[Stardust]

District 32 (Eighth Region): Walton-Verona (29-12) is the defending Eighth Region champion and returns all but one player. Grant County (26-12) advanced to the Eighth Region semifinals and returns five starters, but must make up for the loss of pitcher Katelyn Roy, who was a second-team all-state selection. Simon Kenton (16-14) should make a run at a regional berth thanks to returning eight starters and nine players who have started at least 25 games.



District 33 (Ninth Region): For the last five seasons not only have Ryle and Conner advanced from this district to the regional, but they have also gone on to reach the regional championship game, too, with Ryle winning four of those, including last season. Ryle (32-10) returns five starters off that team, including freshman pitcher Haylee Smith, who was last year’s Enquirer Player of the Year. Conner (17-11) has six starters back, including freshman pitcher Elizabeth Sims, and a strong defense up the middle. Boone County (15-12) is one of the top five teams in Northern Kentucky and has all but two starters back from last season. Cooper (9-13) has eight starters back, but has a lot of work to do to jump over the other three teams.

District 34 (Ninth Region): St. Henry and Dixie Heights have met for the last four district titles and while St. Henry certainly returns enough firepower to likely make it five straight championship appearances, Dixie has to make up for graduation losses. St. Henry (16-8) didn’t lose a senior from last year’s team that lost to Conner in the Ninth Region semifinals, 3-2. Dixie Heights (18-9) lost six starters and will be using an 8th-grader, Bailey Spencer, as its pitcher. Ludlow (12-10) has almost its entire team back from last season, while Lloyd (10-18) returns six starters and Villa Madonna (15-6) returns only three.

District 35 (Ninth Region): Notre Dame (15-16) made significant strides the last couple of seasons under Dave Meier that culminated with the district title last season, and new coach Joe Stephenson inherits a solid, albeit still young roster. Holmes (9-21) is seeking a seventh straight Ninth Region tournament berth and returns six starters for new coach Dale McMillen. Beechwood (9-21) made some strides last season and didn’t lose anyone to graduation. Holy Cross (3-21) is still very young and rebuilding.

District 36 (Ninth Region): Highlands (14-14) pulled off an upset of Newport Central Catholic in last year’s district tournament to advance to the regional and returns five starters. NewCath (17-11) has a solid core back from last season, but lost standout pitcher Danielle Hausfeld and three other starters to graduation. Newport (14-8) was the other district representative in the regional tournament and it has six starters back, including freshman pitcher Katyln Hoeh, who had a 3.78 ERA last season. Dayton (1-16) only lost to Newport, 4-2, in the district semifinal and has its entire starting lineup back. Bellevue (12-7) has almost its entire team back, too.

District 37 (10th Region): Bishop Brossart (25-5) has made 21 straight trips to the regional tournament (many in slow-pitch before the program transitioned to fast-pitch along with the rest of the state several years ago) and it has a strong group of returnees that should make it 22 in a row, although replacements must be found for the standout battery of Alicia Miller and Lindsay Griffith, who graduated. Campbell County (4-17) was the other regional representative and returns several starters, including sophomore pitcher Rachel Carroll for new coach Sandi Kitchen. Scott (11-15) has only four starters back and will be young. Calvary Christian (10-16) lost three seniors to graduation and has just 10 players on its roster, three of whom are seventh-graders. Silver Grove (1-22) should improve thanks to a more experienced roster.