I absolutely love this school rivalry.  I don't care what sport it is, it just is so much fun!  

There isn't a High School rivalry in Kentucky (in my humble opinion) that tops it.

Who will come away with the Freshman bragging rights for 2025?

Who are the big names that we will soon hear on Friday nights?  As far as the Birds, I know there are a handful of really good players in this class but do they bypass the Freshman team and are playing mainly JV instead??

Game time is 6:30, Weds, Aug 27th 

Broadcast?  Will the Cov Cath Network showcase this game on their channel?

@Colonels_Wear_Blue I know you probably have the historical game scores on this game, if you would post it that would be awesome.

 

High quality video available from the Colonel Athletic Network.

https://www.covcath.org/athletics/tickets-and-broadcasting.cfm

On 8/25/2025 at 1:36 PM, FrankNicodemus said:

@Colonels_Wear_Blue I know you probably have the historical game scores on this game, if you would post it that would be awesome.

There are a small handful of years where I'm not sure whether or not we played each other on the freshman level, and if they did, I have no idea what the score was...so my series record between these two freshman squads isn't complete. I've looked through all the past Cov Cath yearbooks for the seven years in question and they didn't include any game results for freshman teams in them. If anyone has access to old Highlands yearbooks, I'm still hunting down results for the 1968, 1971, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, and 1987 freshman football seasons. (Bear in mind that the year associated with the football season is the year prior to the year associated with the yearbook, as in: the results of the fall 1984 football season are gonna show up in the 1985 yearbook).

Series Record:
1966 Highlands 32 Cov Cath 6
1967 - Did Not Play
1968 - ???
1969 Highlands 42 Cov Cath 0
1970 Highlands 8 Cov Cath 0
1971 - ???
1972 - Did Not Play
1973 - Did Not Play
1974 - Did Not Play
1975 - Did Not Play
1976 - Did Not Play
1977 Highlands 12 Cov Cath 0
1978 - Did Not Play
1979 - Did Not Play
1980 Highlands 12 Cov Cath 0
1981 Cov Cath 7 Highlands 6
1982 - ???
1983 - ???
1984 Highlands 14 Cov Cath 7
1985 - Did Not Play
1986 - Did Not Play
1987 - Did Not Play
1988 - Did Not Play
1989 - Did Not Play
1990 - Did Not Play
1991 - Highlands 22 Cov Cath 21
1992 - Did Not Play
1993 - Cov Cath 28 Highlands 6
1994 - Cov Cath 28 Highlands 7
1995 - Did Not Play
1996 - Did Not Play
1997 Highlands 24 Cov Cath 6
1998 Cov Cath 21 Highlands 0
1999 Highlands 28 Cov Cath 8
2000 Highlands 15 Cov Cath 12
2001 Highlands 7 Cov Cath 6
2002 Cov Cath 27 Highlands 21
2003 Cov Cath 38 Highlands 15
2004 Highlands 41 Cov Cath 8
2005 Highlands 32 Cov Cath 6
2006 Highlands 52 Cov Cath 6
2007 Highlands 7 Cov Cath 6
2008 Highlands 15 Cov Cath 8
2009* Highlands 14 Cov Cath 8
2010 Highlands 36 Cov Cath 7
2010* Highlands 36 Cov Cath 14
2011 Highlands 14 Cov Cath 12
2011* Highlands 21 Cov Cath 7
2012 Highlands 29 Cov Cath 21
2013 Cov Cath 14 Highlands 6
2014 Cov Cath 21 Highlands 20 (OT)
2015 Cov Cath 39 Highlands 21
2016 Cov Cath 20 Highlands 19
2017 Cov Cath 14 Highlands 12
2018 Cov Cath 28 Highlands 6
2019 Highlands 17 Cov Cath 7
2020 Cov Cath 13 Highlands 6
2020 Highlands 21 Cov Cath 7
2021 Highlands 21 Cov Cath 3
2022 Cov Cath 21 Highlands 14
2023 Cov Cath 20 Highlands 16
2023* Highlands 49 Cov Cath 14
2024 Highlands 34 Cov Cath 19
2024* Highlands 20 Cov Cath 14

* NKY Freshman Regional Championship

32 minutes ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

There are a small handful of years where I'm not sure whether or not we played each other on the freshman level, and if they did, I have no idea what the score was...so my series record between these two freshman squads isn't complete. I've looked through all the past Cov Cath yearbooks for the seven years in question and they didn't include any game results for freshman teams in them. If anyone has access to old Highlands yearbooks, I'm still hunting down results for the 1968, 1971, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, and 1987 freshman football seasons. (Bear in mind that the year associated with the football season is the year prior to the year associated with the yearbook, as in: the results of the fall 1984 football season are gonna show up in the 1985 yearbook).

