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.
Holy Cross defensive back Archer Adams knocks the ball loose as he tackles an Owen County player. (Photo by Mary Lynn Lampke)
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Holy Cross picked up most of its 281 offensive yards on seven scoring plays and defeated Owen County, 55-12, in the opening round of the Class 2A state football playoffs on Thursday at Covington Catholic High School.
The Indians had five rushing touchdowns that totaled 127 yards and quarterback Dylan Couch threw a pair of TD passes that accounted for 87 yards. The team’s other touchdown was a 74-yard kickoff return by Derrick Barnes at the beginning of the second half.
Owen County was limited to 67 yards of offense and turned the ball over three times. The Rebels got both of their touchdowns in the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter.
Xavier Abernathy was the leading rusher for Holy Cross with 55 yards on five carries. He scored on runs of 34 and 19 yards in the first half. Couch completed 6 of 12 passes for 118 yards with TD passes of 34 yards to Corey Lyons and 53 yards to Dominick Finnell.
Holy Cross (8-3) advances to the second round of the playoffs next week and will play the winner of the Newport-Walton-Verona game.
OWEN COUNTY 0 0 0 12 – 12
HOLY CROSS 14 20 14 7 – 55
HC – Barnes 42 run (Hobbs kick)
HC – Abernathy 34 run (Hobbs kick)
HC – Lyons 34 pass from Couch (Hobbs kick)
HC – Abernathy 19 run (Hobbs kick)
HC – Baker 13 run (run failed)
HC – Barnes 74 kickoff return (Hobbs kick)
HC – Finnell 53 pass from Couch (Hobbs kick)
HC – Finke 19 run (Finnell kick)
OC – Lopez 89 kickoff return (kick failed)
OC – Smith 17 pass from Young (pass failed)
RECORDS: Holy Cross 8-3, Owen County 5-6.
State football playoff games
(All games begin at 7:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise)
FRIDAY
Class 6A – Region 3
Henry Clay (3-6-1) at Ryle (10-0)
Paul Dunbar (3-7) at Conner (8-2)
Cooper (6-4) at Bryan Station (4-6)
Class 6A – Region 4
Clark County (1-9) at Simon Kenton (9-1)
Tates Creek (5-5) at Boone County (1-9)
Campbell County (3-7) at Madison Central (8-2)
Class 5A – Region 2
Southern (4-6) at Dixie Heights (5-5)
Fairdale (3-7) at Covington Catholic (7-3), 7 p.m.
Highlands (3-7) at Doss (5-5)
Class 4A – Region 4
Scott (2-8) at Johnson Central (9-1)
Class 2A – Region 3
Newport (1-9) at Walton-Verona (6-4)
Lloyd Memorial (5-5) at Gallatin County (6-4)
Carroll County (4-6) at Newport Central Catholic (5-5)
Class 1A – Region 2
Frankfort (3-7) at Bellevue (3-7)
Eminence (4-6) at Beechwood (9-1)
Dayton (2-8) at Kentucky Country Day (8-2)
Ludlow (3-7) at Louisville Holy Cross (6-4), 7 p.m.
Class 1A – Region 3
Brossart (8-2) at Raceland (8-2)
