County and Conner, extended her streak of consecutive innings without allowing an earned run to 18. She outdueled Brossart senior left-hander Alicia Miller, the area’s ERA leader.

“I really didn’t think about who I was pitching against,” said Smith, who threw a four-inning shutout against Boone County on Tuesday and followed that with seven scoreless innings against Conner on Wednesday. “All I was thinking about today was we needed hits.”

Smith, an eighth-grader, pitched a three-hitter against the Mustangs. She struck out seven and did not walk a batter while allowing one unearned run in the seventh. She smacked a pair of base hits off Miller, including a line-drive single that sparked Ryle’s two-run fourth.

“Haylee’s a competitor,” Ryle coach Patti Oliverio said. “When she needs a big out, she gets it. And she had big hits today.”

Smith’s fourth-inning smash to left field did not stay in Shannon Kremer’s glove after Kremer hit the ground following a fully extended dive for the ball.

“I thought she had it, but I can’t fault Shannon,” said Miller, who entered play with a 0.17 ERA. “She made a great play just to get to it.”

Emilie Garnier ran for Smith and advanced to third on Kate Cremer’s infield single. Cremer, who went 2-for-3, stole second and scored behind Garnier on Paige Dickerson’s infield single to give Ryle a 2-0 lead.

Cremer’s single through the left side in the sixth plated the Raiders’ third run.
Smith lost her bid for a third straight shutout when Brossart scored a run in the final frame on Gretchen Trumbo’s single into left field. The Mustangs had runners at first and second with one out later in the inning, but Smith struck out Natalie Woeste on three pitches and induced a game-ending fly ball to center field.

WP: Smith (18-6) 7 K’s. LP: Miller (18-4). Leaders: R-Smith 2-3; Cremer 2-3. Records: B 18-4, R 19-8.

Raiders prevail in replay

The Ryle and Conner softball teams contested Wednesday's rivalry renewal in typically close fashion following a rare Raiders' rout in April's first meeting.

Ryle prevailed again, winning 2-0 in a thriller that remained in the balance until the final at-bat.
The victory secured the top seed in the 33rd District tournament for the defending district and regional champion Raiders (18-8), the top-ranked team in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll.

"We're 6-0 in the district and that wraps up the No. 1 seed for us," Ryle coach Patti Oliverio said. "... You want to be winning to carry that momentum into the postseason."

Second-ranked Conner (11-8) and seventh-ranked Boone County play for the district tournament's No. 2 seed at 4:30 today in Florence. The Cougars finished second to Ryle last year in both the district and the region.

"We have to beat Boone if we want the No. 2 seed," said Conner coach Kristin Koors, whose Cougars have split two games against the Rebels in contests that generated a total of six runs.
Conner found runs difficult to come by Wednesday against Ryle ace Haylee Smith, who struck out seven and walked one.

Facing the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning with two down, the eighth-grader wriggled out of the jam. She stranded base runners at second and third by inducing a game-ending ground-out hit back to the circle to preserve her eighth shutout.

One batter earlier, Smith survived a controversial confrontation with Conner all-region power hitter Sarah Begley, who grounded to first base for the second out of the inning. Begley contended the ball hit off her foot before hitting the ground and rolling to first, but there was no call despite Conner protests.

"I hit it, and it came down and rolled right off the top of my foot and they (the umpires) didn't see it," Begley said. "I should have gotten another pitch."  Koors, whose Cougars absorbed a worst-ever 16-1 loss to Ryle on April 21, was waiting for her bats to come alive against Smith, but the right-hander permitted just five base runners.

"That was an important part of the game with Begley and I didn't see it as well as she did, but we had six innings to score a run and we didn't," Koors said.

The Cougars stranded a runner at third in the fifth when they did not properly execute a squeeze play. Ryle took a 1-0 lead in the sixth when Conner starter Elizabeth Sims walked Kate Cremer with the bases loaded. Bella Steinle made it 2-0 in the seventh with a run-scoring single. Steinle had two of Ryle's five hits off Sims.

WP: Smith (17-6) 7 K's. LP: Sims (10-8). Leaders: R-Steinle 2-4. Records: R 18-8, C 11-8.

Raiders serving up wins in tennis

By James Weber • jweber@nky.com See raiders-serving-up-wins-in-tennis

Ryle High School nearly defeated the dominance of Covington Catholic in boys tennis last week.
The Raiders fell 3-2 to the Colonels in the boys semifinals of the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division I tournament.

“It could have gone either way,” Ryle head coach Amy Bates said. “They couldn’t have been any closer. My guys played really well, and I was proud of them. We’re hoping they can prove it in the regional tournament.”

