Channel 5 has the replay of the Gallatin Co TD pass on 4th down in the first half. I think ref was concentrating so much on if the receiver was in bounds that he never saw that he never caught the ball.

First of all, the officiating did not decide the outcome of the game. But I cannot believe that NCC fans are complaining about the refs. The holding call on 3rd down on the first possession of the second half was "by far the worst call EVER!" That took all the momentum GC had at that point, and gave NCC a new set of downs instead of punting. Of course, it wasn't GC's defense that did anything. It was the "uninspired" play from NCC. If you are uninspired to play in a regional championship game then you have a problem, regardless of who you play. All that being said, NCC deserved the win...congrats.

Channel 5 has the replay of the Gallatin Co TD pass on 4th down in the first half. I think ref was concentrating so much on if the receiver was in bounds that he never saw that he never caught the ball.

 

 

 

 

 

Who knows if it was a TD or not quit whining you won.

http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20131122/SPT0302/131122036/

 

NewCath ends Gallatin County's run 34-12

 

Marc Hardin

 

WARSAW - Another dream season put together by an area upstart with high playoff hopes was trampled under foot by the rampaging Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds, who are refusing to let the new kids on the block have their fun during a red-hot late-season run.

 

One week after a convincing second-round home derailing of upset-minded Walton-Verona, the Thoroughbreds traveled to Gallatin County on Friday and walloped the stubborn Wildcats, 34-12, for a Class 2A regional final win that put them back in Newport Stadium for next week's state semifinals against Somerset.

 

NewCath (9-4), in the semis for the seventh time in nine years, broke away from a 6-6 halftime tie with three third-quarter touchdown passes from quarterback Mac Franzen. Two of them went to tailback Jacob Smith for a 27-6 lead against the Wildcats (10-3), making their first appearance in a regional final eight years after coach Tim Browning started the program.

 

NewCath's defense held the Wildcats scoreless over the final three quarters until the game's final play, when Gallatin County got a touchdown pass from Austin Chapman to Nate McCoy.

 

The Thoroughbreds received a pair of interceptions from Brandon Gray, the first setting up Franzen's second TD toss to Smith for a 20-6 NewCath lead with 3:25 to play in the third quarter.

 

The Wildcats, forcing an average of three turnovers per game, forced two fumbles Friday and had two of their own during a futile hunt for momentum against the Thoroughbreds, who've run roughshod over postseason competition.

 

The defending state champions have outscored three playoff opponents, 117-26. They were good enough to snap the Wildcats' team-record seven-game winning streak and send their 16 seniors home with the consoling thought of knowing that this was the winningest football season in program history.

 

NewCath amassed 348 total yards and held Gallatin County to 281, just 59 on the ground.

 

The 'Breds extended their winning streak to eight straight after the annual gauntlet run through the big schools on the non-district schedule left them with a 1-4 start. Now that the 'Breds have turned the corner in full stride, the coaches are hoping that the gallop is becoming a strong finishing kick that will result in a third state title in four years.

 

VIEW FROM THE SIDELINE: "After the tough start against the big schools, the kids could have packed it in, but they came together," NewCath coach Dan Wagner said. "This is a team you don't have to get after in practice. One thing we do have to get after them about is complacency, and we were too complacent in the first half, and we let them hang around too long."

 

Said Wildcats coach Browning: "We'd love to have a different outcome, but it was an unbelievable season for our program."

 

PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Franzen had a hand in four scores, throwing three touchdown passes and rushing for a 1-yard fourth-quarter TD. He was 9-of-11 passing for 101 yards. Jack Sutkamp rushed for 103 yards on 15 carries for the 'Breds. Smith totaled 136 yards, 73 on the ground on 12 carries. The Wildcats' Austin Chapman passed for 222 yards.

 

QUOTABLE: "They really wanted it bad," Franzen said of the Wildcats. "And we had to match that intensity."

 

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS: NewCath scored on its first drive, getting a 20-yard scoring run from Sutkamp, followed by a failed two-point conversion attempt. Gallatin County scored on the last play of the opening quarter, getting a score-tying 39-yard touchdown pass from Chapman to Jeff Eversole. The point-after kick failed.

