G. Michael Graham Photo. Highlands Co-Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Dale Mueller instructs the Bluebirds during a recent practice. Mueller and the Bluebirds are aiming for their seventh straight state championship this fall.
By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM
Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter
Editor’s Note: A District 7-4 preview can be found in
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Just the
sight or mention of the Highlands Bluebirds football team strikes fear into
many opponents.
That is
what happens when you have the mystique the Blue and White do. The great
history comes in the form of an overall record of 842-225-26 good for an
average of about 8.6 wins a year good for the second-most wins in school
history in the country only behind 876 wins of Valdosta (Ga.). It also includes
a Kentucky record 22 state championships tied with Louisville Trinity,
including six in a row good for sole possession of another state record. The
Bluebirds have also recorded 57 straight winning seasons dating back to a 4-5-1
mark in 1955 and have won at least three state championships in every decade
since the 1960s.
But the
coaching staff and returning players know that tradition alone will not win the
99th edition of the Bluebirds another championship. They have to put in their
time in the offseason to continuously improve to add to the legacy among other
things.
That’s what
the returning players started doing in January about a month after knocking off
Collins, 47-0 on Nov. 30 in the Class 4A state championship at Western Kentucky
University. That concluded a 14-1 campaign good for an overall record of 87-3
during their 30-0 playoff mark.
The
leadership starts at the top with Bluebird Co-Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
Dale Mueller, Weinrich and the assistant coaches. Former players praise Mueller
for his positive approach to the game.
“I think coaches have a big impact on the guys on the
team,” Mueller said. “My coaches in my life had a big impact on
me. I think all coaches try to have a good, positive impact on the lives of the
guys they coach. I try to do the same.”
The
Bluebirds have been beating opponents with depth. Once they’re sophomores, the
coaching staff puts them on either offense or defense. That enables players to concentrate
on one position as opposed to spending half the practice on offense then
another half on defense. That’s also a reason so many experienced players
return each year. Many see the playing field when the Bluebirds are up huge in
the second half.
“Each year, our numbers have been growing by about
10-12 per season, which means more guys can play. It adds more competition in
practice,” said Brian Weinrich,
Highlands Co-Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator. “Highlands If you want to get on the field, you’d better show that you
deserve it. When there are 11 guys on the field, there’s 20 more that are
anxious to get out there so it’s a good problem as a coach. As a player, it can
get frustrating. But they’re buying into the team-first mentality.”
Recently
graduated linebacker Reid Schroeder said the upperclassmen constantly talk to
the younger players about how things are done at Highlands. That also helps
make sure any potential problems are dealt with quickly and efficiently.
“I think the guys on the team are a fraternity of guys
that are out to help the team win,”
Mueller said. “It’s a dynamic group who
the team means a lot to them. So they’re going to do their role to help the
team win.”
Tough Schedule:
Highlands
often schedules tough games to prepare for tough games. The Bluebirds open the
season against University Christian of Jacksonville (Fla.) in a battle of
defending state champions on ESPNU. That Aug. 24 game starts at 3:30 p.m.
That’s the
first of three Saturday games to prepare for the huge game on Sept. 28 at
Covington Catholic. The Bluebirds travel to John Hardin and Paducah Tilghman
the previous two Saturday after home battles against Campbell County and
Lexington Bryan Station.
“It’s the most difficult schedule that we’ve ever had
since I’ve been at Highlands,”
Mueller said. “It is just a lot of
really good football teams that we really have to get ready to play. We really
gear our schedule around CovCath because that’s a big game that determines
whether we’re the one seed in the playoffs and that determines so much as to
whether we win the state championship or not.”
After
district play concludes, Highlands travels to Cincinnati Elder and plays host
to Warren Central to finish the regular season. Elder handed the Bluebirds
their only loss last year.
“It’s going to be hard,” said Joey Kruse, Highlands Senior linebacker. “It’s going to drive us harder because
people are going to be coming to the bigger games. We want to show the nation
what we’re about.”
Nine of the
10 teams on the schedule had winning seasons last year. They finished a
combined 82-41 last year. It may be difficult for Highlands to add to its
state-record 13 undefeated seasons. But the Bluebirds have risen to the
occasion in the past on many occasions.
Highlands
travels to Louisville to take on the defending 6A champion Trinity Shamrocks in
the annual scrimmage on Friday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.