By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Beechwood won a regional championship trophy in the Kentucky high school football playoffs for the seventh consecutive year on Friday when the Tigers routed Breathitt County, 52-7, in a Class 2A game on their home field.
After Beechwood senior quarterback Cameron Hergott led his team to a 49-7 halftime lead, the entire second half was played with a running clock. The Tigers’ starting players watched the fourth quarter from the sideline.
Hergott had a hand in six of the Tigers’ seven touchdowns during the first two quarters. He threw three TD passes and scored three by himself on breakaway runs of 40, 52 and 53 yards.
It was the sixth straight victory for Beechwood (8-2) and all of them have been by margins of 38 points or more. If the Tigers win a semifinal game at West Carter (10-1) next Friday, they’ll make their first appearance in the Class 2A state championship game.
This is the second straight year that Beechwood has been a Class 2A regional champion. They won five consecutive regional titles in Class 1A before moving up to the new class.
In Friday’s game, both teams scored on a big play during their first offensive possession. Beechwood’s came on a 63-yard pass play from Hergott to junior wide receiver Brady Moore. A few minutes later, Breathitt County answered with a 67-yard touchdown jaunt by Jaylen Turner.
Hergott’s first rushing touchdown put Beechwood ahead, 14-7, at the end of the first quarter. The Tigers’ scoring spree in the second quarter started with a 9-yard run by sophomore running back Avery Courtney and 7-yard pass from Hergott to junior tight end Tanner Jackson.
Hergott extended the lead to 35-7 with his scoring runs of 52 and 53 yards and then closed out the half with a 6-yard TD pass to junior Liam McCormack.
At the break, Hergott had 145 yards rushing and 76 yards passing on scoring plays alone. He finished the game with 240 yards rushing on 10 carries and ended up completing all six of his passes for 120 yards.
The only points in the second half came on a 27-yard field goal by Beechwood senior place kicker Colin Graman, who also converted all seven of his point-after kicks in the first half.
BEECHWOOD 14 35 3 0 – 52
BREATHITT COUNTY 7 0 0 0 – 7
B – Moore 63 pass from Hergott (Graman kick)
BC – Turner 67 run (Weddle kick)
B – Hergott 40 run (Graman kick)
B – Courtney 9 run (Graman kick)
B – Jackson 7 pass from Hergott (Graman kick)
B – Hergott 52 run (Graman kick)
B – Hergott 53 run (Graman kick)
B – McCormack 6 pass from Hergott (Graman kick)
B – Graman 27 FG
RECORDS: Beechwood 8-2, Breathitt County 6-2
LOCAL FOOTBALL SCORES
Newport Central Catholic 42, Louisville Holy Cross 21
Beechwood 52, Breathitt County 7
West Carter 43, Walton-Verona 6
Louisville Trinity 56, Dixie Heights 0
NEXT WEEK’S STATE SEMIFINAL GAMES
Class 1A – Newport Central Catholic (8-2) at Paintsville (8-2)
Class 2A — Beechwood (8-2) at West Carter (10-1)
Class 5A – Bowling Green (8-2) at Covington Catholic (9-1)