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
The Newport Central Catholic football team opened the season with a win for the first time in three years by downing Scott, 47-21, on Saturday at Newport Stadium.
The Thoroughbreds took a 26-0 lead in the first two quarters behind the play of senior quarterback Patrick Henschen. He scored the first two touchdowns and threw a 68-yard TD pass to senior tight end Austin Neff during his team’s early run.
Henschen, who threw another touchdown pass to Neff in the third quarter, ended up completing 6 of 8 for 176 yards and rushing for 55 yards to account for most of NewCath’s 366 total yards. The team’s leading rusher was junior Jason Decker with 90 yards on eight carries.
Scott’s first touchdown came on a 95-yard kickoff return by Nelson Perrin late in the second quarter. Perrin also played quarterback for the Eagles, but the offense struggled for most of the night. Scott and five fumbles and two were recovered by NewCath.
Scott ended up with 240 total yards on offense. Perrin passed for 78 yards and rushed for 44.
The win puts NewCath in a good position after starting off 1-3 last year and 0-4 in 2013. The Thoroughbreds still managed to make it to the Class 2A state final the last two seasons.
SCOTT 0 7 7 7 — 21
NCC 7 26 14 0 — 47
NC – Henschen 4 run (Otten kick)
NC – Henschen 34 run (kick failed)
NC – Bovard 1 run (pass failed)
NC – Neff 68 pass from Henschen (Otten kick)
S – N. Perrin 90 kick return (Rosenhagen kick)
NC – Neff 32 pass from Henschen (Otten kick)
NC – Kelly 95 kick return (Otten kick)
NC – Decker 4 run (Otten kick)
S–Price 66 pass from Perrin (Rosenhagen kick)
S–Q. Perrin 10 run (Rosenhagen kick)
RECORDS — NewCath 1-0, Scott 0-1