According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of tradition is “an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior.”
Few things embody that definition better than Beechwood football, as the Tigers secured their 23rd all-time trip to the state title game with a 44-24 victory over Lexington Christian in Fort Mitchell.
Following Beechwood’s 17th state title victory in 2022, longtime coach Noel Rash announced his retirement, closing an era of remarkable success. Stepping into his place, Jay Volker took the reins, and in his debut season (2023), the Tigers came tantalizingly close to another state championship berth, narrowly falling 31-28 to Mayfield in the semifinals.
The tradition wasn’t lost; it just evolved into its next chapter.
“Two years ago when I took over, I knew what all of this meant,” Beechwood coach Jay Volker said. “I know with 17 state championships, when you’re interviewing for the head coach that, that is the expectation. It’s a little bit of relief on my part to be able to get back to one, but we know the job isn’t done. Winning this game is just another step.”
Quarterback Clay Hayden led the team as a sophomore during their last state championship run, but now, as a senior, the journey feels a bit different.
“This is something I’ve been dreaming of,” Hayden said. “After last year, I really wanted this. Sophomore year it felt like I wasn’t a big part of it, but I feel like I play a bigger role now that I’m a senior.”
As he has since taking over the starting role, Hayden was nothing short of surgical Friday night, completing 13-of-20 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns.
Hayden knows, as does everyone else, that their success isn’t a one-man job—it’s a collective effort.
Early in the second quarter, running back Chase Flaherty found the end zone for the second time, but an injury sent him limping to the sidelines. That’s when Nathan Pabst stepped up.
Pabst made an immediate impact, hauling in a 50-yard touchdown pass from Hayden. He wasn’t done there—on back-to-back drives in the fourth quarter, he broke free for touchdown runs of 62 and 28 yards.
“It felt amazing to do that in the semifinals,” Pabst said. “After the first touchdown, I had all the confidence in the world. I was sure I was going to get it done the rest of the game. I pray that Flaherty is back though, even after my game, so we have the depth.”
The run game set the tone early, with Flaherty scoring twice and James Cusick breaking free for a 48-yard rushing touchdown on a brilliantly executed fake punt. Though Hayden had a few early miscues, he quickly found his rhythm—thanks in no small part to the reliability of Luke Erdman who had five catches for 125 yards.
The offense’s success set the tone for the defense all night long. While LCA had won the turnover margin in their quarterfinal matchup against Mayfield, the Tigers effectively shut down the Eagles’ by causing their own. The defense forced four turnovers, three interceptions and one fumble.
“Looking at the past games in the postseason, LCA played the turnover battle and won,” Luke Erdman said. “That was the difference in those games, wo we knew we were going to have to win that and that’s exactly what we did.”
Jack Meier led the way with a team-high 11 tackles, one tackle for a loss and and a pick.
Beechwood may not be playing at home again, but that’s far from a setback. Instead, their journey takes them to the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field for the Class 2A State Championship, where they’ll face Owensboro Catholic. The game is set for Dec. 6 at 4 p.m.
Photo slideshow below, provided by Charles Bolton:
TIGERS 44, EAGLES 24
BEECHWOOD — 12-13-7-13— 44
LEXINGTON CHRISTIAN — 0-10-6-7— 24
Scoring Plays
1st Quarter
(B) Flaherty 30-yard run (4:49) Kick failed
(B) Cusick 48-yard punt return (2:25) Kick failed
2nd Quarter
(B) Flaherty 4-yard run (10:31) Pass failed
(LCA) Hood 35-yard run (8:57) Collins kick
(B) Hayden 50-yard pass to Pabst (7:15) Lair kick
(LCA) Collins 31-yard field goal (1:07)
3rd Quarter
(B) Hayden 34-yard pass to Erdman (9:40) Kick failed
(LCA) Hood 7-yard run (2:04) Kick failed
4th Quarter
(B) Pabst 62-yard run (11:10) Kick failed
(B) Pabst 28-yard run (8:15) Lair kick
(LCA) Darland 2-yard run (4:10) Howard run
Game Stats
Passing Yards: Beechwood 258 (Hayden 13/20), Lexington Christian 103 (Howard 8/17, Collins 0/1)
Rushing Yards: Beechwood 247 (Pabst 12-110, Cusick 1-48, Flaherty 3-45, Fryman 10-38), Lexington Christian 281 (Hood 11-106, Howard 14-94, Edwards 13-50, Gray 4-31)
Receiving: Beechwood (Erdman 5-125, Cusick 3-38, Pabst 2-58, Fryman 2-14), Lexington Christian (Hood 4-60, Hart 1-25, Adams 1-16, King 1-2)
Turnovers: Beechwood 2, Lexington Christian 4
Penalties: Beechwood 10-90, Lexington Christian 6-49
Records: Beechwood 13-1, Lexington Christian 11-3