“Go get one!” The Covington Catholic assistant football coach screamed as the Colonels’ Oliver Link caught Evan Pitzer’s 35-yard pass.
CovCath got one. And another. And another.
The Colonels got seven touchdowns altogether – and the Class 4A, District 5 title – with Friday’s 50-14 win at Mason County.
CovCath (9-0, 4-0 in Class 4A, District 5), ranked third in the state, will thus host at least two rounds in the playoffs that start in two weeks.
“We just played our game,” CovCath coach Eddie Eviston said.
Pitzer was a factor on the ground and through the air: 10 carries for 55 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and 11-of-13 for 182 yards.
“Our coaches gave us a great scouting report at the beginning of the week,” Pitzer said. “It gave us their tendencies and weaknesses, and we attacked those all night.”
The main weakness, Pitzer thought, was that Mason County’s Cover-2 zone defense often left holes between linebackers and safeties.
“They had secondary reads where (Pitzer) scrambled,” Mason County coach Joe Wynn said. “The kid made nice throws.”
CovCath’s Andrew Bessler and Dylan Gaiser were influencers, too. Bessler ran for two touchdowns, and Gaiser intercepted a Keshaun Thomas pass and took it 92 yards for another score.
“I’ve never had a pick-six in my life, so it felt good,” Gaiser said. “It was kind of overthrown, so I did my job and got there.”
Mason County (6-3, 3-1) took the opening kickoff and unleashed some chicanery – Landon Scilley’s 31-yard toss to Cole Horch.
“Our kids weren’t awake,” Eviston said.
Unfortunately for the Royals, the drive stalled when Trey Walker slipped on fourth down and lost five yards.
Mason County took its lone lead when Thomas hit Garryon McClain with a 13-yard touchdown with 3:58 left in the first quarter.
From there, CovCath was absolutely roused. An important statistic: the Colonels converted all four third downs and were 3-for-3 on fourth down.
CovCath’s late second-quarter sequence was illustrative.
On second-and-4 at the Mason County 32, the Royals’ MeCaiyon Jackson sacked Pitzer for an eight-yard loss. Two plays later, Pitzer threw a 16-yard pass to Link, and five plays after that Bessler scored from three yards out to give the Colonels a 15-7 lead.
Mason County, however, was 0-for-2 on fourth down and 1-for-4 on third down.
CovCath finishes the regular season at home against Campbell County. As for Friday, Pitzer didn’t mind rain and mid-50 degree temperatures, though he likes warmer temperatures.
“I’m more of a 70-degree, no wind guy,” Pitzer said.
COLONELS 50, ROYALS 14
COVCATH — 0-22-14-14 — 50
MASON CO. — 7-0-7-0 — 14
Scoring Plays
1st Quarter
(MC)-Garryon McClain 13 pass from Keshaun Thomas (Ryan Skaggs kick), 3:58
2nd Quarter
(CC)-Evan Pitzer 1 run (Pitzer run), 11:10
(CC)-Andrew Bessler 4 run (Andrew Weitzel kick), 3:46
(CC)-Dylan Gaiser 92 interception return (Weitzel kick), 0:52.3
3rd Quarter
(CC)-Pitzer 1 run (Weitzel kick), 9:08
(MC)-Keshaun Thomas 1 run (Skaggs kick), 6:18
(CC)-Braylon Miller 21 pass from Pitzer (Weitzel kick), 1:59
4th Quarter
(CC)-Bessler 3 run (Weitzel kick), 11:19
(CC)-Will Michels 6 run (Weitzel kick), 4:07
Game Stats
Passing Yards: CovCath 182 (Pitzer 11-13-1 INT); Mason Co. 166 (Thomas 8-18-135-1 INT, Scilley 1-1-31)
Rushing Yards: CovCath 206 (Pitzer 10-55, Leen 12-79, Miller 2-31, Bessler 2-7, McEvoy 2-17, Michels 4-17); Mason Co. 47 (Walker 10, Johnson 0, Moran 3, Thomas 21, Horn 6, Gregory 7)
Receiving: CovCath 182 (Miller 38, Leen 30, Link 51, Rodriguez 24, Johnson 24, Vinson15); Mason Co. 166 (Scilley 42, McClain 30, Auther 63, Horch 31)
Turnovers: CovCath 1, Mason Co. 1
Penalties: CovCath 5-45, Mason Co. 3-35
Records: CovCath 9-0 (4-0 in Class 4A, District 5), Mason Co. 6-3 (3-1)