Host Highlands rolled over Boone County, 50-0, totaling 400 yards of offense Friday evening at David Cecil Memorial Stadium, on the strength of three junior running back Cam Giesler touchdowns in the first quarter and a defense that held the Rebels’ offense under 70.
“They’ve done a really good job focusing on the task at hand,” said Hayden Sphire, Highlands Offensive Coordinator. “They’ve done a really good job focusing on the task at hand not looking ahead and just getting better with every rep. I think we had two drives I wasn’t pleased with. But you’re not going to score on every drive every single game. That’s part of the game and I thought we rebounded well.”
On the Bluebirds opening drive of the game, Giesler took off through the middle of the Boone County defensive line nearly 50 yards for the early score giving Highlands the 8-0 lead and the Bluebirds did not look back.
The Birds were quickly 2-for-2 on their next possession when junior quarterback Brody Benke found daylight on a 36-yard keeper to the end zone and Highlands led 15-0. As Boone was unable to move the ball on its next possession, the Birds got the ball back looking to play add-on. After an incomplete pass on first down and a one-yard run by Giesler, Benke went to the air on third-and-nine. Senior all-around Charlie Noon’s grab placed Highlands at the Rebel 6 when Giesler plowed across the goal line for his second score and a three-score margin, 22-0, with 4:25 remaining in the first quarter.
But Giesler was not finished. Beginning with good field position in Boone territory following a solid Noon punt return, Giesler’s third touchdown of the game with 17 seconds remaining in the quarter put the Birds up 29-0. Despite the solid performance, Highlands Head Coach Bob Sphire said Giesler is only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.
“He’s just now starting the see the third level. It took him a few games to start seeing the second level cuts and he’s still making some second level cuts and getting into the third level defense where the next evolution for him is to see that second level cut to also avoid the third level defender,” Bob Sphire said. “He’s not quite there yet but he’s getting better every game.”
Additionally, the Bluebirds defense has made strides over the past several weeks, as well, bouncing back from allowing a few big plays recently against Campbell County and Dixie Heights, Sphire noted, to blanking Conner and the Rebels.
Our standard is to play at our standard and I feel like we’ve done that pretty well, getting better a little bit each week,” Bob Sphire said.
The running clock took effect with under four minutes remaining until halftime thanks to highlight reel-type plays from junior wide receiver Carson Class, zigzagging his way into the end zone, eluding Rebels defenders and sophomore wide receiver Adam Surrey’s leaping grab over the outstretched arms of a Boone corner and keeping his balance just long enough to fall into the end zone. Highlands would tack on a final touchdown near the end of the third quarter to make the final score.
“The ceiling is still way up there from where we are. We can’t jump and touch our ceiling right now and so I think they’re realistic about that and we’ve just got to keep working to get better,” Bob Sphire said. “They’re loving the weight room and they’re mad at me when I won’t let them in there and that’s an awesome thing.”
Highlands (6-2, 2-0 Class 5A, District 5) travels to Park Hills next Friday night at 7 p.m. to take on arch-rival Covington Catholic while the 3-5 Rebels look to get their first win in nearly a month at home against Cooper at the same time.
