Highlands makes it clear the Birds are back with big win in district game at CovCath

By Dan Weber
NKyTribune sports reporter

Bob Sphire wasn’t kidding. When asked if his Highlands’ Bluebirds’ 20-point win over powerhouse Boyle County three weeks ago was a big deal, the veteran coach said in so many words: “Heck, no. But the Covington Catholic game, now that’s a big deal.”

From the coin toss on, followed closely by Highlands’ Coach Bob Sphire and players Bryce Armstrong and Colt Kremer, the Bluebird were very much focused. (Photo by Dale Dawn/NKyTribune)

And it’s now a big Class 5A district win for a 6-1 Birds’ team that just keeps getting better. As it did in jumping out to a 17-0 first-half lead over the Colonels in front of a capacity crowd in Park Hills on the way to a 38-20 win that didn’t seem that close, to be honest.

Even when CovCath came back to score a late first-half TD to make it 17-7 at intermission, the Bluebirds didn’t miss a beat in running off 21 third-quarter points to put this one out of reach.

And to put the spotlight once again on sophomore quarterback Bryce Armstrong, Highlands’ poised and athletic leader. “He’s pretty calm, he has a great presence about him, pretty composed,” Sphire said of Armstrong’s ability to make plays himself and lead his veteran teammates on a night when he ran for 90 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 122 more on nine-of-12 passing.

Highlands’ Bryce Armstrong was off and running against CovCath (Photo by Dale Dawn/NKyTribune)

“I thought it was a complete performance,” Sphire said of his team that ran the ball for 254 of its 376 yards of offense and all five touchdowns. Matching Armstrong’s two on quarterback speed option keeps from four and six yards out was junior running back Colt Kremer, with two from 21 and 36 yards out.

And a fifth came from senior Gabe Williams, who must have broken a half-dozen CovCath tackles on a third-and-seven from the 41 as he hit it right up the middle and just would not go down.

But Highlands didn’t have the only young offensive stars in this one. “Both sides did,” Sphire said, with special attention to CovCath’s 215-pound smooth sophomore Kiyan Miller, who could not be stopped on a pair of TD runs from 23 and 34 yards out when he may have broken 10 tackles on the two runs while totaling 105 yards on 16 carries. “He’s dangerous,” Sphire said.

And starring in the kick return game was CovCath’s .Jamar Kirtley, another sophomore, while junior quarterback Dylan Courtney hit on 10 of 16 passing for 164 yards and a TD.

But running against a Highlands defensive front led by last year’s offensive star in this game, Tayden Lorenzen, and the Benke brothers – Griffin and Cooper — was a tough ask. “We set the tone there, and we got off the field,” Sphire said. “Our defensive front is playing well.”

Highlands’ Gabe Williams left a trail of broken tackles on this 41-yard TD run (Photo by Dale Dawn/NKyTribune)

With a third straight win over CovCath, bringing the all-time series advantage to Highlands of 53-27, Sphire suggested that “the reclamation project” has taken some time in restoring the winning tradition to the nation’s No. 5 winningest high school football program, but it’s getting there.

“Like when we go in at halftime, the conversations are short,” Sphire says. Everybody knows what the coaches are talking about.

Much of that credit goes to the young Armstrong’s leadership. “That’s our secret sauce – 100 percent – the way we practice,” Sphire says. Because that’s the way the Bluebirds play.

Both teams have tough out-of-state challenges next week as Highlands hosts Cincinnati Elder and CovCath travels to Indianapolis to play Cathedral High at the Butler University stadium.