2024 Beechwood Tigers

[Voice of Reason]

2023 - Setting the Stage

It was a heck of a transition year for Beechwood in 2023. First and foremost, how do you overcome the loss of a KY coaching legend? Coach Noel Rash had led the Tigers to 5 championships in the previous 6 years, 9 championships in total and his 9-1 record in championship games is the best winning percentage among coaches with more than 5 title game appearances. Legend. 

Beechwood put in place a unique plan - a new young head coach surrounded by Coach Rash's staff. New Head Coach Jay Volker leveraged that experienced staff of assistant coaches and the Beechwood program culture into a very successful first year. The Tigers went 12-2 losing on a last second field goal in the state semi finals on the road to eventual state champion Mayfield. 

Beechwood had one of the most prolific offenses in the entire state in 2023 generating 5,686 total yards. We'll talk more about them later, because they are all back in 2024. Defensively is where the transition from Coach Rash to Coach Volker was most noticeable. It took the first part of the season for Coach Volker and the Tigers to find their footing with the high powered offense getting wins in some high scoring games against big school opponents. However, by the time the Tigers got to district play, the defense was ready. The Tigers defense only allowed 3 points over the final 6 regular season games and held state champion Mayfield to their second lowest point total of the year in the Tigers' season ending loss. 

2024 - Showtime

Bad news for the rest of 2A - over 5,000 yards of the 2023 offensive production returns.  QB Clay Hayden returns for his senior year with a chance to own the state record for career completion percentage when he is finished. Right now he is #2 all time. If he repeats his 2023 completion percentage of 72.9%, he will be #1. With 4 of his top 5 receivers returning, he will have the targets. The top 3 receivers, Luke Erdman, James Cusick and Tyler Fryman all return. Also returning is RB Chase Flaherty, who was the team's leading rusher and 5th on the team in receiving yards. The top 5 running backs all return. 

The big losses are 2 way standouts OL/DL Xavier Campbell, OL/DL Nick Alexander and WR/DB Talon Linder. Top CB Shawn Sowder also graduates as does LB Zander Riegler. That makes the off season project for Beechwood at the line of scrimmage. The good news there is Beechwood still has most of its line returning, led by outstanding two way starter Jack Meier. Meier is joined by returning starters Mattox Kelly and Chance Baugh. There is a very strong group of young linemen with size coming up in the sophomore and freshman classes, so there will not be a lack of talent available with a chance to step in and fill the openings.

Look for the defense to come out of the gate in lock down mode. Size, speed, depth and a year under Coach Volker's system that was clicking at the end of the year should have the Tigers defense ready for battle. The standouts to look for will be DT Jack Meier and at  DL or maybe LB Brody Waddell. Brody Aylor and Aiden Dicke are up and coming LB's to keep an eye on. There will be a deep group of fast DB's including Erdman, Fryman, Cusick, Caleb Arrasmith, Bo Sowder and Nathan Pabst. 

This Tigers team has both high end talent and depth in talent. It is a very strong looking roster with state title potential. 

 

[CCHFC]

They’re going to be handful for everyone on the schedule. I was very impressed with Hayden at QB and Fryman at WR/RB/S when we played them last year. Plus they have other targets returning and I thought they are well coached. 

They’re probably #2 in NKY just behind Cooper to start the year. 

[GBR]

One thing is for sure, the Tigers will be a monster to deal with this year. At the end of the broadcast of last season’s semifinal, I stated that Beechwood would be my pick for preseason #1 in 2A for 2024. Nothing has changed my mind.

What I saw on the field in that semifinal was a complete TEAM. Everybody doing their job, until the whistle blows, on every single play. That is how championship football is played, and boy do they play it.

Hayden is, imo, the best quarterback that we faced last year. That’s high praise considering the other quarterbacks that we faced. The receiving crew that he has to throw to are stupid good, and the Fryman kid may be the best one of them all. Flaherty will be a weapon at running back. I could say more, but I will end with this, they are a really good team all the way around.

[gbballfan21]

I’m hearing rumors of an OL/DL having transferred in from a pretty prominent program in Ohio. 
 

I was told he’s in the neighborhood of 6’6 and 260. 

[theguru]

1 minute ago, gbballfan21 said:

I’m hearing rumors of an OL/DL having transferred in from a pretty prominent program in Ohio. 
 