 

The 'Breds outgained the Wildcats, 167-147 before the break. Sutkamp had 67 yards on the ground as the 'Breds rolled up 130 with Smith on the field for just three first-half plays after getting hurt on the first play from scrimmage. He returned in the second half.

 

EXTRA POINTS: NewCath is going for a sixth state championship, and fifth in nine years under a third head coach. Bob Schneider won state crowns in 1984 and 2005-06. Eddie Eviston won two in 2010 and '12. This is coach Wagner's first year as head coach after more than a decade as 'Breds defensive coordinator. All three are NewCath graduates.

Channel 5 has the replay of the Gallatin Co TD pass on 4th down in the first half. I think ref was concentrating so much on if the receiver was in bounds that he never saw that he never caught the ball.

 

NewCath cruises past Gallatin County | Blitz5 - WLWT Home

 

Don't think this video does the play any justice.

First of all, the officiating did not decide the outcome of the game. But I cannot believe that NCC fans are complaining about the refs. The holding call on 3rd down on the first possession of the second half was "by far the worst call EVER!" That took all the momentum GC had at that point, and gave NCC a new set of downs instead of punting. Of course, it wasn't GC's defense that did anything. It was the "uninspired" play from NCC. If you are uninspired to play in a regional championship game then you have a problem, regardless of who you play. All that being said, NCC deserved the win...congrats.

 

Don't think anyone said this. Also, no one is complaining, we are just making a comment.

 

Uninspired was how I saw it, I'm quite sure they were ready to play in a regional championship, but it took some time to get things going.

 

 

 

Channel 5 has the replay of the Gallatin Co TD pass on 4th down in the first half. I think ref was concentrating so much on if the receiver was in bounds that he never saw that he never caught the ball.

 

 

 

 

 

Who knows if it was a TD or not quit whining you won.

 

Come on......no one is whining.

Congratulations NCC. The machine keeps churning.

Congratulations NCC. The machine keeps churning.

 

Congrats NCC on advancing. Congrats Gallatin County on a sensational season.

What happened to the running clock being predicted on here? Looks like Gallatin was a little better than most predicted on here. The jv comment is way off base when I looked out there on the last play there were an awful lot of dirty jerseys. Also a holding call that was completely bogus opened the flood gates after GC stopped a NCC drive.

Congrats on no running clock?.........

Congrats to NewCath coaches, players and fans especially Lawnboy13 great job and game 2nd half. Now put that together with the first half and no one will touch you guy's good luck and congrats again. JD

Dave Malaska, WCPO contributor

 

WARSAW, Ky. – Newport Catholic survived an early scare from the new kids on the block, rallying in the second half to beat Gallatin County, 34-12, in Friday night's Class 2A regional finals.

 

The Thoroughbreds (9-4) kept their quest for their third state title in four years alive behind a pair of second-half interceptions by junior Brandon Gray and four touchdowns by quarterback Mac Franzen. The senior threw for three scores and ran for another as NewCath pulled away from a 6-6 halftime tie.

 

"We were getting down the field, but we couldn't finish in the first half. Stupid penalties hurt us and we just couldn't push into the end zone," said Franzen, who finished with nine completions on 11 attempts for 101 yards.

 

That changed after a blistering halftime address by coach Dan Wagner.

 

After taking the opening drive of the half 58 yards in eight plays, Newcath went up by a touchdown of Franzen's 29-yard scoring strike to Jacob Smith, then harassed the Wildcats' offense until the game was well in hand.

 

Gallatin finished the third quarter with zero net offensive yards and trailing, 27-6.

"Coach chewed us out pretty good at the half," Franzen said. "He really gave it to us. (Gallatin) wanted it. They wanted it bad, and we had to come out and match their intensity. That's what we did."

 

NewCath's Jack Sutkamp ran for 102 yards on 15 carries and Smith rushed for 72 yards to help the Thoroughbreds extend their winning streak to eight games after starting the season 1-4.

 

Gallatin's Austin Chapman went 14-of-31 for 220 passing yards and two throwing scores, with 88 yards coming in the Wildcats' last drive as time ran out. NewCath held bruising Gallatin fullback Chris Brown to just 35 yards on 12 carries.

