By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
For the first time in three years, Covington Catholic football players will enjoy the privilege of conducting a practice session on Thanksgiving Day to prepare for a semifinal game in the state playoffs.
CovCath defeated Johnson Central, 31-0, in the Class 4A region finals on Friday to earn that holiday treat. It was one of only three shutouts in 24 playoff games around the state and the Colonels did it by limiting the visitors to 156 rushing yards, well below their 332-yard season average.
“It was incredible,” said CovCath coach Eddie Eviston. “We understand what Johnson Central is all about and what their offense is. I give a lot of credit to our staff and obviously our kids who executed so well. I’m very proud of our defensive effort tonight.”
The Colonels (13-0) will play a home game against Paducah Tilghman (13-0) in the Class 4A semifinal round next week. The winner will finish the season in the state championship game on Friday, Dec. 1 at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field.
Tilghman quarterback Jack James is averaging more than 300 passing yards per game, so the CovCath defensive unit will be facing a different challenge than it did in its shutout victory on Friday.
Johnson Central ran the ball 44 times and went 0-for-5 on pass attempts in its eight offensive possessions. The Golden Eagles ended up turning the ball over on downs three times, punting four times and missing a 40-yard field goal attempt.
“We knew they were going to try to run it down out throats all game and we accepted the challenge,” said CovCath junior linebacker Tate Kruer, who made a team-high 10 tackles despite wearing a cast on his left arm to protect a torn ligament in his thumb.
Johnson Central opened the game with a squib kick and recovered the ball at the CovCath 45-yard line. The Eagles moved the ball to the 10-yard line with their running attack, but the drive stopped there when Kruer made a tackle for loss on a fourth-down play.
“After their recovery on the kickoff our morale was low so we needed to get a stop and bring it back up for our team,” Kruer said. “That fourth-down stop was big. I think that set the tone for our whole team.”
Johnson Central didn’t get close to the end zone again until its final possession of the game. That one ended with a turnover on downs at the 12-yard line with 2:24 left on the clock to seal the shutout.
CovCath put together a 90-yard scoring drive on its first offensive possession. Senior quarterback Evan Pitzer completed four of six passes for 67 yards, including a 9-yard strike to senior Braylon Miller in the end zone.
The Colonels turned the ball over on downs on their next two possessions and had a slim 8-0 lead at halftime. But they got a two-point safety early in the third quarter and then scored on their next three possessions to open up a 31-0 lead.
“In the first half, we just kind of struggled offensively,” said coach Eviston. “We regrouped at halftime and played more of our game. Guys loosened up a little bit and were able to get some more points on the board.”
Miller caught a pair of touchdown passes from Pitzer in the second half and ended up with more than 100 receiving yards. The other touchdown came on a 4-yard pass from Pitzer to senior tight end Willie Rodriquez.
CovCath finished with 320 total yards (187 passing, 133 rushing). On defense, the Colonels’ leading tacklers behind Kruer were senior linebackers Josh Flood with nine and JP Sullivan with seven.
“We lost to a good football team so there’s really not anything to hang your head about,” said Johnson Central coach Jesse Peck. “Running the ball the way we do, if you miss a block here or there it causes problems. We did miss some blocks tonight and if you miss a block against a good football team they make you pay for it.”
COVCATH 8 0 16 7 — 31
JOHNSON CENTRAL 0 0 0 0 — 0
CC — Braylon Miller 9 yard pass from Evan Pitzer (Pitzer run)
CC — Safety: intentional grounding on pass from end zone
CC — Miller 28 yard pass from Pitzer (Andrew Weitzel kick)
CC — Willie Rodriquez 4 yard pass from Pitzer (Weitzel kick)
CC — Miller 29 yard pass from Pitzer (Weitzel kick)
RECORDS: CovCath 13-0, Johnson Central 9-4.
High school football playoff scoreboard
FRIDAY
Campbellsville 28, Newport Central Catholic 23
Kentucky Country Day 29, Ludlow 16
Beechwood 55, Martin County 0
Covington Catholic 31, Johnson Central 0
Cooper 24, Pulaski Southwestern 14
Highlands 30, North Oldham 7
Lexington Bryan Station 49, Ryle 12
NEXT WEEK’S SEMIFINAL GAMES
Class 2A — Beechwood (12-1) at Mayfield (11-1)
Class 4A — Paducah Tilghman (13-0) at Covington Catholic (13-0)
Class 5A — Cooper (11-2) at Highlands (12-1)