The state football semifinals are here. Finally. A total of 12 games are scheduled to be played statewide this Friday night.
Of course, as we’ve learned since the playoffs began, virus outbreaks could reduce that number in a hurry. A total of 28 playoff games have already been forfeited/not played due to positive COVID-19 tests and other issues. Are more forfeits looming this week?
Three teams from Northern Kentucky — Newport Central Catholic, Beechwood and Covington Catholic — are still playing. All three local squads have great shots at winning state championships in their respective classes. But nothing is certain.
CovCath received a free pass into the Class 5A semifinals after Madison Southern forfeited last week due to virus issues. The Colonels (10-1) play host to Bowling Green (8-2) this Friday at 6 p.m. in a rematch of last season’s state semifinals that CovCath won by a 28-0 score in Park Hills.
NewCath (8-2) hits the road for Paintsville (8-2) in the Class 1A state semifinals Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Thoroughbreds advanced with an impressive 42-21 win at Louisville Holy Cross on Friday night.
Beechwood (8-2) travels to Olive Hill to meet West Carter (10-1) on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The Tigers routed Breathitt County, 52-7, last week in the regional finals to advance.
Predictions? The only certainty is coaches, players and officials are hoping no virus issues further disrupt the already-altered football playoffs. But that will not stop me from making some educated guesses on Friday night’s results.
CLASS 5A: Bowling Green at CovCath — Conner Cooper passed for 241 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week to lead Bowling Green to a 55-7 win over North Bullitt in the regional finals. Cooper also rushed for 106 yards and a score for the Purples, who finished with 496 yards of total offense.
Javeius Bunton added 92 yards and three touchdowns on the ground for Bowling Green. He also hauled in five receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Cooper has thrown for 1,628 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, while Bunton leads the Purples with 887 and 18 touchdowns on the ground.
As noted earlier, CovCath enjoyed a week off due to the forfeit by Madison Southern. That’s the same Madison Southern squad that visited CovCath for last season’s playoffs and departed with a 49-9 loss.
The Colonels feature quarterback Caleb Jacob, who has accounted for more than 2,100 yards of total offense and 25 touchdowns this season. Jacob rushed for five touchdowns in CovCath’s 38-21 win over Highlands in the second round of the playoffs on Nov. 27.
Running back Owen Nally enters Friday with 391 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. CovCath wide receiver Ethan Reardon has hauled in 38 receptions for 697 yards and four touchdowns.
The CovCath defense features Benjamin Dickhaus, who has recorded a team-leading 59 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Aiden Jones is No. 2 on the team with 48 tackles, while Sam France has added 38 tackles and two sacks.
A year ago, Jacob passed for 240 yards and three touchdowns in CovCath’s 28-0 win over Bowling Green. The Colonels held the Purples to just 58 yards on the ground during that victory in the state semifinals. Look for more of the same Friday night.
PREDICTION: CovCath 31, Bowling Green 7
CLASS 2A: Beechwood at West Carter — Leetavious Cline is one of the state’s top running backs, and he has the statistics to prove it. Cline has rushed for 1,915 yards and 29 touchdowns this season. He finished with 180 yards and four touchdowns last week as West Carter coasted to a 43-6 win over Walton-Verona.
West Carter quarterback Orry Perry completed six passes in seven attempts for 198 yards and two scores against Walton-Verona. The Comets also limited Walton-Verona to just 40 yards on the ground.
Beechwood’s Cameron Hergott accounted for six touchdowns in the Tigers’ 52-7 win over Breathitt County. Hergott completed all six of his passes for 120 yards and three scores. The senior quarterback also rushed for 240 yards and three touchdowns on just 10 carries.
Hergott enters Friday having passed for 2,023 yards and 21 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 885 yards and another 12 scores.
Playing on the road isn’t an issue for Beechwood, which won at Class 4A power Corbin this season. The Tigers also nearly won at CovCath, dropping a last-minute 19-17 decision at Park Hills. Beechwood has also picked up road wins at both Newport and NewCath this year.
Beechwood also knows how to win championships, as evidenced by its 14 state titles while competing at the Class 1A level. The Tigers have also played a very demanding schedule, something that can’t be said for West Carter.
West Carter’s only loss this season was a 34-12 setback at Paintville. Cline was held to just 103 yards on 28 carries in that loss. Beechwood features an outstanding defense against the run, having allowed just an average of 63 yards per game on the ground. That could decide Friday’s outcome.
PREDICTION: Beechwood 38, West Carter 14
CLASS 1A: NewCath at Paintsville — While Paintsville earned the right to host by virtue of a higher RPI, the Tigers are without starting quarterback Jake Hyden due to an injury. Paintsville had to replace Hyden with wide receiver Karsten Poe as the signal caller, and that could be a big factor in the matchup with NewCath.
Paintsville is led by running back Harris Phelps, who has rushed for 1,015 yards and 15 touchdowns. Hyden had passed for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns prior to his injury.
Poe attempted just six passes during Paintsville’s 39-7 win over Hazard last week, but he rushed for 92 yards and two scores. Phelps led Paintsville with 120 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.
Joey Runyon scored four touchdowns to ignite NewCath’s 42-21 win at Louisville Holy Cross. Runyon rushed for three scores in the fourth quarter as the Thoroughbreds pulled away from the host Cougars.
Runyon has rushed for 862 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. NewCath quarterback Malaki Herndon has added 310 yards and seven scores on the ground. Herndon has also passed for 1,022 yards and 11 touchdowns. His favorite target is Quentin Meyer, who has hauled in 28 receptions for 383 yards and four touchdowns.
The NewCath defense is anchored by senior Jack Greene, who has collected a team-leading 66 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Junior linebacker Kwintin Gilliam has recorded 38 tackles for NewCath. Another defensive standout is junior Preston Baggett, who enters Friday with 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for losses.
Keep an eye on the weather, especially if it rains. As a result of snow and rain last week, Paintsville’s game against Hazard was played on a muddy field. Those field conditions aren’t likely to improve by Friday night when NewCath arrives in Eastern Kentucky.
Paintsville has road losses against Raceland (23-20) and Letcher County Central (18-7) this season. The Tigers are 5-0 at home. NewCath, meanwhile, is 5-0 on the road this season.
The Thoroughbreds captured three state championships while competing at the Class 2A level, winning titles in 1984, 2010 and 2012. Will they add a Class 1A state championship to the trophy case this year?
PREDICTION: NewCath 20, Paintsville 14
The winners of the state semifinals in each class will head to Lexington for the championship games, which are scheduled for Dec. 18-19 at Kroger Field. The order of games and times for this year’s KHSAA championships games are listed below:
Friday, Dec. 18
11 a.m. – Class 1A championship
3 p.m. – Class 2A championship
7 p.m. – Class 4A championship
Saturday, Dec. 19
11 a.m. – Class 3A championship
3 p.m. – Class 5A championship
7 p.m. – Class 6A championship
Don Owen is sports editor of the Northern Kentucky Tribune. Contact him at don@nkytrib.com and follow him on Twitter at @dontribunesport.