Series Record:
1966 Highlands 32 Cov Cath 6
1967 - Did Not Play
1968 - ???
1969 Highlands 42 Cov Cath 0
1970 Highlands 8 Cov Cath 0
1971 - ???
1972 - Did Not Play
1973 - Did Not Play
1974 - Did Not Play
1975 - Did Not Play
1976 - Did Not Play
1977 Highlands 12 Cov Cath 0
1978 - Did Not Play
1979 - Did Not Play
1980 Highlands 12 Cov Cath 0
1981 Cov Cath 7 Highlands 6
1982 - ???
1983 - ???
1984 Highlands 14 Cov Cath 7
1985 - ???
1986 - ???
1987 - ???
1988 - Did Not Play
1989 - Did Not Play
1990 - Did Not Play
1991 - Highlands 22 Cov Cath 21
1992 - Did Not Play
1993 - Cov Cath 28 Highlands 6
1994 - Cov Cath 28 Highlands 7
1995 - Did Not Play
1996 - Did Not Play
1997 Highlands 24 Cov Cath 6
1998 Cov Cath 21 Highlands 0
1999 Highlands 28 Cov Cath 8
2000 Highlands 15 Cov Cath 12
2001 Highlands 7 Cov Cath 6
2002 Cov Cath 27 Highlands 21
2003 Cov Cath 38 Highlands 15
2004 Highlands 41 Cov Cath 8
2005 Highlands 32 Cov Cath 6
2006 Highlands 52 Cov Cath 6
2007 Highlands 7 Cov Cath 6
2008 Highlands 15 Cov Cath 8
2009* Highlands 14 Cov Cath 8
2010 Highlands 36 Cov Cath 7
2010* Highlands 36 Cov Cath 14
2011 Highlands 14 Cov Cath 12
2011* Highlands 21 Cov Cath 7
2012 Highlands 29 Cov Cath 21
2013 Cov Cath 14 Highlands 6
2014 Cov Cath 21 Highlands 20 (OT)
2015 Cov Cath 39 Highlands 21
2016 Cov Cath 20 Highlands 19
2017 Cov Cath 14 Highlands 12
2018 Cov Cath 28 Highlands 6
2019 Highlands 17 Cov Cath 7
2020 Cov Cath 13 Highlands 6
2020 Highlands 21 Cov Cath 7
2021 Highlands 21 Cov Cath 3
2022 Cov Cath 21 Highlands 14
2023 Cov Cath 20 Highlands 16
2023* Highlands 49 Cov Cath 14
2024 Highlands 34 Cov Cath 19
2024* Highlands 20 Cov Cath 14

* NKY Freshman Regional Championship

It’s certainly has been a series of streaks both ways. Let’s hope that continues!

Cov Cath has to get this one. You can’t lose to your rival 4 times in a row at the freshman level and expect things to change at the varsity level. 

I usually can’t make many freshman games, but this matchup is usually worth it.  Get yo popcorn ready!!!!

20 hours ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

There are a small handful of years where I'm not sure whether or not we played each other on the freshman level, and if they did, I have no idea what the score was...so my series record between these two freshman squads isn't complete. I've looked through all the past Cov Cath yearbooks for the seven years in question and they didn't include any game results for freshman teams in them. If anyone has access to old Highlands yearbooks, I'm still hunting down results for the 1968, 1971, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, and 1987 freshman football seasons. (Bear in mind that the year associated with the football season is the year prior to the year associated with the yearbook, as in: the results of the fall 1984 football season are gonna show up in the 1985 yearbook).

