The Ryle Lady Raiders claimed the 2026 Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) 33rd District girls soccer championship Wednesday, Oct. 14, beating Conner 7-1 in the final at Boone County.
Both teams advance to the Ninth Region Tournament. Ryle, as district champion, will host a Round 1 game.
The title caps a turnaround season for a program that hadn't posted a winning record since 2021 or reached the Ninth Region Tournament since 2022, according to LINK nky's preseason coverage. Ryle went 9-11-1 last year.
Head coach John Pohlman, who took over in 2024, laid out the goal before the season started. "Our goals are to win district, to win region and to compete for a state championship … We've built the belief that it's anybody's district, it's anybody's region," Pohlman said in an August preseason interview with LINK nky.
One down.
The Lady Raiders left little doubt in the district bracket. They routed Boone County 11-0 in the Oct. 12 semifinal before putting seven past Conner in the championship, per district scores tracked by LINK nky. Conner reached the final after edging Cooper 3-2 in the other semifinal on Oct. 12.
The district title is the first box checked on a list Pohlman and his players set publicly in August. The bigger target: a region championship. No team other than Highlands or Notre Dame has won the Ninth Region Tournament since 2011, according to LINK nky.
Ryle's roster features several players who returned from season-ending injuries. Senior Ella Hoenderkamp, a Thomas More commit who earned second-team All-Ninth Region honors as a sophomore after leading the team with 12 goals, missed her entire junior season. In an August interview with LINK nky, Hoenderkamp said she felt the urgency of her final year.
"Coming back, it's like I just need to make up for last year and try to do everything that I can to lead the team and be there for everybody," Hoenderkamp said.
Junior goalkeeper Avery Smith also missed all of last season with an injury before returning for 2026.
The Lady Raiders entered the first Kentucky High School Girls Soccer Coaches Association poll at No. 17 and proved early they could compete at the top level, beating two-time defending Ninth Region champion Highlands 1-0 in August.
Ryle's next game will be a Round 1 matchup in the Ninth Region Tournament, with the opponent and time to be set by the regional draw. Conner will also play in the region field.
