The Kentucky Football Coaches Association released their District Player and Coach of the Year on Tuesday for each respective district in the state.
The awards are voted on by the coaches in each respective district from Class A through 6A, the coach needing to be a member of the KFCA to receive the award.
Starting in the Class A, 3rd District, Newport Central Catholic swept the awards with Demetrick Welch winning Player of the Year and Stephen Lickert as Coach of the Year.
Welch was electric in the backfield for the Thoroughbreds this season. Anytime he touched the ball, good things usually happened as he racked up 989 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns on just 111 rushing attempts. He also had 16 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a kickoff return and recovered a fumble for a score on defense. Defensively, Welch recorded 32 tackles, five tackles for loss, fumble recovery for touchdown and an interception.
Lickert, in his sixth season with the ‘Breds, guided them to a 6-4 record as they overcame a ton of adversity in losing their only returning lineman early in the season and then starting quarterback halfway through the season. With Tuesday’s news of Trimble County withdrawing from the playoffs, the Thoroughbreds are in the second round of the playoffs and await the Bishop Brossart-Dayton winner next week. The forfeit marks at least another second round playoff trip, something they’ve accomplished every year under Lickert. They’ll hope to build off the late season momentum, heading into next week’s matchup with a five-game winning streak. The forfeit also marked Lickert’s 50th win with the program.
In the Class A, 4th District, Ludlow’s Dameyn Anness is the Player of the Year, Holy Cross’ Bruce Kozerski the Coach of the Year.
Anness led the Panther rushing attack with 914 yards and nine touchdowns while also hauling in 13 passes for 195 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively he was the team’s second leading tackler with 77, six of them for loss while also recovering two fumbles, one of them for a touchdown.
Kozerski is the longest tenured head coach with his current program in NKY and helped guide the Indians turnaround season. They finished the regular season 5-5 after going 2-9 last year and head into the postseason as the No. 3 seed, facing Newport on Saturday at Highlands. Kozerski has been with the Holy Cross program since 2004 and won 87 games. They’ve turned things around this year, the five wins their most since 2016. The Indians have a promising future with some key contributors this season as underclassmen.
In the Class 2A, 5th District, Beechwood’s Clay Hayden is the Player of the Year while Carroll County’s Lonnie Oldham won Coach of the Year.
Hayden’s passing numbers are off the charts despite being limited in some games due to such a lopsided score. He threw for 2,898 yards and 36 touchdowns, completing 73% of his pass attempts. He threw just four interceptions on 209 attempts, guiding the Tigers to an offense that put up 49.2 points per game, good for third most in the state. Hayden finished the regular season fourth in the state in passing yards, sixth in touchdowns and first in completion %.
In the Class 4A, 5th District, Covington Catholic’s Eddie Eviston won the Coach of the Year. Harrison County quarterback Kaydon Custard won Player of the Year.
Eviston guided the Colonels to an undefeated regular season, posting a 10-0 record and atop the 4A RPI ratings, meaning they’ll have homefield advantage all the way through the state semifinals as long as they keep advancing. CovCath outscored opponents 446-143 during the regular season and are the lone undefeated in NKY. Eviston started with the program in 2015 and has won 96 games since. This is the fourth time they’ve gone undefeated in the regular season in his tenure as they look for their third state championship since 2017.
In the Class 5A, 6th District, Highlands Brody Benke is the Player of the Year while Dixie Heights Pat Burke is the Coach of the Year.
Benke has put up a Mr. Football type season in guiding the high-powered Bluebirds offense. He’s thrown for 1,442 yards and 21 touchdowns, ran for 869 yards and 17 touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 183 yards and five touchdowns. That means he’s helped account for 43 of the Bluebirds 68 touchdowns scored this season. Highlands averages 49.1 points per game, good for fourth in the state. They’re the top rated team in 5A in RPI, meaning the road goes through Fort Thomas all the way through the state semifinals as long as they keep advancing.
Burke is in his second season with Dixie Heights and they keep progressing. They’ve put NKY on notice with close calls against Simon Kenton, Beechwood, Covington Catholic and Cooper this year, still looking for that breakthrough win. They can accomplish that on Friday with a win at Woodford County in the first round of the playoffs.
Last but not least, in the Class 6A, 6th District, Simon Kenton’s Aba Selm is the Player of the Year, Ryle’s Mike Engler the Coach of the Year.
Selm is the head of the snake along the lines for the Pioneers. Offensively, he’s helped pave the way for a Simon Kenton rushing attack that’s tallied 2,015 rushing yards, good for 223.8 yards per game. The offense also averages 239.1 pass yards per game, showing the balance needed to win in the postseason. Defensively, Selm has a team-high 15 tackles for loss and five sacks on 53 total tackles this season. The Pioneers will host Fern Creek on Friday in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Engler guided the Raiders to a 6-4 record and a district title. They found their stride at the right time, going 4-0 in October and headed into the playoffs against Southern with some momentum. They’re doing this despite starting double-digit underclassmen on most gamedays and played one of the toughest schedules in the state with five teams ranked in the top five in the state in their respective class (Covington Catholic, Cooper, Highlands, CAL, St. Xavier). Engler took over the program in 2014 and has won 68 games in his tenure.