By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Two years ago, Beechwood played in the Class 2A football state championship game with two sophomores in the offensive backfield who provided 231 yards and both touchdowns during a 14-13 win over Mayfield.
On that rainy night at Kroger Field in Lexington, sophomore quarterback Clay Hayden passed for 116 yards and one touchdown and sophomore running back Chase Flaherty rushed for 115 yards, including a 10-yard run into the end zone.
Hayden and Flaherty will return to the Class 2A state championship game as seniors this Friday when Beechwood (13-1) meets Owensboro Catholic (14-0) at 4 p.m. at Kroger Field.
Their goal is to lead the Tigers to their 18th state title overall and fourth in Class 2A over the last five years.
“I think it all starts with our brotherhood,” Hayden said of Beechwood making it back to the state final. “We’ve know each other since at least our freshman year, and a lot of guys grew up together going to elementary school here. They’ve been in these halls together all the way up until now, just waiting for this kind of moment to happen.”
All of the Tigers’ statistical leaders this season were sophomore starters on the 2022 state championship team. The list begins with Hayden, who has passed for 2,808 yards and 46 touchdowns with just six interceptions.
Flaherty has team-high totals of 1,381 rushing yards and 180 points with 26 rushing and four receiving touchdowns.
He sat out most of last week’s state semifinal game after spraining his ankle, but coach Jay Volker says he’s OK to play in the season finale.
Beechwood’s other senior team leaders are wide out James Cusick in receptions (55) and reception yards (943) and defensive lineman Jack Meier in total tackles (69).
The defensive unit is coming off a strong performance. In last week’s 44-24 semifinal win over Lexington Christian, the Tigers had three takeaways and made stops on two fourth-down plays that resulted in turnover on downs.
“A lot of people don’t think we can play big smash mouth football, but the defense showed that tonight,” Hayden said after the semifinal win. “We can play any brand of football you want and we can come out here and beat you.”
Beechwood’s defense will be facing a balanced, high-powered offense in Friday’s championship game. Owensboro Catholic is averaging 293.4 yards passing, 152.7 yards rushing and 45.9 points per game.
The Aces’ offense revolves around dual-threat quarterback Brady Atwell. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior is among the state’s top passers, completing 227 of 328 (69.2 percent) for 3,406 yards and 47 touchdowns with five interceptions. He has also rushed for 563 yards and 18 TDs.
In last year’s Class 2A state championship final, Atwell had one of the best games of his career. He passed for 516 yards and three touchdowns and had four rushing touchdowns.
Atwell would’ve received the most valuable player award, but the Aces ended up losing to Mayfield, 53-48, the second highest point total ever recorded in a Kentucky state championship game. That loss gave Owensboro Catholic an 0-5 record in Class 2A state finals.
Beechwood in state championship games
VICTORIES — 17
2022 – Beechwood 14, Mayfield 13 (Class 2A)
2021 – Beechwood 23, Lexington Christian 21 (Class 2A)
2020 – Beechwood 24, Lexington Christian 23 OT (Class 2A)
2018 – Beechwood 21, Pikeville 20 (Class 1A)
2017 – Beechwood 41, Raceland 0 (Class 1A)
2016 – Beechwood 21, Hazard 14 (Class 1A)
2008 – Beechwood 14, Hazard 7 (Class 1A)
2007 – Beechwood 38, Lexington Christian 35 (Class 1A)
2004 – Beechwood 23, Danville 7 (Class 1A)
1999 – Beechwood 45, Hancock County 22 (Class 1A)
1997 – Beechwood 26, Harrodsburg 0 (Class 1A)
1996 – Beechwood 21, Harrodsburg 14 OT (Class 1A)
1994 – Beechwood 18, Murray 16 (Class 1A)
1993 – Beechwood 13, Bardstown 12 (Class 1A)
1992 – Beechwood 21, Bardstown 14 (Class 1A)
1991 – Beechwood 34, Pikeville 6 (Class 1A)
1984 – Beechwood 35, Paris 26 (Class 1A)
LOSSES — 5
2015 – Pikeville 42, Beechwood 28 (Class 1A)
2003 – Danville 42, Beechwood 7 (Class 1A)
2002 – Mayfield 14, Beechwood 7 (Class 1A)
1995 – Mayfield 28, Beechwood 27 (Class 1A)
1974 – Murray 14, Beechwood 0 (Class 1A)