By Ben Miller
NKyTribune sports reporter
Just a week after getting their first win of the 2026 football season, the Dixie Heights Colonels continued that momentum Friday night with a dominate 49-12 victory over the Scott Eagles in a Class 5A district game.
“We didn’t hang our heads,” Dixie Heights coach Pat Burke said of his team’s 0-4 start. “Offensively, we started very slow and our leadership didn’t let negativity creep in. And they kept fighting for each other.”
After a scoreless first quarter in Friday’s game, Scott junior quarterback Nash Overholser threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Justin Hardy that put the Eagles up 6-0.
But a 27-yard TD run by Gavin Henson and extra-point kick by Leo Wogenstahl gave Dixie Heights the lead at halftime and the Colonels went on to win their eighth consecutive game over the Eagles.
In the third quarter, Dixie Heights scored 28 unanswered points, including a pair of touchdowns on interception returns by junior Linwood Erney and senior Brad Roaden.
“They played phenomenal,” coach Burke said of the two defensive players. “They showed their athleticism and they’re willing to win and put our team in a good position to help our offense tonight, so very proud of those guys.”
In the beginning of the fourth quarter, Scott scored on a trick play when junior running back Jonah Rector caught a 12-yard TD pass from wide receiver Kaydenn Marshall. But the Colonels answered with a march down the field that ended with Levi Gilliland scoring his second touchdown on a 1-yard run.
“He is tough as nails,” Burke said of Gilliland. “He doesn’t come off the field. He’s our captain and our leader of our team. Love him to death, he is a hard worker, he brings people together and just a great teammate.”
The victory puts Dixie Heights in a tie for the top spot in the Class 5A district standings with Cooper. Those two teams will face off next Friday.
“We started off the season with an extremely tough schedule and had to battle and had to overcome some obstacles and injuries,” Burke said. “You know the last couple of weeks our seniors and our leadership have come together. We had great practices and I feel like we’re moving in the right direction.”
SCOTT 0 6 0 6 — 12
DIXIE HEIGHTS 0 7 28 14 — 49
S — Hardy 9 pass from Overholser (run failed)
DH — Henson 27 run (Wogenstahl kick)
DH — Vonderharr 30 pass from Schatzman (Wogenstahl kick)
DH — Erney 50 interception return (Wogenstahl kick)
DH — Roaden 41 interception return (Wogenstahl kick)
DH — Gilliland 10 run (Wogenstahl kick)
S — Rector 12 pass from Marshall (run failed)
DH — Gilliland 1 run (Wogenstahl kick)
DH — Carnes 62 pass from Schatzman (Wogenstahl kick)
RECORDS: Dixie Heights 2-4, Scott 1-5.