CovCath convincingly ends losing streak vs. Highlands

 

The streak is over.

 

Junior quarterback AJ Mayer rushed for four touchdowns and passed for a fifth as Covington Catholic (6-2) beat Highlands (1-7) for the first time since the 2006 postseason, a stretch that saw the Colonels lose 14 straight games to their archrival in Fort Thomas. The final score from David Cecil Memorial Stadium was 63-26.

 

"It's a blessing," Mayer said. "I can't express how awesome it is. I know everybody was expecting (us to beat Highlands) tonight and I just love being on this team. It feels great."

 

Related: CovCath football schedule, stats

 

CovCath came into Friday night averaging 28.7 pass attempts per game, but relied heavily upon its rushing attack against the Bluebirds. The Colonels piled up 636 total yards on offense, including 543 rushing yards on 48 attempts. Mayer was just 4-for-8 passing for 93 yards, but he rushed 16 times for 168 yards.

 

"We wanted to establish the run," CovCath coach Eddie Eviston said. "We wanted to see how the game played out. We knew we had the passing game if we needed it, but at the same time our offensive line did a great job and we were able to keep it on the ground."

 

Casey McGinness finished the game with 381 all-purpose yards, 234 of which came in the first half, and two touchdowns. He had a season-high 268 rushing yards. His previous high was 117 yards, which he eclipsed before intermission.

 

"You have to give it to the O-line," Mayer said. "They were great. They were all over the place and our running backs were everywhere. The O-line blocked their butts off and we just played really clean."

 

After winning its first game of the season, Highlands has now lost seven straight.

 

The first quarter was a disaster for the Bluebirds as the Colonels out-gained them 176-28 in total yardage while dominating the field position battle and taking a 21-0 lead.

 

After running for a 3-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage, CovCath went to a no-huddle offense and Mayer found McGinness wide open down the seam for a 65-yard pickup on the second play. Three plays later, Mayer snuck into the endzone from just outside the goal line to put the Colonels on top, 7-0.

 

Bad quickly went to worse for the Bluebirds as punter Austin Beyersdorker fell while attempting a punt on the ensuing possession, gifting CovCath with field position at the Highlands 21. Mayer scored his second touchdown on a goal line quarterback sneak moments later.

 

CovCath's defense, led by senior Ben France, then held the Bluebirds on 4th-and-1 at their own 48, forcing a turnover on downs. Mayer made it a 21-0 game with 2:01 left in the first quarter when he rumbled up the middle for a 33-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw.

 

That defensive stop by the Colonels felt like a backbreaking moment for Highlands.

 

"That was huge," Mayer said. "I was really excited. I knew we just had to run the ball down their throats or come up with a big play. That's a lot of momentum changing, especially with it being down on their end of the field."

 

Max Schrand picked off Highlands quarterback Brady Gosney three plays later, giving the ball right back to the Colonels at the Highlands 39. Grant Dyer moved CovCath's offense into the redzone with a 20-yard run, and Anthony Best punched it into the endzone from 2 yards out a few plays later to make it 28-0 with 11:44 to play in the second quarter.

 

After Highlands went three-and-out deep in its own territory, a short punt placed the Colonels at the Bluebirds' 44. McGinness took off on a touchdown scamper right up the middle on the first play of CovCath's drive to give his team a 35-0 advantage with 10:06 left in the half.

 

Highlands' offense settled in after that. Gosney got in a rhythm with his receivers, connecting on 5-of-8 passes while leading the Bluebirds on a 10-play, 79-yard drive. His 15-yard strike to junior Jared Wogan with 7:59 left in the second quarter put Highlands on the board, 35-7.

 

Gosney finished the game 28-of-49 for 304 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Highlands tallied 483 yards of total offense.

 

CovCath turned it over on downs after going for it on 4th-and-1 from the Highlands 11 late in the first half. Highlands capitalized on the defensive stop by driving 89 yards on 13 plays before senior Jared Pulsfort scored on a 10-yard run to make it a 35-14 game at halftime.

 

Highlands briefly made the game interesting at the start of the third quarter when Grant Murray took off on an 80-yard touchdown run on the first play of the half. A blocked extra-point left the score at 35-20. Murray finished with 20 carries for 124 yards.

 

CovCath responded with two more touchdown runs and a defensive stop to put the game away. Grant Dyer scored from 3 yards out with 8:17 to play in the third and McGinness scored from 14 yards out to make the score 49-20 heading into the fourth.

 

The Bluebirds tacked on another score early in the fourth quarter when Gosney found Posey from five yards out. Posey was the Birds' leading receiver with 10 catches for 106 yards.

 

CovCath responded quickly with a 53-yard touchdown run from Mayer. Mayer then added his first touchdown toss of the night with 6:24 to play when he found Kameron Butler over the middle from 11 yards out to set the final score.

 

"Ten years is a long time," CovCath coach Eddie Eviston said. "Some of those years you're playing twice, so it's a lot of games. This is good. It's good for our school, good for our program, good for our community. Highlands, CovCath… it's a rivalry and it's good to finally get one."

 

CovCath will battle at home against Dixie next Friday to earn the top seed in 5A district 5, while Highlands will travel to Grant County.

Really impressed with the down field blocking tonight by the Colonel wide receivers. Really helped to extend the yardage on a lot of plays.

Congrats to the blue boys I can see them in finals against BG.

Congrats to the Colonels....theyBirds had ZERO answer for A J Mayer and Casey McGinness. They steamrolled the Birds Defense all night long. The CovCath offensive line is very impressive as well.