Kento Okita lost to Cov Cath’s Stephen Schafer in three sets at first singles. Yushi Okita won at second singles.  Sophomore Adam Rost lost at third singles. Seniors Logan North and Evan Wagner won at first singles, and junior Alex Arnett and eighth-grader David Geis lost at second singles.
Both Okitas, senior twin brothers, will go to Western Kentucky University to play tennis. The Okitas, who have been part of the Ryle program for about seven years, are the first Division I signees for the program in recent memory.

Yushi played in the state tournament the last two years. Kento has been one match away from qualifying, losing to Yushi in a playoff match for a berth in 2009 after both lost in the regional semifinals.

With the addition of the new state team tournament this year, the regional semifinalists will go to state no matter what. Bates’ goal is to get both brothers into the state singles tournament and get the Raiders into the team tournament at the same time. The regional team champion will play in the state tournament, starting with a sectional tourney May 21. That tourney will be in the standard dual match format.

“I’d like the team to go to state,” Bates said. “That was our goal from the beginning, have a winning season and be competitive with Cov Cath. We’re still working on it.”   She said the North and Wagner doubles team have really stepped up in their senior years. Arnett was away from the team for two years and has come back.

Ryle’s girls tennis team is also having a strong season. The Raiders lost 3-2 to Notre Dame in the finals of the Division I conference tournament.

Pitching lifts Ryle baseball to strong season

By James Weber • jweber@nky.com  See Pitching lifts Ryle baseball to strong season

UNION – The offense of the Ryle High School baseball team has struggled at times, but the pitching staff has been on top of its game all year.  The Raiders allow less than four runs per game this year from the pitching mound, a key reason why they had an 18-7 record through May 11.

“That’s been our strong suit,” said head coach Pat Roesel. “We’ve been giving ourselves chances in basically every game and we’ve come through most of the time.”

Ryle has won eight of its last nine games and allowed four runs or less in all of those wins.  Seniors Matt Gorbandt, Tyler O’Bryan and Matt Isler have been the top starters this season.  Gorbandt is 5-1 with a 3.12 ERA. O’Bryan is 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA. Isler is 1-1, 2.80.   Junior Nick Pomfrey has two wins on the mound and junior Brian Comora three. Brian Ernst picked up his first win in a 9-2 victory over Scott May 11.

“We’re taking better at-bats and getting better pitches,” said senior Caleb Lonkard. “We have solid pitching and we’re playing solid overall.”  Lonkard, after batting leadoff most of his Ryle career, was switched to the three spot in the order early this season, setting up cleanup batter Conner Hempel.
Senior Daniel Etscheid has been in the leadoff spot, with junior Mitch Lawson second.

“I hadn’t been hitting that well at the beginning of the year,” Lonkard said. “He put me in the three spot and since then I’ve been getting more hits.”  O’Bryan, fifth in the order, leads the team in hitting at .474.   Lonkard is hitting .300 and leads the team in RBI, and Etscheid and Hempel are at .333. Etscheid leads the team in runs scored.   Roesel said getting more key hits from the Raiders will be crucial in the postseason, as at times they have struggled with runners in scoring position.  

Ryle is the two seed in the 33rd District Tournament and will play Conner in one semifinals. Boone County and Cooper square off in the other.  Before then, Ryle has two games with Beechwood scheduled and others with local contenders Holy Cross and Covington Catholic. The team just likes playing again after the wet April.   “We’ve been itching to get out here with all the rain,” Lonkard said. “You get to play every day. You can’t ask for that in any other sport. If you have one bad game, then don’t hang your head because you play the next day and get better.”

Information for Senior Pictures 2012

Time has its way of moving fast.  In just two weeks and pending final exams, our junior class students will officially be seniors in the Class of 2012!

We held a meeting this past Friday with all juniors and the representives from Prestige Portraits.  Students received information about scheduling and coordinating their senior class pictures this summer and fall.  Prestige is the our official photographer where students must take their official school picture for the yearbook and class composite.  All other senior pictures are voluntary and at the discretion of the student and their parents.

For more information, contact Prestige Portraits at 859-578-0110 or http://prestigeportraits.com/virtualstudio.aspx. 

Have a great weekend!

NKU Creative Writing Contest winners

Congratulations to the following students from RYLE for placing in the NKU Creative Writing Contest.

