Boone’s Best Sports Moments

Avery Jones header leads to win

On Aug. 31, freshman Avery Jones scored a game-winning header against Ryle, handing the Lady Rebels a 1-0 district win.

Jones, who led the team with six goals on the season, was thankful she and her team were able to experience the exciting win on the home turf.

“In the moment, I was very excited that I had just scored a game-winning goal,” Jones explained. “My whole team rushed over and started screaming and hugging me.”

Thanks to Jones late game heroics, Boone County recorded its first win against the Raiders since the 2018 season.

Hocker and Jackson connect for HoCo TD

On Sept. 16, junior Jamar Hocker connected with sophomore Jayden Jackson for a touchdown before halftime, which helped the Rebels secure a 35-24 Homecoming victory over Walton-Verona.

After catching the ball at midfield, Jackson dusted off multiple defenders on his way to the endzone, putting up six points in what Hocker describes as “the craziest play of the year.”

“It was a great feeling,” Hocker said. “It was a really big win for us and probably the best win I had while playing for Boone County.”

Hocker would record over 300 yards of offense and five touchdowns by the end of the game, earning him player of the week honors.

Peyton Elmore qualifies for state

On Sept. 19, sophomore Peyton Elmore shot an 84 at the regional golf tournament to tie for 12th and qualify for the semi-state round.

After eating a sturdy breakfast and shaking off some initial nerves on the first hole, Elmore explains that he was ready to go, comparing his performance on the course that day to something reminiscent of Tiger Woods.

“Tiger Woods was the golfer I felt like ‘cause of how clutch he was,” Elmore said. “I needed to be (clutch) the whole tournament, especially in the end.”

“It was an amazing experience, especially going into the final holes knowing what I had to do to make it to the state championship.”

Will Raleigh dunk seals victory

On Dec.16, senior Will Raleigh brought the house down with an emphatic slam against Ryle, securing a 74-50 win to kickoff district play.

“It was really fun to dunk in front of our packed home gym,” Raleigh said. “(It) felt great to get the whole place energized and put a cap on a district win vs Ryle.”

This dunk not only marked the Rebels first win, but it also helped build momentum going into the rest of the season.

Raleigh, who averaged 10.1 points per game this season, says what he will miss most about high school basketball is the games he would play in the summer with the team.

Boy’s bowling wins third-straight region

On Jan. 3, the boys bowling team knocked off Cooper to win their 3rd straight regional championship.

After handedly defeating Lloyd Memorial and Beechwood, the Rebels went the distance with the Jaguars in the championship round.

After winning the first two matches, Boone dropped the next two to Cooper. Thankfully, in the fifth and final matchup, the Rebels won 176-183, securing the win, and bringing home a third consecutive regional trophy.

The Rebels also found success in the singles brackets. Sophomore Maddox Kuryla and freshman Izzy Sears both qualified for state as individuals for the second straight year.

Lexi Kollar breaks school record

On Feb. 17, senior Lexi Kollar broke her 100-yard breaststroke record in the final swim of her career to finish 17th at the state championship.

After breaking the record twice her junior year, Kollar explains she was determined to break it one last time before she graduated.

“After my swim at state, it was like I finally realized what I have accomplished,” Kollar said. “I went over to my coaches and they were ecstatic for me … It was the perfect way to end my swim career.”

Thanks to her resilience and determination, Kollar was able to rewrite the record books one last time. Now, she will go down as one of the best swimmers to grace Boone’s halls.

Rebels upset No. 6 Conner

On April 12, the Rebels baseball team upset state-ranked No. 6 Conner 5-4 thanks in equal parts to their performance in the field and at the plate.

Pitchers Maddox Jones and Ethan Rossi helped keep Conner’s batters at bay, combining for seven strikeouts. Some stellar defense late from the Rebels outfield also swung the game in their favor.

Chris Henson tallied two hits, knocking in two runs, and Jack Moore hit a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning to give the Rebels the lead and ultimately the win.

“We played very well that day,” said head coach Wayne Huff. “We stayed focused the entire game, (and) everyone did their job and played as a team.”

Dani Wright strikes out ten

On April. 13, the Lady Rebels defeated Conner 12-2 in the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Game of the Month, and sophomore Dani Wright was named MVP.

Wright struck out 10 batters, and pitched a complete game on her way to securing her fifth win of the season. At the plate, she led the team with two hits—including a triple—and also a stolen base.

However, she was not the only player filling up the stat sheet. The Rebels put on a clinic against the district foe, combining for 13 total hits, three of which went for extra bases.

The Rebels prized pitcher will look to continue her success leading into districts and beyond.

Rebels archers qualify for state

On Mar. 22 and 23, junior Xander Moore and senior Annabelle Cline became the first Rebel archers in school history to qualify for the KHSAA State Championship.

In the regional tournament, Cline shot a 286, finishing fourth out of 135, and Moore shot a 290, finishing third out of 136.

After their elite performances in regions, Cline shot a 266, and Moore shot a 279 in the state championship in Bowling Green on April 18.

Both archers will compete in the NASP Eastern Nationals in Louisville to end the season.