This is why coaches should never give their team false sense of hope by showing them wrong film...LOL

 

...

 

What did I miss?

What did I miss?

 

May have been a Warren Central reference.

Don't think it changes the result, but I suspect Ashland without Baker (flu, I heard) is not the same team.

 

Regardless, lack of any meaningful pressure on the QB meant HHS would score as often as they possessed the ball and did not turn it over.

 

Nice work by Kendall for the 2nd week in a row. Kid is quick and shifty.

 

Daugherty ran hard when given the ball.

 

Looking forward to next week and this group of Seniors' last home game -- regardless of outcome.

As I said a few weeks ago, there are numerous Sophomores that would be starters at most if not all other schools in Northern Kentucky that merely have to wait their turn, some much more reluctantly than others. Last night you saw Mitchell Cain make his first varsity catch for a touchdown having to step in due to a minor injury to a receiver. You had Nick Kendall start for the second week in a row so that Zack Harris is fresh and ready to go against the Blue Colonels. Bo Hebel has been a steady force on the line all year. Finally last night the tight reins were removed from the kicker and he had several nice runs as well. Eric Miller stepped in when needed to handle the kicking duties last night in addition to playing wide receiver. All of this happening in game 12 of the season and the second round of the playoffs. This is why Highlands is able to have success year after year. One class builds on the strengths of the others and fills the voids that the other classes have as well.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

It may be a case of playoff rewind from last year in its third year playing in Class 4A.

But the Highlands Bluebirds football team is once again dominating those same opponents. Top-ranked 11-1 Highlands did basically what it wanted the entire game in a 56-6 second-round victory over the Ashland Tomcats on Friday at David Cecil Memorial Field.

“You really can see that it is the playoffs. The guys were so ready to play,” said Dale Mueller, Highlands Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. “They just executed the offense and defense so well pretty much every play. It was great play by basically everybody that got out on the field.”

After smashing Boyd County and Ashland in the first two rounds at the same location as last year, Highlands earned another 2012 playoff rematch in the same round against the arch-rival Covington Catholic Colonels (10-2) on Friday. The Bluebirds beat the Colonels, 28-13 for the regional title last year and have won 10 straight in the series including a 42-6 win in Park Hills on Sept. 28.

Highlands could easily play the same five playoff opponents as last year. The Bluebirds beat Lexington Catholic in the state semifinals and Collins in the title game last year. Lexington Catholic faces Mercer County for the Region 3 title next week and Collins takes on North Oldham for the Region 2 crown.

Highlands improved to 98-4 since the start of 2007 and won its state-record 32nd straight playoff game. The Bluebirds have outscored those opponents by 1,115 points for an average of about 35 a game.

Highlands outgained Ashland, 413-38 in total offense and gained 16 first downs to six for the visitors. Drew Houliston once again led Highlands offensively completing 13-of-16 passes for 243 yards and five touchdowns. Sophomore Austin Hergott completed both his passes for 28 yards.

The Highlands offensive line once again showed how effective the offseason conditioning program pays off. The Bluebirds allowed no quarterback sacks.

“We just run and lift (a lot) to get in shape,” said John Abner, Highlands junior offensive lineman. “That’s what makes us good.”

Jensen Feggins and Alex Veneman had three catches each for Highlands. Feggins had 60 yards and a touchdown and Veneman had 39 yards and two scores. Evan Allen followed with two catches for 64 yards and Mitchell Cain had 25 yards and a touchdown to go with his first two catches of the year.

“(Wide receiver) is a hard spot to play,” Cain said. “There are so many people that are great players. You just have to wait your turn and you’ll get your chance eventually. They you have to show what you got.”

Defensively, Highlands faced a Pistol-formation option offense. The Tomcats like to fake or hand off up the middle before quarterback Hunter Prince goes outside and either keeps it or pitches to the running back.

Ashland played without sophomore running back Quentin Baker. He was out sick and the Tomcats missed his 1,604 yards of rushing on 185 carries and 17 touchdowns.

The only Ashland touchdown of the game came by sophomore Jake Long. Long scored on a 7-yard run with 8:33 left in the game on a run around the right side. Long appeared in just his second game after transferring over the Ohio River from Ironton (Ohio).

“We planned for the option,” said Kyle Martin, Highlands junior defensive back. “We just have a game plan where one person has the quarterback and one person has the running back. We read our keys and contain them. We found out before the game that (Baker) wasn’t playing. But we still played the same way.”

 

Highlands had 9.5 tackles for a loss, a sack and recovered three Ashland fumbles while turning it over just once. Joey Kruse, Jacob Noe and Rocco Pangallo had fumble recoveries with Matt Gall, Braden Hicks and Brady Murray all recording two tackles for a loss each. Seth Hope and Kruse also combined to sack Prince.

The Bluebirds hit the running clock with 7:12 left in the second quarter. That’s when Cain had a 12-yard pass from Houliston.

