Highlands pulls away from pesky Paducah Tilghman, 42-25

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

PADUCAH – It does not matter if their schedule takes them to the Jackson Purchase or the deep, dark hills of eastern Kentucky.

Few teams in the country, let alone the Bluegrass State, win as consistently as the Highlands Bluebirds football team. The Bluebirds may not have dominated like usual. But they did put away the pesky host Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado in the fourth quarter, 42-25 on Saturday.

“It was great to see the offense, defense and special teams come through when we needed them,” said Dale Mueller, Highlands Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. “Paducah Tilghman played a great game and is going to be a real force in the playoffs. Winning is important to our guys.”

Highlands stayed undefeated at 5-0 and improved to 92-3 since 2007 with the win and 847-225-26 in school history since the program began back in 1915. On the other side, the Blue Tornado (1-4) dropped their fourth in a row since opening the year with a 24-23 win on Aug. 24 at newly-formed county rival McCracken County.

“We don’t buy into moral victories,” said Randy Wyatt, Tilghman Head Coach. “But I’m extremely proud of how we fought against a team like Highlands rated the second-best team in the state in all six classes. They’re just a classic program. They answered every time. That’s the sign of a champion. They did everything right.”

Highlands played its second of three consecutive Saturday games. But the Bluebirds did not secure the game at John Hardin a week ago until senior Zach Harris recovered an onside kick with 43 seconds left.

Highlands elected to rest Harris. But the Bluebirds once again put up huge offensive numbers outgaining the Blue Tornado, 375-314. Highlands had 17 first downs to 10 for Tilghman.

But fellow senior Jaylen Hayes picked up the slack for Highlands rushing the ball 20 times for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Hayes scored once on a shotgun zone read play and the second one taking a direct snap in the Highlands full-house backfield.

Highlands senior quarterback Drew Houliston once again came through completing 16-of-26 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Jensen Feggins led the Bluebirds with six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bluebirds had to make some adjustments against the Tilghman defense. The Blue Tornado recorded six sacks in the game. Houliston had been sacked just three times all season entering the contest.

“They were running delayed blitzes,” said Bryan Saunders, Highlands offensive lineman. “It’s hard to cover everyone.”

Tre Coleman led the Blue Tornado with 113 yards on 10 carries. He broke free for an 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter. But the Bluebirds made some adjustments on him after that.

“We made some linebacker adjustments,” said Joey Cochran, Highlands senior linebacker. “We put in some more aggressive guys and made sure that didn’t happen anymore. We clogged up the hole.”

Tilghman threw a lot of short passes with sophomore quarterback Jesse Dunigan. He completed 20-of-27 passes for 136 yards. Senior Mikey Davis led the Blue Tornado with seven catches for 56 yards.

Both teams lost one fumble. Jackson Bardo recovered a Tilghman fumble in the fourth quarter and Highlands lost one in the first quarter.

The Bluebirds did not score in the first quarter for the third time this season. They trailed 6-0 after the first quarter after two Logan Besaw field goals from 26 and 42 yards out.

Highlands took the lead for good at 7-6 when Houliston scored around the left side from six yards out and Jared Dougherty made his first of six extra-point attempts. Highlands wide receiver Ryan Greene returned a kickoff back to the Highlands 49 to start the drive.

The Bluebirds drove deep into Blue Tornado territory on their next possession. But the Blue Tornado blocked the field-goal attempt.

But Highlands scored on its next possession. Houliston rolled left and found Feggins open for an 8-yard score.

The Bluebirds then responded to Coleman’s quick score. On 4th-and-5 from the Tilghman 7 with 53 seconds left in the half, Houliston found Jake Whitford in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. The Bluebirds led 21-12 at halftime.

“It was a big play,” Whitford said. “It got us going at halftime. After that, Drew (Houliston) just took over. They couldn’t stop us after that. Once we get in a rhythm, we’re hard to beat.”

Tilghman ate up a lot of the clock on a long drive to start the third quarter. Instead of throwing the short sideline routes, they threw 10-15 yards down the field to keep the Bluebird defense guessing. Dunigan scored on a 1-yard run to cut the margin to 21-19 with just more than three minutes left in the third.

“We played off (the Tilghman receivers) because they’re good athletes,” said Alex Shadle, Highlands senior defensive back. “That left things open for the out routes and comebacks.”

The Bluebirds then scored with about 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Hayes scored from eight yards out after Houliston completed a 26-yard pass to Alex Veneman.

But the Blue Tornado marched back down the field. Out of the Power-I formation, Dunigan faked a handoff then found Jordan Tyler for a 22-yard touchdown reception. The two-point pass failed as Highlands still led 28-25.

“When you have a team like that down, you have to close the door,” Wyatt said. “A tough team like that is going to fight back. They’re conditioned to win close ballgames. We just need to get that way.”

The Bluebirds then put the game away with two touchdowns. Houliston found Feggins for a 9-yard score. That came after Tilghman sacked Houliston on third down, but the Blue Tornado committed a defensive holding penalty giving the Bluebirds another chance. Hayes then scored his second touchdown on a 41-yard scamper.

