While 2024 brought quite the excitement for high school football fans in Northern Kentucky, 2025 has the potential to bring even more elation to the pigskin watchers for arguably the best region the state has to offer.
Three teams made it to the KHSAA state championship in their respective class in 2024, the first time that had happened since 2014. This year brings the potential for just as many to accomplish that feat, as the region could bring home more than one state title than Beechwood’s last year, their 18th as a program.
As the 2025 season is slated to begin on August 22, here’s a look at some storylines leading into the first Friday Night Lights kickoff. These and a few other storylines will be featured individually and more in-depth starting on July 28 on our website.
Is this the year the big school football title drought ends for NKY?
Since the KHSAA expanded to six classes in 2007, a Northern Kentucky school has failed to claim a title in the biggest class in the state in 6A. They’ve been close, Simon Kenton (2008), Dixie Heights (2014) and Ryle (2024) all finishing as runner-up.
While Ryle had quite the impressive season in 2024, there’s certainly a lot of meat left on that bone for the Raiders in 2025. They return 16 of 22 starters from their 12-3 state runner-up team in ’24. Last year’s dominance came with eight straight running clocks against opponents and owned a 14-0 lead over Trinity in the state title game before the Shamrocks rallied to a 42-23 victory.
The Raiders have loaded their schedule up once again, facing Covington Catholic, Cooper, CAL and Highlands before they enter district play. They certainly won’t lack star power, highlighted by University of Indiana commit Jacob Savage. They have another Division I commit in receiver/defensive back Dylan Lee (Colgate) while defensive end Bo Gay is also drawing Division I interest.
The potential for Ryle to break the NKY 6A drought is certainly there for the taking.
State, Region title contenders
With already mentioning Ryle, looking at other state and region title contenders comes with the usual suspects.
As far as state title aspirations, of course every team in the state will tell you the goal is to get to Kroger Field the first weekend of December, but we feel Beechwood, Covington Catholic, Highlands and Cooper certainly fit those molds. All five teams will enter the season ranked in the top five of their respective classes.
Region title contenders again come with the usual suspects, the five mentioned along with Newport Central Catholic. All six played for region titles last season along with Newport, who could be in a similar spot as last season, but don’t count out Ludlow, Holy Cross and Bishop Brossart in that mix with the Wildcats.
Beechwood’s quest for No. 19 has a new QB under center
The Tigers have had quite the run of quarterbacks with seven state titles in their past nine seasons. Brayden Burch, Cameron Hergott and Clay Hayden. The new expected signal-caller is Emmett Queen, a transfer from Covington Catholic.
Queen turned heads at camps in the offseason, getting offers from Miami (Ohio), Toledo, Kentucky and Eastern Michigan despite not having much significant varsity playing time.
Dayton breaks in a new stadium, Bellevue renovates their fieldÂ
Say goodbye to grass football NKY…with Dayton and Bellevue going the turf route, it means all 22 NKY football teams (NewCath’s new facility coming soon as well), will have turf fields at their home stadiums.
Dayton and Bellevue made the transition in the offseason, the last two in the region to play on grass. Times evolve, so do schools.
How does Conner regroup after a tragedy hit the program this summer
Conner was struck with the tragedy of losing their leader Dave Trosper in June. Trosper had led the program since 2007, his unfortunate death leaving the Cougars with an unfortunate coaching search.
They hired Noel Rash shortly after, the longtime leader of the Beechwood program with eight state titles under his name. Rash stated his love for Trosper and getting the blessing from his wife made the decision for not only Rash, but the school. There’s no doubt the season will be dedicated to Trosper and the Cougars have a rallying point to go to when times get tough this season.
Cam O’Hara on the verge of shattering NKY passing records
Cam O’Hara enters his senior season with 8,996 career passing yards, already the most in NKY history if Ryle grad Tanner Morgan’s first two seasons at Hazard don’t count (Morgan finished with 10,303 career yards). Beechwood’s Clay Hayden, who just graduated, finished with 8,823 passing yards, the only two in NKY history to clear 8,000 passing yards all-time. O’Hara also has 120 passing touchdowns and 579 completions in his career. Through the 2020 season (the latest the KHSAA has updated career records), only 11 quarterbacks in state history have thrown for more than 10,000 yards. With a full season ahead, O’Hara should not only clear that mark, but be in line for over 12,000 career yards, something that’s only been done four times in KHSAA history.
Covington Catholic and Highlands will play a much more meaningful head-to-head game this season, maybe two
Instead of an out of district game in late August and mainly bragging rights at stake, the Covington Catholic-Highlands football rivalry will carry much more meaning for the 2025 season.
With Highlands move down to 4A in the latest football realignment, it means the Colonels and Bluebirds will be in the same district again. They’ll play a game with a lot more implications in October this year, just the way pretty much everyone wants it.
Don’t be surprised if the two meet again in November late in the playoffs, much like Cooper and Highlands did in 5A the past two seasons.
Same faces, different places…Conner, Holmes, Simon Kenton have new coaches
As mentioned earlier, Noel Rash is taking over at Conner with the other two coaching changes in NKY taking place at Simon Kenton and Holmes.
Joe Wynn takes over a Simon Kenton program, getting back to Northern Kentucky after coaching at Mason County the past four seasons. Prior to coaching the Royals, Wynn was the head coach at Newport for three seasons and was also an assistant at Holmes and Campbell County.
Jonathan Hopkins is the interim coach at Holmes, filling in for the time being as time constraints limited a full search for the Bulldogs. Hopkins could eventually be the permanent man in charge, but the school will make a more extensive search after the 2025 season is over. Hopkins was the offensive coordinator on Ben Nevels staff, who resigned in May after 12 seasons at the helm. Hopkins has served as assistant coach since 2001. He’s also led the boys’ track and field team for 15 years and currently works as a counselor at the high school.
