Ryle senior quarterback Logan Verax tries to escape the grasp of Dixie Heights defensive back Carter Schroer on a pass play. (Photo by Charles Bolton)
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
After finishing the regular season with four straight wins, Ryle senior quarterback Logan Verax is looking forward to the Class 6A football playoffs that begin next week.
The Raiders capped their impressive October run with a 53-21 win over Dixie Heights on Friday. Verax passed for more than 300 yards and five touchdowns to pump more positive energy into his team.
Dixie Heights running back Lamiego Mutongwiza makes a cut to get past Ryle defensive back Dylan Lee. (Photo by Charles Bolton)
“It means a lot,” Verax said after the victory. “There’s definitely a bunch of momentum for us going into the playoffs for the first round, so that’s big. And just our team morale and spirits you can tell are really up, and that will definitely carry over into next week.”
Ryle (6-4) will play a home game against Louisville Southern (4-6) in the opening round of the playoffs Friday. Verax will enter that game with more than 2,600 passing yards, the top total among Class 6A quarterbacks.
Verax got off to a shaky start Friday. He had a pass picked off on his team’s first possession and the Raiders went three-and-out the next two times they had the ball.
The second quarter went much better. Verax threw two touchdown passes and set up two field goals by Josh Line that put the Raiders ahead, 19-16, at halftime.
“It was so important,” Verax said of regaining the lead. “It definitely carried over into the second half and you could tell the momentum was carrying over to everybody on our team.”
Dixie Heights dominated time of possession in the second quarter with an eight-minute scoring drive that ended with senior Brach Rice scoring his second touchdown on a 3-yard run to put the Colonels ahead, 13-7, with 2:24 left before halftime.
Ryle receiver Dylan Lee waits for the ball to drop into his arms on one of his two TD catches. (Photo by Charles Bolten)
Rice lined up behind center for the much of the game because starting quarterback Armani Gregg was sidelined by an injury. Rice also played linebacker, but the Dixie Heights defense allowed the Raiders to score 13 points in the final minutes of the first half with the help of an interception and onside kick.
Ryle’s late run started with Verax connecting with sophomore Gavin Lyons on a 45-yard touchdown pass. Then the Raiders got the ball back on an interception that set up a 38-yard field goal by Line.
On the ensuing kickoff, Line chipped the ball and one of his teammates recovered it at the 41-yard line. After a 40-yard pass from Verax to Landon Lorms, a holding call against the Raiders put the ball on the 11-yard line and Line kicked a 28-yard field goal.
Ryle scored passing touchdowns on its first three possessions of the second half to open up a 40-13 lead. Dylan Lee caught two of them and Lorms got the other one. Verax watched the rest of the game from the sidelines and reserve players were able to score two rushing TDs for the Raiders.
“We just keep getting better and better, and the more momentum you get the more you believe,” said Ryle coach Mike Engler.
Dixie Heights (4-6) will play at Woodford County (6-3) in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs next week. The Colonels expect to have Gregg at quarterback for that game, but there’s a good chance Rice will carry the ball a little more after his rushing performance against Ryle.
“Woodford is beatable,” Rice said. “Tonight we didn’t play ball. We kind of looked like we were sluggish. I feel like if we just come out and play our type of football like we did the first four weeks of the season we can beat anyone.”
DIXIE HEIGHTS 6 7 0 8 — 21
RYLE 0 19 14 20 — 53
DH — Rice 20 run (kick failed)
R — Reynolds 20 pass from Verax (Line kick)
DH — Rice 3 run (Kohls kick)
R — Lyons 45 pass from Verax (kick failed)
R — Line 38 FG
R — Line 28 FG
R — Lee 22 pass from Verax (Line kick)
R — Lorms 25 pass from Verax (Line kick)
R — Lee 25 pass from Verax (Line kick)
R — Farnsworth 17 run (Line kick)
DH — Mwamba kickoff return (Rice run)
R — Jenkins 17 run (kick failed)
RECORDS: Ryle 6-4, Dixie Heights 4-6.
High school football scoreboard
FRIDAY
Ashland Blazer 49, Simon Kenton 42
Brossart 43, Pendleton County 0
Covington Catholic 35, Campbell County 7
Dayton 38, Trimble County 18
Ryle 53, Dixie Heights 21
Newport Central Catholic 41, Holmes 0
Newport 44, Holy Cross 42
Bellevue 42, Jackson County 16
Paris 50, Ludlow 26
Lloyd 47, Scott 20
Boone County 55, Walton-Verona 21
