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Cameron Hergott’s return to high school football began in a course about American government


By Matthew Dietz
NKyTribune sports reporter

The process behind Beechwood quarterback Cameron Hergott returning for another high school football season actually began in the classroom last spring when head coach Noel Rash was teaching a course about American government.

At that time, Rash did not know anything about Kentucky’s Senate Bill 128, a proposal to allow students in grades K-12 to repeat a school year due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. After Hergott raised the topic of the bill during class, it gave Rash a new lesson plan.

Beechwood football coach Noel Rash

“I thought it was a great way to teach the class how a bill gets introduced and then the process that it goes through,” Rash said.”

The bill was introduced by Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, in February and also permitted students utilizing a supplemental year to participate in sports. It was approved by the General Assembly in March and then signed into law by Gov. Matt Beshear.

Beechwood is among the school districts that decided to allow students to take a supplemental year, so Hergott is returning to Beechwood and gets to play one more football season, much to the delight of coach Rash.

“Quarterbacks go beyond what you watch after the ball is snapped,” Rash said. “Their leadership, how they treat other players, how they handle the locker room, how they are on the weekends, how they are when nobody’s looking. When you add all that up, Cameron is the best that I’ve ever been around.”

Hergott has collected many accolades and achieved a litany of great accomplishments during his previous three years as quarterback of the Tigers.

Among those accomplishments was a 2020 season for the ages. Hergott was named co-Kentucky Mr. Football by the Associated Press after leading the Tigers to a 10-2 record and Class 2A state championship during his senior year. In the process, he passed for 2,467 yards while rushing for 1,078 yards. He also totaled 41 touchdowns with his strong arm and nimble legs.

Beechwood quarterback Cameron Hergott

The summer before his senior season, however, Hergott was unable to participate in college football camps because they were cancelled due to the pandemic. That limited the amount of recruiting exposure he received from NCAA Division I programs.

As a result, Hergott did not receive the scholarship offer he expected, which originally served as a big reason for his return to Beechwood.

When it came time for Hergott to make his decision on whether or not to return, Rash made sure to let both Hergott and his father know that whatever they chose to do, he was going to support.

“I sat down with him and his dad and I said you owe us nothing,” Rash said. “I want people to know the humility behind this.”

On June 15, Hergott accepted the Division I scholarship offer that he was looking for. He announced his commitment to Eastern Kentucky University as a member of 2022 graduating class via his Twitter page.

This week, the Tigers began practicing for another season with Hergott under center. The talents he possesses will be on display for high school football fans once again this fall.

“From a physical standpoint, all of his attributes are so good,” coach Rash said. “It’s his competitiveness that really is the thing that gives him the edge. It’s the thing between the ears and how he perceives each snap.”


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