The NKyTribune will be providing focused coverage of NKY high school football throughout the season, thanks to support from St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine. See all of 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
Several first-year starters at quarterback turned in impressive performances during the first weekend of the Northern Kentucky high school football season. Three local teams that have their first game this Friday will also have newbies running the offense, and one of them is replacing a record-setter.
Brayden Burch is taking over as quarterback of the Beechwood Tigers, a team that had Kyle Fieger playing the position in every game from the 2012 playoffs through last year. Fieger broke several Northern Kentucky career passing records during his four-year varsity career, including touchdown passes (102), total passing yardage (7,518) and pass completions (451).
That’s a tough act to follow for Burch, a junior who took a very limited number of snaps as back-up quarterback on the Tigers’ Class A state runner-up team last year.
“When I came in this winter (for weight training), coach (Noel) Rash came up to me saying, ‘You’re not Fieger, but you’ve got to do what you can so we can try to win state.’” Burch said. “I just have to go out and do my best and play my game.”
Burch will make his debut as Beechwood’s starting quarterback in a home game Friday against Lloyd. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Last Friday, Lloyd’s defense posted a shutout in a 38-0 win over Walton-Verona, which also has a first-year starter at quarterback this season. But Rash doesn’t expect that to happen in Burch’s first game.
“We’re so happy with Brayden Burch right now,” Rash said during a practice session earlier this month. “What Bryaden has done in the off-season rivals what anyone else on this team has done. Her worked himself to be the starting catcher on the baseball team as a sophomore and he’s coming in as our junior quarterback light years ahead of where he was last year. And that’s due to him. Brayden gets all the credit for what he’s become.”
Beechwood will also have several first-year starters on the offensive line in Friday’s opening game. That’s what prompted the coaching staff to make some changes in the offensive playbook.
“It’s more for our young line, than me,” Burch said of the new offense. “It’s more quick because our line is smaller, but faster.”
Dixie Heights and Conner are the other Northern Kentucky football teams that will open the season Friday with a new starting quarterback at the helm.
Noah Smedley is expected to be behind center for Dixie Heights in a game at Scott. But Conner coach Dave Trosper said Tuesday that he had not decided on his team’s starting quarterback for the game at Boone County.
The two Conner players battling for the position are senior Walker Buelow and junior Cooper Guillon. The one who wins it will also have some big shoes to fill. Kyler Padgett was the Cougars’ offensive leader last season when he passed for 1,842 yards and rushed for 729.
This week’s high school football schedule
THURSDAY
Covington Catholic vs. Oak Hills (Ohio) at Mount St. Joseph, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY
Ryle vs. Henry Clay at Lexington Catholic, 6 p.m.
Conner at Boone County, 7 p.m.
Highlands at Campbell County, 7 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic at Cooper, 7 p.m.
Dixie Heights at Scott, 7 p.m.
Bracken County at Ludlow, 7 p.m.
Finneytown (Ohio) at Newport, 7 p.m.
Bellevue at Dayton, 7 p.m.
Aiken (Ohio) at Brossart, 7:30 p.m.
Lloyd at Beechwood, 7:30 p.m.
Holmes vs. Paris at Lloyd, 7:30 p.m.
Lexington Bryan Station at Simon Kenton, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Holy Cross vs. Walton-Verona at Thomas More, 11 a.m.