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2019 Prep Football Previews: Boone County’s new coach wants to get team pointed in positive direction


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 2019 season on Aug. 23. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.

By Quinton Marksberry
NKyTribune contributor

Bryson Warner took on an imposing challenge when he agreed to become Boone County’s new head football coach in January. The Rebels have won only four games over the last four seasons and most of the top players on last year’s 2-9 team graduated.

Boone County players gather around head coach Bryson Warner after a recent scrimmage.

But Warner, a former Boone County all-state linebacker, is confident he can get the program pointed in a positive direction.

“Losing stops now, that’s over with,” he said. “We are getting back to what Boone County football is, and that is winning.”

Warner has a rather impressive resume. As head coach at Ryle for 11 seasons, his teams compiled a 73-58 record. One of those teams was Class 4A state runner-up in 2006 and another made it to the semifinals in 2010.

He spent the last two years as an assistant coach at Covington Catholic. The Colonels won the Class 5A state championship in 2017 and lost in the state final last year.

A statewide realignment put Boone County in a new Class 5A district this season that includes CovCath, Highlands, Conner and Cooper. The Rebels will have to win at least two of their district games to get into the playoffs in November, but their new coach doesn’t want them looking that far ahead.

“We’ve told these guys from day one to just focus on being 1-0 every week,” Warner said.

Bryson Warner

One of the Rebels’ returning starters on defense is junior Evan Curee, who ranked among the team’s leading tacklers last season with 74 stops and returned one of his two fumble recoveries for a touchdown.

“I think coach Warner is going to do huge things for Boone County and help us get back on track to what we used to be,” Curee said. “We have a ton of leadership on this team. I’ve had the mindset of being a leader and wanting to do great this season.”

The Rebels lost the starting quarterback, leading rusher and leading pass receiver on last year’s team to graduation. The top returning offensive player appears to be senior Jerry Cortez, who had 416 rushing yards.

Cortez is one of 20 seniors on the Boone County roster. The new coach will use their athletic ability and experience in every possible way to set a successful tone for the program.

“We have a lot of depth and guys who will and can play both ways this season,” Warner said.

BOONE COUNTY REBELS
2018 SEASON:  2-9 record, lost in first round of Class 6A playoffs.
DISTRICT:  Class 5A, District 5 with Conner, Cooper, Covington Catholic, Highlands.
HEAD COACH:  Bryson Warner (73-58 in 11 seasons at Ryle).

2019 SCHEDULE
Aug. 23 – HOLMES, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 – LEXINGTON DUNBAR, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 – at Lloyd, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 – at Ryle, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 – SCOTT, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 – CONNER, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 – at Covington Catholic, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 – HIGHLANDS, 7 p.m.
Oct. 18 – at Cooper, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 1 – CAMPBELL COUNTY, 7 p.m.

Other NKyTribune prep football previews:

RYLE RAIDERS
HOLMES BULLDOGS
BELLEVUE TIGERS
DIXIE HEIGHTS COLONELS
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC THOROUGHBREDS
HIGHLANDS BLUEBIRDS
WALTON-VERONA BEARCATS
DAYTON GREENDEVILS
COOPER JAGUARS
LLOYD JUGGERNAUTS
LUDLOW PANTHERS
BEECHWOOD TIGERS
NEWPORT WILDCATS


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