Two teams, 40 years, one rivalry

 

CovCath, Highlands drive each other to excellence

 

 

One of the best High School football articles I have read in a long, long time. Great job by Ryan Ernst of the Cincinnati Enquirer and NKy.com!

 

Far to good of an job by Ryan for me to even post a blurb in this thread about the article, you must if you have only seen even one CovCath vs. Highlands game read this article.

 

Thank you Ryan Ernst, outstanding job and I know a lot of work!

Forty years ago, when Northern Kentucky's biggest, fiercest, most important high school sports rivalry began, it was none of those things. The combatants - Highlands and Covington Catholic - were hardly natural rivals.

 

They shared the school colors of blue and white, but little else.

 

One was a public school; the other was private. One got its students from a small community less than seven square miles in area; the other drew from all over Northern Kentucky. One was a traditional football power dating to the Roaring '20s; the other was an upstart. One was co-ed; the other all boys. In terms of history and geography, they weren't even close.

 

 

 

 

Doesn't Highlands draw from all over NKY as well? The Mr. Football candidate for Highlands, Josh Conner, is from Newport, right?

I got a kick out of this section of the article; "Who has the Edge?"

 

Monuments:

Cov. Cath Coach Ray's Rock

 

Highlands The Cannon

 

Edge: Push (meaning tie) :lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

Never heard of coach Ray's Rock. Everyone in the State knows about the Highlands Cannon.

 

Uniform trademark:

 

Cov. Cath. Colonels across back

 

Highlands Little bird wearing a football helmet.

 

For the record it is a MEAN BIRD wearing a football helmet. Come on guys get it right.

 

Edge: Cov. Cath.

I got a kick out of this section of the article; "Who has the Edge?"

Yeah, he was digging awfully deep to balance the equation.

 

Loved the article though, as well as the entire NKY Preview section. Good job! :thumb:

In Ryan article today about, two teams, 40 years, 1 rivalry, I just can't recall a team by the name of Highlands playing CovCath not even once! The only team I recall playing CovCath since CovCath started playing football (but not that first varsity season in the fall of "67") was The Team from Ft. Thomas.

 

Seems strange for Ryan to keep brining the name Highlands up. Has anybody even heard of that team? :sssh: :lol:

Forty years ago, when Northern Kentucky's biggest, fiercest, most important high school sports rivalry began, it was none of those things. The combatants - Highlands and Covington Catholic - were hardly natural rivals.

 

They shared the school colors of blue and white, but little else.

 

One was a public school; the other was private. One got its students from a small community less than seven square miles in area; the other drew from all over Northern Kentucky. One was a traditional football power dating to the Roaring '20s; the other was an upstart. One was co-ed; the other all boys. In terms of history and geography, they weren't even close.

 

 

 

 

Doesn't Highlands draw from all over NKY as well? The Mr. Football candidate for Highlands, Josh Conner, is from Newport, right?

 

I can't wait to see the responses to this, however, you ware correct, they draw some major talent from outside of Ft. Thomas. However, I'm on the side that says kids pick Highlands over Campbell Co, or Newport for the same reasont that kids from CovCath pick the Colonels over all the other schools on Dixie Highway.

I got a kick out of this section of the article; "Who has the Edge?"

 

Monuments:

Cov. Cath Coach Ray's Rock

 

Highlands The Cannon

 

Edge: Push (meaning tie) :lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

Never heard of coach Ray's Rock. Everyone in the State knows about the Highlands Cannon.

 

Uniform trademark:

 

Cov. Cath. Colonels across back

 

Highlands Little bird wearing a football helmet.

 

For the record it is a MEAN BIRD wearing a football helmet. Come on guys get it right.

 

Edge: Cov. Cath.

 

If state championships were based on mascots, Highlands would in trouble. It's like that kid who is short, skinny, and wears glasses, but also is a gold gloves champion.

Forty years ago, when Northern Kentucky's biggest, fiercest, most important high school sports rivalry began, it was none of those things. The combatants - Highlands and Covington Catholic - were hardly natural rivals.

 

They shared the school colors of blue and white, but little else.

 

One was a public school; the other was private. One got its students from a small community less than seven square miles in area; the other drew from all over Northern Kentucky. One was a traditional football power dating to the Roaring '20s; the other was an upstart. One was co-ed; the other all boys. In terms of history and geography, they weren't even close.

 

 

 

 

Doesn't Highlands draw from all over NKY as well? The Mr. Football candidate for Highlands, Josh Conner, is from Newport, right?

