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 Friday. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
By Jakob Jones
NKyTribune contributor
Mike Woolf enters his second season as Campbell County’s head football coach with only four returning starters, but all of the upperclassmen on the roster have a firm grasp on the offensive and defensive schemes that he installed last year.
“There’s 12 (seniors) who are in the second year of the system,” Woolf said. “They’ve retained it. They have more of the attitude of the system and a better understanding.”
Campbell County senior linebacker Casey Rauch led the team in tackles last season.
One of those seniors is middle linebacker Casey Rauch, who made a team-high 87 tackles last season when the Camels posted a 6-5 record. He was also one of the area’s leading punters with a 42-yard average and handled kickoffs.
Deemed as “quarterback of the defense” by his coach, Rauch has already established himself as a team leader for the upcoming season.
“Casey has done a great job of helping us with the younger guys, understanding what their roles are, what their assignments are,” Woolf said. “He’s not afraid to speak up in a helping matter because he’s been there before.”
Rauch is one of three returning starters on defense. He’s also listed as a tight end on the roster. The Camels need him there to offset the loss of 10 offensive starters, including the quarterback, leading rusher and leading pass receiver on last year’s team.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound senior has played varsity football for two years and needs to mentor less experienced teammates who will be first-year starters this season. While he can be a vocal leader, he prefers to lead by example.
Casey Rauch
“Since we have such a young team, I want to show them how to act on the field and what the games are like,” he said.
Rauch also wrestles for Campbell County. At the state tournament last February, he placed third in the 220-pound weight class. His wrestling skills often help him on the football field.
“I’ve made a couple plays due to my lateral mobility, jumping off of one leg, that I might not have otherwise,” he said.
Woolf said a wrestling injury kept Rauch from participating in spring football drills, but he continued working on his punting skills through out the offseason.
“As a punter he’s been to a couple camps this summer and rated pretty high,” Woolf said. “With him going to camps, he’s probably gotten a couple looks (from college teams). I haven’t had anybody call me yet, but there’s some NAIA schools that if they don’t look at him at linebacker I’m sure they could for punting.”
The Camels’ first six games of the season will be against non-district opponents. Then they’ll play the area’s other three Class 6A teams – Ryle, Simon Kenton and Dixie Heights – to determine pairings for the district playoffs.
CAMPBELL COUNTY CAMELS
2018 SEASON: 6-5 record, lost in second round of Class 6A playoffs.
DISTRICT: Class 6A, District 6 with Dixie Heights, Ryle, Simon Kenton.
HEAD COACH: Mike Woolf (6-5 in one season at Campbell County).
2019 SCHEDULE
Aug. 23 – NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 – COVINGTON CATHOLIC, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 – at Highlands, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 – at Cooper, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 – at Conner, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 – MOUNT HEALTHY (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 – RYLE, 7 p.m.
Oct. 18 – at Simon Kenton, 7 p.m.
Oct. 25 – DIXIE HEIGHTS, 7 p.m.
Nov. 1 – at Boone County, 7 p.m.
Other NKyTribune prep football previews
COVINGTON CATHOLIC COLONELS
CONNER COUGARS
BROSSART MUSTANGS
HOLY CROSS INDIANS
SCOTT EAGLES
BOONE COUNTY REBELS
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
