Final.

Stats???

How Long were the freshman in the game? LOL

 

3 posts speaks volumes for why these ganes are a complete waste of time.

How Long were the freshman in the game? LOL

 

3 posts speaks volumes for why these ganes are a complete waste of time.

 

Frosh were not in at all. Take a look at the box score and that should give you a good indication.

Frosh were not in at all. Take a look at the box score and that should give you a good indication.

 

Did Jared play any rb?

Kendall did.

Frosh were not in at all. Take a look at the box score and that should give you a good indication.

 

Freshman Jared Pulsfort was in to return a punt. Didn't notice any others.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Nothing came unexpected in this one.

The Highlands Bluebirds football earned another top seed in the playoffs with its 17th district championship in 18 years and that again came with the usual first-round thumping of a visiting fourth-seeded opponent. The Class 4A, District 7 champion Bluebirds destroyed the Boyd County Lions of District 8 for the third straight year, 70-6 on Friday to open the playoffs.

Highlands moved to 10-1 on the season and won its state-record 31st consecutive playoff game to move to 97-4 since the start of 2007. The Bluebirds have outscored their 31 district opponents by 1,065 points during that run for an average of just more than 34 points a game.

The Bluebirds have beaten the Lions (1-10) by a grand total of 189-27 in the only three meetings in school history. The average margin of victory in those three games for Highlands is 63 points.

“We were favored in the game I’d say, but you still have to win the game,” said Dale Mueller, Highlands Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. “To (win 97-of-101 games), you have to not get upset. You have to be ready to play each (playoff) game. On Monday, one of the two teams turns in their equipment so it is so important to be ready to play that game.”

Highlands outgained Boyd County, 472-109 in total offense pretty much doing whatever it wanted the entire game. The Bluebird offensive line once again protected the skill players well not allowing a sack.

“(The success) is from the amount of hard work we put in (year-round),” said Carson Haas, Highlands sophomore offensive lineman. “It’s just crazy what we go through to be able to do something like that. We’re really satisfied with ourselves. We’re looking forward to the (rest of the playoffs). We know it will be a challenge.”

Highlands senior quarterback Drew Houliston completed 11-of-18 passes for 166 yards and four touchdowns and Beau Hoge completed 6-of-8 for 127 yards and two scores. Ryan Greene and Brandon Hergott had two touchdown receptions each.

Alex Veneman led Highlands with 85 yards receiving on five catches and Luke Brockett had four catches for 46 yards. Greene followed with three catches for 55 yards and Hergott’s two touchdown receptions totaled seven yards.

“We were trying to get the pocket all secured so (Houliston) didn’t get hit,” said Austin Beal, Highlands sophomore wide receiver. “When he threw it downfield, we were trying to get our wide receivers to be open further (upfield) so he didn’t have to throw that far.”

Highlands rested starting running back Zach Harris. But sophomore Nicholas Kendall shined rushing for 156 yards on five carries and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Highlands rested defensive backs Griffin Urlage and Andrew Abner in addition to linebacker Thomas Wrobelski. But the Bluebirds held the Lions to just six yards rushing after hearing about how vulnerable they were there all week.

“We had a game plan specific for (Boyd County),” said Brian Weinrich, Highlands Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator. “We executed it really well. We had to put some guys in some new spots. We have to figure out who we have for next week and be ready to go.”

Highlands put constant pressure on Boyd County quarterback Billy McCoy all game. He completed just 5-of-14 passes for six yards.

The Tigers lined up in the Stack-I formation and tried to run up the middle and outside. But the Bluebirds held them to just six yards rushing.

“I think we adapted to (the Stack-I) pretty well,” said Jack Jager, Highlands sophomore defensive end. “We hope to come out next week and (play well) again. If you don’t have food foot work, you’re going to fall down and not make the tackle.”

The Tigers got most of their yardage on the last drive of the game. Quarterback Cade Isaacs completed all four passes for 97 yards including a 66-yarder to Christian Braly to avert the shutout in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers had four turnovers to none for the Bluebirds. John Abner and Joey Kruse had fumble recoveries with Alex Shadle and Kyle Martin recording interceptions for the Bluebirds. Shadle returned his interception 24 yards for a touchdown and Kruse stripped the ball for a 22-yard fumble return for the score. That gave Highlands a 56-0 halftime lead.

Highlands led 35-0 after Kendall’s touchdown runs of 94 and 59 yards. Houliston completed a 50-yard score to Jensen Feggins, a 1-yarder to Greene and a 6-yarder to Hergott in that quarter.

The Bluebirds enforced the running clock with 11:35 left in the second quarter. Houliston completed a 1-yard pass to Hergott.

