By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
A pair of record-setting performances carried Dixie Heights to a 44-28 win over down-the-road rival Covington Catholic in a Class 5A district football game on Friday, Sept. 7, 2007.
Senior quarterback Joey Bricking completed 13 of 30 passes for a team-record 300 yards and set another team record with four touchdown passes in the win. One of his favorite targets was senior wide receiver E.J. Dettmer, who made five catches and finished with a team-record 204 receiving yards.
Dixie Heights had 451 yards in total offense. Dettmer caught two TD passes and senior teammate Marty Molony scored on a run and interception return. Senior place kicker Mitchell Jett converted three field goals and five extra-points to account for 14 points.
After finishing the regular season with a 6-4 record, Dixie Heights faced CovCath again in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. CovCath did a much better job on defense in the rematch and came away with a 24-7 win.
CovCath’s head coach that year was David Brossart. He has been head coach at Dixie Heights since 2012 and led the Colonels to the Class 6A state final in 2014.
Here’s a look at other Northern Kentucky high school football games played on this week’s dates – Sept. 1-7.
1958 / Ludlow 13, Beechwood 0 / Thursday, Sept. 5 — After struggling through an 0-10 campaign in 1957, Ludlow came from behind to defeat Beechwood, 13-7, in the opening game of the 1958 season. With less than a minute left in the fourth quarter, Ludlow senior quarterback Tommy Creamer scored the winning touchdown on a 55-yard bootleg play. It was Creamer’s first game as a varsity football player.
1975 / Conner 35, Holmes 22 / Friday, Sept. 5 — Conner let a 21-0 halftime lead slip away and then came from behind to defeat Holmes, 35-22. In the fourth quarter, Billy Lewis caught a 65-yard touchdown pass from Dennis Ashworth to put Conner back on top. It was Ashworth’s third TD pass of the game. He also scored on a 5-yard run and converted three extra-point kicks.
1983 / Newport 25, Campbell County 18 / Friday, Sept. 2 — Newport scored twice in the fourth quarter to get past Campbell County, 25-18. The Wildcats took a 19-18 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Jimmy Roberts and extra-point kick by Tom Murray. A few minutes later, Newport defensive end Dennis Stamper intercepted a pass and returned it 64 yards to set up another short touchdown run by Roberts.
1993 / Simon Kenton 23, Dixie Heights 17 / Friday, Sept. 3 — Simon Kenton sophomore fullback Nathan Brummett carried his team to a 23-17 overtime victory against Dixie Heights in a Class 3A district game. Brummett rushed for more than 100 yards and scored all three of the Pioneers’ touchdowns, including a game-winning 1-yard plunge in the overtime period. Simon Kenton went on to make its first appearance in the Class 3A state playoffs that season under coach Tim Odom.
1998 / Conner 30, Newport Central Catholic 28 / Friday, Sept. 4 — Kyle McDaniel kicked a 46-yard field goal with one second left to give Conner a 30-28 win over Newport Central Catholic. The long kick capped off a dramatic fourth quarter. With 39 seconds left on the clock, NewCath took a 28-27 lead on a 33-yard touchdown pass. Conner got into position for the game-winning field goal after NewCath was called for pass interference on a fourth-down play with seven seconds left.
2003 / Ludlow 25, Eminence 20 / Friday, Sept. 5 — Ludlow snapped a 32-game losing streak with a 25-20 win over Eminence. The game was decided on the final play when Ludlow wide receiver Drew Lantry caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Mike Lewis. That set off a wild celebration by the Panthers, who had struggled through three consecutive winless seasons and lost their first two games in 2003.