By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Boone County’s football team has a winning record at the halfway point in the regular season for the first time since 2011. That puts the Rebels in a good frame of mind going into their first Class 5A district seeding game against Conner on Friday in Florence.
Both teams have a 3-2 record. If Boone County breaks its six-game losing streak against Conner, it will be another step forward for the Rebels, who have an 0-8 record against district opponents over the last two years.
Boone County junior quarterback Richard West is averaging 146 yards per game passing and rushing combined. (Photo by Carla Martin)
Boone County’s first five games this season were against teams in lower classes that have compiled a 13-12 record. The Rebels averaged 224 yards on offense and gave up 207 yards on defense in those games.
Junior quarterback Richard West is the Rebels’ offensive leader. He’s averaging 146 yards per game with team-leading totals of 464 passing and 265 rushing.
But it was junior running back Jeremiah Williams who scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to give Boone County a 21-13 win over Walton-Verona last Friday.
Conner played four of its first five games against Class 6A teams and the five opponents have a 10-14 combined record. The Cougars are averaging 256 yards on offense and giving up 298 on defense.
Last week, Conner senior quarterback Alex Castrucci rushed for 73 yards, scored three touchdowns and threw a 35-yard scoring pass to Terry Phillips during his team’s 38-7 win over Campbell County.
Castrucci is averaging 152 yards per game with totals of 425 passing and 337 rushing. The Cougars’ other offensive threat is junior running back Alijah Thompson, the team leader in rushing yards (437) and touchdowns (9).
Cooper at Covington Catholic is the other Class 5A district seeding game on Friday’s schedule. CovCath has not lost a district game in the last five years.
The other district matchups are Walton-Verona at Gallatin County in Class 2A and Rowan County at Scott in Class 4A. The last time Walton-Verona lost a district game was 2013.
High school football schedule
FRIDAY
Cooper (3-1) at Covington Catholic (2-3), 7 p.m.
Highlands (3-2) at Dixie Heights, (2-2), 7 p.m.
Conner (3-2) at Boone County (3-2), 7 p.m.
Walton-Verona (2-3) at Gallatin County (0-3), 7:30 p.m.
Ludlow (1-3) at Brossart (5-0), 7 p.m.
Rowan County (3-2) at Scott (3-2), 7:30 p.m.
Campbell County (1-4) at George Rogers Clark (2-3), 7:30 p.m.
Holy Cross (1-4) at Holmes (3-1), 7 p.m.
Simon Kenton (0-4) at Connersville, Ind. (1-4), 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Newport Central Catholic (3-2) at Newport (1-4), 7 p.m.
