Football Flashback: Holy Cross senior quarterback threw four touchdown passes to win first state championship


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

The first time Holy Cross students and alumni celebrated a state championship team was Friday, Dec. 2, 2011, when the Indians upset previously undefeated Glasgow, 33-14, in the Class 2A football final played at Western Kentucky University.

Glasgow had allowed 94 points in its first 14 games for a 6.7 average. But the Indians scored 28 straight points on touchdown passes by senior quarterback Kyle Fuller, who completed 11 of 24 for 213 yards and rushed for 41 yards.

Holy Cross teammates Travis Gabbard, left, and Kyle Fuller carry off 2011 state championship trophy.

Eric Walker caught the first two touchdown passes and the last one to Burt Pouncy gave Holy Cross a 28-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The team’s longest scoring play came on a short pass from Fuller to Lamar Chames, who took it 62 yards to the end zone in the third quarter.

Late in the fourth quarter, Holy Cross defensive back Devyn Herndon returned an interception nine yards for a touchdown to seal the victory for the 12-3 Indians and head coach Bruce Kozerski, who helped get the football program started in 1998.

Kozerski, a former Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman, retired in 2023 after spending 20 seasons as head coach of the Indians. One of the seniors on the 2011 state championship team was his son, Adam, who is now head coach at Brossart.

Here’s a look at other Northern Kentucky high school football championship games played between Dec. 1-7 over the last five decades.

Friday, Dec. 3, 1983 — Conner’s first state championship season ended with a 12-7 win over Franklin Simpson, the same team that defeated the Cougars in the 1980 Class 3A state final. A 2-yard touchdown plunge by quarterback Artie Crawford put Conner ahead late in the third quarter. Franklin Simpson had two offensive possessions in fourth quarter. An interception by Conner defensive back Brad Pitzer stopped the first one and the other one resulted in a turnover on downs. It was a career-ending victory for Conner coach Bob Lewis, who had also won a state championship in Ohio.

Lynn Ray had a 5-0 record in Class 3A state championship games while he was head coach of the CovCath team.

Friday, Dec. 6, 1997 — In the final seconds of the Class 3A state championship game, Covington Catholic defensive players Nick Germann and Brian Voorhees tackled a running back one yard shy of the goal line as time expired to come away with a 21-13 victory over Hopkinsville. Two touchdown runs by Jeremy Madden gave the Colonels a 14-0 halftime lead and Pat McDermott’s 35-yard scoring run put them ahead, 21-0, in the third quarter. The win gave CovCath coach Lynn Ray a 5-0 record in state championship games.

Friday, Dec. 2, 2006 — Newport Central Catholic running back Michael Vicars caught a screen pass from quarterback Jared Harris and took it 52 yards to score the winning touchdown in their team’s 37-34 victory over Danville in the Class 1A state championship game. That play capped a stunning comeback by the Thoroughbreds, who trailed 34-17 going into the fourth quarter. It was Vicars’ third touchdown of the game. NewCath’s other two TDs in the fourth quarter came on passes from Harris to George Gardner.

Friday, Dec. 2, 2022 — Beechwood pulled out a close win in the Class 2A state championship game for the third consecutive year with a 14-13 victory over Mayfield. With 1:11 remaining, Mayfield scored a touchdown and missed the extra-point kick that would’ve tied the score. 
After a 43-yard run by Beechwood running back Alex Courtney, the Tigers were able to drain the clock. Sophomore running back Chase Flaherty rushed for 115 yards and scored the touchdown that put Beechwood ahead, 14-7, earlier in fourth quarter.


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