 

Not really. We occasionally get several players outside of Ft. Thomas (even some disgruntled CovCath players every now and then:D), but if you want to compare the number of players you've received from outside a seven square mile area surrounding CovCath with the number of players that we've received from outside of Ft. Thomas over the last 20 years, I'll start making my list.

 

The only two that I can think of this year are Conner and Ted Abner. Conner as you pointed out lives in Newport and Abner lives in Kenton County. Teddy's father is a Highlands grad. The place of Abner's residence is a testament to whom wears the pants in that family (sorry Ted. I didn't want to type that but my fingers wouldn't listen to me. Besides, if I didn't type it, Jim or Mick would have anyway. :D)

In Ryan article today about, two teams, 40 years, 1 rivalry, I just can't recall a team by the name of Highlands playing CovCath not even once! The only team I recall playing CovCath since CovCath started playing football (but not that first varsity season in the fall of "67") was The Team from Ft. Thomas.

 

Seems strange for Ryan to keep brining the name Highlands up. Has anybody even heard of that team? :sssh: :lol:

 

Wasn't that phrase coined by Rodenberg? Hummmmmm I believe it was. Ray always wanted to beat Highlands.

In Ryan article today about, two teams, 40 years, 1 rivalry, I just can't recall a team by the name of Highlands playing CovCath not even once! The only team I recall playing CovCath since CovCath started playing football (but not that first varsity season in the fall of "67") was The Team from Ft. Thomas.

 

Seems strange for Ryan to keep brining the name Highlands up. Has anybody even heard of that team? :sssh: :lol:

 

:D:D

Wasn't that phrase coined by Rodenberg? Hummmmmm I believe it was. Ray always wanted to beat Highlands.

 

I always liked Coach Ray, but I liked being a captain on the team that gave CovCath their worse loss ever by Highlands even more. :banana:

10 Games that Shaped the CovCath-Highlands Rivalry.

http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080818/SPT030201/308180005

 

Also, Back in the day (early '80's) Cov Cath wasn't the rivalry, New Cath was. It wasn't just the neighborhood rivalry like CovCath/Beechwood. It determined whether you went to the playoffs. That was when both were in AAA and there were sub-districts. If Highlands lost to NC they weren't going to the playoffs at all.

Not really. We occasionally get several players outside of Ft. Thomas (even some disgruntled CovCath players every now and then:D), but if you want to compare the number of players you've received from outside a seven square mile area surrounding CovCath with the number of players that we've received from outside of Ft. Thomas over the last 20 years, I'll start making my list.

 

The only two that I can think of this year are Conner and Ted Abner. Conner as you pointed out lives in Newport and Abner lives in Kenton County. Teddy's father is a Highlands grad. The place of Abner's residence is a testament to whom wears the pants in that family (sorry Ted. I didn't want to type that but my fingers wouldn't listen to me. Besides, if I didn't type it, Jim or Mick would have anyway. :D)

 

Just for "complete disclosure"...Isn't young Alfie Alford a Newport boy, also? And we do "steal" away the occasional Southgate kid. But I did think "Ernie" Ernst captured the rivalry as well as any article I've ever read.

Not really. We occasionally get several players outside of Ft. Thomas (even some disgruntled CovCath players every now and then:D), but if you want to compare the number of players you've received from outside a seven square mile area surrounding CovCath with the number of players that we've received from outside of Ft. Thomas over the last 20 years, I'll start making my list.

 

The only two that I can think of this year are Conner and Ted Abner. Conner as you pointed out lives in Newport and Abner lives in Kenton County. Teddy's father is a Highlands grad. The place of Abner's residence is a testament to whom wears the pants in that family (sorry Ted. I didn't want to type that but my fingers wouldn't listen to me. Besides, if I didn't type it, Jim or Mick would have anyway. :D)

 

 

"Not really".

 

Is that lawyerese for "Yes, Highlands does get players (many of them excellent football players) from outside of Ft. Thomas"? I don't fault Highlands for taking them or the players for wanting to play at a high level. But the "myth" that all the players at Highlands are home grown is a bit much.

 

:thumb:

Also, Back in the day (early '80's) Cov Cath wasn't the rivalry, New Cath was. It wasn't just the neighborhood rivalry like CovCath/Beechwood. It determined whether you went to the playoffs. That was when both were in AAA and there were sub-districts. If Highlands lost to NC they weren't going to the playoffs at all.

I seem to recall such a time.