Athletic News and Notes

This from the Friday morning Lexington Herald-Leader:

Ryle was the only school in the state that won at least 10 games in football, and at least 20 in baseball, softball, and boys' and girls' basketball. The Raiders were most successful in football (12-2), making it to the Class 6A semifinals before losing to eventual state champ Trinity, and softball (32-10), reaching the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

We are very proud of the performance of all of our athletic teams during the 2010-11 school year.  This may have been one of the strongest overall years in school history.  We all know that academic performance is our top priority but having strong athletic programs is important also as it teaches our students the value of teamwork, sacrifice, hard work, courage, and perseverence. 

Congratulations to our students, parents, and coaches for a great year!

Ryle's Crittendon commits to Xavier for 2012

Written by Mike Dyer    Ryle's Crittendon commits to Xavier for 2012

CINCINNATI -- Ryle High forward Jenna Crittendon had been recruited by Xavier since her sophomore year and she always felt comfortable with the Musketeers coaching staff, including when new head coach Amy Waugh was an assistant.

Those factors helped lead Crittendon to make a decision to verbally commit to Xavier on Saturday, according to Ryle girls' basketball coach Patti Oliverio.

Crittendon, 5 feet 10, was an Enquirer first-team all-area selection last season. She averaged 12.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, three steals and two assists during her junior year.  "I think she has so much upside," Oliverio said. "I don't think she is close to reaching her potential. She is still getting bigger and strong as well. She is such a great athlete."

Crittendon had offers from schools that included UC, Marquette, Eastern Kentucky, Western Kentucky, South Alabama, Evansville and Florida Atlantic, according to Oliverio. She also received interest from DePaul and Vanderbilt.

Oliverio said Crittendon considered UC, Xavier and Marquette among her final choices.
"She plays the complete game," Oliverio said. "With a college coach, they have a kid who is tough and plays hard and that's something you can't teach."

Crittendon is the first reported area commitment in the 2012 class under Waugh.

Congratulations Jenna!

Support Ryle Students in the Ford Focus on Schools

Earlier this spring, several students at Ryle created a video commercial as part of a prgaram by Ford to promote the Ford Focus.  The high quality of this video production is impressive.

Check out the link below to see the video and cast your vote for our students!

https://fordfocusonschools.com/Home/Vote?videokey=PTGSaJ9cBw4

Parking Lot Construction

Please excuse the mess this summer!

The front parking lot and front and rear driving loops at school are undergoing some reconstruction in order to repair some underlying drainage issues.  The project should be completed by the first week of July.

Temporary parking is available on the front or rear loops around the school or on the grassy area between Gray MS and Ryle. 

Report Cards Out

Final report cards for the 2010-11 school year have been mailed home. 

Any students with unpaid fees, library fines, lunch charges will need to contact the school office to take care of those details before receiving their report card.

Have a great and safe summer!

Ryle wins, but Walton-Verona falls in softball

While the Ryle softball team scored runs at will in its first-round game of the state softball tournament on Thursday, Walton-Verona had a hard time even getting hits in its tournament opener.

The end result was Ryle, the Ninth Region champion, whipping 15th Region champion Magoffin County, 12-1, in a game called after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule, while Walton-Verona, which won the Eighth Region title, lost to Second Region champ Hopkins County Central, 5-0, at Jack C. Fisher Park in Owensboro.

Ryle (31-8), which is playing in the state tournament for the sixth time in the last seven seasons and won the state championship in 2006, advances to play Louisville Ballard, the No. 1 team in the state, at 9 a.m. CDT today in a winner's bracket game of the double-elimination tournament. Ballard (36-4) advanced with a 15-0 win over Letcher County Central in a game called after three innings by the mercy rule.

See the entire NKY Enquirer article Ryle wins, but Walton-Verona falls in softball

See the KY Post article below Ryle wins state opener; Walton falls

By John Lachmann

Six second-inning runs helped lift Ryle to a 12-1 win in five innings over Magoffin County in the first round of the state tournament at Jack Fisher Park in Owensboro on Thursday.

“We swung the bats really well, hit the ball really hard, got our bunts down,” Ryle coach Patti Oliverio said. “It’s just a great way to get started.”

The Raiders scored once in the first inning, and freshman second baseman Bella Steinle and eighth-grade right-hander Haylee Smith singled home two runs each in the decisive second.  Smith and junior center fielder Kate Rouse belted back-to-back doubles to cap off a four-run third inning that sealed the game.  Smith, who started in the circle, was pulled after three scoreless innings. Freshman Ali Crupper tossed two innings in relief.

Oliverio said the move was made to keep Smith fresh for the long day on Friday, as the Raiders were already ahead, 11-0 after the third.

