For those of you that like change, sorry, you’re not getting it this week.
With a week that had 11 games in northern Kentucky decided by an average of 33.2 points margin of victory, it didn’t provide many fireworks. Three of those games were decided by seven points or less, the other eight were margins of 21 or more. Yawn.
District play will do that at times as the three games that were decided by seven points or less weren’t district matchups. There’s some lopsided play in district matchups and it will continue on throughout the year. Maybe realignment next season will change that? Don’t count on it…
As far as the rankings below, no upsets means no changes. Yes, the No. 2 team lost, but they lost by a touchdown on the road to the No. 3 team in Class 6A. Ryle certainly warrants staying put with what they’ve accomplished in their first six games.
Everybody else won in the top 10 or had a bye week with the exception of Conner, who lost to the No. 1 team in these rankings, Cooper.
Come for the top 10, stay for the offensive, defensive and kicking standouts below.
- Cooper (7-0, defeated Conner 42-17) Previous Ranking 1: Eliminated any sort of thoughts for an upset-minded Conner team on Thursday. The Jaguars led 28-3 by halftime on their way to cruising to the 25-point victory. Isaiah Johnson is the new program record holder for receiving touchdowns, his two touchdowns giving him 41 for his career and passing Jags alum Dante Hendrix, who went on to have a successful college career at Indiana State. Johnson has been offered by ISU, could he follow Hendrix’s path? Don’t see much stopping the Jags from a 10-0 regular season with Scott, Boone County and Dixie Heights left.
2. Ryle (4-2, lost to St. Xavier 31-24) Previous Ranking 2: Something about this Ryle team and rallying from two-touchdown plus deficits. They nearly did it again on Friday, but just ran out of time in a loss to St. Xavier in Louisville. District play will be a welcome sight for the Raiders after facing ranked opponents the first six games of the season. None of Campbell County, Simon Kenton or Great Crossing are ranked as Ryle heads into the three-week stretch as the district favorite, starting with the Camels this week.
3. Highlands (5-2, defeated Dixie Heights 49-0) Previous Ranking 3: Not sure Dixie Heights entered the Birds Nest. It was more like the Hornets Nest with the wrath Highlands put on them. The Bluebirds were a mad team and played like it, blanking their district foes in a 49-0 victory. Assuming they take care of business against Boone County and Scott, the matchup with Conner on Oct. 18 could be a big one that could determine a home game in the first round of the playoffs.
4. Covington Catholic (5-2, defeated Grant County 54-0) Previous Ranking 4: The Colonels head into their bye week with five straight victories and don’t really see anyone slowing them down before the postseason begins. The game with Mason County on Oct. 25 could carry some intrigue if both are undefeated in district play at that point. Means they’d be playing for the No. 1 seed in the district and a potential for two or more home playoff games.
5. Beechwood (6-1, defeated Walton-Verona 69-0) Previous Ranking 5: Here’s a crazy stat, of Clay Hayden’s last 11 pass completions over the last two games, 10 of them have gone for touchdowns. About the only thing that went wrong for the Tigers in the win over Walton-Verona was that Colson Lair missed his first extra point of the season, now 40-for-41. Lair made 81-of-82 last year. That’s a big advantage in high school football where the extra point isn’t always a given. A 6-1 vs. 6-1 showdown this week at Owen County for the Tigers. Can the Rebels provide some sort of competition?
6. Conner (5-2, lost to Cooper 42-17) Previous Ranking 6: Ran into a buzzsaw on Thursday with their Boone County counterparts Cooper. They were able to play even with the Jaguars in the second half, but being outscored 28-3 in the first half was the obvious difference-maker. Now comes a pivotal two-week stretch with Dixie Heights and Highlands. They win both of those and they get a home playoff game assuming a victory in the regular season finale against Boone County.
7. Simon Kenton (3-3, defeated Ballard 44-43 (OT) Previous Ranking 7: One thing the Pioneers don’t lack is excitement. They’re going to put up points and more likely than not the game is going to be a high-scoring affair. What a game with Ballard on Friday that wasn’t even originally scheduled, but thankfully the two were able to work things out after having their games canceled the week prior.
8. Dixie Heights (2-4, lost to Highlands 49-0) Previous Ranking 8: A quick bounce back needed as they face Conner this week. It’s a pivotal game that could determine anywhere from the No. 2 to No. 4 seed in the district.
9. Lloyd Memorial (5-1, bye week) Previous Ranking 9: The Juggernauts had the week off and will start district play with a Thursday game at Pendleton County. Then comes the big one at Lexington Catholic on Oct. 18.
10. Campbell County (2-4, bye week) Previous Ranking 10: Last year is last year, but the Camels were no easy out in district play with an overtime loss to Ryle followed by a loss on the last play to Simon Kenton. Can they be the surprise team this year?
