We gave you the 50 greatest sports icons from NKY last summer. Since we had so much fun with that, we’re bringing you another list of the 50 greatest things this summer…The 50 greatest prep sports teams from NKY.
Each day for the next 50 days, we’ll release one of the area’s 50 greatest prep sports teams. It starts June 22 and runs into August. This is not a ranking 1-50, it’s just a collection of the 50 best sports teams ever assembled.
We’ll preface this by saying you may or may not agree with all 50 and that’s fine. Sports editor Evan Dennison assembled a panel of dedicated and longly-tenured NKY sports fans to weigh in and give their takes on who should be on the list. I trust those people because of their history and knowledge of the game in NKY. We compiled numerous lists and identified the most certain candidates for inclusion.
Some of the traits we sought in these teams were state championships (almost certainly a requirement), dominance, and standout players and coaches. We may have cheated a little by lumping some dominant teams together that achieved numerous consecutive state titles, but that gives a few more teams an opportunity to be recognized.
I hope you enjoy this, as sports are slow in the summer. This list serves as a way to remember the past a little and keep you entertained daily as it continues.
Another note, while we respect and give coverage to golf, tennis, wrestling, bowling, track and field and cross country, we consider those individual sports, so any teams from those sports will not make the list.
Here we go!
2019 Covington Catholic football
The 2019 Covington Catholic football team put together one of the most dominant seasons in Northern Kentucky football history. Under head coach Eddie Eviston, the Colonels completed a perfect 15-0 season and captured the Class 5A state championship.
CovCath overwhelmed opponents from start to finish, outscoring them 564-91 and posting six shutouts along the way. Their average margin of victory was 31.5 points per game, ranking among the best in the state that season. In the postseason, the Colonels were even more dominant, winning all five playoff games by an average of 28 points. The championship run culminated with a victory over previously unbeaten Frederick Douglass. Adding to an already impressive résumé, the Colonels defeated Ohio Division II state champion La Salle during the regular season. Outside of the state championship, they had just one other game within one possession, a 39-38 victory over Lexington Catholic.
While the offense regularly filled the scoreboard, scoring more than 40 points eight times and at least 30 points in 11 games, the team’s identity was its suffocating defense. The Colonels finished among Kentucky’s leaders in rushing defense, sacks, and interceptions, earning a reputation as one of the state’s best defensive units ever. They were also ranked No. 45 nationally by MaxPreps.
Leading the way was Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year and Mr. Football Michael Mayer, who later starred at University of Notre Dame, where he became the program’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end and now plays tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders. Standout quarterback Caleb Jacob went on to play at Georgetown College, while kicker David “Trey” Gronotte continued his career at Navy. Mayer caught 50 passes for 970 yards and 15 touchdowns in the ’19 season. Jacob threw for 2,817 yards and 33 touchdowns, Gronotte hit 68-of-71 extra-point attempts and 9-of-12 on field goal attempts. The defense forced 28 turnovers. Daniel Felix led the rushing attack with 815 yards and 14 touchdowns. Ethan Reardon was the wide receiver threat with 45 receptions for 809 yards and nine touchdowns. Mayer led the team in tackles with 99, Daniel had 77. Andrew Molique had six interceptions, Mayer with four.
Their perfect season, dominant defense, and state championship run solidified the 2019 Colonels as one of the defining teams in Kentucky high school football history.
