By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Corey Freihofer is considered the best athlete in the senior class at Cooper High School. In addition to being a state champion in the pole vault and state qualifier in wrestling, he’s a two-way starter on the Jaguars football team at wide receiver and linebacker.
Freihofer enhanced his reputation Friday when he provided the spark Cooper needed to come away with an 11-0 win over Ryle in the annual Battle of Union football showdown between the neighboring schools.
The Jaguars had a slim 3-0 lead late in the third quarter when Freihofer stepped in at quarterback. He then rushed for 43 yards on eight carries during an 11-play, 70-yard drive that resulted in the game’s only touchdown.
After Lincoln Maxey carried the ball into the end zone on a 17-yard run, Freihofer scored a two-point conversion to make it 11-0 with 11:13 left in the fourth quarter. Cooper’s defense sealed the shutout with pass interceptions on the Raiders’ final two possessions.
This is Cooper’s third straight win in the series that began in 2008 and the first time either team was posted a shutout.
Both teams came into Friday’s game with mostly first-year starters in the lineup. After a 31-yard field goal by Cooper senior Cole Ewing in the first quarter, neither team could sustain an offensive drive until Freihofer started taking shotgun snaps at quarterback.
Ryle committed turnovers on four of its five second-half possessions. Late in the fourth quarter, a 36-yard pass from Ryle substitute quarterback Charlie Parks to Andrew Irwin put the ball at the 14-yard line. But Maxey picked off a pass in the end zone to preserve the Jaguars’ shutout.
COOPER 3 0 8 0 — 11
RYLE 0 0 0 0 — 0
C — Cole Ewing 31 field goal
C — Lincoln Maxey 17 run (Corey Freihofer run)
RECORDS: Cooper 2-1, Ryle 1-2.
Covington Catholic 42, Simon Kenton 7
Covington Catholic’s scored on five of its seven first-half possessions to open up a 35-0 lead and continued a winning streak against Simon Kenton that dates back to 1998.
Junior running back Kiyan Miller had three rushing touchdowns and caught a 30-yard pass from junior quarterback Dylan Courtney in the end zone as time expired in the first half.
Courtney also connected with senior Jason Fedor on a 51-yard touchdown strike to offset two pass interceptions. The Colonels finished with 185 yards passing and 153 rushing.
The entire second half was played with a running clock. Simon Kenton’s lone touchdown came on a 15-yard run by Peyton Testerman in the third quarter.
In another game Friday, St. Henry won a shootout against Brossart, 43-40, to post its first win. Senior running back Lucas Pate rushed for 239 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 31-yard scoring pass for the Crusaders.
Holy Cross, Lloyd and Dayton remained undefeated with victories on Friday. Highlands had three quarterbacks pass for combined totals of 322 yards and six touchdowns in a 55-14 win over Campbell County.
SIMON KENTON 0 0 7 0 — 7
COVCATH 14 21 7 0 — 42
CC — Kiyan Miller 2 run (Roco Gillette kick)
CC — Cash Meyers 1 run (Gillette kick)
CC — Miller 1 run (Gillette kick)
CC — Jason Fedor 51 pass from Dylan Courtney (Gillette kick)
CC — Miller 30 pass from Courtney (Gillette kick)
CC — Miller 9 run (Gillette kick)
SK — Peyton Testerman 15 run (Gavin McCulley kick)
RECORDS: CovCath 2-1, Simon Kenton 2-1.
Friday football scoreboard
Beechwood 41, Dixie Heights 3
Pendleton County 25, Bellevue 20
Newport Central Catholic 55, Boone County 21
St. Henry 43, Brossart 40
Highlands 55, Campbell County 14
Lloyd 48, Conner 19
Cooper 11, Ryle 0
Covington Catholic 42, Simon Kenton 7.
Dayton 56, Owen County 0
Holmes at Green County
Walton-Verona 33, Ludlow 0
Newport 50, Gallatin County 0
Clay County 7, Scott 6
Holy Cross 21, Clermont Northeastern (Ohio) 8