Following an injury scare in the state tournament semifinals, senior tailback Chase Flaherty is getting the green light from doctors. Green means go, and this is good news for the Beechwood High School football team as it gears up for the Class 2A state championship game Dec. 6 against Owensboro Catholic.
Senior quarterback Clay Hayden, a postseason veteran with college offers, is great under pressure. He’s also terrific with play-action while utilizing Flaherty. This could be a boon for Beechwood and its stable of fleet receivers at University of Kentucky’s Kroger Stadium.
The Beechwood offensive line is getting the job done despite at times being at a size disadvantage. The opportunistic defense is rising to the occasion. And team depth is stepping forward as the Tigers ready themselves for Friday’s 4 p.m. kickoff in Lexington.
It’s all coming together at the right time for Beechwood.
All the Tigers have to do now is take care of business on Friday. This will require taking down unbeaten Owensboro Catholic. If the 13-1 Tigers hand the 14-0 Aces their first loss, Beechwood will have its 18th state championship. The Tigers last won state in 2022.
“We believe we are good to go,” said Beechwood second-year coach Jay Volker. “With Flaherty, X-Rays were clean, just a slight sprain. More of a scare than anything. He is working hard to rehab the injury and should be good to go barring any setbacks.”
Flaherty, a key component in the revitalized rushing attack, suffered an ankle injury while scoring a second-quarter touchdown in the 44-24 semifinal win against Lexington Christian Academy. Flaherty’s second TD of the game gave the Tigers an 18-0 lead. But he sat the remainder of the contest as a precaution.
PABST ADDS TO ATTACK
With Flaherty on the bench after four carries going for 46 yards, reserve back Nathan Pabst stepped into the fray. The sophomore became an instant headache for the Eagles. Pabst rushed 13 times for 110 yards. He added two receptions for 58 yards and scored three long touchdowns. Pabst’s 50-yard catch-and-run for a score gave Beechwood a 25-7 second-quarter lead. He also had a 62-yard run for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and a 28-yard scoring scamper later in the fourth.
Lexington Christian had virtually no scouting report on Pabst as a running back. The sophomore did not receive a carry during the regular season. He managed three carries going for four yards in the postseason before his breakthrough against the Eagles. Pabst was carving a role in the passing game with nearly 20 yards per catch on 15 receptions. He was also making a name for himself on defense. But his out-of-nowhere rushing performance, a defining moment for the Tigers, underscores the depth of talent and level of preparedness that have become hallmarks at Beechwood.
“This year, the improvement is great,” Flaherty said. “Guys are really stepping up everywhere.”
Flaherty plays a big role in the improvements and he’s a huge key for Beechwood on Friday. He spearheads a Beechwood rushing attack averaging 159 yards per game. The Tigers averaged 117 yards per game last season. They finished 12-2 following a state semifinal loss to Mayfield. Mayfield went on to beat Owensboro Catholic in a high-scoring final, 53-48.
With 1,381 yards rushing this year on 7.4 yards per tote and 26 touchdowns, Flaherty requires defenders in the box. He also demands defenses honor play-action at quarterback with the armed and dangerous Hayden. The signal caller has thrown for 2,808 yards and 46 TDs. Beechwood recently announced Hayden is now northern Kentucky’s all-time passing touchdowns leader. He’s up to 117 entering Friday. Flaherty has an additional 246 yards receiving on the strength of 17 yards per catch. He adds four more scores for a total of 30 TDs. He’s third in Class 2A in scoring with 180 points. Like Hayden, he bought into a key coaching decision. Volker decided to play Flaherty far less on defense this season to keep him fresh on offense.
If the Aces lose Flaherty or any of the Beechwood receivers in coverage Friday, they could lose the game due to Hayden’s immense arm talent. He’s generating a 67% completion rate with just six interceptions. This after the QB agreed to throw less during the season to help balance the offense.
“I shouldn’t be worrying about stats,” said Hayden, whose buy-in depressed his passing numbers and may have cost him a spot on the local coaches’ association’s 2024 all-star teams, which contain just two QBs.
Hayden’s selfless act was another defining moment for the Tigers as they sought ways to get back to the state title game after last season’s disappointing finish. This is Beechwood’s fourth Class 2A title game appearance in five years.
ACES ARE WILD
Running the ball effectively and passing opportunistically are goals for the Beechwood offense. The Tigers have a defensive plan against an equally formidable Owensboro Catholic attack. The Aces likewise feature a prolific quarterback. They also have a slew of dangerous receivers. Keeping their offense off the field with a grinding Beechwood running attack is critical.
The Aces utilize three running backs averaging at least 9.5 yards per carry. They do so in combination with senior quarterback Brady Atwell, their superstar and a Mr. Kentucky football candidate. The prolific multi-sport athlete is heading to Western Kentucky to play college baseball.
