By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Highlands football coach Brian Weinrich didn’t need to make any changes in the game plan after his team’s inconsistent performance in the first half against Campbell County on Friday.
Weinrich simply told the Bluebirds they needed to play better, and that’s what they did in the second half to come away with a 34-7 victory before a crowd of more than 3,000 fans.
Highlands scored a touchdown on the third play of the third quarter to take a 13-7 lead and then pulled away by taking advantage of Campbell County turnovers. Two pass interceptions and a fumble recovery set up the Bluebirds’ final three touchdowns.
“There were no magic adjustments (at halftime),” Weinrich said. “We tell them all the time, ‘No matter what play we call you guys got to execute and play harder than the other team.’ And they really came out in the third quarter and did that.”
Highlands senior quarterback Grady Cramer fueled his team’s scoring surge by throwing touchdown passes to three different receivers in the third quarter. The first one went to Austin King, who slipped behind the Campbell County defense and made a wide-open catch on a 59-yard scoring play.
“It was actually an option play,” Cramer said. “We could’ve run it, but we ended up throwing it because I read the safety coming up.”
A long interception return by Highlands defensive back Casey Greene set up the Bluebirds’ next touchdown. Five plays later, Cramer lofted a pass to senior wide receiver Nate Roberts in the back of the end zone.
A fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff put the Highlands offense back on the field with the ball on the 24-yard line. After picking up a first down, Cramer threw a 14-yard TD pass to Hunter Ahlfield and the Bluebirds had a 28-7 lead with less than three minutes left in the third quarter.
Campbell County came back with a nice drive and picked up a first down on the 13-yard line. But an interception at the goal line by Jacob Brass of Highlands snuffed out the Camels’ comeback hopes.
Following that interception, Highlands put the game away with an 88-yard scoring drive that ended with sophomore Joe Buten’s 10-yard run into the end zone.
“We came out and just did what we had to do,” Cramer said of his team’s big second half. “Our defense did great and the offense just took advantage of what our defense did.”
In the first half, Cramer was sacked three times and completed 11 of 18 passes for 83 yards and one touchdown. He did much better in the second half and ended up going 17-for-29 for 179 yards and four TDs.
Highlands finished with a 310-248 advantage in total yards, but that discrepancy had a lot to do with three fumbles and three interceptions that cut down Campbell County’s offensive output.
“You’re not going to win too many games with all the mistakes we made in the second half,” said Campbell County coach Mike Woolf. “You have to hand (Highlands) all the credit. Their kids made the plays when they needed to.”
Campbell County quarterback Andrew Helton was responsible for most of his team’s offense. He completed 14 of 33 passes for 194 yards and one touchdowns while also rushing for 40 yards.
HIGHLANDS 6 0 21 7 — 34
CAMPBELL COUNTY 0 7 0 0 — 7
H — Roberts 8 pass from Cramer (pass failed)
CC — Cartwright 25 pass from Helton (Anderson kick)
H — King 59 pass from Cramer (Bowman kick)
H — Roberts 8 pass from Cramer (Haigis kick)
H — Ahlfield 14 pass from Cramer (Haigis kick)
H — Buten 10 run (Haigis kick)
RECORDS: Highlands 2-0, Campbell County 1-1.
High school football scores
Highlands 34, Campbell County 7
Conner 34, Boone County 13
Beechwood 42, Lloyd 8
Brossart 24, Holmes 18
Bellevue 49, Dayton 6
Scott 21, Dixie Heights 14
Cooper 42, Newport Central Catholic 36
Ludlow 48, Bracken County 0
Simon Kenton 37, Bryan Station 20
Walton-Verona 21, Kentucky Country Day 12
Newport 27, Finneytown (Ohio) 18
Cincinnati Country Day 25, Holy Cross 6
Covington Catholic 41, Henry Clay 0
Lexington Catholic 50, Ryle 36