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
NKy Tribune sports reporter
The Ryle football team is two wins away from finishing the regular season with a perfect record for the first time in the history of the program, but the Raiders face a major hurdle in pursuit of that record.
Chase Ross, left, and Parker Bisek are two of the offensive linemen on the 8-0 Ryle team that’s averaging more than 400 yards per game. (Photo from Ryle Raiders Football website)
Ryle will play Simon Kenton in a showdown between the two undefeated teams in Northern Kentucky at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Ryle. Both teams have already clinched district titles so the game won’t have any affect on the post-season playoff picture, but neither team wants to lose momentum after winning eight games in a row.
“I’ll tell you what, people have been asking me about (Friday’s game) for quite some time and I’ve pushed it to the side,” Ryle coach Mike Engler said. “It’s going to be an exciting atmosphere.”
Both of the Class 6A teams are averaging more than 400 yards and 40 points per game, but Ryle’s offensive statistics are perfectly balanced.
The Raiders are averaging 218 yards rushing and 218 yards passing going into Friday’s game. In last week’s district game against Conner, they scored three passing touchdowns in the first half and three rushing touchdowns in the second half to come away with a 42-28 win.
“Whatever’s working, we stick to it,” said Ryle junior running back Jake Chisholm. “It’s pretty awesome (that) we’re a perfectly balanced team. If we’re not hitting it on the ground, we can hit it in the air. If we’re not hitting it in the air, we can hit it on the ground.”
Chisholm has rushed for 1,002 yards and 13 touchdowns while senior quarterback Morgan Tanner has passed for 1,655 yards and 12 TDs to lead the Raiders’ dual-threat offense. They both give the offensive line most of the credit for their big numbers. The starters up front include senior Chase Ross, juniors Parker Besek, Kevin Weber and Ryan Principata and sophomore Jake Giddeon.
“It all starts with the offensive line,” Chisholm said. “Those five guys are a huge part of this team, probably some of the most important guys on this team. They really open up everything for our offense, pass game and run game.”
The battle between the two unbeaten teams isn’t the only big game on this weekend’s football schedule. Here’s look at the final district seeding games that will have an impact on the post-season playoffs that begin on Nov. 4.
DIXIE HEIGHTS at COVINGTON CATHOLIC – The winner will win the Class 5A, District 5 title and have the home field advantage for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.
HOLMES at SCOTT – The winner will advance to the Class 4A playoffs as the fourth-place team in District 7. The loser will finish out its season next week.
CONNER at COOPER – The winner of Saturday’s game will place second in Class 6A, District 5 and get a home game in the first round of the playoffs. The loser will have a first-round game on the road.
CAMPBELL COUNTY at BOONE COUNTY – The winner will finish second in Class 6A, District 6 and get a home game in the first round of the playoffs. The loser will play a first-round game on the road.
BROSSART at BEREA – If Brossart wins the Class 1A, District 5 game, it will have a shot at hosting a playoff game next week depending on the outcome of the Bracken County-Nicholas County district game.
LUDLOW at BELLEVUE – The winner will finish second in Class 1A, District 4 and get a home game in the first round of the playoffs. The loser will play a first-round game on the road.
HOLY CROSS vs. LLOYD – The winner of Saturday’s game at Thomas More will finish second in Class 2A, District 6 and get a home game in the first round of the playoffs. The loser will play a first-round game on the road.
Weekend football schedule
FRIDAY
Walton-Verona at New Richmond (Ohio), 7:30 p.m.
Class 1A
Beechwood at Dayton, 7 p.m.
Ludlow at Bellevue, 7 p.m.
Brossart at Berea, 7:30 p.m.
Class 2A
Newport Central Catholic at Newport, 7 p.m.
Class 4A
Holmes at Scott, 7 p.m.
Class 5A
Dixie Heights at Covington Catholic, 7 p.m.
Highlands at Grant County, 7 p.m.
Class 6A
Campbell County at Boone County, 7 p.m.
Simon Kenton at Ryle, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Class 2A
Holy Cross vs. Lloyd at Thomas More College, 1 p.m.
Class 6A
Conner at Cooper, 7 p.m.