 

NewCath looked to have everything in control early after scoring on its first possession. Sutkamp's 20-yard touchdown run put NewCath up, 6-0, then the defense held Gallatin off on fourth-down in the red zone to preserve the lead.

 

As the penalties began to add up, Gallatin took the momentum. And a bit of luck.

 

The Wildcats scored on a 39-yard throw from Chapman to receiver Jeff Eversole in the front of the end zone. Eversole appeared to not have possession before knocking over the pylon and gaining possession out of bounds, but officials signaled the touchdown.

 

A Kalvin Moore fumble thwarted a promising drive midway through the second quarter, then NewCath drove to the Gallatin five yard line as the first half waned, but a Franzen sack followed by a shanked 29-yard John Caudill field goal attempt kept the game tied at the break.

 

A seemingly different Thoroughbred squad took over when play resumed.

 

After scoring on their first possession of the half, NewCath took advantage of Gallatin miscues to get the win. Newport went up by 14 on Franzen's 15-yard touchdown throw to Smith that was set up by Gray's interception and 23-yard return to the Wildcats' 22 yard line.

 

Gallatin's next drive ended with a high snap on a punt attempt, giving NewCath the ball 19 yards from the end zone. Two plays later, Franzen hit Wyatt Boberg from 13 yards out and the rout was on. NewCath added their final score with just over five minutes remaining when Franzen capped another short drive with a 1-yard run to seal the win.

 

Gallatin, held scoreless since the first quarter, scored at the final gun on a 17-yard Chapman pass to Nate McCoy for the final tally.

 

"That's how we should have been playing all along," Wagner said of his squad's second-half dominance. "Give them credit for the first half. They came out and played hard like we knew they were going to. This was big for them — the first time ever in the regional final? We knew we'd get their best shot."

 

With Friday's win, NCC will host Somerset next Friday in the 2A semifinals. That was hard to imagine earlier in the season, when the defending state champions started the season 1-4.

 

After opening with a win against Ashland Blazer, NCC dropped its next four games to larger schools, ending with drubbings at the hands of Simon Kenton (30-7) and Dixie Heights (36-7). Since then, NewCath rebounded with eight-straight wins, including wins in its last three games by a combined score of 117-26 over playoff opponents.

 

And title hopes are bright again.

 

"It got tough at times, playing larger schools and in one case you're down by five scores. You begin to have doubts. But we knew all we had to do was stick together and we would find our way back here," Franzen said.

 

NEWCATH 6-0-21-7—34

at GALLATIN 6-0-0-6—6

N-Sutkamp 20 run (pass failed)

GC-Lawrence 39 pass from Chapman (kick failed)

N-J. Smith 29 pass from Franzen (Caudill kick)

N-J. Smith 15 pass from Franzen (Caudill kick)

N-Boberg 13 pass from Franzen (Caudill kick)

N-Franzen 1 run (Caudill kick)

GC-McCoy 17 pass from Chapman (time expired)

RECORDS: Newport Central Catholic 9-4, Gallatin County 10-3.

 

 

Breds run defense has been really good. Coach Wagner should start the game with a "butt chewing". :lol2:

It's awesome to see NCC back on their normal roll in the playoffs. I have to admit, I had some doubts about how well they'd do this year after a shaky start, but one thing is for sure, the tough schedule they played really helped prepare them for the post season.

 

They lost some games where a lot of teams may have packed it in and called it quits but what they have done is just let those games teach them lessons they could carry into the post season. I'm very proud of this NCC team maybe even more than last years team.

 

Keep it up NCC!!!!! Bring home another state title. It's down to you and HHS carrying the NKY flag now. Do it for LAwnboy, that man really needs some happiness in his life lol!!!

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

For the second straight year, it came down to the experience against a first appearance with experience winning out.

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds had to use a 21-0 run in the third quarter to do it. But they managed to pull away from the hungry 10-3 Gallatin County Wildcats on Friday in Warsaw by a 34-12 count.

NewCath has appeared in 14 consecutive regional championship games and won it for the ninth time dating back to 2000 to go with four region championships in the 1980s. But it definitely did not come easy playing on a grass field for the District 6 champions.

