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
NKy Tribune sports reporter
Bryce Donnelly scored three touchdowns in the third quarter to provide the spark Brossart needed to defeat Ludlow, 47-28, on Friday in Alexandria.
Ludlow had a 14-13 lead going into the second half before Donnelly caught two touchdown passes from Chase Keller and scored on a 60-yard punt return to put Brossart on top.
The Mustangs extended their lead to 47-14 in the fourth quarter. Ludlow scored two touchdowns late in the game.
Donnelly caught four passes for 123 yards and three TDs. He also had 89 yards on punt returns and 7 yards rushing to give him 219 all-purpose yards.
Keller completed 11 of 25 passes for 230 yards and four TDs. He was also his team’s leading rusher with 72 yards on 14 carries.
Ludlow quarterback TC Eads threw two touchdown passes and scored on a 37-yard run. Justin Blackburn got the Panthers first TD on a 75-yard run.
Both teams host district games next week. Ludlow will play Dayton in Class A and Brossart will face Bracken County in Class 2A. Bracken County is off to a 5-1 start this season.
LUDLOW 7 7 0 14 – 28
BROSSART 13 0 20 14 – 47
B – Donnelly 28 pass from Keller (kick failed)
B – Sendelback 28 pass from Keller (kick failed)
L – Blackburn 75 run (Eades kick)
L – Vallandingham 31 pass from Eads (Eads kick)
B – Donnelly 55 pass from Keller (Schwalbach kick)
B – Donnelly 60 punt return (Schwalbach kick)
B – Donnelly 30 pass from Keller (kick failed)
B – Keller 27 run (Schwalbach kick)
B – Dennis 35 interception return (Schwalbach kick)
L – Moore 7 pass from Eads (Eads kick)
L – Eads 37 run (Eads kick)
RECORDS: Brossart 4-2, Ludlow 2-4
Cooper 28, Dixie Heights 13
Cooper senior receiver Dante Hendrix caught two touchdown passes from Jerod Lonaker in the third quarter to give the Jaguars the lead and their defense was able to maintain it.
Hendrix ended up with eight receptions for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Shea Burns also caught a TD pass from Lonaker, who had 259 yards passing and 43 rushing in the game. Joe Torres scored twice for Dixie Heights and had 85 yards rushing on 18 carries. The Colonels finished with a net total of 249 yards compared to 327 for Cooper.
Both teams have big district games up next. Cooper visits undefeated Ryle in Class 6A and Dixie Heights hosts Highlands in Class 5A.
COOPER 0 14 14 0 – 28
DIXIE 0 7 6 0 – 13
DH – Torres 25 run (kick good)
C – Hendrix 31 pass from Lonaker (Hollifield kick)
C – Burns 6 pass from Lonaker (Hollifield kick)
DH – Torres 1 run (kick failed)
C – Hendrix 28 pass from Lonaker (Hollifield kick)
C – Hendrix 58 pass from Lonaker (Hollifield kick)
RECORDS: Cooper 5-2, Dixie Heights 3-3
Ryle 38, Clark County 6
Ryle finished with 335 yards of total offense while limiting Clark County to 88 in the victory that extended its perfect record to 6-0.
The Raiders scored 31 points in the first quarter to take command of the game and reserve players got a chance to play in the second half. Senior quarterback Tanner Morgan had 98 yards passing and scored on a 54-yard run before he went to the sideline.
Ryle has a home game against Class 6A district rival Cooper (5-2) on Friday. Last year, Cooper edged Ryle 27-21, and went on to win the district title.
RYLE 31 7 0 0 – 38
CLARK CO. 0 0 6 0 – 6
R – Chisholm 18 run (Molique kick)
R – Molique 27 FG
R – Morgan 54 run (Molique kick)
R – Scherr interception return (Molique kick)
R – Burch 39 run (Molique kick)
R – Ashley 23 pass from Smith (Molique kick)
CC – Nisbet 4 run (kick blocked)
RECORDS: Ryle 6-0, Clark County 1-5
Holy Cross 26, Bardstown Bethlehem 0
The Holy Cross defense posted its third shutout of the season by limiting Bardstown to a net total of 51 yards, including minus-11 yards rushing.
The Indians finished with 384 yards and had three rushers who surpassed Bardstown’s total yardage. Derrick Barnes finished with 98 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Dylan Couch with 95 yards and Xavier Abernathy with 70.
Holy Cross has three Class 2A district games next on its schedule, beginning with a visit to Newport Central Catholic on Friday.
HOLY CROSS 12 7 7 0 — 26
BETHLEHEM 0 0 0 0 — 0
HC – Lyons 5 run (kick failed)
HC – Barnes 45 run (kick failed)
HC – Barnes 11 run (Hobbs kick)
HC – Abernathy 6 run (Hobbs kick)
RECORDS: Holy Cross 4-2, Bethlehem 3-3
In other games
WALTON-VERONA 35, OWEN COUNTY 0 – Walton-Verona kept the ball on the ground and rushed for 321 yards and five touchdowns to win its second straight Class 2A district game.
The Bearcats’ leading ball carriers were running back Garet Talbett with 157 yards on 10 carries and quarterback Scott Pettyjohn with 82 yards on eight carries. They each scored one touchdown along with Mason Smith, Micah Alford and Hunter Ruber.
Walton-Verona and Gallatin County, the co-leaders in their Class 2A district with 2-0 records, face off Friday at Walton-Verona.
BEECHWOOD 62, NEWPORT 15 — Beechwood took a 28-0 in the first quarter and cruised to the victory by rushing for 287 yards on 28 attempts for a 28.7 average.
Running backs James Davis, Aiden Justice and Dylan Doverspike each scored twice. Junior quarterback Brayden Burch did his part by passing for 109 yards and two TDs.
Scores of unreported games
Eminence 52, Dayton 14
Harrison County 36, Scott 19