Friday, September 13 elicits horror for the superstitious. There’s actually a name for it. Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th. It’s a type of triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13. Those are king-sized words and a quick trip to a dictionary is required for spelling. Here’s a quick trip around the local prep gridiron. Did you miss the news? Have no fear. The fastest 1,000 words in sports are here.
Mentor Meets Protege When Bluebirds Play Raiders
Highlands football coach Bob Sphire was talking about his Bluebirds one day during preseason when he was informed of another development. His erstwhile coaching buddy Mike Engler was also going to be interviewed about high school happenings in a later conversation. Sphire was deep in thought about his Highlands squad when Engler’s name came up, then he detoured the chat.
“Mike Engler has a great football mind,” Sphire said. “I coached with him a long time at Lexington Catholic and he knows what he’s doing with an offense.”
The conversation gets back on track about Highlands’ offensive capabilities for the 2024 season and Sphire detours again.
“That’s one of the things about coming to Highlands,” Sphire said. “Mike’s got a team up here.”
Sphire and Engler both have won Kentucky Football Coaches Association coach of the year awards. Sphire has described Engler as creative, resourceful and player-friendly and he wasn’t even asked. When questioned last week what he expects from the Raiders Friday night, Sphire said. “We expect it to be a dog fight. They’ve got a physical group. I’ve got a ton of respect for them.”
Engler won Sphire’s respect while serving as his offensive coordinator for the better part of 15 years at LexCath. Sphire helped launch the football program in 1991 and Engler was right there with him. When Sphire left to coach in Georgia, Engler remained at LexCath as an assistant until 2014 when he was hired as the head man at Ryle.
The respect is mutual.
“Bob is awesome. He taught me how to be organized and how to run a program,” Engler said. “He even taught me high school English at Meade County. I played for him at Meade County. Our families are friends. His wife’s younger sister and my sister are good friends. Bob is a great coach and really smart. He would be a great Jeopardy! player.”
Highlands and Ryle are meeting for the fourth time since Sphire took over at Highlands in 2021. The unbeaten Bluebirds (3-0) and Raiders (2-1) enter Friday’s 7 p.m. tilt at Ryle as state-ranked teams. Highlands is No. 3 in the Kentucky High School Football Media Poll Class 5A rankings. Ryle is No. 8 in Class 6A.
A win by the Raiders would mark a momentous occasion on what already promises to be a memorable night. Engler is tied with Bryson Warner for most coaching victories in Ryle football history with a 73-49 record in 11 seasons. A win over Highlands breaks the tie and makes Engler the all-time winningest. It’s also Senior Night for the Raiders.
The first three Highlands-Ryle meetings with Sphire and Engler on the sidelines generated 215 points. Ryle won the first meeting 27-13 in 2021. Highlands won the second 57-46 the next year. Highlands won 52-20 last year.
This is actually the coaches’ fifth meeting in northern Kentucky. They were on opposing sidelines for the 2022 East-West All-Star Football Game at Dixie Heights. Sphire coached the East. Engler coached the West. The West beat the East, 14-0.
Jack White Part Of Bluebirds’ Seven Back Army
During preseason, it was difficult for coach Sphire to say who was going to be his lead runner while Rio Litmer mans the controls at quarterback. The coach said he had “a stable of runners” and guessed “White may end up being our leading rusher.”
It turns out Jack White was indeed ready to rock, and the Bluebirds are rolling as a result. White leads the Bluebirds with 273 yards on 45 carries, both team-leading totals, including a touchdown. With 6.1 yards per carry, he’s a threat requiring defenders in the box while aiding play-action.
At his current rate, it will take White 11 games to reach 1,000 rushing yards on the season. He would need to average 128 yards in 12 games to reach 2,000 in his career. That would require a Highlands run to the state tournament final. He rushed for a career-high 148 yards on 24 carries in a win over Covington Catholic two weeks ago when the Bluebirds needed a bell-cow back. White rushed for 144 yards on 21 carries his entire junior season. He showed promise while averaging nearly 7.0 yards per carry in limited duty his first two years on the varsity.
