By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
For the first time in 47 years, Northern Kentucky will not have a high school football team playing in the state finals.
Beechwood, Lloyd and Ryle lost semifinal games on Friday to clear the brackets of local contenders this season. Beechwood’s game at Owensboro Catholic was decided on the final play. After scoring a touchdown with no time remaining, the Tigers went for a two-point conversion that failed and ended their season with a 41-40 loss in that Class 2A battle.
Murray handed Lloyd it first loss of the season, 27-20, in a Class 3A semifinal game. South Warren, a newcomer to Class 6A this year, defeated Ryle, last year’s state runner-up, in the large school division.
Owensboro Catholic 41, Beechwood 40
Owensboro Catholic took a 41-27 lead with less than five minutes left in the Class 2A game, but Beechwood scored on its final two possessions to nearly pull off a comeback victory at Kentucky Wesleyan University in Owensboro.
An 8-yard touchdown run by Beechwood senior quarterback Emmett Queen and extra-point kick by Colson Lair closed the margin to 41-34 with 2:33 remaining. Owensboro Catholic recovered an onside kick, but the offense wasn’t able to get a first down and punted with 41 seconds left on the clock.
The Tigers moved the ball into the red zone on three pass completions by Queen. After two pass interference penalties put the ball at the 5-yard line with no time remaining, Brody Aylor caught a TD pass from Queen to make it 41-40. But Queen’s pass on the two-point conversion attempt was not completed.
This is the third straight season that Owensboro Catholic has made it to the Class 2A state championship game. The Aces lost to Beechwood, 50-34, in last year’s state final. They’ll face Lexington Christian in the title game on Friday.
Owensboro Catholic’s offensive leader this season is junior quarterback Dremail Carothers. He threw two touchdown passes in Friday’s game, giving him 46 on the season. The Aces also got two rushing touchdowns from senior Miles Edge and one from sophomore Jude Evans.
Queen threw two TD passes to Tyler Fryman and one to Aylor. Nathan Pabst scored on a 2-yard run and 80-yard kickoff return for the Tigers.
Beechwood had reached the state championship finals eight times in the last 10 years. After going 3-1 in Class 1A title games from 2015 to 2018, the Tigers were Class 2A state champions in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024. The program has won a total of 18 state titles in those two classes.
South Warren 36, Ryle 20
Ryle had to play the Class 6A semifinal game in Bowling Green without injured two-way starter Jacob Savage, the team leader in rushing, scoring and tackles, but senior quarterback Nathan Verax stepped up on the offensive end for the Raiders.
Unofficially, Verax rushed for 93 yards, including a 14-yard scoring run, and threw for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
But the Ryle defense wasn’t able to contain South Warren running back Kayden York, who rushed for 224 yards and scored four of his team’s five touchdowns.
In the fourth quarter, York’s third TD run gave South Warren a 28-14 lead. Ryle responded with a scoring drive that ended with Dylan Lee catching a 22-yard pass from Verax in the end zone to make it 28-20.
On South Warren’s next possession, York carried the ball on nearly every play, including a 17-yard run into the end zone.
In the final minutes, Verax was shaken up after getting sacked and was replaced by Charlie Park. He completed a couple passes that got the ball to the 5-yard line, but he had a pass picked off in the end zone.
South Warren will play two-time defending state champion Louisville Trinity in the Class 6A championship game on Saturday.
RYLE 7 7 0 6 — 20
SOUTH WARREN 6 7 7 16 — 36
SW — Kayden York 16 run (kick failed)
R — Nathan Verax 14 run (Gavin Moses kick)
SW — York 17 run (Allen Alic kick)
R — Shouncey Wynn 33 pass from Verax (Moses kick)
SW — Justin Capps 32 pass from Camden Page (Page run)
SW — York 1 run (Alic kick)
R — Dylan Lee 22 pass from Verax (kick blocked)
SW — York 17 run (Page run)
RECORDS: South Warren 13-0, Ryle 10-4.
Football state championship games at UK Kroger Stadium
FRIDAY
Class 1A — Raceland (12-1) vs. Kentucky Country Day (12-1), noon
Class 2A — Owensboro Catholic (13-1) vs. Lexington Catholic (11-3), 4 p.m.
Class 4A — Boyle County (13-1) vs. Franklin County (14-0), 8 p.m.
SATURDAY
Class 3A — Murray (14-0) vs. Christian Academy-Louisville (14-0), noon
Class 6A — South Warren (13-0) vs. Louisville Trinity (12-2), 4 p.m.
Class 5A — Owensboro (12-2) vs. Pulaski County (12-2), 8 p.m.