By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Aiden Justice played a key role in Beechwood winning the Class 1A state football championship last season. The 5-foot-9, 182-pound senior running back was the Tigers’ team leader in scoring, rushing yards and receiving yards.
Justice hasn’t decided where he’ll attend college and continue his football career, but he added to his recruiting resume Thursday night with an impressive performance in the St. Elizabeth Healthcare East-West All-Star Game at Dixie Heights High School.
Justice scored the game’s first touchdown on a 64-yard run, picked up a key first down on another scoring drive and returned kickoffs for the West team that posted a 25-7 victory. He received the West team’s most valuable player award to close out his high school football career.
“I think I went out on high note,” he said of his senior year. “I don’t know if it could’ve gone any better.”
Justice was one of the smallest players on the field Thursday night, but he had a big impact on the game. That’s something he did quite often last season when he had 1,107 yards rushing and 604 yards receiving for Beechwood.
“Everybody’s always said I was too small and that I wasn’t the running back type, but that doesn’t really affect me,” he said. “I just work hard in the weight room and it comes natural to me.”
Justice’s breakaway run for a touchdown came late in the first quarter of the all-star game that raises money for the Northern Kentucky Football Coaches Association scholarship fund. He darted up the middle, made a sharp cut to the left and raced down the sideline into end zone.
“It was just great blocking,” he said. “I couldn’t have done it without my line. They did a great job blocking all night.”
West defensive back Jaylin Williams of Holy Cross intercepted a pass and returned it to the 30-yard line to give his team another scoring opportunity. On a fourth-down play, quarterback Walker Buelow of Conner rolled to the left and threw a pass across the field to Rondell Douglass of Boone County, who took the ball into the end zone to make it 13-0.
An interception by West defensive back Brian Manning of Conner in the third quarter led to another touchdown. He returned the ball to the 38-yard line and the offense scored seven plays later on a 3-yard run by Xavier Abernathy of Holy Cross to make it 19-0.
That was one of four pass interceptions by the West defensive unit that also forced the East team to turn the ball over on downs in the second and fourth quarters.
“We all flew to the ball and everyone was hyped to get to play again,” Manning said of the West defense. “To be honest, it was actually fun to get to hit people again.”
The East team got it’s lone touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Jose Torres of Dixie Heights returned a kickoff to the 35-yard line and then scored three plays later on a 20-yard run.
“It was amazing, especially on my home field,” Torres said of the touchdown that made him the East team’s most valuable player. “That was a good defense. Every single play we ran, they read it right. It was tough, but it was fun.”
The West team finished off the scoring with a eight-play, 69-yard touchdown drive. Buelow completed two passes for 43 yards and finished it off with a 2-yard run into the end zone.
EAST 0 0 0 7 — 7
WEST 7 6 6 6 — 25
WEST: Justice 64 run (Eads kick)
WEST: Douglass 23 pass from Buelow (kick failed)
WEST: Abernathy 3 run (run failed)
EAST: Torres 20 run (Neff kick)
WEST: Buelow 2 run (kick blocked)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARDS
West — Aiden Justice (Beechwood)
EAST — Jose Torres (Dixie Heights)
CHRIS VIER COURAGE AWARD
Chandler Feinauer (Boone County)
THAT’S MY BOY FINALISTS RECEIVING $1,000 SCHOLARSHIPS
Dente Hendrix (Cooper), Brian Carter (Simon Kenton), Hunter Zieglemeyer (CovCath)
SENIOR PLAYERS RECEIVING $500 SCHOLARSHIPS
Bellevue — Adam Hazeres. Beechwood — Josh Dietz. Brossart — Matthew Blank. Boone County — Chandler Feinauer. Campbell County — Jeremy Lackey. CovCath — Jake Kunkel. Conner — Peyton Van Horn. Cooper — Jerod Lonaker. Dayton — Buddy Lukens. Dixie Heights — Jose Torres. Highlands — Sam Taylor. Holmes — Tahj Campbell. Holy Cross — Xavier Abernathy. Lloyd — Elijah Jouett. Ludlow — Thomas “TC” Eads. Newport — Markel Garland. NewCath — Anthony Lotz. Ryle — Bryce Ashley. Scott — Bobby Brown. Simon Kenton — Sam LeCount.
TEAM MERIT AWARDS
Bellevue — Doug Miller. Beechwood — Bernie Barre. Brossart — Mark Cetrulo. Boone County — Tom Burns. Campbell County — Troy Styer. CovCath — Ted Edgington. Conner — Cindy Fogle. Cooper — Howie Whitaker. Dayton — Bill Burns. Dixie Heights — Bill Vaughn. Highlands — Mark Dill. Holmes — Susan Durstock. Holy Cross — Bill Goller. Lloyd — Chris Johnson. Ludlow — Lisa Brownfield. Newport — Tony Baldwin. NewCath — Steve Hellman. Ryle — Jay Broadus. Scott — Junior Yeary. Simon Kenton —Kelly Vance