The Friday Night Lights start shining this week and The River City News will be all over the action as schools from our towns take to the gridiron.
Our Bryan Burke and Brian Frey will be at games and we have exciting new partnerships with NKYsports.com and TriStateFootball.com to bring you all the highlights and scores for Holmes, Holy Cross, Scott, Covington Catholic, Newport, Newport Central Catholic, Ludlow, Bellevue, and Dayton, as well as other local teams.
Here is the schedule, the coach, and the top players to look out for this season, as compiled by RCN’s Bryan Burke:
HOLMES BULLDOGS (2013: 5-6, 1-2)
2014 Schedule
Aug 22 @Holy Cross 7pm
Aug 29 SCOTT 7pm
Sep 5 LLOYD 7pm
Sep 12 @Walton Verona 7:30pm
Sep 26 @Beechwood 7:30pm
Oct 3 @Bellevue 7pm
Oct 10 @Harrison Co. 7:30pm
Oct 17 HIGHLANDS 7pm
Oct 24 COV CATH 7pm
Oct 31 NEWPORT 7pm
Head Coach – Ben Nevels (11-11, 2 seasons)
District – Class 4A (District 4)
Top Returning Players:
Rushing – Derrick Barnes (113 yards)
Receiving – Shawndale Mincy (174 yards, 2 touchdowns)
Passing – Desean Brumfield (1024 yards, 10 touchdowns, 13 interceptions)
HOLY CROSS INDIANS (2013: 1-10, 1-3)
2014 Schedule
Aug 22 HOLMES 7pm
Aug 29 SIMON KENTON 7pm
Sep 12 BEECHWOOD 7pm
Sep 19 @Scott 7pm
Sep 26 BROSSART 7pm
Oct 3 @Lloyd 7pm
Oct 10 @Conner 7pm
Oct 17 @Newport 7pm
Oct 23 NCC 7pm
Oct 30 CAMPBELL CO. 7pm
Head Coach: Bruce Kozerski (49-56, 9 seasons)
District – Class 2A (District 6)
Top Returning Players:
Rushing – Hamilton Scott (495 yards, 5 touchdowns)
Receiving – Damien Serrano (71 yards, 1 touchdown)
Passing – Hamilton Scott (468 yards, 3 touchdowns, 4 interceptions)
NEWPORT WILDCATS (2013: 5-6, 3-1)
2014 Schedule
Aug 22 @Mason County 7:30pm
Aug 29 WALTON VERONA 7:30pm
Sep 12 @Scott 7pm
Sep 19 WILLIAMSBURG 7:30pm
Sep 26 PENDLETON CO. 7pm
Oct 3 @Brossart 7pm
Oct 10 NCC 7pm
Oct 17 HOLY CROSS 7pm
Oct 24 LLOYD 7pm
Oct 31 @Holmes 7pm
Head Coach: Matt Schmitz (5-6, 1 season)
District – Class 2A (District 6)
Top Returning Players:
Rushing – Dominick Joseph (730 yards, 3 touchdowns)
Receiving – David Lynam (142 yards, 1 touchdown)
Passing – Paul Price
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC THOROUGHBREDS (2013: 10-5, 4-0)
2014 Schedule
Aug 22 @Ashland Blazer 7:30pm
Aug 29 @Cooper 7:30pm
Sep 5 CAMPBELL CO. 7pm
Sep 12 SIMON KENTON 7pm
Sep 20 DIXIE 1pm
Sep 26 @Lloyd 7pm
Oct 10 @Newport 7pm
Oct 16 BROSSART 7pm
Oct 23 @Holy Cross 7pm
Oct 31 BEECHWOOD 7pm
Head Coach: Dan Wagner
District: Class 2A (District 6)
Top Returning Players:
