The NKyTribune is featuring each of the 21 high school football teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties leading up to the first games of the 2018 season on Friday. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic has four of the five offensive linemen on last year’s undefeated Class 5A state championship football team returning, but record-setting quarterback A.J. Mayer has gone off to college.
That means senior running back Casey McGinness will likely play a bigger role in the Colonels’ offensive game plan during their 2018 season that begins Friday at Ryle.
CovCath senior running back Casey McGinness, No. 2, is closing in on team records for most career rushing yards and touchdowns. (File photo by Bob Jackson)
“We expect big things put of him,” CovCath coach Eddie Eviston said of McGinness. “Everybody looked to A.J. last year to spark things and we’re kind of looking for Casey to take over that role. Even though he’s not taking the ball from center on every play, he’ll be a big part of our offense. And he’s got to be a team leader for us in the huddle and on the field.”
McGinness has three years of varsity experience in the CovCath offensive backfield. He enters his senior season with career rushing totals of 2,981 yards and 39 touchdowns. He will set team records if he adds 902 yards and six TDs to those statistics.
The odds are pretty good that McGinness will end up at the top of both lists with returning starters Lucas Jones, Grant Hemmer, Carter Black and Jackson Sosa lining up in front of him. The team’s other veteran lineman is Ross Halverstadt.
“I’ve got to give the praise to them because they’ve been working hard in the offseason,” McGinness said. “Everything looks good right now with them opening up holes and I expect to have a great season.”
The team’s new quarterback could also have an effect on McGinness’ quest for the career rushing records. The leading candidates for that position appear to be senior Tyler Reusch and sophomore Caleb Jacob.
Last year, McGinness rushed for 1,418 yards and 22 touchdowns when defenses also had to contend with Mayer’s passing ability. The new quarterback needs to provide the same threat.
Casey McGinness
“We’ll just kind of play to our strengths and see what gets the (first-down) chains moving,” Eviston said. “We’ve got a lot of skill guys back that we can rely on, but from a quarterback standpoint we’re going to have a new guy in there. It’s a situation where A.J. made everybody look good and now we’ll have this new guy and we have to make him look good.”
Two major college recruits are among CovCath’s other returning starters on offense. Tight end Michael Mayer committed to Notre Dame and wide receiver Jack Coldiron is headed to Miami University. Both of them will also be in the defensive starting lineup with Mayer at middle linebacker and Coldiron at outside linebacker or defensive back.
Eviston plans to fill the other defensive positions with the best players he can find for the job, even if they’re also starters on offense.
“I think this new group understands what we had last year (on defense) and they’re trying to replicate it as much as possible,” Eviston said. “I’m looking forward to using guys who didn’t have an opportunity to be on field as much last year and seeing how they perform.”
How well the new quarterback and first-year defensive starters adjust to varsity competition will be crucial in CovCath’s drive for a second straight Class 5A state title this season.
“Our team motto this year is ‘Never Satisfied,’ which is great for what we’re trying to prove to everybody,” McGinness said. “We had such a good season last year, and it’s really hard to compare to that, so we’re just focusing on this year and what we need to do to become better.”
COVINGTON CATHOLIC COLONELS
2017 season: 15-0 record, won Class 5A state championship.
District: Class 5A, District 5 with Dixie Heights and Highlands.
Head coach: Eddie Eviston (64-20 in five seasons overall, 29-12 in three seasons at CovCath).
2018 SCHEDULE
Aug. 17 – at Ryle, 7:30 p.m..
Aug. 24 – vs. Lexington Henry Clay at Lexington Catholic, 6 p.m.
Aug. 31 – at Cooper, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 7 – KINGS (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Sept. 14 – BEECHWOOD, 7 p.m.
Sept. 21 – at Columbus DeSales (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Oct. 5 – at Indianapolis Chatard (Ind.), 7 p.m.
Oct. 12 – at Highlands, 7 p.m.
Oct. 19 – DIXIE HEIGHTS, 7 p.m.
Oct. 26 – CAMPBELL COUNTY, 7 p.m.
Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
DAYTON GREENDEVILS
DIXIE HEIGHTS COLONELS
COOPER JAGUARS
CONNER COUGARS
HIGHLANDS BLUEBIRDS
LUDLOW PANTHERS
BOONE COUNTY REBELS
HOLMES BULLDOGS
WALTON-VERONA BEARCATS
BROSSART MUSTANGS
NEWPORT WILDCATS
SCOTT EAGLES
CAMPBELL COUNTY CAMELS
SIMON KENTON PIONEERS
BELLEVUE TIGERS
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC THOROUGHBREDS
LLOYD JUGGERNAUTS
RYLE RAIDERS