Is NewCath closer to the 1A state title game
Since Stephen Lickert took over in 2018, the Thoroughbreds have been excruciatingly close in the playoffs. It starts in 2018, an overtime loss in the second round to DeSales, their last season in Class 2A. Since they’ve joined 1A in 2019, they’ve reached the region championship game every year, advancing to the semifinals in 2020 and 2022.
Is this the year they make the jump to the title game?
Key District battles
We’ve already highlighted Highlands and Covington Catholic in the Class 4A, 5th District, the two seemingly in a two-team race with Mason County and Harrison County challenging.
Ryle will get tested from Great Crossing in the Class 6A, 6th District while Simon Kenton and Campbell County hope to offer resistance.
With Highlands out of the Class 5A, 5th District, who will challenge Cooper? Conner, Dixie Heights, Boone County and Scott will give it their best shot.
With Lexington Catholic out of the Class 3A, 5th District, does that open the door for Lloyd Memorial to claim a district title? The Juggernauts are probably the favorite, with Bourbon County, Carroll County, Henry County and Pendleton County challenging.
Beechwood hasn’t been challenged in the Class 2A, 5th District and that most likely won’t change this season. St. Henry, Walton-Verona, Bracken County, Owen County and Gallatin County will do their best to not make it so lopsided.
The Class 1A, 3rd District is in a similar situation, dominated by Newport Central Catholic as Newport, Bellevue and Dayton try to challenge the Thoroughbreds.
The one district where it may be hard to get a consensus prediction is the Class 1A, 4th District…made up of Bishop Brossart, Holy Cross, Ludlow and Trimble County. All of Brossart, Holy Cross and Ludlow could make their case as district champs.
St. Henry breaks onto the football scene
St. Henry got a taste of football last season with a JV and freshman team, now things get real as they will have their first varsity season in school history in 2025.
The Crusaders had strong numbers on their rosters last year and are hopeful to hit the ground running. They’ll compete in the Class 2A, 5th District with Beechwood, Bracken County, Gallatin County, Owen County and Walton-Verona.
Some of the top two-way players in NKY
The guys who are in on nearly every play…here’s a few to look out for: Beechwood’s Tyler Fryman at wide receiver and defensive back. Covington Catholic’s Cash Harney at quarterback and defensive back. Cooper’s Ryker Campbell in the backfield and defensive back and Ryle’s Jacob Savage at running back and linebacker.
Lloyd Memorial, Newport, Ludlow have all made solid runs in the past few years, are the three set for a rebuild or reload?
Lloyd Memorial has had an impressive three-year stretch, going 29-9 with at least one playoff win each year and a state semifinal appearance in 2022. Can they continue that momentum under Kyle Niederman? Niederman is entering his seventh year as head coach of the program.
Newport was just one of the last seven standing in Northern Kentucky last season as they went 9-3 and made a regional championship appearance in a tight, 14-12 loss to Kentucky Country Day. The Wildcats graduated just six players from that team as they look to continue advancing in year two under Paul Wiggins.
Ludlow and Newport swapped places in 2024. The Panthers played for a region title in 2023, Newport defeating them in the district championship round last year. Ludlow was hit harder by graduation, having 12 seniors depart from last season.
Walton-Verona, Holy Cross, Boone County, Scott, Newport and Bishop Brossart enter year two under their new regimes
What progress will we see in the second year under these head coaches?
Walton-Verona’s Gary Pence enters his second season with the Bearcats coming off a 5-6 season. They struggled out of the gate with a 1-5 record, but won their final four games of the regular season to earn a playoff bid.
Holy Cross was 3-8 in their first season under Curt Spencer, with just seven seniors departed, how much can they progress in year two?
Boone County finished 2-8 in Dan Court’s first year. Their last winning season came in 2011, can Court find some improvement in his second season?
Scott was also 2-8 in Justin Franklin’s first season. With Highlands moving down to 4A, it opens up a playoff opportunity for the Eagles or Rebels, who will take advantage of a momentum building opportunity for the program?
Bishop Brossart went 9-3 and won a playoff game under Adam Kozerski. Can the Mustangs match that and go even further in 2025?
Marquee games to look forward to on a week-by-week basis
Aug. 22 — Ryle at Covington Catholic, Scott at Campbell County, Conner at Madison Central, Cooper at Anderson (OH), Dixie Heights at Simon Kenton, Frederick Douglass at Highlands, Holy Cross at St. Henry, Newport Central Catholic at Lloyd Memorial, Bishop Brossart at Walton-Verona
Aug. 29 — Beechwood vs NewCath at CovCath, St. Henry at Boone County, Highlands at Cooper, Covington Catholic at Elder (OH)
Sept. 5 — Cooper at Ryle
Sept. 12 — Ludlow at Dayton, Highlands at Boyle County, CAL at Ryle
Sept. 19 — Covington Catholic at Beechwood, Newport Central Catholic at Raceland, Ryle at Highlands
Sept. 26 — Ludlow at Bellevue, Conner at Cooper, Walton-Verona at Bracken County
Oct. 3 — Covington Catholic at Highlands, Cooper at Dixie Heights, Newport Central Catholic at Campbell County
Oct. 9-10 — Bellevue at Dayton, Holy Cross at Bishop Brossart, Scott at Boone County, Conner at Dixie Heights, Newport vs Newport Central Catholic at Dixie Heights
Oct. 17 — Bishop Brossart at Ludlow, Campbell County at Simon Kenton, Ryle at Great Crossing
Oct. 24 — Holy Cross at Ludlow