By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
In a playoff game featuring two of the top double-threat quarterbacks in Northern Kentucky high school football this season, Highlands senior Brody Benke came out on top Friday even though he completed just one pass.
Benke rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-7 win over Dixie Heights that put his team in the Class 5A region finals for the first time since 2018. Benke also threw a 41-yard TD pass to Carson Class that gave him a combined total of 235 yards in the home field victory.
Dixie Heights junior quarterback Armani Gregg had 62 yards rushing and 72 passing for a 134 total that was well below his blue-clad counterpart in the game.
Senior running back Cam Giesler also had a big night for the Bluebirds. He picked up 209 yards and scored twice during his team’s 40-0 scoring blitz in the first half. The entire second half was played with a running clock.
Dixie Heights (5-6) scored its only touchdown in the third quarter on a 23-yard pass from Gregg to senior Brach Rice with 1:31 left in the third quarter.
In next week’s region finals, Highlands (11-1) will take a 10-game winning streak into a home game against North Laurel (8-4).
Cooper defeated Scott County, 49-21, to also earn a berth in the Class 5A region finals. It was the sixth consecutive win for the 10-2 Jaguars, who will visit Pulaski Southwestern (9-3) next week.
There will also be two local teams in the Class 1A region finals. Those matchups will be Newport Central Catholic at Campbellsville and Ludlow at Kentucky Country Day.
Other local teams in region finals next week will be Martin County at Beechwood in Class 2A, Johnson Central at Covington Catholic in Class 4A and Ryle at Lexington Bryan Station in Class 6A. All of the pairings were determined by the Ratings Percentage Index that ranks teams based on won-loss record and strength of schedule.
The teams that win region titles in each of the six classes next week advance to the state semifinals to be played Nov. 24. The state championship games are set for Dec. 1-2 at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field.
HIGHLANDS 21 19 0 0 — 40
DIXIE HEIGHTS 0 0 7 0 — 7
H — Giesler 8 run (Nickelman kick)
H — Benke 31 run (Nickelman kick)
H — Benke 58 run (Nickelman kick)
H — Class 41 pass from Benke (pass failed)
H — Giesler 58 run (kick blocked)
H — Benke 8 run (Nickelman kick)
DH — Rice 23 pass from Gregg (Kohls kick)
RECORDS: Highlands 11-1, Dixie Heights 5-7