“Jack has really prepared for this senior season and is running with a downhill physical style,” Sphire said. “He’s being patient as he sorts through the line schemes as they develop, and then he is making one cut and attacking the second and third level of the defense. He is using the strength he’s developed to his advantage and is picking up positive yards really well after contact.”
Nine Bluebirds have received carries, including seven running backs. Ranking second on the team in totes is Litmer with 20 for 72 yards. Running backs Deven James (17 carries for 95 yards) and Gabe Williams (8 for 111) and receiver Adam Surrey (8 for 51) have combined for 33 carries, 257 yards and five TDs.
Sphire, known for his Air Raid offense while coaching high school football at previous stops, has committed more and more to the ground game at Highlands while also getting plenty of mileage out of the air attack.
Highlands’ per-game rushing totals increased dramatically each of the last three seasons under Sphire, going from 94 yards his first season to 140 to 235 yards per game last season. The upgrade in passing was more incremental: 176 yards his first season then 213 and 225 yards per game last season. The Bluebirds are averaging 218 yards rushing and 150 yards passing this season.
Conner Moves Quarterback
Add Conner to the list of local high school football teams flashing a former starting quarterback at a different position the first three weeks. Senior Wyatt Hatfield, last year’s starting quarterback for the Cougars, has played wide receiver and running back to this point. He has thrown just seven passes, completing three for 69 yards. Last year, Hatfield completed 77 of 143 passes for 869 yards, eight TDs and just two interceptions. He was the only Cougar recording a pass attempt last season according to KHSAA statistics.
Hatfield also led Conner in rushing with 741 yards on 146 carries, followed by Cordion Abernathy with 553 yards on 145 carries. So far in 2024, Hatfield has been part of a carry committee along with Abernathy and Sheppard Dozier. All three have more than 100 yards rushing after three games, led by Hatfield’s 170 on 29 carries, good for 5.8 yards per carry. Hatfield added six rushing touchdowns. Abernathy is getting the most action with 35 carries totaling 125 yards with a score. Dozier is up to 120 yards on 21 carries and two TDs.
Junior Grayson Montgomery has been taking snaps at QB. Montgomery completed 17 of his first 31 passes for 218 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the first three games. Hatfield and Abernathy have been more active in the receiving game than last season when Hatfield did not catch a pass and Abernathy caught eight passes.
So far this season, Hatfield has five catches, ranking second on the team, for 44 yards. Abernathy has three catches for 23 yards. Chase Caplinger once again is the top receiver with team-leading totals of seven catches for 175 yards and two TDs heading into Week 4. Conner is 2-1
Cooper’s Johnson Adds Another Offer
Cooper’s Isaiah Johnson added another NCAA Division I college offer, this one from Army. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound wide receiver has at least four college offers, including those from D-1 Eastern Kentucky, Indiana State and D-2 Thomas More.
Johnson led all Class 5A receivers last season with 1,372 yards and 21 TDs and ranked second with 76 receptions. He averaged 18 yards per catch. After three games this season, he ranks sixth in Class 5A with 236 yards receiving and is tied for third with four TDs. He’s 12th in receptions with 13. He’s averaging 18.1 yards per catch.
Locals Among KHSAA Statistical Leaders
Three of Kentucky’s top 12 passing yards leaders in the latest KHSAA statistical rankings are from northern Kentucky. Simon Kenton’s Brady Lee ranks second statewide with 904 passing yards. Cooper’s Cam O’Hara has passed for 736 yards, ranking 10th. Clay Hayden of Beechwood ranks 12th with 718 yards.
Newport’s Jaylan Hartness is tied for the state lead with 5.5 sacks. Conner placekicker Andrew Herron and Highlands’ Logan Nickelman share the state lead with three field goals. Simon Kenton’s Grayson Harris is second statewide with 494 receiving yards.