Highlands 77 Harrison County 0

[Qryche11]

Sounds like a great game, when did the running clock start?

[Birdsfan]

Sounds like a great game, when did the running clock start?

Yesterday.

[Whackem'n'Stackem']

Sounds like a great game, when did the running clock start?

 

Early 2nd qtr

[Bluesport]

Everyone played as expected but I would like to see Beau Hoge's numbers in the 2nd half at QB. A statement was made tonight who Dale's starting QB is in 2014. It was impressive!!!! Can someone come up with some approx numbers. Getting ready to hold onto your hat....

 

I would assume that these were obviously plays where he ran the ball, with him team up by so much and all correct?

[Birdsfan]

 

I would assume that these were obviously plays where he ran the ball, with him team up by so much and all correct?

Why on earth would you ask your young backup QB to get in there and do basically nothing? That's certainly a great way to get him some valuable experience. :lol:

[John Anthony]

And just like that it shifts from Houliston to Hodge....the chatter that is.

[KyDad]

Who played qb for Harrison tonight?

[KY Thorobred]

Who played qb for Harrison tonight?

 

Robbie Stroub

[Clyde]

Hoge had 190 yards and 5 TDs.

[NamecipS]

Hoge had 190 yards and 5 TDs.

 

Junior?

[katbird]

Junior?

 

Yep

[THUNDERBIRDS]

Hoge had 190 yards and 5 TDs.

 

Does anybody have his attempts/completions? I know he didn't hand the ball off once but I could be wrong.

[PsalmsG]

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds football team has a knack for obliterating laws of averages, especially against district opponents not named Covington Catholic.

The average margin of victory for Highlands against district opponents outside Covington Catholic was about 48 points entering Friday’s contest. The Bluebirds bested that average by 29 in a 77-0 victory over the visiting Harrison County Thorobreds in Class 4A, District 7 action at David Cecil Memorial Stadium.

The undefeated 7-0 Bluebirds have hit the Harrison County (2-5) record book three straight years. Highlands also beat Harrison County, 68-0 two years ago. No team had scored more points in a game against the Thorobreds at that point in 41 years of. The Bluebirds bested that total by a point last year in a 69-10 win in Cynthiana. Harrison County’s program is in its 43rd season compared to the 99th for Highlands.

“It was a game where the ones played longer than we would have liked to,” said Dale Mueller, Highlands Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. “But we don’t have a game next week. We’re playing (Covington) Holmes (in two weeks). We just need some time in the next couple weeks before we get to (Cincinnati) Elder.”

Highlands improved to 94-3 since the start of 2007. The Bluebirds also moved to 849-225-26 all-time with the win.

The point total came nowhere near the record for the most points in a game in Kentucky history. Louisville Male set that record way back in 1913 scoring 149 against Tharp. Teams need to score in triple digits to make the record book, which is pretty tough to do because the running clock starts when opponents go up by 36 or more points. Dixie Heights scored 100 points in a win over Newport in 1969.

This marked the first shutout of the year for Highlands. The Bluebirds have outscored both district opponents 119-6. They entered the game off a 42-6 at Covington Catholic on Saturday.

“Anytime you shut a team out, we’re excited about that,” said Brian Weinrich, Highlands Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator. “We just have to keep getting better at what we do. We need to get stronger, faster and quicker and focus on our fundamentals. I thought we made a big step with a lot of guys in certain positions.”

The Bluebirds scored on 11 of their 12 possessions. The only time they did not score was their final possession of the first half with the running clock. They drove to the Harrison County 23 but ran out of time despite calling all three timeouts. Highlands threw an incomplete pass into the end zone with 17 seconds left.

Highlands passed the ball all but two times in the game similar to last year. The Bluebirds outgained the Thorobreds, 441-185 in total offense including 439-108 in the air on 26 plays. They started the majority of their drives in Thorobred territory thanks to three turnovers, a bad punt and some good punt returns.

The Bluebird offensive line again protected well for quarterbacks Drew Houliston and Beau Hoge. Houliston completed 11-of-14 passes for 249 yards and four touchdowns all in the first half including his first nine for 190 yards. Hoge completed 9-of-10 for 190 yards and five scores in the second half. Houliston also had both Highlands rushes for two yards.