The game started about 20 minutes late because of heat delays in the 6 p.m. matchups, and it was not completed until nearly 10 p.m.

That means Ryle, which advances to play Ballard (36-4) at 9 a.m. on Friday, has less than 11 hours of down time before starting a potential marathon of games.

“We’re going to get up early and go hit, and go right to the game,” Oliverio said.

If the Raiders beat Ballard, they would play again at 3 p.m. If Ballard wins, Ryle would drop into the consolation bracket and would play again at 1 p.m., and also at 5 and 7 if the team continues to win.
If Ryle beats Ballard and wins its 3 p.m. game, it will advance the semifinals on Saturday. If the Raiders lose at 3 p.m., they would play their third game of the day at 7 p.m. in the consolation bracket.

RYLE 164-01—12 15 1
MAGOFFIN 000-01—1 3 3

WP: Smith (30-6). LP: Prater. Hitting leaders: R—Hamilton 2-3; Steinle 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI; Sander 3 RBI; Smith 2-2, 3B, 3 RBI; Rouse 2-3, 2B; Dickerson 2-3; Crupper 2-2. MC—Shepherd 2B. Records: Ryle 31-8, Magoffin County 28-11.

Common-Standards Supports Eyed for Teachers

From guest blogger Stephen Sawchuk on the Curriculum Matters blog:

Five states that have adopted the Common Core State Standards are beginning work on an initiative to create an open-source "platform" that would help teachers access, download, and create resources tied to the common standards, officials from the Council of Chief State School Officers told us today.

CCSSO and the states of New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Colorado will take the lead in helping design and pilot the platform, with financing promised by the Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Four other states—Delaware, Kentucky, Georgia, and Louisiana—are planning to take part in the near future, with the goal of implementing it in all nine states by fall 2013.

The idea of a resources clearinghouse, said Gene Wilhoit, the executive director of CCSSO, came in response to conversations with teachers and teachers' groups that have been providing feedback on the progress of the common-standards initiative.

"One of the early concerns that was raised [by teachers] is what kind of support are you going to give us as we try to implement," Wilhoit said. "Frankly, they told us, 'You'd better not abandon us.' "

The idea is to make a range of supports—including lesson plans, diagnostic tools, and curricular units—available for free through an online platform. That online clearinghouse would offer teachers access to tools and materials and also give them chances to network, discuss ways to use or improve them, or band together to create, upload, and share their own resources.

To read the entire article go to:  Common-Standards Supports Eyed for Teachers

Lady Raiders play in the State Tournament

The Lady Raider softball team will travel to Owensboro to play in the KHSAA State Softball Championship Tournament. 

Their first game in the double elimination tournament will be at 7:00 p.m. Thursday night against Magoffin County HS.  Their second game would be either 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. on Friday morning depending on the outcome of Thursday's game.

Check this link to see the entire tournament bracket:  KHSAA state tournament bracket

Check this link to purchase tickets to the softball state tournament:  State tournament tickets

Good luck Lady Raiders!

Ryle blanks Conner in 9th region final

By Terry Boehmker  Go to Ryle blanks Conner in 9th region final

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Ryle softball coach Patti Oliverio had a long talk with starting pitcher Haylee Smith before the 9th Region championship game on Thursday at Northern Kentucky University.

 Oliverio said they sat in the dugout and went over how to pitch to every batter in the Conner lineup to make sure Smith knew what she needed to do.

The eighth-grader was so well prepared that she gave up only four hits in a 3-0 shutout and the Raiders claimed their sixth regional championship in the last seven years.

 “Haylee is the best in big games and she proved it again (Thursday),” Oliverio said. “I call all the pitches, and there wasn’t one pitch I called that she didn’t hit the spot.”

This was the fifth consecutive year that Ryle and Conner met in the regional final. The Raiders have won four of those five title games.

Ryle earned a return trip to the state tournament with Thursday’s victory. The Raiders will play 15th Region champion Magoffin County in a first-round game at 7 p.m. Thursday at Jack Fischer Park in Owensboro.

Smith had only three strikeouts in the regional final so she needed some steady play from her teammates to post the shutout. The Raiders didn’t make a single error on 22 fielding plays.

After giving up three hits in the first three innings, Smith was able to retire 10 consecutive Conner batters before allowing a walk and a single in the seventh.

“With my defense, I’m never afraid to put the ball in there because I know they’ll make the plays behind me,” Smith said.

Conner committed three fielding errors in the game. Two of them came in the third inning and Ryle capitalized on those mistakes. The Raiders took a 2-0 lead on run-scoring singles by senior shortstop Jenna Sander and Smith.

Sander, who was named the regional tournament’s most valuable player, knocked in the first run by ripping a two-out single past Conner second baseman Paige Thompson.

