By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Cooper senior quarterback Jarod Lonaker passed for 259 yards and four touchdowns during a 28-13 win at Dixie Heights on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016.
Lonaker, a first-year starter, also rushed for 43 yards, giving him a combined total of 302 yards in the victory.
He completed 14 passes with senior wide receiver Dante Hendrix catching eight of them for 217 yards. Hendrix scored touchdowns on three of his pass receptions and had an interception on defense.
The Jaguars finished 7-5 that season. Lonaker set single-season team records in passing yards (3,222) and passing touchdowns (32) that are now held by Cooper’s current quarterback Cam O’Hara (3,671 yards, 52 TDs).
Hendrix ended up catching 71 passes for 1,405 yards during the 2016 season. Those team records still stand.
Here’s a look at other high school football games involving Northern Kentucky teams played over the last five decades.
FRIDAY, OCT. 2, 1998 — Simon Kenton snapped an 18-game losing streak in Class 3A district games with a 30-27 win over Covington Catholic. It was also the Pioneers’ first victory against the Colonels in nine years. There were six lead changes in the game. The leading rusher was Simon Kenton senior Daniel Morrison with 175 yards and three touchdowns. CovCath senior Matt Suedkamp picked up 167 yards and scored four times.
SATURDAY, OCT. 2, 2004 — After falling behind 14-0, Beechwood rallied in the first half to come away with a 21-20 win over Newport Central Catholic in a Class 1A district game.
The Tigers’ tied the score with a 59-yard touchdown run by Dustin Menetrey and 69-yard pick-six by Eric Sawyer. With five minutes left in the game, Menetrey scored again on a 7-yard run and Pat Muth kicked the extra point to put Beechwood ahead.
NewCath responded with a scoring drive of its own that ended with Derek Posey catching a 25-yard TD pass from Sam Diehl, but a missed extra-point kick decided the game.
The two teams met again in the region finals of the 2004 Class 1A playoffs and Beechwood pulled out a 14-9 win. The Tigers won their next two games by double-digit margins to finish as state champions under coach Mike Yeagle.
FRIDAY, OCT. 3, 1980 — Conner scored 21 points during a fourth quarter rally and defeated sub-district rival Simon Kenton, 35-34, in overtime. Kerry Ryle’s 2-yard touchdown run and Jim Pitzer’s extra-point kick gave Conner a 35-28 lead in the overtime. Simon Kenton scored on a 10-yard pass from Bob Humphrey to Greg Ponzer, but the two-point conversion attempt was an incomplete pass.
In the fourth quarter, Ponzer returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown to give the Pioneers a 28-14 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Pitzer raced 80 yards to the end zone and kicked the extra-point to keep the Cougars’ rally going.
FRIDAY, OCT. 3, 2020 — Brossart scored 22 points in three overtime periods to come away with a 42-34 win at Nicholas County in a Class 1A district game. On Brossart’s three overtime possessions, junior quarterback Jacob Leicht scored two touchdowns and junior running back Jed Martin got one. Senior defensive back Carson Schirmer, who scored on a punt return earlier in the game, intercepted a Nicholas County pass to clinch the victory.