A script couldn’t have laid out the showdown on Friday between Ryle and Highlands any better.
Two coaches with a long-standing working relationship, one going for the program’s win record and some overtime added to it. Friday night ended with the record-breaker as Ryle won in overtime 34-28, handing Highlands their first loss of the season.
With the win, Raiders coach Mike Engler surpassed Bryson Warner for the most wins in the history of the program.
“It means a lot because Coach Warner was a great coach, I mean he took them to the state championship,” Engler said. “It’s a big accomplishment, but it’s also credit to all of our players and staff too. We’ve had a lot of great players along the way that have sacrificed a lot to win.”
He also did it against his friend, former coach and mentor, Bluebirds coach Bob Sphire.
“We’re proud of each other,” Sphire said. “I think both of us during the game separate all that and we’re all about our teams and winning the football game, but when it’s all said and done, I’m really proud of him for that. I hated that it happened against us, but I’m proud of him.”
Ryle running back Jacob Savage’s name was said all night long. He had 102 rushing yards and four touchdowns. The final one in overtime to deliver the knockout blow.
“Our coaches put us in a lot of good situations,” Savage said. “They have a lot of trust in me, which I appreciate. But also, the o-line, they’re the ones that make it happen. If it wasn’t for them I couldn’t do anything. O-line, quarterback, everybody blocked their butt off and played their butt off.”
His final touchdown came after Dylan Lee intercepted Highlands quarterback Rio Litmer on the first play of overtime. Savage then followed it up with the walk-off score.
“I was trying to find the first hole so I cut it back and saw that pipeline,” Savage said.
As expected between two teams that were ranked in the top ten of their respective classes by the Kentucky High School Football Media Poll, it was back-and-forth.
Highlands jumped up early as the Ryle offense sputtered, Litmer hitting Adam Surrey for a 42-yard touchdown pass. The Raiders responded with 14 unanswered as Nathan Verax hit Landon Lorms for an 18-yard touchdown, Savage’s first of four scores giving them a 14-7 lead with 5:36 left before half.
“We made some adjustments to how they were playing us defensively,” Engler said. “They were pursuing really hard to the football so we decided to come back and start running zone. It allowed Savage to run the cutback. It really changed our philosophy and how we were running the ball.”
It was a balanced offense for both sides. The Bluebirds had 171 passing yards and 190 rushing yards.
Litmer threw two touchdowns in his 171-yard effort, Surrey finishing with 74 yards, Jackson Arnold the leader with seven catches for 89 yards.
Jack White carried the load in the backfield for the Bluebirds with 23 rushes for 145 yards. Deven James and Gabe Williams each had a rushing touchdown.
What separated this one was Highlands’ inabilities to extend drives on fourth down situations.
“A couple of those calls on fourth down came in no mans land,” Sphire said. “I trust our offensive guys to make some one-on-one catches, but those are gut wrenching decisions. That’s the kind of game you get into, somebody flinches a little bit, and the other team takes advantage.”
For Ryle, Nathan Verax controlled the passing game with 151 passing yards, Lorms his top target with 56 receiving yards. The Raiders steadied their offense with 152 rushing yards.
Falling to their rival Cooper a week ago, Ryle came up with an answer they needed.
“We walked into the office before the game and one of the coaches says ‘So how do you feel,’ I go ‘Coach, I don’t know,'” Engler said. “We were so emotional last week and lost an emotional game. Our team didn’t let it affect us though. We came back and played really well.”
Improving to 3-1, the tests continue for the Raiders as they face Christian Academy-Louisville on the road next week.
Highlands, who also moves to 3-1 will take on Raceland in Fort Thomas next.
RAIDERS 34, BLUEBIRDS 28 (OT)
HIGHLANDS — 7-7-7-7-0 — 28
RYLE — 0-14-14-0-6 — 34
Scoring Plays
1st Quarter
(H) Litmer 42-yard pass to Surrey (7:57) Nickelman kick
2nd Quarter
(R) Verax 18-yard pass to Lorms (11:14) Moses kick
(R) Savage 5-yard run (5:36) Moses kick
(H) Litmer 4-yard pass to Arnold (0:53) Nickelman kick
3rd Quarter
(H) Williams 9-yard run (10:02) Nickelman kick
(R) Savage 21-yard run (5:20) Moses kick
(R) Savage 25-yard run (0:25) Moses kick
4th Quarter
(H) James 2-yard run (8:55) Nickelman kick
Overtime
(R) Savage 10-yard run
Game Stats
Passing Yards: Highlands 171 (Litmer 14/23, Lorenzen 0/1), Ryle 151 (Verax 16/23)
Rushing Yards: Highlands 190 (White 23-145, Williams 6-29, Litmer 3-10, James 2-6), Ryle 152 (Savage 13-102, Galicia 7-27, Verax 6-23)
Receiving: Highlands (Arnold 7-89, Surrey 5-74, McCarter 1-8, Williams 1-zero), Ryle (Lorms 4-56, Karwath 3-29, Lyons 3-26, Lee 4-21, Savage 1-19, )
Turnovers: Highlands 5, Ryle 2
Penalties: Highlands 4-45, Ryle 7-40
Records: Highlands 3-1, Ryle 3-1