 

WINNERS

The Northern Kentucky Area

High School Creative Writing Contest 2011

(Sponsored by the English Department

of Northern Kentucky University)

 

The Northern Kentucky Area High School Creative Writing Contest is a special outreach program that seeks to foster a greater interest in the literary arts and to recognize area student achievements.  It is open to all Northern Kentucky Area high school students. The contest awards cash prizes and certificates of achievement for First ($100), Second ($75), and Third Prize ($50) in Poetry, Fiction and the Personal Essay. Five judges who are experts in the field of creative writing evaluated approximately 250 entries submitted from students throughout the Northern Kentucky area. This year, in addition to the First, Second and Third place winners, the judges selected several honorable mentions due to the quality of the entries submitted. We want to thank not only the winners, their teachers, and their parents but all the participants in the contest as well as the judges for making this year’s contest a success. The individual student winners and their schools are listed below:

 

Poetry:         3^rd  Prize: Alexandra Chelsea Nord—Larry A. Ryle High School (Edmundo Echeverria, teacher)

 

 

Fiction:                 3^rd Prize:  Shelby Kristine Loyd—Larry A. Ryle High School  (Edmundo Echeverria, teacher)           

       

 

Essay:                           2^nd Prize: Sam Bell—Larry A. Ryle High School (Edmundo Echeverria, teacher)      

 

 

Tuesday's Athletic Results

BASEBALL

Ryle 5, Boone County 4
WP -Lawson (1-0); LP -Schwartz. Leaders: R -Lonkard 3-4, 2 RBI; Mason 2-3, 2 RBI; Steinle 2B. B -Laumann HR; Quakmeyer 2B. Record: R 17-7.

SOFTBALL

Ryle 2, Boone County 0
WP -Smith (15-5, 9 Ks); LP -Johnson. Leaders: R -Smith 2-3. B -Stein 2-4, 2B; J. Johnson 2B. Records: R 16-8, B 13-7.

BOYS TENNIS

Ryle 4, Villa Madonna 1
K. Okita (R) d. Poof 6-0, 6-0; Y. Okita (R) d. Froehling 6-0, 6-0; Rost (R) d. Brewer 6-0, 6-1; Gibson-Vanmelle (V) d. Wagner-North 6-0, 6-3; Arnett-Geis (R) d. Kenney-McLean 6-3, 6-4. Records: R 12-2.

GIRLS TENNIS

Ryle 5, Conner 0
Bellhorn d. North 6-4, 6-4; C. Lucas, by forfeit; Carroll d. Lick 6-3, 6-2; M. Lucas-Hornsby d. Heman-Glahn 6-0, 6-2; Watson-Zwick d. Dolwick-Leick 6-1, 6-1. Record: R 14-2.

Ryle 5, Campbell County 0
Bellhorn d. Hyden 6-2, 6-0; Hornsby d. Bricking 6-0, 6-1; Green d. Garafolo 6-4, 7-6 (7-4); C. Lucas-Zwick d. Clark-Roaden 6-2, 6-0; H. Worley-K. Worley d. Kennedy-Amfer 6-3, 6-1. Record: R 15-2.

Ryle aims for 9th Region title repeat

By Adam Turer • kysports@communitypress.com  link - Ryle aims for 9th Region title repeat

The Ryle Raiders are gearing up for the stretch run as they aim to repeat as Ninth Region softball champions.  The top-ranked team in the Enquirer Coaches’ Poll is off to a 13-4 start.  Recently, the only thing slowing the Raiders has been the rain.  “We’re trying to get back on the field,” head coach Patti Oliverio said. “That’s been the problem. The main thing for us going into the stretch run is consistency.”

After winning conference, district, and regional championships a year ago, Ryle beefed up its regular season schedule to prepare for another run in the state tournament. The Raiders have risen to the challenges. Earlier in the season, Ryle defeated then-second-ranked Conner, 16-1.  “We play a tough schedule. We’ve been tested right out of the gate. The schedule forces the girls to compete and focus every day.”

With eight starters back from last year’s team, including pitching ace Haylee Smith, the Raiders entered the season determined to improve on their 28 wins of a year ago. Freshman Ali Crupper has been a welcome addition to the otherwise veteran team. Crupper has stepped in as the team’s starting third basemen and backup pitcher.  “She’s done a really nice job for us,” Oliverio said. “Third base is a tough position to step in and play at this level.”

The Raiders head to North Laurel to play in the Kentucky 5 Star Classic beginning on May 6. The tournament features every top 10 team in the state. Ryle was invited to play in this year’s event after North Laurel’s coach saw the Raiders in action in last year’s state tournament.  “We are really looking forward to it,” Oliverio said. “That will be a great test for us as we prepare for the postseason.”

The weather recently let up enough for the Raiders to play three games in the last week of April. They defeated Walton-Verona, 4-1, and Cooper, 13-1. They lost to one of southeast Indiana’s top teams, East Central. Ryle lost 5-4 after East Central scored twice in the final inning. Only two of East Central’s runs were earned. Playing top teams from outside northern Kentucky helps prepare the Raiders for the challenges they will face in the state tournament. Even a tough loss like that does not deter the focused Raiders.  “We play as tough a schedule as we can. The schedule we play forces us to stay level,” Oliverio said. “We learn from every game and a loss like that will make us better.”

