By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic’s defensive unit was on the field for 39 of the 48 minutes that ticked off the scoreboard time clock during a Class 4A playoff game against Johnson Central on Friday in Paintsville.
The home team dominated time of possession with a methodical triple-option rushing attack that generated 458 yards, but CovCath’s offense made the big plays it needed to pull out a 36-29 victory and advance to next week’s region finals.
The Colonels (9-3) scored five touchdowns on breakaway runs that accounted for 273 of their 309 yards. After the last one that put CovCath ahead, Johnson Central moved the ball to the 10-yard line. On the final play of the game, CovCath linebacker Brady Guard knocked down a pass in the end zone to hand the Golden Eagles (11-1) their first loss of the season.
The four teams in the region finals are matched up according to the KHSAA Ratings Percentage Index. CovCath will visit Boyle County (11-1) and Highlands (10-2) will host Corbin (9-3) next week.
Johnson Central took a 14-0 lead Friday on long drives of 61 and 55 yards. But CovCath scored 21 straight points on runs of 65 and 80 yards by quarterback Chase Harney and 42 yards by running back Dylan Gaiser.
Those breakaways came on the first play of three consecutive possessions. The Colonels ended up running only 19 plays during the game.
Each time Johnson Central scored in the second half, Gaiser answered with TD runs of 47 and 29 yards. He also caught a two-point conversion pass.
Harney ended up rushing for 161 yards on eight carries while Gaiser picked up 144 yards on five carries. Harney also made six tackles as a defensive safety. He stopped a couple of Johnson Central ball carriers who were heading for the end zone after getting through to the defensive secondary.
The Golden Eagles ran the ball 75 times for 458 yards. Their leading rushers were Braxton Perry with 238 yards on 30 carries and Logan Music with 118 yards on 13 carries. Johnson Central quarterback Austin Slone only threw two passes. The first one was intercepted and the other one was knocked away on the game’s final play.
This is the third consecutive year that CovCath has knocked off Johnson Central in the playoffs. The Colonels upset Boyle County in last year’s region finals and then lost to Franklin County in the semifinals.
JOHNSON CENTRAL 7 7 7 8 — 29
COVCATH 0 21 7 8 — 36
JC — Logan Music 18 run (Mason Bentley kick)
JC — Braxton Perry 3 run (Bentley kick)
CC — Cash Harney 65 run (Logan Zembrodt kick)
CC — Harney 80 run (Tanner Robertson kick)
CC — Dylan Gaiser 42 run (Logan Zembrodt kick)
JC — Perry 3 run (Bentley kick)
CC — Gaiser 47 run (Zembrodt kick)
JC — JD Morris 4 run (Morris run)
CC — Dylan Gaiser 29 run (Gaiser pass from Harney)
RECORDS: CovCath 9-3, Johnson Central 11-1.
Newport 18, Holy Cross 3
Newport’s defense recovered two fumbles, intercepted a pass and allowed only 28 rushing yards during an 18-3 win over previously undefeated Holy Cross in the second round of the Class 1A playoffs on Friday at Scott High School.
The win puts Newport (8-4) in the region finals for the second straight year. The Wildcats will get a rematch with Kentucky Country Day (10-1). Last year, KCD edged Newport, 14-12, and advanced to the semifinals.
Newport’s first touchdown in Friday’s game came on a 20-yard pass from junior Jaden Conley to senior Carvonta Roper in the first quarter. Holy Cross kicker Gabriel Romito’s 37-yard field goal made it 6-3.
Short touchdown runs by Sean Hurry in the second quarter and Conley in the fourth quarter provided the other points for Newport. A fumbled punt led to Conley’s final TD.
The Wildcats finished with a 223-155 advantage in total yards. Conley completed 7 of 12 passes for 96 yards. Kendall Buck-Barber rushed for 79 yards, caught two passes for 44 yards and had a pass interception on defense.
Holy Cross sophomore quarterback Brian Ferguson completed 11 of 23 passes for 127 yards. He finished his first season as a varsity starter with 1,128 passing yards for the Indians.
High school football playoffs scoreboard
CLASS 1A
Newport Central Catholic 42, Brossart 21
Newport 18, Holy Cross 3
CLASS 2A
Beechwood 42, Walton-Verona 7
CLASS 3A
Lloyd 48, Henry County 20
CLASS 4A
Highlands 45, Ashland Blazer 7
Covington Catholic 36, Johnson Central 29
CLASS 5A
Scott County 55, Cooper 34
CLASS 6A
Louisville Trinity 50, Simon Kenton 0
Ryle 41, Louisville Ballard 20
Next week’s high school football playoff games
CLASS 1A
Newport Central Catholic at Campbellsville
Newport at Kentucky Country Day
CLASS 2A
Prestonsburg at Beechwood
CLASS 3A
Russell at Lloyd
CLASS 4A
Corbin at Highlands
Covington Catholic at Boyle County
CLASS 6A
Ryle at Frederick Douglass