By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Three fumble recoveries by Beechwood’s defense enabled running back Brandon Berger to score the winning touchdown for the Tigers in a Class 1A district game against Newport Central Catholic on Friday, Oct. 2, 1992.
In the third quarter, Berger broke free on an 87-yard scoring run to give Beechwood a 12-8 lead and that turned out to be the final score.
NewCath finished with 334 yards compared to Beechwood’s 174, but the Thoroughbreds fumbled near the goal line twice and lost the ball again after driving to the 12-yard line.
“We got lucky tonight,” Berger said after the game. “Those were three big (defensive) plays down near our goal line, and if we don’t make them we’re in trouble.”
Berger’s breakaway run came after his team’s third fumble recovery. He ended up rushing for 148 yards in the win. NewCath running backs Brandon Hager and Rob Sandfoss also surpassed 100-yard mark.
Beechwood went on to win its second consecutive Class 1A state title under coach Mike Yeagle and finished with a 13-1 record. Berger and teammate Brad Wulfeck were both 1,000-yard rushers that season.
Here’s are other Northern Kentucky high school football games played on this week’s dates – Sept. 29 to Oct. 5.
1967 / Highlands 14, Bellevue 6 / Friday, Sept. 29
On a fourth-down play late in the fourth quarter, Highlands quarterback Rick Waldenmayer scored on a 2-yard run around right end to give his team a 14-6 win over Bellevue. Waldenmayer set up that touchdown with a 25-yard pass to Steve Graves. The Bluebirds’ first touchdown came on a 3-yard run by Tim Racke, who carried the ball on the last six plays of that drive.
1977 / Covington Catholic 15, Ludlow 6 / Friday, Sept. 30
Covington Catholic snapped a 12-game losing streak over a two-year span with a 15-6 win against Ludlow. Dave Adams threw touchdown passes to Dan Warning and Mark Bruggemann for the Colonels. Ludlow scored the game’s first touchdown, but the Panthers lost the ball twice inside the 5-yard line with Greg Gausepohl and John Pauly recovering those fumbles for CovCath.
1985 / Newport 13, Highlands 7 / Friday, Oct. 4
Newport linebacker Gary Fields intercepted a pass at the 6-yard line in the final seconds to seal his team’s 13-7 win over Highlands in a Class 3A district game. The Wildcats opened the second half with a 62-yard scoring drive that ended with a 3-yard quarterback keeper by Steve Urz to open up a 13-0 lead. Tom Mayer caught a 7-yard pass from Deron Blasingame for Highlands’ only score.
1997 / Newport Central Catholic 7, Dayton 3 / Friday, Oct. 3
NewCath wide receiver Kyle Bucher caught a 9-yard scoring pass from quarterback Jason Roderick with 40 seconds remaining to give their team a 7-3 win over Dayton in a Class 1A district game. The touchdown culminated a 60-yard drive by the Thoroughbreds following a goal line stand that forced Dayton to kick a 26-yard field goal with four minutes left on the clock.
2008 / Cooper 21, Gallatin County 14 / Friday, Oct. 3
Senior quarterback Chad Romero led the Cooper Jaguars to their first varsity football victory by passing for two touchdowns and running for another in a 21-14 win over Gallatin County. After throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Young in the second quarter, Romero scored on a 7-yard run and connected with Ryan Klute on a 70-yard strike in the third quarter