By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
A methodical scoring drive followed by a stunning pick-six touchdown in the fourth quarter lifted Highlands to a 28-24 win over Ryle in a hard-fought game between two highly ranked football teams on Friday in Ft. Thomas.
After Ryle took a 24-14 lead late in the third quarter, Tayden Lorenzen took over the quarterback position for Highlands and conducted a 15-play, 87-yard touchdown drive. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior carried the ball on 10 of 13 running plays and completed two passes during that series that ended with him barging 3 yards into the end zone.
Lorenzen said coach Bob Sphire pulled him aside and said the team needed him to “take charge” because nothing else was working on offense.
“If that’s the only thing working at the moment, that’s what we’re going to do,” Lorenzen said. “That’s how our team succeeds.”
The scoring drive cut Ryle’s lead to 24-21 with 9:30 left in the fourth quarter. Two minutes later, Highlands junior defensive back Gabe Williams intercepted a pass and returned it 42 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.
On that third-down play, Ryle quarterback Nathan Verax was scrambling to avoid being tackled when he threw the errant pass that Williams picked off in the middle of the field.
“Credit to our defensive line for making him move out of the pocket,” Williams said. “When he scrambled out, I’d seen him looking back across the field and I just read his eyes. I saw (the pass) and made a play on it.”
On the Raiders’ final possession, the offense moved the ball across midfield before a holding penalty broke their momentum. Two plays later, senior running back Jacob Savage fumbled and Highlands recovered it with 2:48 remaining.
“Our defense, our whole team, we’re resilient, man,” Williams said. “Being down two scores like that is never easy, but a big play like that on defense after a score that gave us the lead put the game on ice.”
It was the third straight loss for Ryle (2-3). The Raiders dropped from No. 4 to No. 6 among Class 6A teams in the latest state media poll. Highlands (4-1) slipped from No. 2 to No. 4 in Class 4A following its first loss last week.
Ryle coach Mike Engler said his team has several starters sidelined by injuries, but we complimented Highlands for its comeback in the fourth quarter.
“They did what was smart,” Engler said. “They put Lorenzen at quarterback and said, ‘Hey, come stop us.’ He’s a good football player and a load to stop.”
Lorenzen also scored both of the Bluebirds’ touchdowns in the first half and ended up rushing for 94 yards on 25 carries in the game. He had more than 100 yards before taking a knee behind the line of scrimmage on three plays late in the fourth quarter while his team was running out the clock.
“All I can do is try my best and see which holes open up, and then run as fast as I can and hard as I can,” Lorenzen said of becoming the main threat in the Bluebirds’ offense.
Highlands finished with a total of 236 yards (160 rushing, 76 passing) compared to Ryle’s 302 yards (175 rushing, 127 passing). Savage picked up 113 yards on 21 carries and scored twice. The Raiders’ other touchdown came on a 22-yard pass from Verex to sophomore Shouncey Wynn in the third quarter.
“You know what, we’re going to learn from this,” coach Engler said of the loss. “We’re really, really beat up. We should be getting a lot of guys back for district play, so we’re developing a lot of depth. I think we’re going to be OK.”
HIGHLANDS 7 7 0 14 — 28
RYLE 0 10 14 0 — 24
H — Jayden Lorenzen 4 run (Kai Anderson kick)
R — Gavin Moses 41 FG
R — Jacob Savage 36 run (Moses kick)
H — Lorenzen 3 run (Anderson kick)
R — Shouncey Wynn 22 pass from Nathan Verax (Moses kick)
R — Savage 33 run (Moses kick)
H — Lorenzen 3 run (Anderson kick)
H — Gabe Williams 42 interception return (Anderson kick)
RECORDS: Highlands 4-1, Ryle 2-3.
High school football scoreboard
Covington Catholic 42, Beechwood 14
Highlands 28, Ryle 24
Simon Kenton 35, Conner 14
Lloyd 49, Campbell County 24
Newport 24, Paris 21
Louisville Manual 59, Cooper 24
Bellevue 31, Louisville Iroquois 0
Dixie Heights 46, Lexington Henry Clay 24
Nicholas County 30, Brossart 7
Bourbon County 55, Scott, 22
Frankfort Western Hills 35, Dayton 30
Ludlow 29, Gallatin County 26
Mason County 21, Boone County 13
Raceland 56, Newport Central Catholic 27
Harrison County 28, Walton-Verona 7