By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
One football program has a perfect record in state championship games. The other has claimed more Class 1A state titles than any other team in Kentucky.
Those are the winning traditions Covington Catholic and Beechwood take into the finals of the Kentucky high school playoffs this weekend at Kroger Field in Lexington.
Beechwood (11-2) has won 13 Class 1A state titles and will be going for its third in a row when it takes on Pikeville (11-2) at 2 p.m. Friday. The Tigers want to affirm their reputation as the state’s premier small-school program before moving up to Class 2A next season.
CovCath has a 7-0 record in state finals going into the Class 5A title game against South Warren at 2 p.m. Sunday. Both teams have a 14-0 record this season. The Colonels have won 29 straight games and need one more to be undefeated state champions for the second consecutive season.
Both local teams are averaging more than 350 yards and 40 points per game with talented skill players operating behind veteran offensive linemen.
Beechwood senior running back Logan Castleman rushed for 640 yards and 12 touchdowns in his team’s first three playoff victories. He’s now averaging 123 rushing yards per game, which matches sophomore quarterback Cameron Hergott’s 123 passing yards per game.
CovCath senior running back Casey McGinness will be finishing off a remarkable season and career in the state final. He has rushed for 2,045 yards and scored 39 touchdowns, which are both single-season team records. He already holds career records in rushing yards (5,026) and touchdowns (78).
The Colonels also have a solid passing attack with sophomore quarterback Caleb Jacob throwing for 2,643 yards and 27 touchdowns. Junior tight end Michael Mayer has 41 catches for 920 yards and 11 TDs. He could become the team’s first 1,000-yard receiver in more than 10 years.
The defensive units on both local teams will be facing major tests in the season finales.
Pikeville senior quarterback Connor Roberts is a master of the run-pass option offense. He leads the Panthers in rushing with 1,245 yards and 18 touchdowns while also completing 97 of 155 passes (62.5 percent) for 1,907 yards and 24 TDs.
South Warren has won 14 straight games behind the passing of senior quarterback Gavin Spurrier, the grandson of college football legend Steve Spurrier. He has completed 177 of 249 passes (71.1 percent) for 2,494 yards and 39 touchdowns with only three interceptions.
The Spartans also have a top-notch running back in Cameron Harrison, who has rushed for 1,439 yards and 20 touchdowns. In his team’s first four playoff wins, Harrison picked up 462 yards and scored nine TDs.
Last year, South Warren finished with an 11-3 record after losing to CovCath in the semifinals of the Class 5A playoffs. This season, the Spartans beat two of the three teams that handed them losses and would like to get a payback against CovCath as well.
State football finals at Kroger Field, Lexington
FRIDAY
Class 1A – Beechwood (11-2) vs. Pikeville (11-2), 2 p.m.
Class 3A – Louisville Central (12-2) vs. Corbin (13-1), 7 p.m.
SATURDAY
Class 2A – Mayfield (14-0) vs. Christian Academy of Louisville (14-0), 1 p.m.
Class 4A – Franklin-Simpson (13-1) vs. Johnson Central (13-1), 4:30 p.m.
Class 6A – Louisville Male (13-1) vs. Scott County (11-3), 8 p.m.
SUNDAY
Class 5A – Covington Catholic (14-0) vs. South Warren (14-0), 2 p.m.
In giving the stats for Casey McGinness, it should be noted that he only played half of each game they secured a running clock. Therefore, although his stats are amazing, they would have been even much better had he played the entire game.