And, for informational purposes only, both Sycamore and Oak Hills picked up GMC conference wins tonight. Each move to 2-2 on the season.

I'm already on record as saying I think the Beechies wore down in the second half. But if were pointing out the miscues that resulted in CovCath scores, both Beechwood touchdown came off special team breakdowns by CovCath. Other than those two plays, the Tigers would have been shut out.

 

Yes, Beechwood needs to figure something out on offense if they are going to beat tough defensive opponents. This game looked a lot like the Lloyd game for Beechwood's offense.

Here is a game summary.

 

CCH was forced to punt on their first possession. A running into the punter penalty gave the Colonels a second chance but Beechwood's defense stopped the Colonels on downs and took over on the CCH 43. The Tigers offense gave a preview of things to come, going 3 and out. CCH again was stopped on downs after getting to the Beechwood 33. Beechwood again went 3 and out. Elijah McKinney picked off a Mayer pass and took it to the 7. Beechwood took a sack and went backwards turning a sure field goal into a challenge. Fortunately Daniel Mescher came through booting a 41 yard field goal, giving BW a 3-0 lead with 1:34 to go in the first quarter. CCH again was stopped by the Tigers defense.

 

Now in the second quarter, Beechwood picked up their first first down of the game but then had to punt. CCH finally moved the ball into scoring position and Matt Kloska kicked a 25 yard field goal to tie the game at 3 with 5:38 left in the half. BW again picked up a first down then punted. CCH moved down field for the first TD of the game, a 5 yard run with 52 seconds to go. I am not sure of the number, and the CCH PA system cannot be heard on the visitor's side of the field, but I believe it was #23 Anthony Best that scored. That gave CCH a 10-3 halftime lead.

 

BW received the second half kickoff and went 3 and out. The Tigers often use the rugby style punt. On this one, I am not sure if the punter was trying to run the ball or if he got too much pressure as he rolled out to get the kick off. Regardless he never even made it to the line of scrimmage and CCH had the ball on the BW 25. The Colonels capitalized on the mistake on the first play with QB AJ Mayer hitting Josh Newman on a perfect quick slant for a TD. Kloska's extra point made it 17-3 with 9:28 to go in Q3. On the second play following that TD, a BW pass went right through an open BW receiver's hands and floated into the hands of Anthony Best who ran 25 yards into the end zone for a TD just fourteen seconds after the previous CCH TD. Kloska's XP made it 24-10 and things were looking bad for the Tigers, especially since the offense had been ineffective all night. Then Beechwood's James Davis gave the Tigers some hope with a 99 yard kickoff return. Davis was tripped up at mid-field but somehow kept his balance and then ran away from the CCH pursuers for the score. Mescher's XP set the score at 24-10. CCH started their next possession on the 23 and made a couple big plays to bounce right back with another score. Ryan O'Connell ran it in from 5 yards out, XP no good, 30-10 with 6:19 to go. On the first play following that TD, there was a mixup between the QB and WR for BW and a pass went where no WR was to a CCH defender who made a shoestring INT. CCH was right back in business 40 yards from paydirt. Mayer hit Kameron Butler on a 13 yard TD pass, Kloska XP, 37-10 at the 2:53 mark. BW was forced to punt again. Then Mayer was forced out of the pocket and threw a long ball up for grabs on the last play of the third quarter. Two smaller BW defenders were there but Jack Coldiron out jumped them for the ball and then scored as both defenders fell trying to break up the pass - 70 yard TD, Kloska XP and your final score of 44-10.

 

The fourth quarter was played by reserves on both teams and was a series of 3 and outs by both.

 

Final score Covington Catholic 44 Beechwood 10.

This margin of victory tells me two things:

1. CovCath definitely has the team to make some noise and get over the Bluebird brain boggle

2. Class 1A really is not very good in 2016. I still think that despite this loss Beechwood is clearly one of the Top 3 teams and maybe even the best 1A team.

I'm already on record as saying I think the Beechies wore down in the second half. But if were pointing out the miscues that resulted in CovCath scores, both Beechwood touchdown came off special team breakdowns by CovCath. Other than those two plays, the Tigers would have been shut out.

 

I only listed those mistakes to show what led to the big Covington Catholic lead. It wasn't some offensive genius. It was mistakes by Beechwood.

