Not as much of a marquee weekend as last week here as we head into Week 3 of the high school football season tonight. But for the teams involved, many of them trying to find out just who they are and how they have to play, there are some interesting and unpredictable matchups.
THURSDAY
BELLEVUE (0-2) (0-90) at BISHOP BROSSART (1-1), 7 p.m.: For Bellevue’s limited-in-number Tiger, it’s a heck of a lot shorter trip tonight to Alexandria than it was a week ago on a 350-mile round trip to Edmonton for the Metcalfe County game. They’ll face a Mustang team that limited Newport to a single TD but played without quarterback Keegan Culley making it tough to get the offense going despite the presence of talented running back Evan Orth. Good chance to get the offense in gear here for Brossart against a Bellevue team that’s been outscored 90-0 in two lopsided losses. And as every week makes clear, another chance for the young and few Bellevue kids to keep fighting the good fight.
HOLY CROSS (1-1) at SCOTT (0-2), 7 p.m.: It’s been a feast or famine opening for Bruce Kozerski’s Class 2A 1-1 Indians, shutting out Bellevue 48-0 before getting shut out 14-0 by Walton-Verona. Class 4A Scott, meanwhile, lost by 17 to Walton-Verona before a tough one-point, two-day loss to Boone County. Both teams are young and trying to figure out who they are before district play. Tonight’s game should help them work that out.
FRIDAY
HIGHLANDS (0-2) at CAMPBELL COUNTY (1-1), 7 p.m.: With the control of Alexandria Pike on the line at the home of the Camels, look for something of a shootout in this 5A-6A matchup between teams that will have to show they can stop people if they want to be successful when district play arrives. The visiting Bluebirds may be off to an unfamiliar 0-2 start but they’ve played two top teams in South Warren and Simon Kenton and did put up 40 points a week ago in a two-point loss to Simon Kenton that showed as good a 1-2 punch as anyone in the state with quarterback Brody Benke and all-purpose Charlie Noon. Campbell, meanwhile, after a strong opening showing in a win over Newport Central Catholic, ran into a tough Woodford County team in a 43-13 road loss.
COOPER (1-1) at RYLE (1-1), 7 p.m.: When it comes to who controls Union, the big guys at Ryle have had the last word with seven straight wins and 12 of the first 15. And the Class 6A Raiders, home team this year, will be favored once again behind quarterback Logan Verax, a senior pass-run threat. He’s got plenty of help in receiver Kaden Gardner (17 catches for 325 yards) and running back Jayce Harden, averaging 110 yards a game on the ground. Class 5A Cooper, after getting shut out in the opener, bounced back for 41 points last week in a five-point win over Dixie Heights behind senior running back Eli White, who rushed for 215 yards in the Dixie win. Freshman QB Cam O’Hara threw for 271 yards and three TD against Dixie. Give Ryle the edge on defense here as Cooper has allowed 64 points in two games while Ryle just 28.
DIXIE HEIGHTS (1-1) at CONNER (0-2), 7 p.m.: Close but no cigar for a winless young Conner team as the Cougars host a young Dixie Heights team that also specializes in close games but managed to win one of them, a 13-12 squeaker over Lloyd Memorial. Flip a coin on this one although Class 6A Dixie does seem to have figured out the way to the end zone while Conner is still trying to get its Google Maps settings squared away. Sophomore QB Armani Gregg leads the visiting Colonels who will be challenged by a Ben Fay-led Conner defense that’s been ahead of an offense still trying to settle on a quarterback.
WALTON-VERONA (2-0) at GRANT COUNTY (0-2) (115-35), 7:30 p.m.: Walton-Verona’s unbeaten Bearcats have been one of the bright stories for this season as they continue their success from a year ago and against a Grant County team that has been outscored 115-35 in its two losses, that wouldn’t seem to change this week. Look for the Bearcats to keep it rolling.
BOONE COUNTY (2-0) at HOLMES (1-1), 7 p.m.: Mystery game at Tom Ellis Field Friday. Sure it’s a Holmes home game but will the Class 4A Bulldogs show up, that’s the question. They did in crushing Grant County 68-12 in the opener but not so much in last week’s 19-6 loss to Class A NewCath. How to get Curtez Hill going will always be the key for Holmes and against a Bryson Warner’s hang-tough Class 5 A Boone County team, that might not be so easy. The rebuilding Rebels have won two down-to-the-wire games – at Russell (20-18) and home against Scott (14-13).
