The NKyTribune will be providing focused coverage of NKY high school football throughout the season, thanks to support from St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine. See all of our pre-season features on each of NKY’s 21 high school football teams and follow our coverage, including roundups each week at Northern Kentucky High School Football.
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Having a quarterback who picks up good yardage passing and running the ball is one reason the Simon Kenton football program has prospered in recent years. With senior Cameron Racke returning to run the offense, the Pioneers expect their success to continue this season.
Racke’s ability to read defenses, make adjustments and get positive results has made him a special player. He passed for 1,824 yards and rushed for 983 last season when Simon Kenton won 13 straight games before losing to Lexington Lafayette in the semifinals of the Class 6A playoffs.
“Everything goes through our quarterback,” said coach Jeff Marksberry. “We’re a very read-oriented offense and to have a third-year guy who understands those reads and can get us out of situations, it makes my sleep a lot better.”
Racke became the Pioneers’ starting quarterback as a sophomore. He passed for 1,897 yards and rushed for 524 yards that year to establish himself at the important position. But he doesn’t pay much attention to his personal statistics, even though they could dictate his college football future.
“I’m not worried about that stuff right now. I’m more focused on this season and doing what we have to do to win a state championship,” Racke said.
“I’m just going to do what I have to do and if there’s a (college recruiter) who likes what he sees in me we’ll see where it goes from there. Other than that, I’m just going to do what I have to do for us to win football games.”
Racke is one of several returning starters for the Pioneers, who have more than 90 players on their varsity roster going into this season. With those numbers, the coaching staff created separate offensive and defensive units instead of making players go both ways.
That means Racke can focus on just his quarterback duties during practice, and that helped him develop into an exceptional team leader.
“He spends Saturdays watching game films with us coaches and listens in for all of our game-planning meetings,” coach Marksberry said. “He soaks all that stuff in and (during games) when he makes checks in certain situations, more times than not he’s doing the right thing.”
Simon Kenton’s offense averaged 404 yards and 39.9 points per game last season with Racke running the show. The leading rusher on that team graduated along with one of the top receivers and a couple of offensive linemen. With the other starters back, however, the Pioneers could put up big offensive numbers once again this year.
The returning players include wide receivers Luke Vance and Paul Kriedenweis, running back Dylan Hampton and linemen Colt Williams, Noah Turner and Sam Holt.
“Everything should be fine as long as we practice hard, stay focused and take it one week at a time,” Racke said.
Marksberry plans to take full advantage of his team’s depth, experience and two-platoon system by running an up-tempo offense that’s designed to wear down opponents who have a lot of two-way starters.
“We’ve definitely gotten into that whole tempo offense and playing fast thing,” Marksberry said. “We know all our guys are going to come to the sideline (after a series of plays) since they’re only going to play offense. So we’ve definitely bought into that style of play and trying to use it to our benefit.”
Racke will once again play a key role in how well Simon Kenton’s offense does for the third consecutive season.
“I remember my first game as a sophomore, I was really nervous,” he said. “But that’s the way it is in football. If you’re not nervous, you’re not having fun. I feel more confident and in control now, but having fun is still all that matters.”
SIMON KENTON PIONEERS
2015 SEASON: 13-1 record, lost in semifinals of Class 6A playoffs.
DISTRICT: Class 6A, District 6 with Boone County and Campbell County.
HEAD COACH: Jeff Marksberry (113-75 in 15 seasons at Simon Kenton).
2016 SCHEDULE
Aug. 19 – at Christian Academy of Louisville, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 – LEXINGTON BRYAN STATION, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 – CONNER, 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 – at Dixie Heights, 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 – at Cooper, 7:30 p.m..
Sept. 23 – at Highlands, 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 – BOONE COUNTY, 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 – at Campbell County, 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 – at Ryle, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 28 – SCOTT, 7 p.m.
Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
Conner
Dixie Heights
Walton-Verona
Holmes
Ryle
Bellevue
Brossart
Covington Catholic
Dayton
Lloyd
Cooper
Newport Central Catholic
Boone County
Beechwood
Highlands
Campbell County
Scott
Ludlow
Holy Cross
Newport