“I think because (the offensive linemen) got a lot of reps in the entire game, they got better on their feet,” said Bailey Schell, Highlands junior tight end/offensive lineman. “You’re only doing one thing the entire time so you keep practicing the same thing. We’ve been watching a lot of film studying different blitzes. We go against the scout defense that tries really hard. That helps a lot.”

Junior Jensen Feggins had four catches for 123 yards and a touchdown to lead the Bluebirds with Alex Veneman and Zach Harris making three catches each for 84 and 74 yards respectively with two touchdowns a piece. Jaylen Hayes followed them with two catches for 35 yards and two touchdowns and Luke Brockett had two catches for 26 yards and a touchdown.

“(The passing game) was pretty darn good,” Mueller said. “It puts a lot of pressure (on opposing defenses) because we can throw the ball 60-65 yards down the field and down the sidelines so you have to cover such a big area. That leaves the running game up the middle or out wide. It makes it difficult to cover.”

Harrison County junior quarterback Robbie Stroub completed 17-of-37 passes for 108 yards. Grant Carr led the Thorobred receivers with four catches for 35 yards. The Thorobreds played without senior Zach Royce. The Thorobreds ran a mixture of I-formation and spread sets and gained 14 first downs to 11 for the Bluebirds but could not convert on fourth down on a couple drives into Highlands territory.

“We were honestly worried about doing our jobs,” said Joseph Dressman, Highlands sophomore linebacker. “It’s not about focusing on one aspect of the game. It hurts you on the football field when you think a lot. When it is something simple, it comes faster.”

Highlands scored just 35 seconds into the game. Harris took a shovel pass and scored from 26 yards out. Harris scored on another 25-yard shovel pass with 9:32 left in the quarter. That came after Braden Hicks tipped a Stroub pass and Michael Ayers intercepted it and returned it to the Harrison County 27.

The scoring run was far from over. Veneman scored on a receiver screen pass from nine yards out and Feggins returned a punt back 69 yards for a touchdown before another Harrison County led to the final score of the first quarter. Harrison County tried to kick a field goal, but the snap was high and junior Grayson Heck returned it 65 yards for a touchdown with 39 seconds left to put Highlands up 35-0 after the first quarter.

The Bluebirds scored just one touchdown in the second quarter. Houliston found Veneman for a 29-yard strike with 11:44 left in the quarter to put Highlands up 42-0.

Hoge threw three touchdown passes in the third quarter to give Highlands a 63-0 advantage. They were a 14-yarder to Brockett, a 49-yarder to Feggins and a 19-yarder to Hayes. The Hayes score came after Highlands sophomore defensive back Brad Broering recovered a Harrison County fumble on a kickoff.

“It is nerve-racking,” Broering said of chasing a fumble. “You have the decision to pick it up or jump on it. I thought the best decision was to jump on it. We take five minutes of practice every day picking up fumbles so that helped out a lot.”

Hoge threw two more in the fourth quarter to finish the scoring. Hoge threw a 2-yard score to Justin Weyer and a 16-yarder to Hayes.

Highlands has a bye week before concluding district action Oct. 18. The Bluebirds will welcome Covington Holmes (4-2) to Fort Thomas for a 7 p.m. contest.

 

Fort Thomas Sports: Highlands throttles another district opponent, 77-0

[PsalmsG]

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

It can be tough to wait sometimes from an egotistical standpoint.

But many talented sophomores and even juniors are finding themselves in that position on the deeply talented Highlands Bluebirds football team. One of them is sophomore backup quarterback Austin Hergott. Hergott could start on many varsity teams around the country.

Hergott did not see action in Friday’s 77-0 win over Harrison County. With Cincinnati Elder on the horizon, Highlands Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Dale Mueller wanted to get junior Beau Hoge some repetition with the skill position players. But Hergott and his teammates still practice hard in case someone goes out with an injury.

“It can be rough (waiting) at times,” Hergott said. “But you have to fight through it and know that you’re going to play for one of the top programs in the whole nation. That’s all worth it your senior year.”