Highlands concludes its three-game Saturday road swing this week at Covington Catholic (3-1). Game time is 1 p.m. in Park Hills.

Highlands opens campaign on national television

 

G. Michael Graham Photo. Highlands quarterback Drew Houliston (right) sets up in the Bluebirds' Spread offense in the recent scrimmage at Louisville Trinity. The Bluebirds take on the University Christian Fighting Christians on Saturday in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU at 3:30 p.m.

 



By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds football team may have 98 seasons under its belt.

But the 99th edition opens the season with a huge first. The Bluebirds had never played a team outside Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana until Saturday when the University Christian Fighting Christians of Jacksonville (Fla.) come to town for a nationally-televised game on ESPNU at 3:30 p.m.

UC head coach David Penland was the roommate of former Highlands player T.J. Kramer at Georgetown College. Penland called Highlands Co-Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Dale Mueller about playing this game that will feature a battle of defending state champions. The Bluebirds have won six consecutive, including the last two 4A titles, for a grand total of 22 championships while the Fighting Christians won the Florida 2A title last year, 28-10 over Dade Christian near Miami. That marked the seventh title for UC and first since 1994.

“Nobody calls us (to schedule a game) so we were just jumping up and down,” Mueller said. “Then I talked to (UC President and Superintendent Frank Ciresi) and we later made the arrangements to play the game. We’re going to play games that prepare us for the games that determine whether we win the state championship.”

The Fighting Christians finished 13-1 last year and return six starters on defense and six on offense. Penland said conditioning is important because they have players going both directions. This is also the furthest distance UC has traveled to play a game.

“My philosophy is to put the best 11 players on the field,” Penland said. “We have an up-tempo practice. We run a lot all summer. All the guys are in pretty good shape right now. They do what they need to do to maintain their ability to play both ways.”

UC graduated standout running back Jerimiah Hamlin to Richmond (Va.) University. Tight end/defensive end Marquis Haynes took his talents to the University of North Carolina and wide receiver/safety Trey Ciresi took his talents to Berry College (Ga.).

Highlands has two-platooned on offense and defense for a couple years now. The Bluebirds tend to wear down teams that have players going both directions.

The big unknown Highlands faces is UC has 21 new faces on its roster. Most of the new faces are seniors. That may raise some eyebrows. But Mueller said that’s a good reflection on the school.

“What it says is the school is doing something right,” Mueller said. “The transfer rules in Florida are not as strict as they are in Kentucky, which I’m also in agreement with. They’re going to have a heck of a football team. We don’t know anything about the 21 new guys. They haven’t had any scrimmages so there’s no film to exchange.”

The Highlands 3-4 defense led by linebacker Thomas Wrobleski and lineman Seth Hope will face a hybrid Wing-T UC offense that predicates itself on quick handoffs. Georgetown runs the Wing-T, but UC runs it out of the shotgun. Sophomore Hassein Howe returns after rushing for about 1,000 yards last year. Offensive guard Josh Allen and center Josh Nichlos also return. Allen is a UNC commit.

“It’s about the defensive scheme and following your keys like (Highlands Co-Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Brian) Weinrich tells us to do,” said Jacob Noe, Highlands junior outside linebacker. “That’s probably the best way to stop him. It’s more about reading the linemen than anything else. If you read your key, it will take you right to the ball.”

The Bluebirds will throw their spread offense at the Fighting Christians. Senior quarterback Drew Houliston will hand the ball off to running backs like Zach Harris and Jaylen Hayes or throw passes to wide receivers like Jensen Feggins, Ryan Greene or Nick True. Offensive linemen like Bryan Saunders have consistently provided solid protection for the skill players.

Highlands will face 4-4 or 6-2 UC defensive schemes. Linebacker Tamarius Bowes finished second on the team in tackles last year and free safety Jake Stoshak had eight interceptions for the Fighting Christians. He returned five of them for touchdowns.

“We know they’re going to be really fast and athletic because they’re a team from Florida,” Saunders said. “They’re definitely a really good football team. They’ll have a number of good guys they can sub in. With our hurry-up offense, we’re going to try to get them out of breathe so we can keep going and going and going.”

Highlands is dealing with some injuries. Backup junior running back Josh Watson is out for the year because of a torn right anterior cruciated ligament and senior offensive lineman Johnny Kemplin is also gone for the year because of back issues. Defensive back Griffin Urlage also said he will not play Saturday because he had a benign (non-cancerous) bone mass removed recently. But that’s why Highlands prepares many guys to come in and contribute with its roster that has almost 100 guys on it.

“Football is a game that you just have injuries so you need to be ready no matter what happens,” Mueller said. “It’s not just all football injuries. I missed the state championship game last year because my mother-in-law died. There was another coach ready to step in. If someone misses because their dog bites or a loved one passes away, we’re just geared to play whoever is next.”

This game marks the first of four Saturday games for Highlands. The Bluebirds travel to John Hardin and Paducah Tilghman in consecutive Saturdays before venturing to Covington Catholic on Sept. 28.

