By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Noel Rash enters his first season as head coach of the Conner football team reciting the same mantra that he shared with his Beechwood players for 17 successful seasons.
“Just keep grinding and learn how to fall in love with the grind,” Rash is telling the Cougars, who will have mostly first-year starters in the lineup when they open the season at Madison Central on Friday.
This is the first time since 2007 that Conner will start the season with a new head coach. Rash was hired in June following the unexpected death of Dave Trosper, who was in charge of the program for the last 18 seasons.
The Cougars posted a 7-4 record under Trosper last season with a good group of seniors leading the way to the Class 5A playoffs.
Those recent graduates included quarterback Wyatt Hatfield, who was also the team’s leading rusher, five offense linemen and the top two pass receivers.
The new quarterback is senior Grayson Montgomery, who ran the offense in Conner’s first three games last season. He impressed the new head coach in two summer scrimmage games.
“Grayson has really done a great job and led us well,” Rash said. “He’s all-in. He’s totally committed to what it means to be the quarterback, handling the he team and doing the things he has to do. He invested himself in learning every aspect.”
The Cougars also have last year’s top two running backs returning in seniors Dion Abernathy and Shep Dozier. They rushed for combined totals of 983 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
They’ll share ball-carrying duties with sophomore Josiah Lampke and other varsity newcomers this season.
“What we have is the old thunder and lightning,” Rash said of the team’s backfield. “We’ve got some thunder guys and Dion is the lightning, for sure. When he hits that second gear, look out.”
Putting together a new offensive line has been the main focus in preseason practice. Rash said the guys up front will be the key to the team’s success so they have to develop into a cohesive unit.
“We don’t have one starter back on the offensive line,” Rash said. “There just young. They’ll come together, but it’ll take a while.”
The Cougars will have several two-way starters, including Abernathy and Dozier. Last year, those two defensive backs were the team’s leading tacklers with 54 for Abernathy and 51 for Dozier.
The other players who gained varsity experience are linebackers Travis Keen, Henry Krallman and Ayden Depenbrock and cornerback Abram Kollar. But the Conner defense needs to do better than last season when opponents scored 42 points or more in each of the team’s five losses.
“We’ve got mountains to climb still, just like everybody coming out of that second scrimmage,” Rash said. “But we’re starting to figure out who we are and then let’s go with it the best we can.”
The season opener will be a stiff test for the Cougars. They’ll be going up against a Madison Central team that made it the Class 6A region finals last season behind an offense that averaged more than 218 rushing yards per game.
“If we go out and play hard for each other and play for coach Trosper and the legacy he left, I’ll be happy,” Rash said of Friday’s game.
CONNER COUGARS
2024 SEASON: 7-4 record, lost in first round of Class 5A playoffs.
STARTERS RETURNING: 4 offense, 4 defense.
DISTRICT: Class 5A, District 6 with Boone County, Cooper, Dixie Heights, Scott.
HEAD COACH: Noel Rash (first season at Conner, 193-46 in 17 seasons overall).
2025 SCHEDULE
Aug. 22 – at Madison Central, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 29 – at Ryle, 7 p.m.
Sept. 5 – LLOYD, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12 – NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 – SIMON KENTON, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26 – at Cooper, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 3 – BOONE COUNTY, 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 – at Dixie Heights, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24 – SCOTT, 7 p.m.
Oct. 31 – at Lexington Henry Clay, 7:30 p.m.