Rash retires after leading Beechwood for 17 seasons

BY G. MICHAEL GRAHAM | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

After 17 seasons at the helm of Beechwood’s football program, Noel Rash has decided it’s time to step down.

Rash announced his retirement on Feb. 13 in a meeting with the players and his assistant coaches, citing health reasons.

The 56-year-old Rash wants to spend more time with his family. Rash and his wife have a daughter who lives in California and a son who lives in Columbus, Ohio. He considered hanging it up before the 2021 season.

“I want everyone to know that nothing is drastically wrong with me health-wise,” Rash said. “But the time and stress involved in coaching football can take its toll and I want to make wellness a priority in this next phase of my life.”

The Tigers finished 193-46 during his tenure as head coach that started in 2006. Beechwood won eight state championships, 15 region championships and finished undefeated in district play all 17 seasons under Rash. Rash certainly went out on top, with the Tigers winning the last three Class 2A state titles.

Beechwood finished 9-3 in his first season, losing to Newport Central Catholic in the second round of the Class A playoffs. The Tigers never lost earlier than that since.The only other season the Tigers did not win a region championship in Rash’s tenure came in 2013 when Beechwood finished 8-5, losing to Frankfort in the region championship game.

Rash joined the staff in 2000 before receiving the promotion to head coach.

“There is nowhere quite like Beechwood. The Friday nights are special, and so too is the community support of everything that goes on at school, both academically and with extracurricular activities. I am so humbled to have been part of such a special place,” Rash said. “Beechwood is my home and without these players and families, we don’t accomplish any of this. I’m a product of the sport.”

Senior Konner Huljak completed his last season as an offensive lineman and linebacker in 2021. Huljak said playing football for Beechwood has helped him grow leaps and bounds as a person and as a player.

“I couldn’t thank them enough,” Huljak said. “I feel like coming in there as a sophomore, (the coaches) all saw me and they kept believing. Maybe I didn’t get a lot of time early, but they knew that there was going to be something eventually. They just kept me positive through all those times. They kept believing in me even though I wasn’t the star out there. It helped me be who I was as a senior and it helped me lead the team.”

The best season came two years ago when the Tigers finished 15-0 for their lone undefeated season under Rash. After clearing the Covington Catholic hurdle, Beechwood also took down arch-nemesis Mayfield in Fort Mitchell in the Class 2A state semifinals for the first time in school history. Then, they beat Lexington Christian in the state championship game. Beechwood had not won against Mayfield in eight previous meetings. The Cardinals beat the Tigers in the Class A state championship games in 1995 and 2002 and four straight years in the state semifinals from 2009-12 then again in ’14 and ’19. The win over CovCath snapped a six-game losing streak.

Covington Catholic ended Beechwood’s 27game winning streak in Park Hills on Sept. 16 this past season. But the Tigers drove back to the state championship game and beat Mayfield for the first time in three state championship game meetings, finishing 14-1 and completing the best threeyear run in program history at 39-3 overall. “It’s an honor. History is history. I remember going into that (2021) game it doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past,” Huljak said. “We were going to do what we came here to do. But knowing that it was the first two times we beat them just adds a little sprinkle to the top.”

Rash most valued his relationships with the players, often crediting families in the Fort Mitchell community for raising good kids. Rash said that allowed him and his staff to focus on the game hoping the players carry those lessons into adulthood.

“I am just overwhelmed with gratitude because Beechwood means so very much to me and my family. I love it here,” Rash said.

“To everyone who has been associated with and supported our program, thank you. And especially to the wonderful players I’ve coached —you all are amazing. We created great memories on the field. But watching the impact you’ve had long after leaving Beechwood is the true measurement of our success together.”

Beechwood High Principal Justin Kaiser noted Rash is leaving the program in ex- cellent shape with more talent coming through the pipeline. Kaiser said the position will be posted immediately wanting to find a coach that will “build upon that culture of brotherhood.”

Beechwood loses 18 seniors from last year’s team, including their leading rusher in Mitchell Berger at 1,119 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Clay Hayden returns after completing 106-of-157 passes for 1,822 yards, 21 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

“Coach Rash galvanized an entire community to rally around a special group of young people every fall during football season,” Kaiser, a 1998 Beechwood graduate, said.

“Beechwood football is more than a program or individual, it is a culture of commitment, sacrifice, and brotherhood that Coach Rash inherited and enhanced in his time here. Combine that with an incredibly successful run as head coach, for mentoring our student-athletes the right way, and for representing Beechwood in a first-class manner on and off the field – you have a coach that ventures into legendary status. Coach has solidified that legendary status over the past 20 years.”

Rash played football at nearby Lloyd Memorial, graduating in 1985 before playing at Thomas More.

Rash still plans to keep his role as a social studies teacher at Beechwood.

The Tigers own 17 state championships in school history which is third most in the state behind Trinity (27) and Highlands (23).

Laverne Neltner dies weeks after celebrating 64th wedding anniversary

Life-long Campbell County resident Laverne Neltner, age 83, passed away Friday, Feb. 10, at Carmel Manor Nursing Home in Fort Thomas.