Latest Athletic Results

BASEBALL

Ryle 11, Highlands 1 (six innings)
WP - Comora (2-0); LP - Murray. Leaders: R - Etscheid 3-3; Clarkson 3-4, 5 RBI; Truitt HR. Records: R 15-4 H 5-15.

SOFTBALL

Ryle 7, Boone County 0
WP - Smith (14-3, 8 K's); LP - Johnson (10-5). Leaders: R - Hamilton 3-4; Steinle 3B; Sander 2 RBI; Rouse 2-4; Oliverio 2-4, 2 RBI. Records: R 15-4 B 12-7.

BOYS' TENNIS

NKAC Division I
Semifinals
At Summit Hills

Covington Catholic 3, Ryle 2
Schafer (C) d. K. Okita 1-6, 6-4, 6-4; Y. Okita (R) d. Cotton 6-3, 7-6; Schult (C) d. Rost 6-4, 6-2. Doubles: North-Wagner (R) d. Riedinger-Kendall 1-6, 6-3, 6-1; Drees-Reis (C) d. Arnett-Geis 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. Records: R 10-2, C 11-2.

Note: Covington Catholic advances to play Campbell County, today at Summit Hills Country Club at 3:30 p.m.

GIRLS' TENNIS

Ryle 3, Beechwood 2
Melville (B) d. Bellhorn 6-1, 6-3; C. Lucas (R) d. Cardosi 6-1, 6-3; Zwick (R) d. Cozatchy 6-2, 6-2. Doubles: E. Pawsat-White (B) d. Hornsby-M. Lucas 6-2, 6-3; Watson-Worley (R) d. Stuempel-L. Pawsat 6-2, 6-3. Records: R 12-1.

Albany Marine Band to Perform at Ryle

The Albany Marine Band will perform at Ryle this week!  This is our third year hosting a Marine Corps ensemble and every year has proven spectacular.  Please make every effort to attend this FREE performance.  It will be great, crowd-pleasing event!  Feel free to forward this message to any veteran or community member!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011 @ 7:30 PM in the Ryle Auditorium. FREE ADMISSION.

Established in 1990, the Albany Marine Band is one of only twelve bands throughout the United States Marine Corps. Located on the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, Georgia, this band of 50 Marines travels throughout the United States and abroad tof ulfill its mission of serving as musical ambassadors for the United States Marine Corps.

Marine Corps Bands are composed of men and women who are the proud bearers of a heritage dating back to the whistling fifes and rolling drums of the first Marine Musicians of 1775.  A long-standing tradition of excellence and service to Corps and Country is their legacy, and it is one which they willingly embrace.

With music as their primary mission, all Marine Musicians in the Band are selected by audition and must maintain a high level of instrumental proficiency.  Additionally, with the Marine Corps tradition of "Every Marine a Rifleman," all Marines in the Band are fully trained to fulfill their secondary mission of bearing arms in the defense of our nation.  As ambassadors of the United States and the Marine Corps, it is very important that Marine Musicians maintain a high level of physical fitness and military appearance.  Above and beyond their musical and military roles, each Marine has supplementary administrative responsibilities within the Band to support the unit's high operational tempo.

The Albany Marine Band provides music for military ceremonies, community celebrations, recruiting programs and official events. Although the band primarily serves as a ceremonial ensemble, members also perform in the Concert Band, Marching Band, Show Band, Brass Band, Brass and Woodwind Quintets, andJazz Combo.
Last year, the band traveled over 20,000 milesf or civilian and military performances for audiences totaling more than 5.6million.  Due to the high standard and the superior level of all performances, the Albany Marine Band was awarded the coveted title "2010 Band of the Year."

Sunshine! Saturday's Athletic Results

Baseball

Ryle 11, Dixie Heights 3
WP -Pomfrey (2-1); LP -Stansberry. Leaders: R -Etscheid 2-4, 2B; Clarkson 3B; Lonkard 2-4; O'Bryan 3-4, 3 2B, 2 RBI; Long 2 RBI. D -Demattico 2-4; T. Sexton HR. Records: R 13-4, D 9-8.

Softball

Ryle 13, Cooper 1 (five innings)
WP -Smith (12-2); LP -Martz. Leaders: R -Smith 3-4, HR, 2B, 5 RBI; Steinle 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Sander 2-4, 2B; Oliverio 2-3; Hamilton 2-4, 2B; Cremer 2B, 2 RBI; Koors 2-3. Record: R 13-3.

East Central 5, Ryle 4
WP -White; LP -Smith (12-3). Leaders: E -Lynch 3-3, 2B. R -Hamilton 2-4, 2B; Steinle 2-4; Cremer 2-4; Dickerson 2B. Record: R 13-4.