Current Highlands starting quarterback Drew Houliston found himself in the same situation two years ago. He backed up Patrick Towles and Donovan McCoy as a sophomore then backed up McCoy last year. Hoge backed up McCoy and Houliston last year.

Resting up:

Highlands recorded its first shutout of the year without several key players. On defense, Seth Hope, Avery McDaniel, Thomas Wrobleski and Jackson Bardo did not play. On offense, Highlands rested wide receiver Evan Allen.

“We’re not healthy now,” said Brian Weinrich, Highlands Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator. “So we have a lot of guys out there getting a lot of confidence. I’m not sure how many of the guys could have played. We’re gaining some depth now.”

Another Milestone in Sight:

The next victory for Highlands will be the 850th in school history. The Bluebirds are 849-225-26 since the program began in 1915.

Only one other program has that many wins in school history. That is Valdosta (Ga.). The Wildcats are 880-210-34 since starting their program in 1913.

Hitting the 70s:

Highlands is 94-3 since the start of 2007 with a state-record six consecutive state championships.

The Bluebirds hit the 70s for the seventh time during that run. They scored a 70-0 win over Pendleton County last year. Highlands also scored 70 points against Covington Holmes in 2008 and another 70 against Woodford County in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs in 2010.

“We had a scrimmage against Trinity where we were down 51-0 at halftime (last year),” Mueller said. “We just needed to get Beau in. Those were his first snaps playing quarterback all year.”

But the Bluebirds did it three times in 2011 with Patrick Towles and Austin Sheehan when Highlands shattered the state record with 849 points. They scored 71 on Mason County, 79 on Pendleton County and 77 on Covington Holmes that year.

Defending state champs sock district opponents:

Highlands was not the only team to put up a lot of points against weaker district opponents the previous two days.

The defending Class 5A champion Bowling Green Purples destroyed the District 2 rival Logan County Cougars, 91-10 on Thursday. The Cougars have scored just 38 points all season.

The 7-0 Purples own the state’s longest winning streak with 37 in a row. The state record is 50 straight set by Louisville Trinity from 1988 to 1991.

Defending Class 1A champion Mayfield knocked off Fulton City, 63-0 on Friday. The Cardinals are also undefeated at 7-0.

Dougherty ties school record:

Highlands sophomore kicker Jared Dougherty made 11 extra-point attempts in the win. That tied the school team record set in 2011.

Bowling Green made 13 extra-point attempts in the win over Logan County. That broke the previous record of 12 by Fleming-Neon against Elkhorn City in 2000 and Lexington Catholic against Owen County in 1999.

But unlike Dougherty, the Purples used two different kickers. Hunter Hanks made nine and Lee Ramsey four for Bowling Green.

Record vs. Harrison County:

The Bluebirds improved to 8-0 all-time against the Thorobreds with the win. They’ve won the previous three meetings by a combined 214-10.

Mueller presented game ball:

Highlands Principal Brian Robinson presented Mueller with the game ball at halftime for his 300th career win as a head coach that came in a 33-26 win on Sept. 14 at John Hardin. Mueller owns a career record of 303-65 and 244-34 at Highlands.

Around District 7:

Highlands district rivals Covington Holmes and Covington Catholic picked up non-district wins. CovCath (4-2) rebounded from the Saturday loss to Highlands with a 28-7 win at Beechwood on Thursday. Holmes (4-2) beat Bellevue, 42-36 on Friday.

Around Class 4A:

Region rival Johnson Central downed southern Ohio power Ironton, 56-14 on Friday. The Golden Eagles remained undefeated at 6-0 and go to Greenup County this week.

Boyle County remained undefeated at 7-0 with a crucial District 5 victory over Lexington Catholic (4-3), 22-13. The Rebels don’t figure to be challenged the rest of the regular season.

 

Fort Thomas Sports: Bluebird Notebook: Younger players wait for time

[Whackem'n'Stackem']

And just like that it shifts from Houliston to Hodge....the chatter that is.

 

Please don't start a Houliston vs. Hoge thread.