The NKyTribune is offering focused coverage of NKY high school football throughout the season, thanks to support from St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine. See all our pre-season features on each of NKY’s 21 high school football teams and follow our coverage, including roundups each week at Northern Kentucky High School Football.
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Beechwood quarterback Kyle Fieger was one of 26 players honored for their accomplishments during the 2015 season at the Northern Kentucky Football Coaches Association awards banquet on Wednesday.
The Tigers made it to the Class 1A state championship game for the first time since 2008 with Fieger running the offense. When the team’s leading rusher suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first round of the playoffs, his passing skills were the team’s primary weapon.
“It all came back to him,” Beechwood coach Noel Rash said of Fieger. “We became more of a quarterback oriented team than a running back oriented team. For him to make that transition and get us to the finals and in a situation where we could win the whole thing says a tremendous amount about him.”
Fieger broke several Northern Kentucky career passing records during his senior season, including touchdown passes (102), total passing yardage (7,518) and pass completions (451).
In the state championship game, he threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Aiden Justice with less than two minutes remaining to break the Northern Kentucky area’s previous career passing yardage record of 7,516 yards set by Gino Guidugli of Highlands.
“I wasn’t really following my stats or anything until late in the regular season, but it’s pretty cool,” Fieger said. “I can’t believe the last pass I threw broke a record. That’s crazy.”
Beechwood lost to Pikeville, 42-28, in the state championship game. It wasn’t an ideal ending to the Tigers’ season, but they played in the state finals for the first time in seven years.
“We made it to the spot we wanted to your whole career,” Fieger said. “We didn’t finish it off the way we wanted, but it was a great experience to get there.”
Fieger became Beechwood’s starting quarterback during the post-season playoffs of his freshman year. He remembers throwing five touchdown passes in his first game against Bracken County.
He closed out his high school career with an impressive senior season, completing 159 of 229 passes for 2,763 yards and 40 touchdowns. His completion percentage of 69.4 broke the Northern Kentucky single-season record of 68.1 set by Drew Houliston of Highlands in 2013.
“Since his freshman year, we’ve put Kyle in difficult situations and he always found a way to perform,” coach Rash said. “We’re going to have a hard time trying to replace that production.”
In addition to recognizing the top high school players in Northern Kentucky during Wednesday’s banquet, awards were given to three coaches.
Jeff Marksberry of Simon Kenton was named Coach of the Year. His team finished the regular season with a 10-0 record and made it to the semifinals of the Class 6A playoffs.
Paul Wiggins of Bishop Brossart received the Owen Hauck Award for his team’s remarkable turnaround this season. The Mustangs posted a 9-2 record after finishing 1-8 the previous year.
Chuck Faust of Newport Central Catholic was named Assistant Coach of the Year. He helped the Thoroughbreds make it back to the Class 2A state finals this season.
Nominations for the Brian Williams “That’s My Boy” Award that’s presented to the top student-athlete in Northern Kentucky high school football are still being processed.
The award is based on a rating system that includes football achievements, academic performance and extra-curricular activities. The top four finalists will be invited to the Greater Cincinnati National Football Foundation banquet on March 1 and the winner will be announced then.
N. KY. FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION TOP 26 AWARDS
Beechwood – Kyle Fieger, Brett Slusher
Bellevue – Cam Chase
Bishop Brossart – Frank Cetrulo
Boone County – Jarod Deason
Campbell County – Carson Plessinger
Conner – Kyler Padgett, Isaiah Ebarb
Cooper – Marcus Watson
CovCath – Cam Pitzer
Dayton – Philip McDaniel
Dixie Heights – Jack Lohre
Highlands – Nick Kendall
Holmes – Sean Sullivan
Holy Cross – Hamilton Scott
Lloyd – Charles Gaines, Jacob Turner
Ludlow – Justin Blackburn
Newport – Ryan Ochoa
NewCath – Maleek Lawrence, Jacob Smith
Ryle – Johnny Meiman
Scott – Deondre Pleasant, Roberto London
Simon Kenton – Dillon Powell, Tucker Mueller
COACHING AWARDS
Coach of the Year – Jeff Marksberry, Simon Kenton
Owen Hauck Award – Paul Wiggins, Bishop Brossart
Assistant Coach of the Year – Chuck Faust, NewCath