2022 Prep Football Previews: Beechwood senior striving to uphold program's standard of success - NKyTribune

The NKyTribune is featuring a player on each of the 21 high school football teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties leading up to the first games of the 2022 season on Friday. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.

By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Over the last six years, Beechwood football teams have claimed five state championships in two different classes and compiled a 71-13 record for an 84.5 winning percentage. The expectations are high for the Tigers again this season and senior Austin Waddell seems to embrace the pressure of playing on one of the state’s top programs.

“You call it pressure, but it’s more like a standard for us each year to reach our goals and get what we want,” said Waddell, a two-way starter on last year’s undefeated Class 2A state championship team.

Austin Waddell, center, provided pass protection as an offensive linemen on Beechwood’s state championship team last season. (Photo from beechwoodphotos.com)

“Each practice, we’re practicing like we would for state (finals). We want to be there, that’s the standard that we hold, but we take each opponent one at a time.”

Waddell played offensive guard and middle linebacker on last year’s 15-0 Beechwood team that won 13 games by double-digit margins and finished with a 689-104 scoring advantage over its opponents.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound two-way starter did not miss a game even though he had a torn ligament in his left thumb that needed to be heavily taped and wrapped. The injury recurred during preseason practice, but he’s not going to let it interfere with his senior season.

“It’s pretty painful, but I don’t think about it much during a game when I’ve got it taped up a lot,” Waddell said.

Most of the other offensive starters for Beechwood last season were seniors, including dual-threat quarterback Cameron Hergott. He had a combined total of 4,134 passing and rushing yards to account for 71 percent of the team’s 5,827-yard total.

The Tigers also lost three interior offensive linemen to graduation. The only returnees up front are junior tackle Xavier Campbell and Waddell, who was shifted from guard to tackle by offensive line coach Bob Burnett. He wanted two experienced players in the tackle positions with the first-year starters lining up between them.

“He told us he trusts us the most because we’ve been there two and a half years on the line,” Waddell said. “So he counts on us to help pull the young guys along and make sure we talk to them when we get up to the line and communicate with them on their (blocking) assignments.”

Austin Waddell

Beechwood’s offense will have a new look without Hergott behind center. His replacement is sophomore Clay Hayden, who saw action at quarterback in just three varsity games last season.

“Cam could roll out and throw the ball and Clay is more of a precession type passer,” Waddell said. “I mean he can definitely get mobile if he needs to, but the main thing we’re focusing on is keeping the pocket together so he can throw the ball.”

The Tigers have six returning starters on defense, including Waddell at middle linebacker and Campbell at end. The others are outside linebacker Mitchell Berger, tackle Torin O’Shea and defensive backs Carson Craycraft and Liam McCormack.

A few weeks ago, Beechwood added another defensive back, Antonio Robinson, to the roster. He’s a Wake Forest University recruit who transferred from Florida to play his senior season with the Tigers.

“I think we’re very strong (on defense),” Waddell said. “Our linebacker core is pretty much the same as last year with me and Mitchell and all the guys outside who played last year. Up front, we’ve got Torin and Xavier and now we’ve got Antonio as well. I think we’ll be pretty good in the box and on the edge, as we were last year.”

BEECHWOOD TIGERS
2021 SEASON:  15-0, won Class 2A state championship.
DISTRICT:  Class 2A, District 4 with Holy Cross, Lloyd, Newport.
HEAD COACH:  Noel Rash (180-45 in 16 seasons at Beechwood).

2022 SCHEDULE
Aug. 20 – at Louisville Fairdale, 7 p.m.
Aug. 26 – PAINTSVILLE, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 – at Somerset, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 9 – SIMON KENTON, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 – at Covington Catholic, 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 – DIXIE HEIGHTS, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 – HOLY CROSS, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 14 – LLOYD, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 – NEWPORT, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 28 – vs. Newport Central Catholic at CovCath, 7 p.m.

Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
COOPER JAGUARS
HIGHLANDS BLUEBIRDS
CAMPBELL COUNTY CAMELS
HOLMES BULLDOGS
BROSSART MUSTANGS