Fort
Thomas Matters Sports Reporter
Even though they are putting up jaw-dropping
numbers, any of the coaches and players for the top-ranked football team in
Class 4A would tell you they can play better.
The Highlands Bluebirds enter tonight’s
Homecoming contest against Mason County at 3-0 overall fresh off their biggest
win of the season, 51-23 at Louisville Western. The Bluebirds are outscoring
teams 54.3-30.3. They are also outgaining opponents, 512.3-370.3 in total
offense including 336.3-264.3 rushing and have a plus-five turnover ratio.
But the Bluebirds were not happy with the
slow start, the defense against the running game up the middle and the special
teams play against Western. Highlands hopes to clean those things up against an
improving Royals team that comes in 1-3 off a 37-22 victory against Harrison
County, a Class 4A, District 7 opponent of Highlands. The win snapped a
seven-game losing streak for the Royals.
The Bluebirds led just 10-0 at halftime before
Western scored eight straight to pull within two at 10-8. The Bluebirds recorded
an interception and scored. After that touchdown, Highlands senior center Mitch
Dee. shouted, “We score every time, not just once.” The Bluebirds led 30-8 at
halftime and did not put the game away until the fourth quarter.
In the win over Western, Highlands allowed
279 yards rushing on 44 attempts for 6.3 a carry. The Bluebirds also gave up
278 yards on nine kickoff returns for an average of 31 per return and had four
turnovers.
Two running backs rushed for more than 100
yards for Western. Cory Durham ran for 147 yards on 18 carries for an average
of just more than 8.1 a touch and Dion Sutton ran for 123 yards on 16 carries
for an average of just more than 7.6 a touch.
The Bluebirds will line up their 3-4 defense
against another offense capable of putting up big numbers on the ground. The
Royals line up in an I-formation set and ran for 247 yards against Harrison
County. Junior Rashon Nelson had 191 yards on 35 carries for an average of just
under 5.5 a carry and two touchdowns to lead Mason County.
“The key is playing great team defense,”
said Dale Mueller, Highlands head coach of defending Nelson. “It’s about
everyone doing their job.”
While Highlands focuses on those things, Mason
County knows it could be overmatched against the deeply talented Bluebirds.
Highlands is 76-2 since the start of 2007 and owns a 41-game home winning
streak with 23 straight wins overall.
“We are really impressed with them,” said
David Buchanan, Mason County head coach. “We are going to try to be sound and
get the best keys and reads we can get. They have great players and their
schemes are very good as well.”
Highlands ran for 798 yards total in home
wins over Boyle County and Scott County. But the Bluebirds passed for a
season-high 256 yards at Western out of their spread offense. Quarterback
Donovan McCoy completed 16-of-35 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns to
nine different receivers. McCoy also ran for 94 yards on 11 carries.
Overall, McCoy has completed 25-of-54
passes for 456 yards and four touchdowns. Luke Turner and Colin Seidl lead the
Bluebirds with seven catches each for 121 and 120 yards respectively.
McCoy, Zach Harris and Jaylen Hayes have
rushed for more than 200 yards. Harris has 320 yards on 50 carries with six
touchdowns for an average of 6.4 a carry and McCoy has 296 yards on 32 rushes
for an average of 9.25 a run and eight touchdowns. Hayes did not have any
carries against Western but still has 208 yards on 17 carries for just more
than 12.2 a carry and four scores.
Mason County mixes up its coverages on
defense. Western keyed on the running attack. But that did not bother
Highlands.
“We plan on doing whatever the defense
gives us and being good enough to take advantage of it,” Mueller said. “They
are a well-coached team with 11 good defensive players.”
Mason County struggled to a 2-8 campaign
last year after going 10-2 in 2010 losing to eastern Kentucky power Belfry,
27-14 in the second round of the 3A playoffs. Highlands beat Mason County, 71-8
last year in Maysville.
The Royals went 11-1 with an undefeated
regular season in 2009 before losing 26-23 to Pike County Central in the second
round of the 3A playoffs. Mason County is in Class 3A, District 6 with Fleming
County, East Carter, West Carter, Russell and Lewis County. Buchanan has been
the head coach since 1996.
“It is the same formula as always,”
Buchanan said. “We try to get better on a daily basis and we try to play one
play at a time the best we can. We still have a long way to go, but we really
like this group.”
Game time is 7:30 p.m. in Fort Thomas.
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