By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
While construction crews are working on expansion projects at both ends of the Covington Catholic High School building, the Colonels football team has done a nice job laying the groundwork for another championship season.
CovCath defeated Campbell County, 28-0, on Friday to end the regular season with a 10-0 record. That puts the Colonels in the same position as last year when they went on to win the Class 5A state title and finish with a perfect 15-0 record.
“Obviously, being 10-0, we’re very confident going into the playoffs,” said CovCath junior Michael Mayer, a two-way starter at tight end and linebacker. “We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing. I’m very excited about the playoffs and what’s to come.”
Playing solid defense is one thing the Colonels have been doing well all season, and Friday was no exception. They held Campbell County to a total of 61 yards, well below the team’s 293-yard average coming into the game.
The Camels weren’t able to get a first down on their first four offensive series and turned the ball over twice on interceptions. In the second half, they had to punt the ball on all three of their possessions.
“Defensively, (CovCath) proved how well they run and fly to the ball,” said Campbell County coach Mike Woolf. “They’re a well coached team and defense is carrying them too.”
CovCath ended up with 396 offensive yards and had a different player score in each quarter of the home game that was played in a constant rain.
Senior running back Casey McGinness got the first touchdown on the fourth play from scrimmage and finished with 167 rushing yards. In the second quarter, Jacob Shriver capped a 63-yard drive with a 3-yard run into the end zone.
Junior quarterback Caleb Jacob scored on a 1-yard keeper in the third quarter and threw a 16-yard TD pass to Mayer in the fourth. The final stats showed Jacob completed 8 of 13 passes for 192 yards and Mayer had four catches for 84 yards.
“He’s still growing, but he made some nice throws when we needed him to,” CovCath coach Eddie Evisiton said of Jacob. “We kept (their defense) honest passing the ball and our guys did a great job catching them in the rain.”
Mayer, a University of Notre Dame recruit, has caught five touchdowns in the Colonels last four games. He’s now the team’s leading receiver with 30 catches for 627 yards and eight TDs.
“I think Caleb has more confidence in me, that he can throw it up anywhere and I’ll get it,” Mayer said. “And I think coach has more confidence in me catching the ball, so everything is coming together and I’m becoming more of an offensive weapon.”
CovCath has now won 25 consecutive games over the last two seasons and will play Woodford County (2-8) in the first round of the playoffs at home on Friday.
Campbell County (6-4) has a home game against Scott County (7-3) in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs on Friday. Coach Woolf said the loss to CovCath was a learning experience for his players.
“Our kids played hard, and that’s all we ask them to do, but we just had too many missed tackles.,” Woolf said. “Hopefully, next week we can eliminate those and see what happens.”
COVCATH 7 7 7 7 — 28
CAMPBELL 0 0 0 0 — 0
COV — McGinness 21 run (Gronotte kick)
COV — Shriver 3 run (Gronotte kick)
COV — Jacob 1 run (Gronotte kick)
COV — Mayer 16 pass from Jacob (Gronotte kick)
RECORDS: CovCath 10-0, Campbell County 6-4.
Friday’s football scores
Covington Catholic 28, Campbell County 0
Beechwood 33, Newport Central Catholic 21
Frederick Douglass 20, Conner 0
Newport 41, Holmes 32
Scott 24, Lloyd 6
Dixie Heights 41, Ryle 14
Walton-Verona 42, Bellevue 0
Brossart 20, Pendleton County 14
Cooper 23, Henry Clay 7
Carroll County won by forfeit over Dayton
Highlands 55, Boone County 15
Ludlow 34, Paris 7
Post-season playoff games
All games scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2
CLASS 1A
Louisville Holy Cross at Ludlow
Dayton at Frankfort
Bellevue at Kentucky Country Day
Brossart at Raceland
Beechwood has a bye
CLASS 2A
Metcalfe County at Walton-Verona
Louisville Shawnee at Newport Central Catholic
Washington County at Lloyd
Newport at Louisville DeSales
Holy Cross at Christian Academy of Louisville
CLASS 4A
Greenup County at Scott
Holmes at Ashland Blazer
CLASS 5A
Woodford County at Covington Catholic
Madison Southern at Highlands
Dixie Heights at Montgomery County
CLASS 6A
Lexington Lafayette at Conner
Lexington Tates Creek at Ryle
Lexington Bryan Station at Simon Kenton
Scott County at Campbell County
Cooper at George Rogers Clark
Boone County at Lexington Henry Clay