Next up: Newport Central Catholic, Ludlow, Bishop Brossart
Big School Top 5 (4A-6A)
- Cooper
2. Ryle
3. Highlands
4. Covington Catholic
5. Conner
Small School Top 5 (1A-3A)
- Beechwood
2. Lloyd Memorial
3. Newport Central Catholic
4. Newport
5. Ludlow
Next up: Bishop Brossart
200-Yard Passing Club
Brady Lee, Simon Kenton — 31/47, 445 yds, 4 TD
Cam O’Hara, Cooper — 18/21, 261 yds, 4 TD
Rio Litmer, Highlands — 9/14, 217 yds, 3 TD
100-Yard Rushing Club
Wyatt Hatfield, Conner — 27 rushes, 186 yds, TD
Keagan Maher, Cooper — 13 rushes, 132 yds, 2 TD
Chase Flaherty, Beechwood — 9 rushes, 114 yds, TD
Cameron Mandel, Bishop Brossart — 16 rushes, 110 yds, TD
100-Yard Receiving Club
Tysin Weaver, Simon Kenton — 10 receptions, 224 yds, 2 TD
Adam Surrey, Highlands — 3 receptions, 109 yds, TD
Grayson Harris, Simon Kenton — 10 receptions, 107 yds, TD
Carson Evans, Ludlow — 4 receptions, 100 yds, 2 TD
Defensive Standouts
Cameron Mandel, Bishop Brossart — 17 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks
Aven Bohms, Simon Kenton — 12 tackles
Shane Willike, Bishop Brossart — 11 tackles, interception, fumble forced
Kaiden Bohn, Scott — 10 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks
Aiden Robinson, Scott — 10 tackles, tackle for loss
Dustin Wilson, Holy Cross — 9 tackles, fumble recovery for TD
Landon Brown, Simon Kenton — 8 tackles, fumble recovery
Paul Snyder, Simon Kenton — 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss
Hayden Blair, Simon Kenton — 7 tackles, 2 fumbles forced
Keegan Gulley, Bishop Brossart — 7 tackles, tackle for loss, interception
Jackson Kellerman, Simon Kenton — 7 tackles, fumble forced, fumble recovery
Trevin Figgs, Holy Cross — 7 tackles, fumble forced
Aiden Smith-Baxley, Ludlow — 7 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, sack
Littello Johnson, Holy Cross — 7 tackles, 3 tackles for loss
Tyler Morehead, Dixie Heights — 7 tackles
Nicholas Cozzi, Bishop Brossart — 6 tackles, fumble forced
Landen Meyer, Ludlow — 6 tackles, 2 sacks
Malcolm Perrin, Holy Cross — 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss
Dshun Mathes, Holmes — 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss
Thomas Burke, Holmes — 6 tackles, tackle for loss
AJ Lemon, Scott — 6 tackles, .5 tackles for loss
Chance Fabre, Holy Cross — 6 tackles
Matt Brock, Ludlow — 5 tackles, interception
Tucker Ober, Simon Kenton — 5 tackles, interception
Josh Rector, Simon Kenton — 5 tackles, sack
Cameron Vice, Scott — 5 tackles, tackle for loss, .5 sack
Nolan Kruse, Bishop Brossart — 5 tackles, tackle for loss
Aaron Hampton, Scott — 4 tackles, interception
Dameyn Anness, Ludlow — 4 tackles, tackle for loss, sack
Braydon Ennis, Scott — 4 tackles, tackle for loss, .5 sack
Colton Farfsing, Simon Kenton — 4 tackles, tackle for loss
Max Neal, Dixie Heights — 3 tackles, interception
Kolten Craycraft, Beechwood — 3 tackles, interception
Brayton Haaser, Conner — 3 tackles, tackle for loss, sack
Nicholas Krallman, Covington Catholic — 3 tackles, sack
Xavier Thornberry, Holy Cross — 2 tackles, 2 interceptions
TJ Gray, Dixie Heights — 2 tackles, interception
Trevor Schomaker, Holmes — 2 tackles, fumble recovery
Talon O’Neil, Scott — 2 tackles, fumble recovery
Nathan Parton, Beechwood — 2 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, sack
Bo Sowder, Beechwood — 2 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, sack
Jayden Dodd, Scott — Interception return for TD
Will Danneman, Covington Catholic — Interception
Luke Lampe, Covington Catholic — Interception
Peyton Klosterman, Highlands — Interception
Brady Boruske, Bishop Brossart — fumble recovery
Jackson Payne, Covington Catholic — fumble recovery
Andrew Bessler, Covington Catholic — fumble recovery
Isaac Niemann, Highlands — fumble recovery
Ryan Dunn, Highlands — sack
Kickers need some love, too
Colson Lair, Beechwood — 9/10 PAT
Logan Nickelman, Highlands — 5/5 PAT
Finn McMillan, Ludlow — 5/5 PAT
Tyler Eveland, Simon Kenton — 4/4 PAT
Max Runge, Bishop Brossart — 3/3 PAT
Connor Schawe, Scott — 3/4 PAT
Andrew Herron, Conner — 2/2 PAT, 1/1 FG
Missing stats from: Boone County, Cooper, Ryle, Walton-Verona