Friday Football Roundup: Morgan joins elite list of quarterbacks in Ryle's playoff victory - NKyTribune

Ryle quarterback Tanner Morgan, left, gets off a pass during his team’s first-round playoff game against Henry Clay. (Photo by Lisa Smith)

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

Ryle senior quarterback Tanner Morgan became the 10th Kentucky high school quarterback to surpass the 10,000 mark in career passing yards during his team’s 47-3 win over Lexington Henry Clay in a Class 6A playoff game on Friday in Union.

Morgan completed 12 of 18 passes for 241 yards to raise his four-year varsity total to 10,033. He threw touchdown passes to four different receivers during the game, including a 73-yard strike to Zach Cusick.

Jacob Chisholm scored the first two touchdowns for Ryle on runs of 57 and 25 yards that accounted for more than half of his 121-yard rushing total. The Raiders finished with 442 total yards while holding Henry Clay to 122.

Ryle will take an 11-0 record into a second-round game against Cooper next Friday. The Raiders won the district game between the two teams, 49-42, on Oct. 7.

RYLE 8 29 10 0 – 47
HENRY CLAY 3 0 0 0 – 3

R – Chisholm 57 run (Scherr run)
HC – Works 19 FG
R – Chisholm 25 run (Scherr run)
R – Ashley 18 pass from Morgan (Molique kick)
R – Burch 20 pass from Morgan (Molique kick)
R – Cusick 76 pass from Morgan (Molique kick)
R – Pilyer 61 pass from Morgan (Molique kick)
R – Molique 26 FG
RECORDS: Ryle 11-0, Henry Clay 3-7-1

CONNER 39, LEXINGTON DUNBAR 8 – Conner senior Armand Jackson rushed for 103 yards and three touchdowns and scored a fourth TD on a fumble return during his team’s Class 6A playoff victory.

Conner quarterback Walker Buelew did his part by completing 14 of 17 passes for 191 yards and one TD. The team’s defensive standout was lionebcker Peyton Van Horn with nine solo tackles and two assists.

Dunbar was limited to 168 yards of offense and scored its only touchdown on a fumble return in the fourth quarter.

COVINGTON CATHOLIC 63, LOUISVILLE FAIRDALE 7 – CovCath matched its highest point total of the season in the Class 5A playoff game with quarterback AJ Mayer and running back Casey McGinness leading the way.

McGinness rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns while Mayer passed for 129 yards and two TDs. If you add in Mayer’s 28 rushing yards, those two players accounted for 304 of the Colonels’ 402 total yards.

Fairdale’s only touchdown came on a kickoff return. The Bulldogs’ offensive unit was limited to 178 yards with most of that coming in the second half after CovCath pulled its starters.

Walton-Verona running back Garet Talbott, No. 33, tries to slip through a tackle during his team’s playoff game against Newport. (Photo by Carla Martin)

LOUISVILLE DOSS 52, HIGHLANDS 32 – Doss had 687 yards of offense and kept Highlands off the scoreboard until the third quarter in the Class 5A playoff game at Doss.

After falling behind 24-0 in the first half, the Bluebirds weren’t able to rally and lost in the first round of playoffs for the first time 1991.

Highlands finished with 473 yards of offense. Senior quarterback Brady Gosney provided most of it by passing for 283 yards and three touchdowns. He also scored on a 35-yard run.

LEXINGTON TATES CREEK 34, BOONE COUNTY 27 – Boone County wide receiver Rondell Douglas caught a 73-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alex Schwartz on the first play from scrimmage, but that was the only time the Rebels had a lead in the Class 6A playoff game.

Boone County tied the score, 20-20, on a 57-yard TD pass from Schwartz to Brandon Morgan early in the fourth quarter. Tates Creek responded by getting 14 straight points to regain the lead. Douglas scored his second TD on a pass from Schwartz with 1:15 left to play, but Tates Creek recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

DIXIE HEIGHTS 37, LOUISVILLE SOUTHERN 12 — Senior running back Jose Torres scored four touchdowns to lead the Dixie Heights offense in the Class 5A playoff game. The Colonels scored in the final seconds of the first half and opened the second half with an 80-yard TD drive to take a 28-6 lead.

CAMPBELL COUNTY 26, MADISON CENTRAL 21 — Junior quarterback Austin Hoeh threw two touchdown passes and scored on a 3-yard run for Campbell County in the Class 6A playoff win. The Camels’ other rushing touchdown came on a 70-yard run by junior Alex Dowds.

WALTON-VERONA 50, NEWPORT 0 – Walton-Verona rushed for 261 yards and six touchdowns in the Class 2A playoff game while its defense held Newport to 89 total yards. The Bearcats’ leading rushers were Garet Talbott with 91 yards and Scott Pettyjohn with 72. Pettyjohn scored on two of his runs.

SIMON KENTON 56, CLARK COUNTY 6 – Simon Kenton rushed for 173 of its 248 total yards with running backs Dylan Hampton and Jon Sergent each scoring two touchdowns during the Class 6A playoff win.

BEECHWOOD 56, EMINENCE 6 – Six players scored touchdowns for Beechwood in the Class 1A playoff game with Elijah McKenney getting one of them on a fumble recovery in the first quarter.

NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC 43, CARROLL COUNTY 6 – NewCath had a 228-103 advantage in total yardage in the Class 2A playoff game. Hunter Cain rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns for the Thoroughbreds.

KENTUCKY COUNTRY DAY 42, DAYTON 6 – Dayton took a 6-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Seth Chinn early in the second quarter, but that was the only time the Greendevils reached the end zone in the Class 1A playoff game.