Starting 5: Sacred Heart star ZaKiyah Johnson set for another showing with USA Basketball, more
Sacred Heart Academy superstar ZaKiyah Johnson, one of the top girls basketball players in the country, will put her talent on display over the next week. From July 28 to 30 in Memphis, Tennessee, she'll be one of 12 participants at the 3x3 Women’s U17 National Team trials.
It won't be her first taste of USA Basketball; Johnson attended the 2023 Women’s Junior National Team minicamp in Dallas earlier this year.
After she wraps up at the national team trials, she'll head to San Francisco to participate in the Curry Camp, an annual training event for the nation's top high school basketball players hosted by one of the NBA's most mesmerizing talents: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. The sharpshooter extraordinaire provides hands-on instruction during the camp.
Johnson has been named the Gatorade Kentucky Girls Basketball Player of the Year each of the past two seasons and is ranked as the No. 3 player in the nation in the 2025 class, per ESPN HoopGurlz.
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Around the area: Louisville native Kiyaunta Goodwin reportedly on move again; new girls basketball coach named at Assumption High
Kiyaunta Goodwin, who became one of the most highly-touted signees in the history of the Kentucky football program when he joined the 2022 class, transferred to Florida after last season concluded. Now, the former five-star offensive lineman is reportedly on the move again. According to 247Sports, Goodwin left the program "due to personal circumstances within his family." Goodwin's mother was recently diagnosed with cancer, per the report. A Louisville native, Goodwin played at Holy Cross and Ballard High before spending the final two seasons of his prep career at Charlestown High School in Charlestown, Indiana. He is expected to transfer to a school closer to Louisville.
Louisville couple David and Susan Mateja participated in the 2023 National Senior Games last week in Pittsburgh. The pair competed in the the age-70-to-74 mixed doubles tennis competition; Susan captured the silver medal in the women’s singles draw.
Assumption High named Caryn Schoff Kovatch the school's new head basketball coach.
Charles Hickman is taking over as Shelby County's girls basketball head coach.
Bryan Sabatella is the newest member of the Louisville softball coaching staff. Sabatella, who was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the ninth round of the 2005 MLB Draft and played professionally for 11 years, spent the last two seasons as the hitting and infield coach at Utah Tech.
U of L softball also added a player to its roster last week: Bailee Richardson, a graduate transfer from Georgia State. She was a four-year starter in the infield for the Panthers and owns a .310 batting average for her college career. Richardson had 29 home runs, 25 doubles, 107 RBIs and 89 runs scored at Georgia State. She led the Panthers in RBIs (33), doubles (eight) and home runs (nine) last season.
Saint Xavier head football coach Kevin Wallace is a finalist for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association's coach of the year award.
A local softball team, the Fusion Medley 8U, won the United States Fastpitch Association 8U World Series in Panama City Beach, Florida, earlier this month. The team went 10-1 during the tournament. After its lone loss, it had to win five games in one day to earn a spot in the title game. In the championship contest, Fusion Medley trailed 3-0 before rallying to win 6-3. The team ended its season with an overall record of 77-16. The Fusion Medley, coached by Frank Medley, Chaz Cook, Jodi Davis, Jason Davis and Tim Cook, boasts 11 players: Blakely Akridge, Raelee Blue Clary, Kinleigh Cook, Faith Davis, Norah Gibson, Paige McFarland, Makayla Medley, Harper Smith, Ellie Streble, Ella Taylor and Rylee Tyler.
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High school recruiting: Louisville baseball lands in-state commitment from RHP Brandin Crawford; CAL's Mariah Knight headed to Purdue-Fort Wayne
Baseball: Brandin Crawford, a right-handed pitcher and third baseman at Clay County High, committed to Louisville's 2024 class. ... Bullitt East left fielder/shortstop Brady Sauer, a 2023 recruit, committed to Schoolcraft College, a community college in Livonia, Michigan.
Girls basketball: Mariah Knight, who stars at Christian Academy of Louisville, committed to Purdue-Fort Wayne. The 2024 recruit also had offers from Northern Kentucky, Murray State, Arkansas State, Marshall, Coppin State and Wright State. ... Kaela Ballard, who played at Portland Christian School, committed to Cambellsville University-Harrodsburg. The 2023 guard had previously committed to Welch College. ... Allison Spieker, a 2024 guard at Whitefield Academy, picked up an offer from in-state NAIA school Union College, which is located in Barbourville. She also has an offer from Spalding University. ... Reagan Mulvey, a 2024 center who plays for Portland Christian, received an offer from North Central University, a Division III school in Minneapolis. She also holds an offer from Patrick Henry College, a private school in Purcellville, Virginia. ... Ballard High forward Trinity Armour, a 2024 recruit, picked up her first college offer: Rose-Hulman, a Division III institution in Terre Haute, Indiana. ... Principia College, a Division III institution in Elsah, Illinois, offered 2024 Oldham County guard Ellery Kloek.
Boys basketball: Jamal Chambers, a 2023 guard who played at Fern Creek High, committed to Kaskaskia College, a community college in Centralia, Illinois. ... Jackson Washington, a 2024 guard from Christian Academy of Louisville, recently landed two new offers from Division I schools: New Hampshire and Kennesaw State.
Football: Carter Guillaume, a 2024 Saint Xavier lineman, picked up an offer from Murray State. ... Male High quarterback Kolter Smith, a 2024 prospect, landed an offer from Westfield State, a Division III institution in Westfield, Massachusetts. It is his 11th college offer.
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Mark your calendars
Racing Louisville FC heads to Texas to face the Houston Dash at Shell Energy Stadium at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Louisville City FC hosts Indy Eleven at Lynn Family Stadium at 8 p.m. Saturday.
After wrapping up their six-game home stand against the Columbus Clippers Sunday night, the Louisville Bats hit the road for six straight outings against the Indianapolis Indians. The first game of the series is set for 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at Victory Field.
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Play of the week: Cincinnati Reds super prospect Noelvi Marte homers for first time with Louisville Bats
With Elly De La Cruz making waves in the majors, Noelvi Marte is now the Cincinnati Reds' top prospect — ranked 16th overall, per MLB.com, among all players in the minors. The organization promoted Marte from Double-A Chattanooga to Triple-A Louisville less than a month ago.
Marte tallied eight homers in 50 games for Chattanooga. But he'd yet to notch one as a Bat.
Until Thursday.
He turned on the first pitch he saw from Columbus right-hander Jhon Romero — with authority.
It left Marte's bat at 113.8 mph and landed 464 feet away from home plate.
To the delight of Bats — and Reds — fans everywhere.
CRUSHED 💥
Noelvi Marte’s first career Triple-A home run leaves the bat at 113.8 mph and goes a whopping 464 feet‼️@MarteNoelvi | #MadeInLou pic.twitter.com/PcV9xvbHKg— Louisville Bats (@LouisvilleBats) July 21, 2023
Each week we'll highlight what's going on in and around Louisville, from high school to pro sports, in our "Starting 5." Got a story to tell or a play of the week? Tweet at us @CJ_Sports. Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Sacred Heart Academy's ZaKiyah Johnson with Team USA, Louisville Bats