Rushing – Jacob Price (954 yards, 13 touchdowns)
Receiving – Brandon Gray (494 yards, 4 touchdowns)
Passing – Eric Anderson (20 yards)
DAYTON GREENDEVILS (2013: 2-9, 0-3)
2014 Schedule
Aug 22 BROSSART 7pm
Aug 29 LLOYD 7pm
Sep 5 @Pendleton Co. 7:30pm
Sep 12 @New Miami 7pm
Sep 26 BRACKEN CO. 7:30pm
Oct 3 @Fayetteville (OH) 7pm
Oct 10 @Ludlow 7pm
Oct 17 BEECHWOOD 7pm
Oct 24 @Bellevue 7pm
Oct 31 CARROLL CO. 7pm
Head Coach: Chad Montgomery
District: Class 2A (District 3)
Top Returning Players:
Rushing – Dylan Adams (238 yards, 2 touchdowns)
Receiving – Matt Grimme (167 yards, 1 touchdown)
Passing – Dylan Adams (477 yards, 2 touchdowns)
SCOTT EAGLES (2013: 7-4, 2-2)
2014 Schedule
Aug 22 @E. Jessamine 6:30pm
Aug 29 @Holmes 7pm
Sep 5 @Aiken (OH) 7:30pm
Sep 12 NEWPORT 7pm
Sep 19 HOLY CROSS 7pm
Sep 26 @Cooper 7:30pm
Oct 10 GRANT CO. 7pm
Oct 17 @South Oldham 7:30pm
Oct 24 CONNER 7pm
Oct 31 MASON CO. 7pm
Head Coach: Dan Woolley
District: Class 5A (District 4)
Top Returning Players:
Rushing – Roberto London (539 yards, 6 touchdowns)
COVINGTON CATHOLIC COLONELS (2013: 10-3, 2-2)
2014 Schedule
Aug 23 BOONE CO. 10am
Aug 30 DIXIE 1pm
Sep 5 @Moeller 7pm
Sep 13 HENDERSON CO. 1pm
Sep 26 @Highlands 7pm
Oct 4 BEECHWOOD 1pm
Oct 10 @Ryle 7:30pm
Oct 18 HARRISON CO. 1pm
Oct 24 @Holmes 7pm
Oct 31 @Conner 7pm
Head Coach: Dave Wirth
District: Class 4A (District 4)
Top Returning Players:
Rushing – Ben Dressman (692 yards, 6 touchdowns)
Receiving – Sam Dressman (454 yards, 3 touchdowns)
Passing – Sam Dressman (1445 yards, 16 touchdowns)
BELLEVUE TIGERS (2013: 5-6, 2-1)
2014 Schedule
Aug 22 @Walton Verona 7pm
Aug 30 @Finneytown 2pm
Sep 5 GALLATIN CO. 7pm
Sep 12 FAIRVIEW 7pm
Sep 19 @Carroll Co. 7pm
Sep 26 @Owen Co. 7:30pm
Oct 3 HOLMES 7pm
Oct 10 @Beechwood 7:30pm
Oct 17 LUDLOW 7pm
Oct 24 DAYTON 7pm
Head Coach: Johnny Poynter Sr.
District: Class 1A (District 3)
Top Returning Players:
Rushing – Alec Hazeres (107 yards, 2 touchdowns)
Receiving – Blake Stephenson (989 yards, 10 touchdowns)
LUDLOW PANTHERS (4-7, 1-2)
2014 Schedule
Aug 22 @Gallatin Co. 7:30pm
Aug 29 BRACKEN CO. 7pm
Sep 5 PARIS 7pm
Sep 12 @Bethlehem 7:30pm
Sep18 @Brossart 7pm
Sep 26 BEREA 7:30pm
Oct 10 DAYTON 7pm
Oct 17 @Bellevue 7pm
Oct 24 BEECHWOOD 7:30pm
Oct 31 @Pendleton Co. 7:30pm
Head Coach: Rick Hornsby
District: Class 1A (District 3)
Top Returning Players:
Rushing – Jeremiah Martin (580 yards, 2 touchdowns)
Receiving – Logan Donne (199 yards)
Photo: Holmes and Covington Catholic battle in 2013/Brian Frey for RCN