By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Highlands scored on all five of its first-half possessions and went on to defeat Ryle, 52-20, on Friday in Fort Thomas to take a 6-3 lead in the last nine games between the two teams.
The Bluebirds (3-1) surpassed the 50-point mark for the second straight week. They beat Campbell County, 67-35, last Friday with the offense netting 645 total yards. They finished with 459 yards (345 passing, 114 rushing) in the win over Ryle (2-2).
The Raiders, who played the second half without senior quarterback Logan Verax due to an injury, ended up with 246 yards (191 passing, 55 rushing).
Verax’s replacement was his younger brother, Nathan, who had one passing and one rushing touchdown in the second half.
Highlands also used two quarterbacks during the game. Senior starter Brody Benke passed for 149 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 59 yards and one TD. He split time with sophomore Rio Litmer, who threw for 196 yards and four TDs.
Litmer’s first touchdown pass went to Benke, who switched to wide receiver several times during the game and caught four passes for 38 yards. Benke ended up with 246 all-purpose yards on offense.
Ryle opened the game with a 74-yard scoring drive, but the first half ended with Highlands holding a 35-7 lead and 264-123 advantage in total yards.
In the second quarter, Ryle turned the ball over on downs at its own 40-yard line and Highlands scored five plays later on a 5-yard run by Adam Surrey to take a 21-7 lead. On the Raiders’ next possession, the Bluebirds recovered a fumble by Logan Verax at the 39-yard line. That’s when Litmer went in at quarterback and threw a 17-yard TD pass to Benke.
This is the second time this season that Benke has scored a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in one game. He had the same trifecta in a season-opening 34-27 win at Lexington Catholic.
In the final seconds of the first half on Friday, Surrey scored his second touchdown on an 8-yard pass from Litmer that gave Highlands a 35-7 halftime lead.
Litmer’s two TD passes in the second half went to Cameron Geisler and Hayden Haas. The team’s leading receiver was Carson Class with eight catches for 107 yards.
RYLE 7 0 6 8 — 20
HIGHLANDS 6 29 3 14 — 52
R — Lee 42 pass from L. Verax (Line kick)
H — Benke 2 run (pass failed)
H — Schneider 15 pass from Benke (Schneider run)
H — Surrey 5 run (Nickelman kick)
H — Benke 17 pass from Litmer (Schneider pass from Litmer)
H — Surrey 8 pass from Litmer (pass failed)
H — Haggard 40 FG
R — Lorms 18 pass from N. Verax (pass failed)
H — Geisler 28 pass from Litmer (Nickelman kick)
H — Haas 8 pass from Litmer (Nickelman kick)
R — N. Verax 27 run (Line kick)
RECORDS: Highlands 3-1, Ryle 2-2