The Highlands Bluebirds drove to the 28-yard-line of the arch-rival Covington Catholic Colonels down 21-17 before CovCath junior defensive back Noah Johnson picked off a Highlands pass at the Colonel 3-yard line with 7:06 left in the game.
But after that fifth turnover, the momentum in the game shifted and Highlands pulled away to beat the Colonels, 32-21, the Bluebirds first victory over CovCath in seven years.
“We’re bigger and faster than we were last year,” said Bob Sphire, Highlands head coach. “People are going to say the defense won the game. But it was a team effort. The defense has its backs against the wall. But they showed their resiliency. Adversity is no longer the master of this program.”
Highlands (7-2 overall, 3-0 district) took control of the Class 5A, District 5 race with the win, ending a nine-game losing streak to the Colonels (6-2, 2-1). Highlands last beat CovCath, 44-22 on November 20, 2015 in the Class 5A regional title game at David Cecil Memorial Stadium when the current seniors were in the fifth grade. The 32 points are the most points the Bluebirds have scored against the Colonels since that game.
Three plays after the Johnson interception, CovCath junior quarterback Evan Pitzer dropped back to pass in his own end zone. Highlands junior lineman Hollon Schweitzer broke free and wrapped him up for the safety cutting the Colonel lead to 21-19 with 5:52 left in the game. Pitzer was called for intentional grounding on the play.
“It’s just awesome to make that play on this field for my brothers (teammates),” Schweitzer said. “We’ve been working to make that play. We lost on this field last year and we’ve done everything that we can to redeem ourselves. It’s a great feeling.”
Then Highlands senior all-around player Charlie Noon made the most exciting play of the game, taking the free kick 72 yards cutting down the left sideline to the end zone to put the Bluebirds up for good at 25-21 with 5:38 left in the game.
“I started taking it right and then I knew where I was going to the second I got the ball,” Noon said. “Just from the past kickoffs I was getting, I could see them all flowing right so I just knew I had to make a cut and get around that edge. I know I was going to see grass. I just had to make one guy miss. It was a great feeling. The blocks were great.”
The Colonels had two false start penalties on third down before Pitzer threw an incomplete pass forcing CovCath to punt. Highlands took over at the CovCath 43. Then with 1:54 remaining, Highlands senior running back Dawson Hosea broke up the middle for a 32-yard touchdown run behind blocking from the likes of senior lineman Adam Bowman and senior kicker Davis Burleigh made the point-after kick.
“The line did great all game,” Hosea said. “They were giving me lines and holes to run through all game. They were all doing their jobs. When I hit that hole and I saw the green, it was like I just had to get to the end zone. It was the key to victory.”
CovCath outgained Highlands, 308-277 in total offense including a 241-146 advantage in the passing game. Noon finished with 260 all-purpose yards including four catches for 68 yards. Hosea had 13 carries for 85 yards and junior quarterback Brody Benke completed 10 of 18 passes for 146 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
“We knew this game would be won in the trenches,” said Hayden Sphire, Highlands Offensive Coordinator. “They’re a really good program – great strength, great size. We knew this would be a 48-minute battle. Our O-line took it to heart going out and setting the tone. They were as physical as they could be. I don’t who to give the player of the game to.”
CovCath took the lead with nine minutes left in the game. Junior running back Owen Leen took the ball up the middle out of the split backfield for a four-yard touchdown run.
Highlands led 10-7 at halftime and went up 17-7 with 8:24 left in the third quarter when Hosea scored from five yards out. But CovCath quickly responded when Pitzer found junior wide receiver Braylon Miller for a 30-yard touchdown reception making it 17-14 Highlands with 6:10 left in the third quarter. Leen had a 36-run on the drive.
“Football is a game of momentum,” said Eddie Eviston, CovCath head coach. “That’s what happened. That’s a good football team we played there.”
CovCath had success running the comeback routes a good bit in the second half. Miller finished with nine catches for 116 yards.
What really hurt the Colonels is only scoring seven points after Highlands turned the ball over on each of its first three possessions. Sophomore Jackson Reardon recovered a fumble at the 50 and junior defensive lineman Josh Flood picked off a Benke pass setting up a field-goal try that missed wide left.
Highlands did a better job in the defensive trenches than in recent meetings against CovCath. Junior defensive lineman Carson Shelton had a few sacks and recovered a fumble.
“We know CovCath has a great O-line,” Shelton said. “There are some big boys. We used our speed the entire game. It worked.”
After the third turnover, Pitzer hit Flood on a slant route from the left side to give CovCath a 7-0 advantage with 5:06 left in the first quarter. Highlands scored on its next possession when Burleigh hit a 31-yard field goal with 40 seconds left in the first quarter.
After Hosea recovered a fumble setting Highlands up at the CovCath 31 with 40 seconds left in the first quarter, Benke found Noon for a 31-yard touchdown reception putting Highlands up 10-7. Neither team scored in the second quarter.
Highlands is 50-26 all-time against CovCath. The Bluebirds own 23 state championships with the last one coming in 2014 and the Colonels have won eight with the last one coming in 2019.
The Bluebirds have one final regular season game left when the Cooper Jaguars (5-3, 2-1) come to Fort Thomas for a 7 p.m. Friday game. CovCath plays host to Conner (2-6) at the same time.
Former Highlands Coach Passes Away
Tom Duffy, the Highlands head coach from 1988 through 1993, passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Duffy led the Bluebirds to state championships in 1989 and 1992.
Highlands assistant coach Doug Bryant played for Duffy. His son Torin Bryant is a sophomore lineman for the Bluebirds.
“Like Coach (Bob Sphire) just said, ‘Adversity used to be the thing that would beat this team,” Doug Bryant said. “We’re teaching them to be tough and just to play through those bad things that happen. That’s one of the things that I learned from Coach Duffy. He made us tough.”
Box Score
Highlands 32, Covington Catholic 21
Highlands 10 0 7 15 – 32
Covington Catholic 7 0 7 7 – 21
First Quarter
CovCath (5:06) – Braylon Miller, 20 pass from Evan Pitzer (Andrew Weitzel kick).
Highlands (2:41) – Davis Burleigh 31 field goal.
Highlands (:40) – Noon, 31 pass from Brody Benke (Burleigh kick).
Third Quarter
Highlands (8:29) – Hosea, 5 run (Burleigh kick).
CovCath (6:10) – Miller, 30 pass from Pitzer (Weitzel kick).
Fourth Quarter
CovCath (9:00) – Leen, 4 run (Weitzel kick).
Highlands (5:52) – Safety, Hollon Schweitzer sacked Pitzer in End Zone.
Highlands (5:38) – Charlie Noon, 72 kickoff return (pass failed).
Highlands (1:54) – Hosea, 32 run (Burleigh kick).