“I love to be put in that position,” Sander said of her clutch hit. “I just focus more because I know I have to get the job done.”

The Raiders scored again with two outs in the fourth inning. Kate Cremer led off with a single and went to second a throwing error. After a sacrifice bunt moved her to third, Cremer scored on a single by Ali Crupper to make it 3-0.

Conner wasn’t able to get anybody on base in the fourth, fifth or sixth innings, but only one player struck out during that stretch.

“I think we did a pretty good job at the plate,” said Conner coach Kristin Koors. “It’s not like we didn’t put the ball on the bat. We just hit it right at them.”

In the top of the seventh inning, the Cougars got two runners on base for the first time in the game, but they still weren’t able to score.

“In any sport, I think defense is the key, and our defense is so good,” Oliverio said. “Haylee doesn’t give up big hits or walks and we don’t make errors. And if you want to win that’s the key -- don’t beat yourself.”

CONNER 000-000-0–0 4 3

RYLE 002-100-X–3 7 0
WP: Smith. LP: Sims. Hitting leaders: C–Volz 2-3, 3B; Kring 2-3. R–Smith 2-3. Records: Ryle 30-8, Conner 17-11.

 

All-tournament team Ryle - Jenna Sander (MVP), Bella Steinle, Haley Smith, Cassie Hamilton.

Conner - Ellery Kring, Katelynn Halcomb, Paige Volz.
Dixie Heights - Katie Tekulve and Megan Erdman.
St. Henry - Noelle Butts and Sami Ives
Highlands - Brooke Hollingsworth
Holmes - Whitley Slover
Newport - Kelsey Taylor
Notre Dame - Mickie Terry

Regional Champions!

9th Region Softball Champions!

Congratulations to the Lady Raider softball team for winning the 9th region championship!  They will now advance to the KHSAA State Championship tournament next week at Owensboro.

The Lady Raiders celebrate at home plate after their 3-0 victory over Conner.

Defense sends Ryle to regional final

By Terry Boehmker      Link to Defense sends Ryle to regional final

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Ryle softball team may not have a dominating pitcher, but the Raiders are hard to beat when they play defense like they did in an 8-3 win over Dixie Heights on Tuesday in the semifinals of the 9th Region Tournament at Northern Kentucky University.

Ryle had three double plays and senior shortstop Jenna Sander made two impressive catches during the victory that put the Raiders in the regional championship game for the seventh straight year.

Ryle will play long-time rival Conner in the title game at 6 p.m. Thursday at NKU. The winner will advance to next week’s state tournament in Owensboro.

This is the fifth straight year that Ryle and Conner have been opponents in the regional final. Ryle has a 3-1 record in the previous four title games, including an 8-1 win last year.

“You can’t get caught up in all that,” Ryle coach Patti Oliverio said of her team’s past success against Conner. “We’re just going to come out and play our game and take it one pitch at a time. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”

The Raiders scored five unearned runs in Tuesday’s semifinal victory by taking advantage of seven fielding errors committed by Dixie Heights.

Four of those errors came on one play in the fourth inning. Ryle senior Cassie Hamilton hit a grounder that was misplayed by the third baseman and went to second base when the ball skipped off the left fielder’s glove. Hamilton advanced to third base on an errant throw by the left fielder and scored on an errant throw by the catcher.

Dixie Heights coach Roddy Stainforth said his team’s shoddy defensive play was the difference in the game.  “We pitched well enough to knock off the defending champs. We hit well enough to knock off the defending champs. We just didn’t field the ball well enough to knock off the defending champs,” Stainforth said.

Ryle didn’t commit any errors and ended the game with its third double play of the evening. Sander’s big plays were an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow center field and a diving snag on a line drive.

Sander also had a two-run triple in the third inning and then scored on a double by pitcher Haylee Smith to give the Colonels a 4-0 lead.
“The first couple innings we were popping it up a little bit, but we stayed with it and got the big hits when we needed them,” Sander said.

Ryle scored two unearned runs in the fourth to extend its lead to 6-0. Dixie Heights cut it to 6-3 in the sixth inning, but the Raiders got a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it 8-3.
After the game, Sander was asked about facing Conner in the regional championship game once again.

“We can’t underestimate them because two years ago they beat us in the regional final and it was just devastating,” Sander said. “I don’t ever want to feel that way again.”

DIXIE 000-021-0–3 8 7
RYLE 004-202-X–8 7 0

WP: Smith (28-6). LP: Tekulve (13-9). Hitting leaders: DH–Garrett 2-4; Hartfiel 2B. R–Hamilton 2-4, 2B; Steinle 2-4; Sander 3B, 2 RBI; Smith 2B. Records: Ryle 29-8, Dixie Heights 18-9.