Series Record:
1966 Highlands 32 Cov Cath 6
1967 - Did Not Play
1968 - ???
1969 Highlands 42 Cov Cath 0
1970 Highlands 8 Cov Cath 0
1971 - ???
1972 - Did Not Play
1973 - Did Not Play
1974 - Did Not Play
1975 - Did Not Play
1976 - Did Not Play
1977 Highlands 12 Cov Cath 0
1978 - Did Not Play
1979 - Did Not Play
1980 Highlands 12 Cov Cath 0
1981 Cov Cath 7 Highlands 6
1982 - ???
1983 - ???
1984 Highlands 14 Cov Cath 7
1985 - ???
1986 - ???
1987 - ???
1988 - Did Not Play
1989 - Did Not Play
1990 - Did Not Play
1991 - Highlands 22 Cov Cath 21
1992 - Did Not Play
1993 - Cov Cath 28 Highlands 6
1994 - Cov Cath 28 Highlands 7
1995 - Did Not Play
1996 - Did Not Play
1997 Highlands 24 Cov Cath 6
1998 Cov Cath 21 Highlands 0
1999 Highlands 28 Cov Cath 8
2000 Highlands 15 Cov Cath 12
2001 Highlands 7 Cov Cath 6
2002 Cov Cath 27 Highlands 21
2003 Cov Cath 38 Highlands 15
2004 Highlands 41 Cov Cath 8
2005 Highlands 32 Cov Cath 6
2006 Highlands 52 Cov Cath 6
2007 Highlands 7 Cov Cath 6
2008 Highlands 15 Cov Cath 8
2009* Highlands 14 Cov Cath 8
2010 Highlands 36 Cov Cath 7
2010* Highlands 36 Cov Cath 14
2011 Highlands 14 Cov Cath 12
2011* Highlands 21 Cov Cath 7
2012 Highlands 29 Cov Cath 21
2013 Cov Cath 14 Highlands 6
2014 Cov Cath 21 Highlands 20 (OT)
2015 Cov Cath 39 Highlands 21
2016 Cov Cath 20 Highlands 19
2017 Cov Cath 14 Highlands 12
2018 Cov Cath 28 Highlands 6
2019 Highlands 17 Cov Cath 7
2020 Cov Cath 13 Highlands 6
2020 Highlands 21 Cov Cath 7
2021 Highlands 21 Cov Cath 3
2022 Cov Cath 21 Highlands 14
2023 Cov Cath 20 Highlands 16
2023* Highlands 49 Cov Cath 14
2024 Highlands 34 Cov Cath 19
2024* Highlands 20 Cov Cath 14

* NKY Freshman Regional Championship

Highlands history lesson of the day:

Fall 1985 & 1986: DNP Cov Cath

Fall 85 team had Marty Moore, went 8-1 destroyed everyone but lost final game vs Ockerman 8-6.  Freshman Head Coach for that team is quoted “This has been the highest scoring team ever, if the team stays together, they could be the next State Champions for Highlands”.  He was one year off unfortunately.

Funny thing is the Fall 86 team who were Seniors when we finally won State in Fall 89, that Freshmen team went 2-5. Lost to NKy teams Dixie, Conner, Campbell Co, Scott & Holmes….Highest Highlands score that season was 12, in a 12-14 loss to Conner.

With this intense rivalry, I have to give the slight edge to the home team Colonels.

I’m taking Highlands. 

On 8/26/2025 at 12:07 PM, FrankNicodemus said:

Highlands history lesson of the day:

Fall 1985 & 1986: DNP Cov Cath

Fall 85 team had Marty Moore, went 8-1 destroyed everyone but lost final game vs Ockerman 8-6.  Freshman Head Coach for that team is quoted “This has been the highest scoring team ever, if the team stays together, they could be the next State Champions for Highlands”.  He was one year off unfortunately.

Funny thing is the Fall 86 team who were Seniors when we finally won State in Fall 89, that Freshmen team went 2-5. Lost to NKy teams Dixie, Conner, Campbell Co, Scott & Holmes….Highest Highlands score that season was 12, in a 12-14 loss to Conner.

I had someone from the Cov Cath 1987 freshman team message me and tell me that Highlands and Cov Cath didn't play one another that season either. Per my source, at that time the NKY freshman league was split into east and west teams, and at the end of the regular season the top two teams from each division played a 4-team playoff. Scott and Holmes were the two top teams from the east while Cov Cath and Dixie were the top from the west. Cov Cath beat Dixie 9-8 to finish their season 9-0 and win their first ever regional freshman title. The Freddie Colonels only gave up 14 total points that season.

This should be a great game. Colonels by 3.

The broadcast is live.

Highlands has some beastly looking captains there, they look more like varsity players. 

The Birds marched all the way down the field with ease (aided by one no call on holding) and the QB fumbled scrambling at the 5.  CCH ball, 0-0 in the first.

CCH moved the ball but had a couple of penalties too. CCH to punt but the snap was way high and the punter was tackled in the end zone for a safety.

Highlands 2 CovCath 0