The postseason begins Monday afternoon in Fort Thomas as the No. 2-seeded Apaches host No. 15 Williams Vikings in the opening round of the 2026 AIA 1A Girls Basketball State Championships.
Fort Thomas enters at 26–6 overall and a perfect 9–0 in region play, earning one of the top seeds in the 1A bracket. The Apaches average 52 points per game while allowing just 35.7 per contest, outscoring opponents by more than 16 points per night.
The Apaches are led by Jamie Johnson at 9.5 points per game, while Kynnedee Bryce controls the paint with 5.6 rebounds per contest. Raeleigh Hawkins contributes across the stat sheet with 2.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game. As a team, Fort Thomas averages 26.5 rebounds and more than 11 steals per contest.
Although the Apaches fell in the opening round of the Copper Bracket to Valley Christian, their body of work throughout the season secured them a strong state seed and a home first-round matchup in the 1A tournament.
Williams enters as the No. 15 seed with a 10–11 record. The Vikings advanced into the main bracket with a play-in win over The Gregory School. Williams averages 41 points per game and is led by Kenzie Orozco at 8.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest. Sonia Lopez adds defensive pressure with 3.7 steals per game.
Statistically, Fort Thomas holds the edge in scoring, rebounding, and overall efficiency. The Apaches are also 10–2 at home this season.
Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Monday at Fort Thomas High School and can be heard live on KATO 1230AM.