 

I don't want to totally discount that the Cov Cath offense was better in the second half though. They did make some adjustments. For one, they realized they were not fast enough to run wide on Beechwood so they started running more up the middle.

 

I also agree with you that the Beechwood defense wore down. They were just on the field way too much since the offense could not move the ball.

From the Cincy Enquirer:

 

CovCath tops Beechwood, 44-10

 

Northern Kentucky high school non-district football matchups don't get much bigger than perennial Class 5A power Covington Catholic vs. Class A titan Beechwood.

 

Factor in the rare sight of lights at CovCath's Wooten Field and an extra aura is added. Add a pregame deluge in the form of a prolonged rain shower and another round of Friday evening lightning in the area that pushed the original 7 p.m. start to 7:40 p.m., plus a full moon, and craziness was sure to ensue.

 

It was indeed a crazy game, won 44-10 by CovCath, which rarely met a fourth-down try that it didn't like.

 

It was 3-3 following converted field goals by both sides. Beechwood led 3-0 on a Daniel Mescher 40-yard first-quarter try while trailing in total yards 74 to minus-15.

 

CovCath tied it 3-all on Matt Kloska's 25-yard second-quarter field goal following a pair of fourth-down fails by the offense and a Beechwood interception.

 

The Colonels (4-1) went ahead to stay on Anthony Best's four-yard touchdown run, capping a 10-play, 66-yard drive with 52 seconds left before halftime. CovCath led in first-half total yards, 214-0, but led Beechwood (3-1) by just three points.

This margin of victory tells me two things:

1. CovCath definitely has the team to make some noise and get over the Bluebird brain boggle

2. Class 1A really is not very good in 2016. I still think that despite this loss Beechwood is clearly one of the Top 3 teams and maybe even the best 1A team.

 

This is as small a Beechwood team as I can remember seeing. I know some of their posters have pointed out how small they are in previous threads, but it was still surprising to see how small they were.

Huh. How about that. I am pretty sure that's the first time this year that the Enquirer has even had a Beechwood score in the paper.

Huh. How about that. I am pretty sure that's the first time this year that the Enquirer has even had a Beechwood score in the paper.

 

The great Enqurier anti-Beechwood conspiracy obviously still in effect.

Huh. How about that. I am pretty sure that's the first time this year that the Enquirer has even had a Beechwood score in the paper.

 

Probably because of the the the the @Theoldguy

The great Enqurier anti-Beechwood conspiracy obviously still in effect.

 

I know right, so tiresome...

 

It is what it is. I am being serious. I believe that is the first time this year a Beechwood football score has been in the paper. Last week when Beechwood was hosting Franklin County, The Enquirer listed 6 or 7 games they called key matchups and didn't even mention Beechwood playing a 2-1 Franklin County team.

From the Cincy Enquirer:

 

CovCath tops Beechwood, 44-10

 

Northern Kentucky high school non-district football matchups don't get much bigger than perennial Class 5A power Covington Catholic vs. Class A titan Beechwood.

 

Factor in the rare sight of lights at CovCath's Wooten Field and an extra aura is added. Add a pregame deluge in the form of a prolonged rain shower and another round of Friday evening lightning in the area that pushed the original 7 p.m. start to 7:40 p.m., plus a full moon, and craziness was sure to ensue.

 

It was indeed a crazy game, won 44-10 by CovCath, which rarely met a fourth-down try that it didn't like.

 

It was 3-3 following converted field goals by both sides. Beechwood led 3-0 on a Daniel Mescher 40-yard first-quarter try while trailing in total yards 74 to minus-15.

 

CovCath tied it 3-all on Matt Kloska's 25-yard second-quarter field goal following a pair of fourth-down fails by the offense and a Beechwood interception.

 

The Colonels (4-1) went ahead to stay on Anthony Best's four-yard touchdown run, capping a 10-play, 66-yard drive with 52 seconds left before halftime. CovCath led in first-half total yards, 214-0, but led Beechwood (3-1) by just three points.

 

I never would have guessed Covington Catholic had 214 yards of offense in the first half.

I never would have guessed Covington Catholic had 214 yards of offense in the first half.

 

They moved the ball up and down the field, but turnovers stymied multiple drives.

Probably because of the the the the @Theoldguy

 

You may have a really good point there guru. Maybe Beechwood is not reporting their scores to The Enquirer.