Neltner was admitted into Carmel Manor’s mental care facility in May 2022 for stage seven Alzheimer’s Disease. Her caretaker said she passed away peacefully with 18 family members by her side.

Neltner is survived by her husband of 64 years, Jerry Neltner, and her seven children and their spouses, Barbara Dykes, Margie Arnold, John Neltner, Thomas Neltner, Rob Neltner, Amy Leicht, and Beth Guidi. She is also survived by her two sisters, Sister Mary Agnes Hemmerle Notre Dame and Mary Momper, her 20 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Neltner was born in Southgate in 1939, and before being admitted into Carmel Manor, she lived in Alexandria with her husband. The couple recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary on Jan. 3, and allowed LINK nky to share the story of how they met and had a happy marriage across six and a half decades.

Neltner was laid to rest at Saint Mary Cemetery in Alexandria on Feb. 15.

Family recovers car, wheelchair in time for field trip

After her car was stolen with her son’s wheelchair inside, Chelsey West said both have been recovered just in time for her son, Branson, to make it to a field trip to a glass making company.

West said the road wasn't easy for her and her kids, and realizing her car had been stolen was a gut punch.

“My life just sucks. I’ve had really bad luck,” West said.

One week ago, she left an unhealthy situation. She and her three children temporarily moved in with a friend in Covington. On Thursday, she was hit with another burden.

“She walked in bawling her eyes out screaming, crying, ‘The car’s gone, the car’s gone,'” said 11-year-old Branson.

It was what was inside the car that mattered most to West — Branson’s wheelchair.

“I’m not going to be able to go anywhere anytime soon,” Branson said.

Back in 2015, a car crash left Branson and another child paralyzed. He’s been in and out of the hospital ever since.

West said her loved ones have gotten her through life’s twists and turns.

“The people around me — my mom, my best friend, these three … they smile through it all,” she said. “(Branson) cracks jokes when he’s on his way to surgery number seven in three months. They’re the ones that keep me from being totally lost.”

For Branson, it’s his mom who is his source of strength.

“If I’m ever down, like in a situation like this, she’ll comfort me and she’ll help me out,” he said.

West said she was going to do whatever she can to get her son’s wheelchair back.

“He physically cannot walk,” West said.

“He has a spinal cord injury. He absolutely needs that chair. It’s his legs.”

Her message to whoever took her car was clear: “If you have my car, just park it somewhere and let us find it. I don’t even care who you are, at this point. Just leave the wheelchair.”

It’s unclear how or where the car was located, but West said the wheelchair was safely inside and ready to accompany Branson on his field trip.

How to help Welcome House collect items for those experiencing homelessness

The Independence Volunteer Corps is leading a month-long donation drive to benefit the Welcome House, an emergency shelter and service provider with several facilities in Covington.

Anyone from the community can drop requested donation items into the marked barrel at the Independence City Building, seven days a week, 24 hours a day all throughout the month of February. The city building is located on Madison Pike.

Requested items include the following:

• Non-perishable snacks and drinks

• Small, travel-size hygiene items like toothpaste, bars of soap, deodorant and similar items

• Cleaning supplies like dish soap, laundry detergent, bleach, dryer sheets and similar items

All donations will supply residents and programs at one of Welcome House’s locations.

Founded in the early 1980s, Welcome House provides emergency sheltering services to help people escape poverty. These services include rapid-rehousing services and other emergency housing programs. Visit its website, welcomehouseky.org, for more information.

The Independence Volunteer Corps is a team of local Independence residents who perform various philanthropic deeds around Northern Kentucky. Visit the city’s website, cityofindependence.org, to learn more about them and sign up to volunteer.

Newport High School Special Olympics Team take home six medals in winter games

Newport High School’s Snow Cat ski team won six medals in the Kentucky Special Olympics Winter Games held at Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, Ind.

Athletes competed in alpine skiing and snowshoeing events, winning two gold and four silver medals.

The gold medal winners were:

• Kelsey Turner (Beginner Giant Slalom Division F10)

• Marty Varias (Intermediate/Advanced Slalom Division M03).

This year’s silver Medal winners were:

• Autumn Ingguls (Beginner Giant Slalom F10)

• Ricky Tomlinson (Beginner Giant Slalom)

• Zachary Howard (Beginner Giant Slalom M03)

• Marty Varias (Intermediate/Advanced Giant Slalom Division M04)

• Marty Varias also won gold and silver medals in last year’s winter games.

Earning participation medals were:

• Madison Ledbetter (10 M Glide and 20 M Glide)

• Chyanne Hunter (10 M Glide and 20 M Glide)

• Kelsey Turner (Beginner Slalom Division F01)

• Autumn Ingguls (Beginner Giant Slalom F01)

• Ricky Tomlinson (Beginner Slalom Division M01)

• Zachary Howard (Beginner Slalom Division M01)

The Special Olympic Winter Games in Kentucky have taken place for 43 years. There were 16 delegations with more than 100 athletes from all over Kentucky participating in the three-day event.