Bluebirds dedicate season to lost relatives of Co-Head Coaches

Photo by G. Michael Graham. The Highlands Bluebirds celebrated their 22nd state championship Friday at Western Kentucky University and sixth in a row. The Bluebirds moved to 87-3 during that run.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

BOWLING GREEN – This year’s Highlands Bluebirds football team saw Co-Head Coaches Dale Mueller and Brian Weinrich lose someone close to them.

The Bluebirds (14-1) dedicated the season to those relatives. Mueller’s mother-in-law passed away in Ithaca, N.Y. earlier in the week and Mueller did not coach in Highlands’ 47-0 Class 4A state championship win over the Collins Titans (11-4) on Friday.

“Even though he’s not here calling the plays, this is just a well-oiled machine of a coaching staff,” said Donovan McCoy, Highlands senior quarterback. “We could have our three top offensive coaches go down and we’d still have someone there that could just go in and call the plays like he would and we’d execute the game plan. That’s how Highlands works. (Mueller) wasn’t here physically. But he was here spiritually and emotionally.”

Mueller handles a lot of responsibilities handling with the offense. The Bluebirds improved to 237-34 since Mueller came on staff in 1994.

“We met with (Mueller) Wednesday night before he left,” Weinrich said. “We do what we do and he trusts us. We’re a whole team top to bottom. They’re a great group of guys. We all rally around each other and we’re there for each other through everything.”

Highlands wore the initials, JEH for Weinrich’s grandmother Janet Hewling all season. The longtime Fort Thomas Independent School District employee passed away prior to the regular-season meeting against Covington Catholic.

Final Numbers:

The Bluebirds finished the season with 781 points, 111 touchdowns and 7,424 yards of total offense. Those averaged about 52 points, 7.4 touchdowns and 495 yards per contest.

Highlands also improved to 87-3 since the run of six consecutive state championships started in 2007. That includes a sparkling record of 82-1 against teams from Kentucky.

Final game for 25 Seniors:

The Bluebirds said goodbye to 25 seniors after the win Friday.

Highlands finished an impressive 58-2 in this class’ four years of high school. That was also the mark of last year’s class led by Patrick Towles, Austin Sheehan and Drake and Devin Bruns.

As far as the skill positions go, McCoy, running backs Colin Seidl, Ryan Donovan and wide receivers Jac Collinsworth, Luke Turner, David Christian, J.C. Mettens and tight end Jack Grimm graduate. The offensive lineman that will graduate are Richie Whitford, Jason Thome and center Mitch Dee.

On the defensive side, linemen Gabe Schultz, Austin Peterson, Taylor Fossett, and Trevor Kraft will graduate. The linebackers to graduate are Reid Schroder, Joe Paolucci, Jehad Henderson and Connor Poston. The defensive backs that played their last games Friday are Quentin Murray, Jake Lester, Blake Myers, Ben Streeter, Blake Schutte and Jake Heck.

Far from Bare:

The graduation of 25 seniors tends to set programs back. But not Highlands.

“We have a great group of underclassmen that are keeping (the tradition) going,”Schroder said. “They’re talking to all the freshmen and eighth graders keeping them in it and keeping the spirit alive for Highlands football.”

Drew Houliston is the leading candidate to take over at quarterback. But Beau Hoge could push for that spot as well.

They could throw to a number of receivers such as Ryan Greene, Luke Brockett, Brandon Hergott, Justin Weyer or even tight ends like Nick True or Jack Telek. Running backs Zach Harris and Jaylen Hayes will return for their senior seasons next year.

The offensive line returns a number of solid players. They will be led by Tyler Schweitzer, Bryan Saunders, Kendall Kramer and Scott Turner. The offseason programs generally begin in January.

“They are long and intense, but have a lot of fun with them,” Saunders said of Highlands' offseason workouts. “The contributors on this team survive them. You can’t get where we are without putting in that hard work.”

Seth Hope returns to anchor the defensive line along with Nathan Merkle and Matt Gall. The linebacking crew will be led by Brady Murray, Joey Cochran and Connor Bleser. The defensive backs will be led by Jackson Bardo, Griffin Urlage and Andrew Abner.

National Level:

The Bluebirds entered the season ranked second in the country for the most wins in school history. The picked up seven victories on the top team in the Valdosta Wildcats of south Georgia.

Valdosta has 23 state championships and 876 wins dating back to 1913. Highlands owns 842 victories since 1915. But Valdosta has not won a state title since 1998 playing in a tough region in the largest of six classes in Georgia.

The Bluebirds now rank 11th all-time in the country with the most football state championships in school history. Valdosta ranks 10th. The national leader is Sioux Falls Washington (S.D.) with 38.

Sioux Falls Washington and Honolulu (HI.) St. Louis have both won 14 straight state titles. A title next season would put Highlands among the nation’s elite with seven in a row and would tie five other schools. Massillon Washington (Oh.) had two separate runs of seven straight state titles in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.