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!
2021 Beechwood football
By the end of the 2021 season, opponents weren’t so much trying to beat Beechwood as they were trying to survive four quarters. The Tigers outscored opponents 689-104 on their way to a perfect 15-0 record and a Class 2A state championship.
Coached by Noel Rash, Beechwood dominated on both sides of the ball. The Tigers averaged 45.9 points per game, the highest in Kentucky, while allowing just 6.9 points per contest, the lowest in the state. They also led Kentucky in scoring margin, recorded five shutouts and held opponents to just 446 rushing yards all season. Only two teams finished within single digits, including Lexington Christian in the state title game.
The road to perfection included wins over two Class 5A teams and two Class 6A programs despite Beechwood competing in Class 2A. The postseason featured a 38-7 semifinal win over Mayfield before a dramatic 23-21 victory over previously unbeaten Lexington Christian in the state final. Jake Conrad drilled a 36-yard field goal with under two minutes left for the win.
At the center of it all was Cam Hergott, one of the most accomplished players in Beechwood history. The future Eastern Kentucky University signee accounted for more than 4,100 yards of total offense, throwing for 2,323 yards and 32 touchdowns while rushing for 1,811 yards and 29 scores. Hergott earned state championship MVP honors and capped a career that included three state titles and a shared Mr. Football honor in 2020.
Beechwood’s talent extended beyond its star quarterback. Mitchell Berger added more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 17 total touchdowns, while Avery Courtney contributed 11 rushing scores. Xavier Campbell anchored the defense with 12 sacks.
The 2021 Tigers stood at the center of Beechwood’s run of three consecutive state championships from 2020-22.
Here’s the rundown of the 50 greatest NKY prep sports teams day by day:
Day 1: 1998 Highlands Football
Day 2: 1963 Holmes Baseball
Day 3: 2019 Covington Catholic football
Day 4: 2021 Notre Dame Academy Girls Soccer
Day 5: 1960 Highlands Football
Day 6: 1980 Villa Madonna Volleyball
Day 7: 1976 Lloyd Memorial Football
Day 8: 2009 Holmes Boys Basketball
Day 9: 1991 Beechwood Football
Day 10: 1954 Newport Catholic Baseball
Day 11: 1982 Highlands Football
Day 12: 2019 Ryle Girls Basketball
Day 13: 1987 Boone County Football
Day 14: 1981 St. Henry Volleyball
Day 15: 2021 Beechwood Football
Day 16: 2002 Covington Catholic Baseball
Day 17: 1957 Highlands Football
Day 18: 2006 Ryle Softball
Day 19: 1975 Ludlow Football
Day 20: 1979 Notre Dame Volleyball
Day 21: 1977 Bellevue Football
Day 22: 2015 Holy Cross Girls Basketball
Day 23: 1970 Highlands Football
Day 24: 2013 Notre Dame Soccer
Day 25: 2011 Highlands Football
Day 26: 2015 Covington Catholic Soccer
Day 27: 1997 Beechwood Football
Day 28: 1994 Highlands Girls Basketball
Day 29: 2017 Covington Catholic Football
Day 30: 1978 Holmes Boys Basketball
Day 31: 1996 Highlands Football
Day 32: 1981 Simon Kenton Boys Basketball
Day 33: 1946 Holmes Football
Day 34: 2014 Covington Catholic Basketball
Day 35: 1951 Bellevue Football
Day 36: 2021 Highlands Boys Basketball