The Thoroughbreds have also won 21 district championships including 10 in a row. They are 9-4 following their eighth straight win.

“We started off rough as everyone could tell,” said Wyatt Boberg, NewCath senior wide receiver. “At halftime, our coaches told us to get it together and we did exactly that.”

NewCath advances to the state semifinals for the third time in four years against a familiar opponent in the Somerset Briar Jumpers (8-4). Somerset rallied at Prestonsburg, 28-21 on Friday. The Thoroughbreds have beaten the Briar Jumpers in the state semifinals in 2005, 2006 and last year on the way three of their five state championships.

“I think they got the (anything can happen message) loud and clear,” said Dan Wagner, NewCath Head Coach. “We came out and did what we wanted to do. Give (Gallatin County) credit. They played with a lot of emotion. We knew we were going to get that. We battled and battled and finally got it back.”

The Thoroughbreds avoided the same fate suffered by the team they beat 30-26 to win the state championship last year. Undefeated and top-ranked Class 2A defending runner-up Caldwell County (12-1) lost 27-14 to the District 1 foe Murray Tigers – a team Caldwell County had beaten 42-13 on Oct. 18. Murray (9-4) plays host to District Louisville DeSales (12-1) in the other 2A semifinal Friday.

NewCath used more offensive balance to stave off the upset bid. The Thoroughbreds gained 348 yards on 59 plays to 281 on 66 for the Wildcats.

NewCath used Jack Sutkamp more out of the backfield than usual. He finished with a team-high 103 yards on 15 carries. Sophomore Jacob Smith followed with 12 carries for 73 yards.

Senior quarterback Mac Franzen had another good night passing the ball. He completed 9-of-11 passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns and added another rushing touchdown. The offensive line protected well for NewCath.

“I think (solid protection) begins in practice,” said Matt Lenz, NewCath senior offensive lineman. “Each and every day, we just work as hard as we can. The (younger linemen) work just as hard as us. Each and every game, their confidence is getting better. We need that because they’re a valuable part of this team. Without them, I don’t think we’d be where we are.”

Smith and Wyatt Boberg led the Thoroughbreds with two catches each for 44 and 29 yards respectively. Smith had two touchdowns and Boberg added one.

“There weren’t any major (offensive) adjustments,” said Dave Schneider, NewCath Offensive Coordinator. “We just did a better job with what we were doing. We had our opportunities in the first half. We had the ball inside the (Gallatin County) five twice where we should have scored. It’s been a long time since we played in the mud. It probably had some effect. But it seemed like we had good footing.”

Gallatin County quarterback Austin Champan completed 14-of-31 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Most of that came on the 88-yard drive to end the game that resulted in a Nate McCoy 34-yard touchdown as time expired. McCoy finished with five catches for 108 yards and Eversole had four for 72.

The Thoroughbreds keyed on Gallatin County fullback Chris Brown. He had just 35 yards on 12 carries.

“We did okay,” Wagner said. “They scored on their first and last drives. In between, we shut them down. We shut the run down.”

NewCath scored first when Sutkamp scored from 20 yards out. But Gallatin County responded when Chapman hit Jeff Eversole on a 29-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 6-6. The score remained the same entering halftime as neither team converted on point after touchdown attempts.

But the Thoroughbreds came out on fire in the third quarter holding the Wildcats to zero net yards of offense. Franzen hit Smith for a 29-yard score and John Caudill made the kick to put Newcath up for good at 13-6.

Franzen then hit Smith for a 15-yarder at 20-6. Junior Brandon Gray set up the play with a 23-yard interception return to the Gallatin County 22-yard line.

Franzen then hit Boberg for a 13-yard score in the third quarter before he scored his touchdown from a yard out in the fourth quarter. The Thoroughbreds led 34-6 at that point.

NewCath finished with 14 first downs and held Gallatin County to just nine. Some of the Wildcat first downs came on Thoroughbred penalties.

The Thoroughbreds have eliminated the Wildcats from the playoffs for the third straight year. But this marked the deepest playoff run for District 5 champion Gallatin County (10-3) since it started playing varsity football in 2006.

 

FORT THOMAS MATTERS: NewCath downs GCHS for another region crown