By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Five local football teams that started the season with back-to-back victories will try to keep their perfect records intact on Friday. One of those unbeaten teams is the Simon Kenton Pioneers, who have won 60 of their last 68 games since the start of the 2013 season for an impressive 88.2 winning percentage.
On Friday, Simon Kenton will play its third straight home game against a Conner team that’s coming off a 34-13 win over Boone County in its season opener.
The Pioneers rushed for 506 yards and eight touchdowns in their first two wins even though they have first-year starters across the offensive line. In last week’s 37-20 win over Bryan Station, senior quarterback Caleb Farfsing picked up 196 yards on 15 carries and junior running back Austin Hammack had 124 yards on 14 carries.
Conner had some problems stopping the run last week when Boone County totaled 246 yards on the ground. The Cougars trailed until late in the third quarter when junior quarterback Jared Hicks scored on a 3-yard run and connected with Garrett Coghlan on a 70-yard touchdown pass.
Hicks ended up completing 13 of 19 passes for 229 yards and rushing for 15 yards to account for most of his team’s 399 total.
The other local teams with 2-0 records going into Friday’s games are Covington Catholic, Highlands, Brossart and Walton-Verona. All of those teams except Brossart will be facing an in-state opponent that’s in a higher classification based on enrollment.
CovCath, last year’s undefeated Class 5A state champion, will be putting a 17-game winning streak on the line in its home game against Cooper, a Class 6A team.
In its first two wins this season, CovCath generated 831 yards in total offense with sophomore quarterback Caleb Jacob and senior running back Casey McGinness leading the way.
Going into Friday’s game, McGinness has career rushing totals of 3,235 yards and 44 touchdowns. The CovCath team records in those two categories are 3,882 yards and 45 touchdowns.
Beechwood, the Class 1A state champion the last two years, has a home game against Somerset, one of the state’s top Class 2A teams. Last year, Beechwood pulled out a 7-0 win at Somerset with running back Logan Castleman scoring the game’s only touchdown.
Castleman got off to a good start this season. He rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns in his team’s 42-8 win over Lloyd last Friday. Lloyd is also a Class 2A team.
Friday’s high school football schedule
Somerset at Beechwood, 7:30 p.m.
Bellevue vs. Brossart at Campbell County Middle School, 7 p.m.
Campbell County vs. Newport Central Catholic at CovCath, 7 p.m.
Ryle at Boone County, 7 p.m.
Covington Catholic at Cooper, 7:30 p.m.
Scott County at Highlands, 7:30 p.m.
Walton-Verona at Holmes, 7 p.m.
Owen County at Newport, 7:30 p.m.
Holy Cross at Scott, 7 p.m.
Conner at Simon Kenton, 7 p.m.
Milford (Ohio) at Dixie Heights, 7 p.m.