On the gridiron, Atwell has many awards and honors including district player of the year, Class 2A player of the year and all-state status. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, he is more than a handful and tough to contain. He’s up to a Class 2A-leading 3,406 yards passing this season with a 70% completion rate. He’s added 47 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Atwell and Hayden rank 1-2 this season in Class 2A passing TDs.
Atwell also has 563 yards and 18 scores on the ground. He’s had a hand in 65 of the Aces’ 85 offensive TDs. That’s 76% of their scoring. He has passed for more than 11,000 career yards and better than 150 touchdowns with nearly 200 total TDs when adding rushing scores.
Shutting down the running game and keeping Atwell’s aerial assault out of the end zone is critical for the Tigers. Beechwood would love to put the Aces in an early hole. This could force them to pass more than they want, making them more predictable, which could play into an opportunistic Beechwood defense’s hand. If Atwell has his way, the Aces will be tough to stop.
“Besides stopping the run and making them one-dimensional, we want to continue to take the ball away,” coach Volker said. “The four turnovers we created last Friday were a huge part of beating LCA. We need to continue to force turnovers. Offensively, we have to be willing to take what they want to give us. That may be running the ball or passing.”
BEECHWOOD BALANCING ACT
Beechwood is equipped to run or pass thanks to Hayden and speedy receivers James Cusick, Luke Erdman and Tyler Fryman. They work in tandem with Flaherty and Pabst out of the backfield.
Cusick, Erdman, Fryman, fullback Brody Aylor and sophomore back Kyle Ritter are also in the mix for carries. They get them in a variety of ways. The Tigers like to get their fastest playmakers in space where they are hard to outmaneuver and ultimately hard to catch.
The offensive line features Mattox Kelly, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound left tackle heading to Illinois State. Cole Howard, a 6-4, 265-pound tackle, is on the right side. Brody Waddell is a 6-foot, 240-pound left guard. Carson Eshelman, at 6-3, 265, mans the right guard position. The 5-10, 220-pound Jack Meier also takes a turn at guard. Chance Baugh is a 6-foot, 225-pound center. Bo Sowder is the primary tight end. Meier and Baugh are team captains.
The Beechwood defense has put together five shutouts and held seven opponents to seven points or fewer. The Tigers are Class 2A’s No. 3 scoring defense with an average yield of 14.6 points per game.
The defense complements Class 2A’s No. 1 offense as Beechwood averages 46.8 points per contest. By contrast, Owensboro Catholic is No. 2 in the class with 45.9 points per game. The Aces are No. 1 in scoring defense at 9.9. No wonder these two teams are 1-2 in Class 2A scoring differential. The Aces (36 ppg) are No. 1 followed by the Tigers (32.1 ppg).
Beechwood leaders on defense include Meier on the line. He’s the top tackler with 69 stops. Waddell is second in both tackles and tackles for loss at linebacker. Aylor, a defensive back, is third in tackles. Kelly, another two-way lineman, is fourth in tackles. He’s first in tackles for loss, sacks and fumble recoveries. Erdman and Pabst rank 1-2 in interceptions. Pabst has two interceptions going for touchdowns and Erdman has one.
TIGERS DEPTH COMES THROUGH
With his playoff ascension, Pabst isn’t the only Tiger earning more first-team reps as the season has advanced. Sowder, a sophomore hybrid linebacker, emerged on defense as a starter late in the season. Sowder has made an especially big impact the past few games. He led the Tigers in tackles and came up with an interception in the win over LCA. Sowder was second in tackles with a team-leading four tackles for loss the previous week against Martin County. He added one sack.
“We were forced to put him closer to the ball,” Volker said of Sowder. “He has been more effective than we could have imagined the past two weeks.”
There have been other adjustments. When Fryman got hurt Week 2, it set off a next-man-up domino effect that wound up improving the depth chart.
“Tyler Fryman going out forced some adjustments to personnel on both sides of the ball,” Volker said. “Cusick moved from cornerback to safety. Pabst played some cornerback. Austin Flesch played some cornerback as well. Offensively, it thrust Pabst into a starting role for several weeks. Getting Fryman back allowed us to have more chess pieces to move guys around depending on who we are playing. We were able to utilize Cusick at corner and blitz him a lot versus LCA and that helped.”
On offense, Fryman’s return at receiver enabled Pabst to concentrate on backfield duties.
“With Fryman coming back, we were able to move Pabst to running back when Flaherty got hurt without having to take a starter out,” Volker said.
The behind-the-scenes machinations to upend the opposition demonstrate a versatile group of players. They are guided by a nimble coaching staff. These are intelligent football people capable of making the right moves. The players in turn readily buy into ideas and schemes, creating seamless coordination. Beechwood has accomplished this strategically and on the fly in 2024. If the Tigers come up with another winning formula Friday, Fort Mitchell will be one roaring place to be.