By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
Luke Zajac had an exceptional senior season as a two-way starter on the Dixie Heights football team last fall, but quarterback Drew Moore got most of the media attention as he racked up a net total of 3,428 rushing and passing yards for the Colonels.
At the Northern Kentucky East-West Senior All-Star game on Thursday, Zajac showed that he can also be a double-threat on offense. The 5-foot-9, 200-pound running back had a combined total of 199 yards in rushing and pass receiving for the East team that posted a 28-7 victory at Scott High School.
“He’s a good, strong runner, that’s for sure,” said East coach Dan Wagner of Newport Central Catholic. “I can see where he wears people down. He’s strong and fast and tough.”
Last season, Zajac played running back and linebacker for the Dixie Heights team that made it to the Class 6A championship game. But the East all-star team just needed him to play offense and he did so well that he was named UC Health Player of the Game for the winning side.
“I’m used to playing both ways and just playing offense was a lot of fun,” Zajac said. “Everything just seemed to go the right way and I didn’t get hurt. It just shows that all the hard work during the off season really does pay off.”
Zajac, who was recruited by Thomas More College to play running back, scored his only touchdown on a double-reverse option pass in the closing seconds of the first half.
East quarterback Adam Wagner of Covington Catholic handed the ball off to a running back going to the left and he handed it off to slot back Paul Price of Newport going in the opposite direction. Price then stopped and threw a pass to Zajac, who made the catch and bulled his way into the end zone. After his 17-yard TD pass, Price lined up at quarterback for the two-point conversion and raced across the goal line to give the East a 14-7 halftime lead.
The East scored again on its first offensive possession of the second half to extend the margin to 20-7. Price capped off that 61-yard drive with a 2-yard run into the end zone, but the two-point conversion attempt failed.
The West offense wasn’t able to sustain drives in the second half and turned the ball over on downs twice. The first time that happened the East put together a 65-yard touchdown drive that increased its lead to 28-7 early in the fourth quarter.
Outside linebacker Barry Deaton of Simon Kenton was named UC Health Player of the Game for the West. The team’s only touchdown was scored by Eli Sowder of Scott on a 4-yard run in the second quarter.
The East’s first touchdown was a 21-yard pass from Wagner to Zach Barrett of Bellevue. Dominick Joseph of Newport scored the team’s final TD on a 4-yard run.
The Northern Kentucky Football Coaches Association presented a $500 scholarship to one senior player from each of its 20 member schools during halftime of the all-star game. The associaiton also gave a $2,500 check to the family of Craig Mullins, who lost his battle with cancer last month. Mullins played on a state runnerup football team at Boone County High School. He was also an assistant football coach and recruiter at Georgetown College and Morehead State University.
Three other special presentations were made at the all-star game. The coaches association gave a Distinguished Service Award to Stan Steidel and a Coaching Excellence Award to Dave Wirth. After the game, Deric Applegate of Newport was named the NovaCare Comeback Player of the Year.
EAST 0 14 7 7 — 28
WEST 0 7 0 0 — 7
E — Barrett 21 pass from Wagner (pass failed)
W — Sowder 4 run (Gutierrez kick)
E — Zajac 17 pass from Price (Price run)
E — Price 2 run (pass failed)
E — Joseph 4 run (Gray run)
NKFCA SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Beechwood — Jake Etler, Bellevue — Austin Woodyard. Boone County — Rayvon Foster. Brossart — Justin Schack. Campbell County — Alex Kaufman. Conner — Keaton Hagins. Cooper — Billy Prickett.
CovCath — Jacob Roth. Dayton — Logan Brewer. Dixie Heights — Ben Owens. Highlands — Cashel Coughlan. Holmes — Joshua Farmer. Holy Cross — David Lampke. Lloyd — Brent Chistiansen.
Ludlow — Timothy David Deller. NewCath — Brandon Gray. Newport — Brian Burton. Ryle — Ryan Rytlewski. Scott — Ryan Seeney. Simon Kenton — Cole Murray.