The Battle For Colonel Highway, 51st Edition.

This series dates back to the 1975 football season, legendary Covington Catholic coach Lynn Ray's first year as skipper of the Blue Colonels. Cov Cath was winless that season, with Dixie Heights beating the that October by a score of 49-6. The Red Colonels took the first two wins in the series, but weren't able to beat the Blue Colonels again until the 1999 season. Cov Cath has ruled the series again, in recent years, with wins in the two teams' last 15 meetings.

Interesting fact, Dixie had their only 3-game win streak over Cov Cath back when first-year Dixie head coach Patrick Burke was a sophomore, junior and senior at Cov Cath.

Dixie Heights heads into the game on Friday with a 2-1 record. They beat 2A Lloyd Memorial 13-12 in their season opener, then lost 41-36 to 5A Cooper before swinging back with a 29-14 road win over Cooper last week. The team has not yet reported stats from any of the games to the KHSAA, but looking at opponents' stat reports, Dixie passed for 9yds against Lloyd, 231yds against Cooper, and 72yds against Conner, and they rushed for 85yds against Lloyd, 263yds against Cooper, and 272yds against Conner. So even despite a dismal 94 total yards offense in week one, Dixie's offense is still averaging 311 yards per game.

Cov Cath is also coming into the game this week with a 2-1 record, having lost 42-21 to Elder (OH), then beating 1A defending champs Pikeville 27-19 on the road in week two, and then beating a solid 4A Lexington Catholic team 7-6 last week in Lexington. The Blue Colonels are averaging 276 total yards offense per game, and are more balanced between rushing and passing, with 51% of their yards coming on the ground, and 49% of their yards coming by air.

Do Coach Burke and the Red Colonels stop a 15 year skid by knocking off the Blue Colonels? Or do Coach Eviston and the Blue Colonels extend their run of wins over the Red Colonels?

I’ll start with my objective opinion. In short CovCath wins. CovCath has seen better competition. They seem due for a big one. Plus, history is on their side for sure. CovCath has the best defense Dixie will have seen so far, and the Red Colonels offense has struggled early in games. CovCath may not be the superior team we have known in years past, but they have found a way to win these last two weeks against two good teams.

This Dixie team is a head scratcher. I think some of the opponent stats are a bit wrong/misleading. My red colored opinion for Dixie is after only one padded scrimmage in the pre-season, they fought for a comeback win in an emotional home opener against their old head coach. Were one yard away from beating Cooper after spotting them a 28-7 lead, and dominated on defense, the run game, and special teams against Connor. Their running game has struggled early but been consistent and they have shown every week they will bust a 30 yard plus run. Dixies offense is getting better every week, and their defense despite the injuries and missing pieces have done very well. You can point to the yards Dixies defense has given up, but when their offense struggles, they are on the field a lot and bend but don’t break. CovCath’s leading rusher is their QB, that’s not ideal, and although they always have good players, only one WR stands out. Credit Burke and staff that have made the adjustments that keep their team in position to win it. They have seen adversity in all three of their games and haven’t flinched. Feels like it is a bigger game for Dixie and for Burke, and just another road game for the Blue Colonels. Homecoming at Dixie this week could lead to a lot of broken blue hearts I believe. 28-21 Dixie wins it.

12 minutes ago, Finkle Ray said:

This Dixie team is a head scratcher. I think some of the opponent stats are a bit wrong/misleading.

I was curious about that as well. Hopefully Dixie gets their stats reported soon.

Colonels win this one.

5 minutes ago, TheConch said:

Colonels win this one.

The streak continues ?! Being a Dixie grad nothing is worse than losing to the Blue Boys!!! I just don’t see Dixie being able to score enough to win this one.

7 hours ago, TheConch said:

Colonels win this one.

Someone always takes the easy way out.

 

Everything says CovCath wins, so I'll say Dixie wins a close one.

Will this game be streamed by either school?

13 hours ago, The Raven said:

Someone always takes the easy way out.

 

Everything says CovCath wins, so I'll say Dixie wins a close one.

CovCath wins in a not so close game. 

On 9/7/2022 at 10:40 AM, Finkle Ray said:

Will this game be streamed by either school?

I don't believe Dixie livestreams anything aside from soccer. The 859 Sports Radio and 859 Insider crews are both on other games this week, so it looks like the audio broadcast from Cov Cath's Colonel Athletic Network is the only streaming option.

I'm going to be on-hand at the game, so I'll be updating this thread during the course of the game.

Apparently tonight is the homecoming game.....for both teams?

56 minutes ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Apparently tonight is the homecoming game.....for both teams?

Correct.  Not sure how that happens, but yes CCH's homecoming dance is tomorrow night, so I guess by default that makes this the homecoming game.  I'm not sure what happened but heard it had to be moved for reasons beyond their control and with other activities at the school this was the only weekend they could make work. 

 

21-10 CCH 

Dixie's style of offense can either keep this game close or cause it to get out of hand.  

If they limit penalties and turnovers, and CovCath plays players both ways, then this game will be close.

If CovCath does not play players both ways, and Dixie struggles with key penalties and turnovers again, then CovCath likely rolls.

Dixie is an undersized group this year, but they don't quit.  

4 hours ago, nees1212 said:

Dixie's style of offense can either keep this game close or cause it to get out of hand.  

If they limit penalties and turnovers, and CovCath plays players both ways, then this game will be close.

If CovCath does not play players both ways, and Dixie struggles with key penalties and turnovers again, then CovCath likely rolls.

Dixie is an undersized group this year, but they don't quit.  

CCH has been playing guys both ways since Eviston arrived.

Cov Cath returns the opening kick to the 27 yard line.

1st and 10 Cov Cath.