By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Cooper finished the regular season with two players on top in Northern Kentucky high school football statistics compiled by the NKyTribune.
Cooper junior linebacker Jack Lonaker, who led the area in tackles last year, did it again with 134 in 10 games for a 13.4 average that’s tied for fifth in statewide statistics. His freshman teammate Cam O’Hara has passed for 1,845 yards in his first season as the Jaguars’ quarterback to lead the area in that category.
The leading rusher going into the first round of the playoffs on Friday is Scott senior running back Bennie Hill with 1,448 yards in 10 games. Dayton senior Landyn Hopper is just five yards behind him with 1,443 yards in 10 games.
The local leader in touchdowns is Beechwood senior running back Mitchell Berger with 23. He scored all of those in the first eight games before a knee injury requiring surgery ended his season.
The names on top in other stat categories are Simon Kenton senior Chase Williams with 686 receiving yards and Ludlow senior Jaxson Rice with five interceptions.
The new playoff format has teams from different districts playing each other in first-round games on Friday. One of the Class 2A matchups is Newport (3-7) at Walton-Verona (8-2) at 7:30 p.m.
Eight local teams enter the playoffs ranked among the state’s top 10 teams in their respective classes by the Associated Press. In Class 2A, Beechwood is No. 1, Lloyd is No. 8 and Walton-Verona is No. 9.
The other ranked teams include No. 3 Newport Central Catholic and No. 9 Brossart in Class 1A, No. 6 Covington Catholic and No. 7 Highlands in Class 5A and No. 9 Simon Kenton in Class 6A.
Regular season statistic leaders
RUSHING YARDS
Bennie Hill (Scott) 1,448, Landyn Hopper 1,443, (Dayton) Curtez Hill (Holmes) 1,370, Mitchell Berger (Beechwood) 1,119, Demetrick Welch (NewCath) 1,100, Kaiden Zulager (Lloyd) 1,043, Owen Leen (CovCath) 1,016.
PASSING YARDS
Cam O’Hara (Cooper) 1,845, Brody Benke (Highlands) 1,824, Logan Verax (Ryle) 1,719, Kyle Lee (Newport) 1,607, Jamarion Hocker (Boone County) 1,430, Chase Crone (Simon Kenton) 1,201, Kolton Smith (NewCath) 1,110.
PASS RECEIVING YARDS
Chase Williams (Simon Kenton) 686, Charlie Noon (Highlands) 674, Isaiah Johnson (Cooper) 651, Kaden Gardner (Ryle) 638, Tyler Whipple (Boone County) 584, Trey Barnett (Dixie Heights) 580, Austin Alexander (Cooper) 476.
TOUCHDOWNS
Mitchell Berger (Beechwood) 23, Demetrick Welch (NewCath) 18, Landyn Hopper (Dayton) 17, Bennie Hill (Scott) 17, Chase Crone (Simon Kenton) 16, Owen Leen (CovCath) 15, Kaiden Zulager (Lloyd) 14.
TOTAL TACKLES
Jack Lonaker (Cooper) 134, Brach Rice (Dixie Heights) 115, Andrew Kendall (Ludlow) 96, Donovan Ambrocio (Holy Cross) 90, Luke Runyon (NewCath) 90, Dylan Davis (Dayton) 89, Dameyn Anness (Ludlow) 86.
INTERCEPTIONS
Jaxson Rice (Ludlow) 6, Kayden Crowell (Holmes) 5, Quincy Barber (Newport) 5, Tate Kruer (CovCath) 4, Carson Craycraft (Beechwood) 4, Tyler Whipple (Boone) 4, Landyn Phillips (Holy Cross) 4, Isiah Sebastian (Lloyd) 4, Ethan Powell (Ludlow) 4, Matthew Landrum (NewCath) 4.
Post-season playoff first-round games
CLASS 1A
Berea at Dayton, 7:30 p.m.
Eminence vs. Newport Central Catholic at Dixie Heights, 7:30 p.m.
Ludlow at Frankfort, 7:30 p.m.
Fairview at Brossart, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Newport at Walton-Verona, 7:30 p.m.
Owen County at Lloyd, 7 p.m.
Trimble County at Beechwood, 7:30 p.m.
Holy Cross at Carroll County, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Bourbon County at Holmes, 7 p.m.
Scott at Lexington Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 5A
Montgomery County at Highlands, 7:30 p.m.
Cooper at Scott County, 7:30 p.m.
Conner at Frederick Douglass, 7 p.m.
Great Crossing at Covington Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 6A
Dixie Heights at Louisville Ballard, 7:30 p.m.
Louisville Eastern at Ryle, 7 p.m.
Marshall County at Simon Kenton, 7:30 p.m.
Campbell County at Louisville Trinity, 7:30 p.m.