CovCath running back Casey McGinness, No. 2, breaks free on one of his four touchdown runs in the win over Highlands. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The first half of the Class 5A football playoff game between Covington Catholic and Highlands on Friday was a tense defensive battle. At the break, the two teams had a combined total of 197 yards and there was only seven points on the scoreboard.
CovCath completely turned the game around, however, by scoring on its first four offensive possessions in the second half to come away with a 36-0 victory on its home field and advances to the state semifinals.
CovCath defensive players converge on Highlands quarterback Grady Cramer, No. 18, to make a stop. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
If the Colonels (13-0) win next week’s game at Pulaski County (11-2), they’ll be one step closer to finishing the season as undefeated state champions for the second consecutive year.
Senior running back Casey McGinness was the key to CovCath’s scoring spree. In the second half, he picked up 135 of his game-high 201 rushing yards and scored 26 points with four touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
“I just wasn’t happy with my performance in the first half,” McGinness said. “Coming out in the second half, I was fired up and I knew I had to do something to get this thing rolling.”
But the most impressive statistic belonged to CovCath’s defensive unit that limited Highlands to a net total of 79 yards. That’s well below the Bluebirds’ 324-yard offensive average coming into the game.
“Light’s out,” is how CovCath coach Eddie Eviston described his team’s defensive effort. “They were ready to go. Our defensive staff put a great game plan together and they carried it out.”
Junior linebacker Michael Mayer was the outstanding performer on defense. He made 12 solo tackles, including two for a loss and one quarterback sack. He also recovered a fumble.
CovCath tight end Michael Mayer, No. 87, goes up over a defender to catch a pass. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
Mayer had a pretty good night on offense as well. The tight end recruited by Notre Dame scored the only touchdown in the first half on a 65-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Caleb Jacob and ended up with six catches for 140 yards.
“I think our offense was more frustrated than the defense (at halftime),” Mayer said. “The defense was doing it’s job, holding them to zero points. For the offense, it was there, but it just wasn’t clicking. That was the difference in the second half, it started clicking for us.”
The Colonels had 151 yards of offense in the first half with Mayer’s 65-yard touchdown catch accounting for much of it. In the second quarter, they had a field goal attempt partially blocked and a pass interception ruined another scoring opportunity.
The CovCath offense did much better in the second half when McGinness rushed for 135 of the team’s 254 yards. Touchdown runs of 50 and 55 yards in the third quarter accounted for most of his total.
“Our coaches figured out what we needed to fix and we just put it to them in the second half,” McGinness said. “Our wide receivers started blocking a lot better and getting the cornerbacks out of the lanes. And once I got my chance to burst out of there I took advantage of it.”
This is CovCath’s fourth straight win over Highlands. The final score was a little surprising since the Colonels barely pulled out a 21-14 win in a regular season game between the long-time rivals six weeks ago.
The Bluebirds’ only scoring opportunity in Friday’s game came after a fumbled punt recovery late in the second quarter. They moved the ball to the 11-yard line, but turned it over on downs when CovCath linebacker Andrew Shelton made a tackle behind the line on a fourth-down play.
“The first time we played them it wasn’t the team’s best game and it wasn’t my best game,” Mayer said. “I think it was just an overall good night for us (Friday). We came out with emotion and we stayed strong.”
COVCATH 7 0 21 8 — 36
HIGHLANDS 0 0 0 0 — 0
CC — Mayer 65 pass from Jacob (Gronotte kick)
CC — McGinness 50 run (Gronotte kick)
CC — McGinness 15 run (Gronotte kick)
CC — McGinness 55 run (Gronotte kick)
CC — McGinness 7 run (McGinness run)
RECORDS: CovCath 13-0, Highlands 10-3
High school football scoreboard
CLASS 1A
Beechwood 49, Frankfort 8
CLASS 2A
Walton-Verona 18, Glasgow 14
CLASS 5A
Covington Catholic 36, Highlands 0
CLASS 6A
Madison Central 28, Conner 27 2OT
Scott County 56, Simon Kenton 28
Next Friday’s state semifinal games
CLASS 1A
Campbellsville (11-1) at Beechwood (10-2), 7:30 p.m.
Raceland (11-2) at Pikeville (10-2), 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Mayfield (13-0) at Walton-Verona (11-2), 7:30 p.m.
Christian Academy of Louisville (13-0) at Somerset (11-2), 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 5A
Covington Catholic (13-0) at Pulaski County (11-2), 7:30 p.m.
South Warren (12-0) at South Oldham (12-1), 7:30 p.m.