I was told he’s in the neighborhood of 6’6 and 260. 

From Moeller?

[Jason Bucklen]

3 hours ago, gbballfan21 said:

I’m hearing rumors of an OL/DL having transferred in from a pretty prominent program in Ohio. 
 

I was told he’s in the neighborhood of 6’6 and 260. 

Wow he’s a big boy!  He would probably be the biggest linemen ever at Beechwood? 

[Voice of Reason]

5 hours ago, gbballfan21 said:

I’m hearing rumors of an OL/DL having transferred in from a pretty prominent program in Ohio. 
 

I was told he’s in the neighborhood of 6’6 and 260. 

 

5 hours ago, theguru said:

From Moeller?

 

2 hours ago, Jason Bucklen said:

Wow he’s a big boy!  He would probably be the biggest linemen ever at Beechwood? 

There have been more than you would think in that range. Mattox Kelly, played OT last year and will be a senior this fall, is about 6'5 or 6'6 but not nearly that heavy. Luke Slusher who went to WKU was around 6'5 280. Brett Eyckmans who went to EKU was about the same size. There have been others right around that size.

If the rumor proves true and my info is accurate, he played at Beechwood and is coming back. 

[Jason Bucklen]

7 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

 

 

There have been more than you would think in that range. Mattox Kelly, played OT last year and will be a senior this fall, is about 6'5 or 6'6 but not nearly that heavy. Luke Slusher who went to WKU was around 6'5 280. Brett Eyckmans who went to EKU was about the same size. There have been others right around that size.

If the rumor proves true and my info is accurate, he played at Beechwood and is coming back. 

I don’t remember Brett Eyckmans wfat year did he play? 

[Voice of Reason]

59 minutes ago, Jason Bucklen said:

I don’t remember Brett Eyckmans wfat year did he play? 

2011 One of the best offensive linemen ever at Beechwood. OL coach Darrick Brilz (who played about 10 years in the NFL) raved about how good and talented Eyckmans was. First team all state and had a great career at EKU. First team OVC. I thought he might play in the NFL. 

2011 Beechwood was one of the most talented Beechwood teams ever and probably the most talented team that didn't win a title. Lost 19-14 in a battle royale at Mayfield with Beechwood in the red zone and a controversial ending. Beechwood QB was knocked out of the game in the first half and Beechwood went wildcat the rest of the game with Max Nussbaum moved to QB and almost pulled out the win. Both teams lost key players to injuries in that game. It was "The War" at War Memorial.

[MaddenCurse44]

Xavier Campbell committed to Thomas More!

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

On 1/31/2024 at 9:50 PM, Jason Bucklen said:

Wow he’s a big boy!  He would probably be the biggest linemen ever at Beechwood? 

Wayne Holderman was listed at 6'6" 280lbs. Ended up playing at EKU, I believe. His ability to shut down Harrodsburg's Mr. Football Dennis Johnson in the 96 & 97 state games was one of the reasons the Tigers were able to win back to back.

[Jason Bucklen]

38 minutes ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Wayne Holderman was listed at 6'6" 280lbs. Ended up playing at EKU, I believe. His ability to shut down Harrodsburg's Mr. Football Dennis Johnson in the 96 & 97 state games was one of the reasons the Tigers were able to win back to back.

Harrodsburg’s passing game was horrible! If a team shut down their running game who was just as good or better than them then the Hogs as they called them would lose. Their passing game wasn’t even that good when Craig Yeast played for them. 

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

2024 Schedule:
Aug 23 at Pulaski County
Aug 30 vs. Campbell County
Sep 6 vs. Dixie Heights
Sep 13 at Simon Kenton
Sep 20 at Covington Catholic
Sep 27 vs. Gallatin County (District)
Oct 4 at Walton Verona (District)
Oct 11 at Owen County (District)
Oct 18 vs. Carroll County (District)
Oct 25 vs. Bracken County (District)
Nov 1 - BYE

[theguru]

What a tremendous non-district schedule for a 2A team. 

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

McNicholas (OH), who Beechwood beat 31-14 last season, has been replaced with a road game against 5A Pulaski County for the Tigers' season opener.

I would kind of presume that game will be part of a bowl.