Bad Bill

I believe Merrill Hoge's son will be a seventh grader. Jac Collinsworth plays quarterback.

Nina's husband, Tommy, got the job. Nina will stay on as a volunteer assistant coach.

Her husband

The scrimmage against Male is in Fort Thomas on Friday, August 14 at 7:00 p.m. It is the only scrimmage.

Best team either Highlands, X or T.

The new coach will be introduced at the school tomorrow at 3:15 p.m.

Highlands has had a number of great 10-year runs. 1957-1966 100 - 10 - 2 State Champions: 1960, 1961 and 1964 Mythical State Champions: 1957 State Runner-ups: 1960, 1962 and 1966 50 Consecutive Regular Season Victories: 1959 -1963 Homer Rice - Head Coach 1957-1961 - Went on to be head coach of Cincinnati, Rice, and the Cincinnati Bengals. Players Drafted by NFL: Jim Burt (1961), Mike McGraw (1962), Chuck Kyle (1965). Dain Birkley (1964) free agent tryout with Cincinnati Bengals.

Homer Rice is returning to Fort Thomas from Atlanta to be honored as the Highlands High School "Alumni of the Year." The Awards Dinner takes place on Saturday, May 9 at 6 p.m. at the Carnegie in Newport. The public is invited. Lorraine Giglia will be honored as Highlands "Teacher of the Year" that same night.

Effie Vorhees graduated in 1965 and was very similar to Justin Frisk in his running style. Vorhees led the state in scoring in 1964 and was named 1st Team All State. He started at fullback at Western Kentucky University for four years. I remember a game against Ashland in Ashland his senior year. A bunch of us were standing on the track near the end zone waiting for Ashland to kick-off. Vorhees was ready to receive the kick-off when he looked over to us and shouted that we were going to see him run for a touchdown. That's exactly what happened. Vorhees wasn't the greatest football player ever at Highlands, but he would rank as one of the top 5 or 6 running backs of all time. He was an amazing talent. When he turned the corner, he was gone. Unfortunately, he died of heart failure at a young age.

In a citywide vote that I conducted for a newsmagazine in 1980, Roger Walz was voted the best football player ever at Highlands. Walz was the quarterback on the 1959, 1960 and 1961 Highlands teams that won two state championships and were state runner-ups when Walz was a sophomore starter. He also played defensive back. Walz went on to play quarterback at the University of Cincinnati and University of Kentucky. Walz also played basketball, tennis and baseball at Highlands and excelled in every sport. His son is Jeff Walz, women's basketball coach at the University of Louisville, and his daughter is Jamie Richie, Highlands girls' basketball coach, and the former National High School Basketball Player of the Year as a senior at Highlands. Over 3,500 residents of Fort Thomas voted on the greatest players ever at Highlands in 1980 and Walz was the winner by a wide margin.

Chuck Kyle was a high school All American tackle at Highlands in 1964. There was no one like him in the state of Kentucky at the time. He went on to become an All American nose tackle at Purdue University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. Kyle ended up being an All Pro linebacker in the Canadian football league. What's fascinating about Kyle is the fact that he was such an all-around athlete. He won the state diving championship his senior year at Highlands and also broke the school shot-put record.

John Burt from the Class of 1961 would have to be ranked one of the greatest players ever at Highlands. He was an outstanding running back for three seasons. His number (40) was retired by the school after the state championship game his senior year. It doesn't get much better than that at Highlands.

You can read a detailed interview with Coach Wirth in the April issue of "Inside Your Town" newsmagazine that will be delivered this weekend. In the interview he states that Erpenbeck has the potential to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards next season. He's also very excited about the offensive line and said he has two outstanding wide receivers.

He did sign today. He also said he could leave Georgia Military College after one year if the right Division I offer came along. Even if he plays there for two seasons, he could participate in spring drills at the Division I school of his choice two years from today provided he attends Georgia Military College this summer and next summer. He could be enrolled in a Division I school in January of 2011. He also said Georgia Military College produced 15 Division I players this year.

Big article on Luke Maile in the March edition of "Inside Your Town" newsmagazine.

Georgia Military College

Tony signs tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.

The real turning point for Highlands in terms of being a premiere football power in Kentucky took place in 1960 with the victory over Louisville Male in Fort Thomas. It was the greatest game I've ever seen. Male was ranked #1 in the state and had the top running back in Kentucky. Highlands went into the game ranked #2 in the state. Highlands went on to win the Class AA state championship that year. The team featured Roger Walz (UK, UC) at quarterback, Jim and John Burt (WKU) at running back, Bob Steinhauser (UC) at end, Joe Ross (Air Force) at end and Alan Berry (Duke) at tackle. Highlands won 50 consecutive regular season games during this period and also won the state championship in 1961 on a team that featured Walz and Mike McGraw (UK, Baltimore Colts).

It's a one-year deal.

Highlands versus Cincinnati St. Xavier, fifth week of the season, at Highlands. This game replaces the Covington Holmes game.

Covington Catholic has just sent out a press release announcing Dave Wirth as the new football coach.

Coach Mueller has been very impressed this winter with next year's junior class and has told them so.

Simon Kenton would take the place of Holmes on the schedule, but prospects for the game aren't real good at this time. Highlands is interested; not sure about Simon Kenton.

Highlands is attempting to schedule a game with Simon Kenton for next season.

Rosie worked out with the team yesterday. So did the Bruns brothers.