By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The last time Ryle played in the state football finals was 2006. Few if any players on the current team were born before then, but they’re going to be competing in the Class 6A championship game next week.
Ryle defeated Great Crossing, 35-7, in a state semifinal game Friday in Union to advance to the season finale. The Raiders (12-2) will take on Louisville Trinity (12-2) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Kroger Field in Lexington.
Trinity has won 29 state championship games, including a 41-7 victory over Ryle in the 2006 Class 4A final.
Over the years, Northern Kentucky teams have an 0-7 record in state title games for the class that includes the state’s largest high schools. Trinity won four of those games.
Ryle will enter Saturday’s championship game on an eight-game winning streak and all of them have been with a running clock that starts after a team takes a 35-point lead.
The Raiders took a 35-0 lead over Great Crossing in the fourth quarter of their semifinal game on a 21-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Nathan Verax to senior wide receiver Landon Lorms.
In the first half, Ryle scored four rushing touchdowns. The first two were by Verax and junior Gavin Lyons. The last two were by senior Jacob Savage, who leads the team in both scoring and rushing.
Kentucky high school football semifinal scores
CLASS 2A
Beechwood 44, Lexington Christian 24
Owensboro Catholic 27, Somerset 14
Championship game — 4 p.m. Friday at UK Kroger Field
CLASS 4A
Franklin County 14, Covington Catholic 10
Paducah Tilghman 31, Corbin 14
Championship game — 8 p.m. Friday at UK Kroger Field
CLASS 5A
Cooper 61, Highlands 23
Bowling Green 31, South Warren 28
Championship game — 8 p.m. Saturday at UK Kroger Field
CLASS 6A
Ryle 35, Great Crossing 7
Louisville Trinity 17, Frederick Douglass 0
Championship game — 4 p.m. Saturday at UK Kroger Field