They jumped out to a 29-0 lead after the first quarter. Veneman had 18 and 23-yard scores with Weyer and Feggins scoring from 12 and 25 yards out respectively. Brandon Hergott recorded the two-point conversion after Veneman’s second score.

Highlands led 42-0 at halftime scoring on all six possessions. Nick Kendall scored on a 12-yard run. He finished with 70 yards rushing as the Bluebirds rested senior running backs Zach Harris and Jaylen Hayes.

The Bluebirds scored once in each of the final two quarters. Joey Kruse returned a fumble 22 yards for a score with 5:01 remaining in the third and James Grau scored from nine yards out with 3:34 left in the game.

Highlands only found itself in third-and-long twice and converted on one of them. Ashland converted 2-of-8 on third down and once on fourth.

 

FORT THOMAS MATTERS: Highlands tames Tomcats, 56-6

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

It may have been rough traveling some.

But the tough schedule for Highlands is paying off. The Bluebirds are 11-1 and headed to the third round of the playoffs for the seventh straight year.

The regular season schedule saw Highlands play nine teams with winning records in 2012. Some of those teams will be playing for regional championships next weekend.

The two out-of-state opponents are still playing. University Christian (Fla.) sits at 9-2 and plays in the second round of the playoffs on Friday and 9-2 Cincinnati Elder takes on rival Moeller in the second round of the Ohio playoffs tonight.

The Bluebirds hit the road for three straight Saturdays in September and all three will play for region championships. That included a 42-6 win over Covington Catholic on Sept. 28. The Colonels have won seven straight to move to 10-2 since then.

John Hardin (10-2) has won eight in a row since losing 33-26 to Highlands on Sept. 14. The Bulldogs take on Bullitt East for the region crown in Class 5A.

Paducah Tilghman (7-5) lost to Henderson County (27-14) six days after playing host to Highlands. But the Blue Tornado have rebounded to win six in a row and will take on South Warren for a Class 3A region championship.

“That’s why we schedule as tough of games as we can,” said Dale Mueller, Highlands Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. “We try to play (Cincinnati) Elder at The Pit. That’s why we played (University Christian) of Florida to get ready for this game. It’s all geared for this game.”

Campbell County finished the season 8-4 in its third season under Head Coach Stephen Lickert, a 1997 Highlands graduate. The Camels fell 14-7 at Louisville Butler in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs on Friday.

Warren Central (6-6) and Lexington Bryan Station (5-6) also advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Graves County edged the Dragons, 28-27 in double overtime in Class 5A and undefeated Scott County drilled the Defenders, 55-7 in the second round of the 6A playoffs.

Krusing to Touchdowns:

Highlands senior linebacker Joey Kruse recorded his second fumble recovery for a touchdowns in the playoffs on a 22-yarder in the third quarter. He leads the Bluebirds with three defensive touchdowns this year.

Highlands has five defensive touchdowns this year after recording just one last year. Alex Shadle returned an interception for a score in the first round of the playoffs against Boyd County and Grayson Heck returned a fumble against Harrison County.

Approaching the record for touchdown passes:

Highlands has 56 touchdown passes on the season good for second in school history.

The Bluebirds are averaging about five per game and could surpass the school record Friday. The 2000 team quarterbacked by Gino Guidugli had 59 touchdown passes.

“It’s great being able to play so many different receivers,” Mueller said. “We played Nick Kendall. He’s been our (main running) back those first two playoff games. Guys just get in and execute so well.”

Highlands needs 12 more passing yards to hit 4,000 on the season. Drew Houliston has completed 181-of-260 passes for 3,111 yards, 44 touchdowns and just two touchdowns.

Eighteen different Bluebirds have catches this year. Junior Jensen Feggins still leads the way with 42 grabs for 896 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Better on Kickoffs this year:

Highlands has given up just one kickoff or punt return for a touchdown this year after allowing several last year. Good coverage downfield has been the key.

“I go down and force (kickoff returners) back inside so we can make the tackle,” said Hank Johnson, Highlands sophomore defensive back. “You sprint down as fast as you can then break down once you get 10 yards from the ball.”

On the other side, Highland has returned one punt and three kickoffs for a touchdown. Feggins returned a punt against Harrison County. Nick Kendall, Jaylen Hayes and Brandon Hergott have returned punts for scores.

Last two Class 4A unbeatens fall:

Boyle County and Johnson Central came into the second round of the playoffs unbeaten at 11-0.

Both district champions lost at home Friday. Covington Catholic ventured to Paintsville and won 42-14. Then over in Danville, Mercer County shocked the Rebels, 31-30. The Titans (8-4) battle Lexington Catholic (9-3) for the Region 3 crown on Friday.

 

FORT THOMAS MATTERS: Bluebird Notebook: Tough schedule pays off

How about the move Feggins laid on 16 from Ashland? That was impressive to say the least...

How about the move Feggins laid on 16 from Ashland? That was impressive to say the least...

 

Yep, I was in the end zone for that one. I think it was 3rd and 18 on the goal line. Feggins gets the short pass and is one on one. No doubter.