Highlands scored its other two touchdowns in the third quarter. Hoge completed a 4-yarder to Brockett and a 37-yarder to Greene.

The Bluebirds take on 8-3 Ashland Blazer on Friday in Fort Thomas. Highlands beat the Tomcats, 52-13 in the second round of last year’s playoffs.

 

FORT THOMAS MATTERS: Bluebirds declaw Lions again to open playoffs

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Many younger Highlands players experienced the playoffs for the first time in Friday’s 70-6 thrashing of Boyd County in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

The Bluebirds led 56-0 at halftime. That helps Highlands build up experience for the future as many of them played in the second half.

“It’s a valuable experience for them because a number of those guys will be varsity starters next year,” said Dale Mueller, Highlands Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. “They are not so much the focus of it, but still, they’re getting in there and getting ready for next year.”

Sophomore wide receiver Eric Miller was one of those players to experience the playoffs for the first time. He caught a pass from quarterback Austin Hergott in the fourth quarter.

“It is pretty cool to get in there when it really matters,” Miller said. “Even getting a catch is pretty awesome. We work hard all year to finally get in.”

Making the 70s:

Highlands scored in the 70s for the 10th time during the 97-3 run since the start of 2007. That includes the fourth time this year with those games coming against its last four Kentucky opponents.

That mark outdid the last time Highlands finished undefeated in 2011. That team led by senior quarterback Patrick Towles and wide receiver Austin Sheehan smashed the state record with 849 points. They scored 71 on Mason County before scoring 79 on Pendleton County and another 77 on Covington Holmes in district action.

Half of those 70-plus scoring games have come against two opponents. The Bluebirds have done it three times to Covington Holmes and twice to Pendleton County.

Highlands has recorded two 70-point games in the first round of the playoffs during that time. The other one came in a 70-8 victory over Woodford County to open the Class 5A playoffs in 2010.

Undefeated in the first round in Mueller Era:

The Bluebirds moved to 20-0 in the first round of the playoffs since Mueller became head coach in 1994.

The average margin of victory for first-round opponents is just more than 45 points during the playoff winning streak. The closest anyone came to beating Highlands during that time is Bryan Station. The Bluebirds escaped 28-22 when Tony Guidugli threw a late touchdown pass to Austin Collinsworth.

Highlands has not gone on the road in the first round of the playoffs since 1995. The Bluebirds won 40-20 at Lawrence County to open the playoffs that year. They finished state runner up in Class 3A that year losing 28-12 to Bowling Green in the title game.

Highlands has not lost in the first round of the playoffs since 1991. The Bluebirds have beaten their last 19 first-round opponents by 842 points for an average margin of victory of just more than 44 a game.

Of the 19 first-round opponents since 1995, six meetings have come against two teams. Highlands has beaten Boyd County and Franklin County three times each. The Bluebirds have also beaten Anderson County and Rowan County twice during that time.

Records against Class 4A, District 8 opponents:

Highlands moved to 30-5-1 against Class 4A, District 8 opponents.

The Bluebirds are 4-0 against Johnson Central and 2-0 against both Greenup County and Rowan County in school history. Every meeting against Rowan County, Johnson Central and Boyd County has come in the playoffs.

They are also 19-5-1 against the Ashland Blazer Tomcats, which comes to Fort Thomas on Friday. Highlands has not lost to Ashand since about the time of Mueller’s birth in 1954. Ashland knocked off 5-6 Covington Holmes, 49-20 in Ashland on Friday.

Another 77 put up against Harrison County:

Johnson Central equaled the Bluebird effort of 77 points scored against the Thorobreds in a 77-13 playoff win in Paintsville on Friday.

That marked the end of another tough season in the rebuilding process for second-year head coach Jim Carr. But Harrison County did make progress finishing 3-8 after going 1-10 last year.

Junior Varsity Notes:

The Highlands Junior Varsity was not able to finish the year undefeated. Scott County beat the Bluebirds, 56-20 on Saturday. Highlands finished the year at 6-1.

Within 30 of Valdosta:

The Bluebirds moved 30 wins shy of tieing the Valdosta Wildcats of south Georgia for the most wins of school history. The Wildcats lost 38-17 to Region 1-AAAAAA rival Coffee County on Friday to conclude the regular season.

Highlands is 852-226-26 in school history since starting its program in 1915. Valdosta started its program in 1913 and is 882-213-34 in that time.

 

 

FORT THOMAS MATTERS: Bluebird Notebook: Younger players earn playoff experience

Kendall did.

 

So much for the stars of the future seeing time last night, aye Remmac2

Freshman Jared Pulsfort was in to return a punt. Didn't notice any others.

 

Surprised he did not get to run the ball as well, especially with only one healthy running back.

Nice articles Mike:thumb: