By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
After scoring a total of 10 points in back-to-back losses to Paris and Lloyd, the Brossart football team got its offense back on track Friday and defeated Holy Cross, 35-14, in the first Class 1A, District 4 seeding game for both teams.
Brossart (3-4) got the game’s first touchdown on a 55-yard pass from junior quarterback Keegan Gulley to senior wide receiver Alex Amin. Gulley also scored two of his team’s four rushing touchdowns with Luke Schroeder and Landon Geyer getting the other two.
Holy Cross (4-3) played the district seeding game without freshman running back Ulysses Porter, who had rushed for 812 yards and 12 touchdowns in the first six games.
Without him in the lineup, the Indians’ touchdowns came on a 61-yard pass from senior quarterback Donovan Ambrosio to senior wide receiver Andrew Bales and a 9-yard run by sophomore fullback Trevin Figgs.
Ambrosio’s touchdown pass tied the score at 7-7, but Brossart ran off 21 straight points and took a 28-7 lead on a 17-yard TD run by Gulley early in the fourth quarter. Both teams then scored a touchdown in the final six minutes of the game.
Brossart finished with 274 total yards (193 rushing, 81 passing). The Mustangs’ leading rushers were Gulley with 78 yards on 12 carries and Schroeder with 56 yards on 16 carries. Holy Cross was limited to 148 yards (22 rushing, 126 passing).
Brossart shares the top spot in the Class 1A, District 4 team standings with Ludlow, a 41-6 winner over Trimble County on Friday. The co-leaders will face each other next week when Brossart visits Ludlow.
Newport Central Catholic 22, Newport 6
NewCath had to play its first Class 1A, District 3 seeding game on Friday without starting quarterback Kolton Smith, but the Thoroughbreds were still able to defeat Newport, 22-6, and snap a three-game losing streak.
NewCath (3-4) has now won 26 consecutive games against Newport (4-3) in their long-standing crosstown rivalry. The winner of each regular season game receives the Firefighter’s Bell trophy.
The Thoroughbreds rushed for 195 of their 200 total yards in Friday’s win. The only pass completion for backup junior quarterback Louie Collopy was a 5-yarder that junior Landon Kraft caught in the end zone late in the fourth quarter.
Senior running back Demetrick Welch scored the Thoroughbreds’ first touchdown on a 1-yard run in the first quarter and ended up rushing for 104 yards on 28 carries. Collopy picked up 35 yards on eight carries and senior running back Carter Sleet got the team’s other TD on a 13-yard run.
Newport’s lone touchdown came on an 85-yard pass play from junior quarterback Kyle Lee to junior Rodzion Thompson late in the second quarter. That play accounted for most of the Wildcats’ 156 total yards. They had minus-11 yards rushing and gave up a safety.
Dayton defeated Bellevue, 38-14, in the other Class 1A, District 3 seeding game on Friday. District co-leaders Dayton and NewCath will meet next Friday in a game at Covington Catholic.
In the closet high school game on Friday, Ryle got past Campbell County, 37-36, in overtime. The Raiders rallied after falling behind, 30-20, with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter of the Class 6A district seeding game.
High school football scoreboard
THURSDAY
District seeding games
Dixie Heights 42, Conner 15
Grant County 35, Holmes 8
Lloyd 50, Pendleton County 6
Cooper 49, Scott 7
FRIDAY
District seeding games
Beechwood 67, Owen County 0
Brossart 35, Holy Cross 14
Ryle 37, Campbell County 36 OT
Dayton 38, Bellevue 14
Highlands 53, Boone County 7
Newport Central Catholic 22, Newport 6
Ludlow 41, Trimble County 6
Carroll County 21, Walton-Verona 7
Simon Kenton 50, Great Crossing 36