When track and field was the sport, Curtez Hill ran fast in a straight line.
Holmes’ newly-graduated alumnus also ran fast when curves were involved.
But when Hill combined curves and straight lines on the football field, he often made would-be tacklers look 10 steps behind. His next stop: Eastern Kentucky University’s football team this fall.
In four seasons in the Bulldogs’ backfield, Hill ran for 2,406 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Strong as those numbers are, they won’t be what Bulldogs football coach Ben Nevels remembers.
“I remember his smile more than anything,” Nevels said. “I laugh a lot, I cry a lot, and when I met him, that’s all I remember is him smiling.”
When Hill found out what Nevels said, he smiled.
“I’m always smiling,” Hill said. “It doesn’t matter what … That’s just my personality. I’m always happy.”
The football statistics were just the beginning. He set school records in the 100-meter dash (10.86 seconds) and 200 meters (21.88) and was part of a 1:30.83 quartet in the 4×200 relay.
At the state Class 2A meet June 2 in Lexington, Hill – the Northern Kentucky Track and Field Coaches Association Male Track Athlete of the Year – finished third in the 100 in 10.96, placed second in the 200 in 21.88 and joined Robert Cameron, Quinton Ross-Tyus and Mayne White to take sixth in the 4×100 with a 43.74.
“I didn’t really expect the award,” Hill said. “I wouldn’t say my achievements would be overlooked. I really wasn’t focused on getting awards or anything. I’m solely focused on getting better at it.”
What was more: Hill’s second-place in the 200 was the highest on the platform for the program since Desean Brumfield’s third place in the 300-meter hurdles in 2016.
Holmes track coach Jonathan Hopkins has known Hill about six years. He promoted Hill to run with the varsity as an eighth-grader in 2019.
“He’s only the second eighth-grade boy that we moved up to run varsity (2016 graduate Shawndale Mincy was the first) that actually went to the state meet,” Hopkins said.
“We put him on a relay (Holmes finished 10th in the 4×200), and that changed the whole relay around as an eighth-grader,” Hopkins said. “I knew pretty quickly, it didn’t take me too long to figure out we had something special with Curtez.”
Overcoming skepticism
Football was always Hill’s favorite sport. He started his athletic career at age six with the Bengal Tigers youth football team.
He had to be a salesman of sorts – his mom, Schawanna Jones, was skeptical.
“But then she’d see me outside with my brother (Curtis Jr.),” Hill said. “Children running the ball, tackling.”
The Hills lived in Covington public housing developments until Curtez was 13.
“People say it was bad, but to me, it was great,” Curtez said. “I had a lot of friends up there; most of the people knew me, so if I got in any trouble, I know they would have my back.”
It looked like the Hill brothers would move to Cincinnati with their dad, Curtis Hill Sr. (who is the legal guardian) – until their cousin, J.P. Perrin and his wife Jessica, took educational custody of both Curtez and Curtis Jr. (The Perrins live in Newport,; J.P. teaches Social Emotional Learning at Holmes.)
“That was one of the things that we were worried about,” Hopkins said. “(Curtez) didn’t know where he was going to go, and I knew that was a lot of stress on him at the time.
“… It’s amazing that he’s where he’s at now because of that.”
Educational custody differs from parental custody.
“Basically while he’s in school, we help him make all the correct school decisions when it comes to his grades and classes and stuff like that,” J.P. Perrin said. “(Hill Sr.) gave us the right to make doctor decisions … we just kept him in the loop and let him know what was going on.”
Another reason for Curtez Hill to stay at Holmes: he was getting noticed for sports as early as eighth grade. Hill Sr. saw his son’s talent years sooner.
“As far as his running, I saw it as a kid, him and his brother …,” the elder Hill said. “They were always rough kids, especially (Curtez); he was the more rougher out of the two as far as bumps, bruises, scrapes. He wasn’t really a cryer.”
‘You missed something’
Hill didn’t have to be the lead runner his freshman season in 2019 – twin brothers Quantez and Tayquan Calloway handled those duties, while Hill ran for 63 and one touchdown. He ran for 348 in 2020 and 528 in 2021.
And 2022? A way different story – Hill ran for 1,467 yards and 14 touchdowns last season for the 6-5 Bulldogs, with 208 of them and two scores in a 32-28 win over Newport on September 9. Nevels didn’t recall that game more than any other, but he knew Hill could score on any play.
“If you were at the concession stand, you missed something,” Nevels said. “He was that dynamic.”
EKU wasn’t on Hill’s list of schools at first – until a coach saw his video and asked him to take an official visit.
The Perrin’s plan to spend most Saturday’s watching Curtez – they’ve purchased season tickets. What makes Jessica Perrin happiest: Curtez achieving his dream.
“’Tez has always wanted to play football; that is his all-time favorite sport, that and track,” Jessica Perrin said. “He said from the minute he moved into the house, he was going to be a D-I athlete. Since he was an eighth-grader, he was going to be that.”
And how does Hill want to be remembered at 2500 Madison Avenue – Holmes’ address?
“I’d like to be remembered as, to be honest, I don’t know – just as me,” he said. “Just remember me as me.”