How about that for a homecoming for Holy Cross alum Barnes
On Sunday’s homecoming for the Detroit Lions in Cincinnati against the Bengals, one story might have been a bit overshadowed with the big arrival on the scene of Mt. Healthy High alum David Montgomery who ran for a TD and passed for one in the Detroit Lions’ 37-24 win. But also scoring was former Holy Cross player Derrick Barnes, recording a safety to end the Bengals’ chances. But Barnes, a linebacker out of Purdue, did his scoring on defense for his first NFL points.
“To be able to do that and come home and make a play like that in front of a lot of my friends and family who keep supporting me,” was all the motivation Barnes, 26, and on the first year of a three-year, $25.5 million contract, did get more motivation before tackling quarterback Jake Browning in the end zone to finish off the Bengals.
His linebacker coach had said: “Somebody’s got to make a play, why not you? I took that to heart,” Barnes said after the game.
Here’s how the LBU (LinebackersUniversity) site described the play by the 6-foot, 240-pound Barnes, now in his fifth season with the Lions, on one of his eight tackles for the game: “He (Barnes) attacked and blitzed the OL’s outside shoulder. Once the OL over-committed, he cross-chopped to his inside gap. The OL punched high, so he quickly dipped under while staying low and maintaining his balance.” Just that simple as Barnes got to Browning almost untouched up the middle for the two points for Detroit.
Five N. Ky. teams remain in state football Top 25
Not a lot of change in this week’s Kentucky Sports Report’s ranking of the state’s high school football Top 25, especially for the Northern Kentucky teams. Class 4A Highlands (6-1), with its big, end-of-game 31-28 district win against Covington Catholic (4-3) moved up two spots to No. 6. CovCath stayed at No. 11, right behind Class 5A Cooper (4-3) at No. 10. Ryle (3-3) dropped one spot to No. 13 while Class A Beechwood (5-1) dropped a spot to No. 19 while whipping up on Walton-Verona, 69-0.
Like it has all season, Louisville Trinity, despite a road loss to Cincinnati St. Xavier, stayed at No. 1 in the unclassified poll as the 6A Shamrocks fell to 5-1, just ahead of Christian Academy of Louisville: Here’s the complete poll:
1) Trinity [5 first-place votes]; 2) Christian Academy-Louisville [5 first-place votes]; 3) South Warren; 4) Boyle County; 5) Louisville DuPont Manual; 6) Highlands; 7) St. Xavier; 8) Johnson Central; 9) Franklin County; 10) Cooper; 11) Covington Catholic; 12) Madisonville-North Hopkins; 13) Ryle; 14) Frederick Douglass; 15) Bell County; 16) Paducah Tilghman; 17) Lexington Christian Academy; 18) Woodford County; 19) Beechwood; 20) Louisville Atherton; 21) Owensboro; 22) Madison Central; 23) Pulaski County; 24) Lexington Catholic; 25) Belfry.
Others receiving votes: North Laurel, Male, Mayfield, Scott County, Murray, Logan County, South Laurel.
October NKSHOF newcomers named
Five inductees have been named for the October induction of the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame. They are Highlands High athletic trainer Tom Steltenkamp; three-sport Lloyd Memorial athlete Ronnie Holmes; former Ludlow and Scott High coach Roger Lewis; former Holmes, Boone County and current Conner coach Mike Hughes; and former Beechwood three-sport athlete, coach and current scorekeeper John Berger. The ceremonies, open to the public free of charge, will be at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15, at The Gardens of Park Hills.
Contact Dan Weber at dweber3440@aol.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @dweber3440.