 

They have some players and I can see them possibly meeting BG in the finals.

 

I think that meeting would be in the semi-finals this season. If I'm not mistaken the regions are moved around this year.

Get a life man. Your gonna question a high school kid for wearing a certain color of cleats. Should probably have more important things to worry about.

 

In my opinion, it drew attention to him. Highlands is a team not just one player. Big part of the problem this year. Highlands doesnt have enough talent to two platoon which isnt a bad thing, just have to have best players going both ways like we use to . Highlands needs to be a "TEAM" not just one player wearing gold shoes because he saw someone wearing them at a college or pro team that he will never have a chance to be playing for. Gold shoes put himself out there and maybe there are a few that fall in with it but this is just a little check yourself. You have not proven yourself or earned it .

No surprise here. Congrats to Cov Cath.

In my opinion, it drew attention to him. Highlands is a team not just one player. Big part of the problem this year. Highlands doesnt have enough talent to two platoon which isnt a bad thing, just have to have best players going both ways like we use to . Highlands needs to be a "TEAM" not just one player wearing gold shoes because he saw someone wearing them at a college or pro team that he will never have a chance to be playing for. Gold shoes put himself out there and maybe there are a few that fall in with it but this is just a little check yourself. You have not proven yourself or earned it .

 

Amen

I am laughing at these responses..... First win in 10 years, 14 games !! Give me a break. Just enjoy the fact that you are 1-0 this Century because you were 0-14 last.

Best team one tonight, no doubt.

:ylsuper:

I am laughing at these responses..... First win in 10 years, 14 games !! Give me a break. Just enjoy the fact that you are 1-0 this Century because you were 0-14 last.

Best team one tonight, no doubt.

 

I want to like this post ALOT.

I am laughing at these responses..... First win in 10 years, 14 games !! Give me a break. Just enjoy the fact that you are 1-0 this Century because you were 0-14 last.

Best team one tonight, no doubt.

 

 

What are you referring to?

I predicted CCH 59-35 - CovCath got the TD instead of a FG.

 

This has to be hard for Highlands - it's not just losing, it's the total lack of physicality and competitive edge. CCH put up video game #'s on the ground.

 

Say what you want about the lack of talent, but you simply can't win if you can't tackle, and tackling is as much about desire as talent. Something at Highlands has to give...

 

Congrats to CCH.

Covington Catholic Colonels 21 14 14 14 0 63

Highlands Bluebirds..............00 14 06 06 0 26

Colonels 1 TD 10:15

A Mayer right guard 1 yard

M Kloska, kick)

7 0

Drive: 5 plays, 78 yards, 1:45

Colonels 1 TD 5:42 7

A Mayer up middle 1 yard

M Kloska, kick)

14 0

Drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 2:03

Colonels 1 TD 1:56 7

A Mayer up middle 33 yards

M Kloska, kick)

21 0

Drive: 4 plays, 47 yards, 1:22

END OF QUARTER 1 21 0

Colonels 2 TD 11:46 23

A Best up middle 2 yards

M Kloska, kick)

28 0

Drive: 6 plays, 39 yards, 1:41

Colonels 2 TD 10:23

C McGinness left guard 44 yards

86 M Kloska, kick)

35 0

Drive: 1 plays, 44 yards, 0:06

Bluebirds 2 TD 8:08

10 J Wogan 15 yard pass from 5 B Cosney

(19 N Bowman, kick)

35 7

Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 2:15

Bluebirds 2 TD 0:25

3 J Pulsfort up middle 11 yards

(19 N Bowman, kick)

35 14

Drive: 13 plays, 91 yards, 2:43

END OF QUARTER 2 35 14

Bluebirds 3 TD 11:56

24 G Murray left tackle 80 yards

(19 N Bowman, kick failed)

35 20

Drive: 1 plays, 80 yards, 0:04

Colonels 3 TD 8:19

G Dyer right tackle 3 yards

M Kloska, kick)

42 20

Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 3:37

Colonels 3 TD 1:46

C McGinness right guard 14 yards

M Kloska, kick) 49 20

Drive: 6 plays, 131 yards, 2:32

END OF QUARTER 3 49 20

Bluebirds 4 TD 9:59

1 B Posey 6 yard pass from 5 B Cosney

(24 G Murray, run failed)

49 26

Drive: 1 plays, 6 yards, 0:02

Colonels 4 TD 9:48

A Mayer left tackle 53 yards

M Kloska, kick)

56 26

Drive: 1 plays, 53 yards, 0:05

Colonels 4 TD 6:26

K Butler 12 yard pass from A Mayer

86 M Kloska, kick)

63 26

Drive: 6 plays, 43 yards, 2:26

END OF QUARTER 4

CovCath 63 Highlands 26

Who is # 16 on HHS?

Oh boy. Have to say congrats to Cov Cath. They did play a good game. It's very hard watching these game's week after week and nothing really different is happening. We need change and NOW.

The problem for HHS was their jerseys. The H-I-G-H-L-A-N-D-S on the jerseys was so small CCH didn't realize it was Highlands they were playing. :lol2:

 

Seriously, congrats to CCH. What took you so long? J/k

 

Kudos to the Highlands players, played their hearts out. Hope for a quick recovery for all the injured players on both teams.

 

I was going through some old threads the other day. It is truly great to see you back on BGP and I hope you become a Premium Member again at some point. We have some great conversations waiting to be had over the next couple of years.

 

Good to see you back!!!!