By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Holmes junior slot back Tayquan Calloway joined the list of the state’s leading scorers in football last week when he got five touchdowns and a two-point conversion in his team’s 58-6 win over Owen County.
That scoring spree raised Calloway’s season total to 54 points, which is tied for ninth in the state based on statistics reported to the khsaa.org website.
One of the five touchdowns Holmes junior Tayquan Calloway, right, scored in a game last week came on a pass from his twin brother, Quantez, left.
Scoring five touchdowns in one game is not too uncommon in high school football, but Calloway did it in unique fashion. After getting his first two touchdowns on breakaway runs, he got one on an interception return, one on a pass reception and the last one on a kickoff return.
“In all my years, I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Holmes coach Ben Nevels. “A few weeks ago, I sent Tay an article from when I was in high school about a game I scored four touchdowns in. Mind you, that was in double overtime. He’s been saying ever since he was going to top me. He did a pretty good job of it Friday.”
Calloway picked up most of his 144 rushing yards on scoring runs of 50 and 66 yards. After returning an interception 47 yards for his third touchdown, he caught a 29-yard scoring pass from his twin brother, Quantez, and then ran in the two-point conversion.
This is the second year that the Calloway brothers have been playing varsity football together, but that was the first time they hooked up on a scoring pass.
Coach Nevels started using reserve players in the second quarter, but he let Tayquan return a kickoff and he took it 83 yards into the end zone. That gave him a net total of 273 yards on just his five scoring plays.
The win lifted Holmes’ record to 2-1. In those first three games, Tayquan rushed for 418 yards on 26 carries for a 16.0 average. If the Bulldogs win Friday’s game at Louisville Holy Cross, they’ll be off to their best start since 2013.
Holy Cross returns to All “A” Classic state volleyball tournament
A volleyball team from the 9th Region has played in the championship final of the Kentucky All “A” Classic state tournament for the last nine years and Holy Cross hopes to continue that streak this weekend.
Holy Cross defeated Beechwood, 25-17, 25-18, in the 9th Region title match last week to earn a berth in the small-school state tournament that begins Friday with pool play at Eastern Kentucky University.
Holy Cross started the string of 9th Region teams in the All “A” Classic state final when it was runner-up in 2010 and state champion in 2011. Over the last seven years, St. Henry had a 5-1 record in championship matches and Beechwood was runner-up once.
St. Henry won the last two All “A” Classic state titles, but the Crusaders did not compete in the small-school playoffs this year.
The field for the state tournament also includes 10th Region champion Bishop Brossart and 8th Region champion Walton-Verona. None of the local teams are in the same pool so they could all qualify for the championship bracket on Sunday.
The top two teams in each of the four pools advance to the eight-team championship bracket. The other two teams in each pool will compete in a consolation bracket.
The Kentucky All “A” Classic state golf tournaments were held last weekend in Richmond. St. Henry was runner-up in the boys tournament and Villa Madonna was fourth in the girls team standings.
St. Henry senior Evan Schwarz placed fifth in the boys event with a 72 and Hannah Hall of Walton-Verona tied for seventh in the girls event with a 77.
Dixie Heights senior swimmer makes commitment with Alabama
Dixie Heights senior swimmer Selina Reil has verbally accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Alabama.
Reil is a versatile swimmer who competes in distance freestyle, breaststroke and individual medley events for her high school team and the Northern Kentucky Clippers club team.
Last February, she qualified for the Kentucky high school state meet in two individual and two relay events. She was state runner-up in the girls 500 freestyle and placed seventh in the 100 breaststroke.
