By Dan Weber
NKyTribune sports reporter
The only certainty in the 48th and final minute of the Covington Catholic-Highlands Class 4A classic Friday for the standing-room-only crowd at Ft. Thomas’ David Cecil Stadium was this: One of these teams was about to leave here devastated.
But no one was going to leave early.
Both the cash Harney-led Colonels and the Tayden Lorenzen-driven Bluebirds had done plenty enough to win. In fact, these high school kids had made more plays under more pressure with more skill, determination and poise than you’re liable to see in the next three Bengals’ games.
How often do you see a game where each team makes a game-winning drive – or one that should have been — in the final minute? With two touchdowns scored in the final 41 seconds.
But it was homestanding Highlands (6-1) that made the last play. Just three seconds were left on the clock when the Birds’ touchdown cannon shook the ground for the final time. And when we say ground-shaking touchdown cannon, yeah, we’re talking about Lorenzen, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior with a calm presence to match his confidence and competitiveness.
And four touchdowns to show for it – the first three running the football, the fourth and final on an 18-yard catch on a pass reception just over the goal line on a play that he’d made up in the huddle with quarterback Rio Litmer. And one where he got blasted by a defender as soon as the ball hit his hands.
Highlands 31, CovCath 28.
The Colonels who had driven 80 yards on 13 plays in just under 5:00 to take their first lead on quick, tough, never-say-die quarterback Cash Harney’s stop-start eight-yard determined dash into the end zone were about to extend their winning streak in Ft. Thomas to a decade.
Just 41 seconds left, down 28-24. And yet the Bluebirds didn’t seem all that flustered. There’s a reason why, Coach Bob Sphire said. “For the last 10 weeks, every Thursday morning at 6:30 a.m., we rehearse that scenario,” Sphire said. “Nobody panicked. I credit our players.”
“We were all just trying to calm each other down,” Litmer said as the Birds took just six plays to go more than 60 yards after the kickoff for the win. And as the Highlands’ fans rushed the field, CovCath’s Colonels were exiting over the hill and heading to their buses as the field filled with Highlands’ fans who would still be there 45 minutes after the finish.
A specialist in game-winning plays at the final whistle – at least three in the last two years – Lorenzen had no doubts about the play. “I knew when I got past the linebacker, the ball was going to be right there.”
And Litmer knew he was looking to Lorenzen. “Do you think he was looking anywhere else?” Sphire said of a ball that was right on the money but with the contact, one “that 95 percent of players would not have caught,” Sphire said. “But playmakers make plays.”
And he has two of them. Both of whom handle the ball behind center. Litmer, with his quick feet and quick arm, the traditional quarterback, who completed 15 of 18 for 169 yards and a TD.
And Lorenzen, the hammer who just keeps pounding, had 81 yards on 22 carries in an offense that doesn’t look all that different from the stuff people were running a century ago. Snap it back to him and let him pick a spot and just head there, powering, spinning and extending the football when he gets near the goal line.
“What do they call it, mashing them together,” Sphire said, “like when they mashed Run DMC and Aerosmith” for the hit — “Walk This Way” – two completely different type groups. Makes it much harder for a team to get ready to defend both. “That’s the idea,” Sphire said.
Litmer’s idea was a simple one: “I was just thinking I gotta’ go to my best guy,” he said, “I knew he was going to be open.”
“There’s nothing more I’d rather do on Friday night,” Lorenzen said as he surveyed the joyous Highlands’ fans reliving the game on the field with their heroes. After re-thinking his answer as to whether this was his No. 1 or No. 2 most-thrilling finish, Lorenzen re-evaluated what had just happened. “This one’s No. 1 for sure.”
But without a great opponent, no finish like that would have been possible. “Class 4A’s loaded,” Sphire says. “CovCath’s hard to get off the field. Harney is so improved. And Eddie’s (Eviston) a great coach.”
“They’re a great team,” Lorenzen said of the Colonels.
For this game, Harney threw for 227 yards and two TD on nine-of-17 passing with a 91-yard TD strike to Owen Pitzer while he ran for another. Tailback Dylan Gaiser ran for 88 yards with a 27-yard TD and a 44-yard completion. Cash Myers led CovCath in tackles with 11 while Logan Sanning added nine with an interception in the end zone while freshman linebacker Brandon Smith had eight tackles. And punter Logan Zembrodt extended his state-leading perfect extra point streak with four more and he also had a 62-yard punt.
On most nights, those numbers would have been good for a win. But this wasn’t “most nights.” Highlands has a kicker too, Kai Anderson, whose field goal made the difference on a night they may still be talking about late into the night in Ft. Thomas.
“It was meant to happen,” Litmer said. No doubts. Even in those last 41 seconds. Especially in those last 41 seconds.
SCORING SUMMARY
CovCath 0 14 7 7 28
Highlands 10 7 7 7 31
High: Lorenzen 1 run, Anderson extra Point kick good
High: FG Anderson 13 yards
CovCath: Gaiser 27 run, Zembrodt extra point kick good
High: Lorenzen 2 run, Anderson extra point good
CovCath: Sanning 5 pass from Harney, Zembrodt extra point kick good
High: Lorenzen 6 run, Anderson extra point kick good
CovCath: Pitzer 91 pass from Harney, Zembrodt kick good
CovCath: Harney 8 run, Zembrodt extra point kick good
High: Lorenzen 18 pass from Litmer, Anderson extra point kick good
Team stats: Covington Catholic/Highlands
First Downs 14 21
Third Down Efficiency 4-9-44% 5-12-42%
Fourth Down Efficiency 1-2-50% 2-3-67%
Rushing Att-Yards-Avg 20-91-4.6 45-206-4.6
Passing Att-Yards-Avg 20-271-27.1 21-200-13.3
Pass Cmpt-Att-Int-% 10-20-0-50% 15-21-1-71%
Tot Off Yards 362 395
Sacks-Yards 1-11 0-0
Penalties-Yards 4-20 4-20
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 0-0
Punts-LG-Avg 3-62-39.3 2-40-37.5
Field Goal Made-Att 0-0 1-1
Touchdowns Tot-Run-Pass 4-2-2 4-3-1
Possessions 8 10
Total Plays 40 67
Time of Poss 16:26 31:31