Contributed Article/Courtesy Darcy Barney/Fort Thomas
FORT THOMAS — The Fort Thomas Lady Apaches wrapped up a standout 2025 season with seven athletes earning 1A East All-Region recognition, highlighting the team’s depth, resilience, and competitive edge.
The season’s narrative shifted early when Fort Thomas lost one of its most impactful players, Kaylee Benally, to a season-ending ACL injury in only the second game. Benally, a six-rotation standout and last year’s Second Team All-Region selection, was a central piece of the Lady Apaches’ lineup. Her injury could have derailed the season—but instead, it became a turning point.
Through a true “next man up” mentality, players stepped into new roles, elevated their performance, and rallied around one another. The team regrouped and surged forward, finishing with an impressive 6-1 region and 13-3 conference record, claiming second place in the competitive 1A East Region. Their only regional loss came to Cicero Prep, the undefeated region champion and eventual 1A State Champion.
Their impressive regular-season performance earned the Lady Apaches the No. 10 seed in the 1A State Tournament. In the opening round, Ft. Thomas delivered one of the tournament’s early surprises, upsetting No. 7 Patagonia Union High School in a gritty, hard-fought match. The Lady Apaches advanced to the state quarter-final round, where they faced No. 2 seed North Phoenix Prep. Despite a determined effort, Fort Thomas fell short, ending their successful postseason run and closing out their season.
The team’s accomplishments were further recognized with seven All-Region honors:
First Team All-Region
- Raeleigh Hawkins, Senior – Outside Hitter
- Treyiah Declay, Senior – Setter
Second Team All-Region
- Jamie Johnson, Junior – Outside Hitter
- Kelcie Harvey, Junior – Libero
Honorable Mention All-Region
- Tranessa Jones, Junior – Middle Blocker
- Jennika Wilson, Senior – Opposite
- Kirah Moses, Senior – Defensive Specialist
These athletes played pivotal roles throughout the season, contributing leadership, consistency, and skill across every position on the court. The future is bright for Ft. Thomas Volleyball.