COVINGTON CATHOLIC (1-1) at LEXINGTON CATHOLIC (2-0), 7 p.m.: For the second straight week, the Class 5A Colonels head south – this time to Lexington. But after a win a week ago in the Pikeville Bowl, CovCath seems to have found its quarterback in 6-foot-4 junior Evan Pitzer and that’s the good news. The bad news is they’re facing a Lexington Catholic team that specializes in beating Northern Kentucky teams, opening with a 27-21 win over Ryle. The best thing CovCath has going for it might be that tough opener against a tough Cincinnati Elder team where the Colonels rallied to win the second half.
NEWPORT (1-1) at PENDLETON COUNTY (0-2), 7:30 p.m.: Good news for the bounce-back Wildcats here after scrapping their way to a 7-0 win at Brossart last Friday, they should be able to get their offense going in Falmouth against a Pendleton County team that has given up 98 points in its first two games. Senior do-everything Quincy Barber leads Newport here and with two interceptions at Brossart, the advice for Pendleton would seem to be not to throw the ball near the safety.
LLOYD MEMORIAL (1-1) at CLARKSVILLE (Ind.) PROVIDENCE, 7:30 p.m.: Heading downriver this weekend, the Juggernauts hope to continue their winning ways from last fall’s 31-21 win over Providence. After a tough opening loss by a point, 13-12, at Dixie, Lloyd got it going with a 47-point outburst last Friday against Grant County.
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC (1-1) at CINCINNATI ROGER BACON, 7 p.m.: Heading to Cincinnati, the 1-1 Thoroughbreds will have to pick it up against their former GCL rival Roger Bacon in St. Bernard. Last year, Roger Bacon wacked NewCath 48-13. But coming off a 19-6 win at Holmes, NewCath is headed in the right direction on defense. We’ll know a lot more after this game about the Breds’ Class A hopes.
BEECHWOOD (2-0) at SOMERSET (2-0), 7:30 p.m.: For the second week in the three-game season, the Ft. Mitchell Tigers take their best-in-the-state 25-game win streak on the road. But with the return of multi-position Antonio Robinson Jr., the state’s No. 2 overall prospect, the unbeaten Class 2A Tigers should be ready to face off against another unbeaten team in the Class 2A 2-0 Briar Jumpers (Is that a great name or what?).
DAYTON (1-1) at FRANKFORT WESTERN HILLS (0-2), 7:30 p.m.: Some more good news for the Class A Greendevils as they head to Frankfort to face a winless Class 3A Western Hills team that has given up 129 points while scoring just 13 in its two losses. Dayton got its offense in gear a week ago, putting up 52 points on Pendleton County, and this week could be more of the same if the Devils stay focused on the road. They’d better since they’ll head south next week as well, off to the mountains to face Estill County in Irvine.
SATURDAY
HIGH SCHOOL
SOUTHWESTERN (Somerset) (2-0) at SIMON KENTON (2-0), 6 p.m.: Reversing the path of Beechwood Friday, the Pioneers will host a Somerset team Saturday in Independence for an early kickoff game. It’s a rematch of last year’s 62-33 romp in Somerset by the Warriors over a struggling Simon Kenton team. But the Pioneers are struggling no more as the unbeaten Roy Lucas Jr. team has a big, athletic offensive line they feel is unmatched in Kentucky. And behind that line is senior dual-threat quarterback Chase Crone who had plenty of help from receiver Chase Williams and running back Kaleb Bleier in putting up 42 points in last week’s two-point win at Highlands. The key now will be for the Pioneer defense to step up against a 5A Warrior team.
COLLEGE
THOMAS MORE (0-1) at KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN (0-1), 1:30: Neither team could keep their opening opponent from scoring 42 points last weekend, but at least Thomas More managed to put up 40 of its own against a talented Bluefield University team. Kentucky Christian, meanwhile, was losing 42-13 to Georgetown. This will be the week for the Saints to get their game – especially their defense – in gear in Grayson and get his first career coaching victory for new coach Chris Norwell. With a home game against Campbellsville and a road game the following week in Pittsburgh against Division I Duquesne, this game is a must for the two-quarterback (Blaine Espinosa/Rae’Von Vaden) Saints with outstanding wide receiver Roques Dowdy leading the way. Getting the run game going will be a must for TMU however.
