By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Final margins were between 15 and 52 points in all but one of the district seeding football games involving Northern Kentucky teams on Friday. The only exception was Brossart’s 7-6 win over Bracken County in Class 1A, but dramatic endings have become the mark of the Mustangs this season.
After Bracken County scored a touchdown with 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Polar Bears lined up for a two-point conversion. The handoff went to running back Dalton Tarter, but he was stopped short of the goal line.
Brossart quarterback Austin Schadler passed for 147 yards in the win over Bracken County. (Photo from bmustangs.com)
Brossart coaches gave juniors Henry Goering and Luke Schroeder credit for the tackle that secured their team’s victory in the homecoming game.
The Mustangs now have a 6-2 record that includes four victories by margins of three points or less. In two of those games, they needed a field goal in the closing seconds to come out on top.
Bracken County (5-2) was averaging 219 rushing yards per game, but the Polar Bears managed to get just 149 yards on the ground and 24 in the air against Brossart’s defense. Their lone touchdown came on a 7-yard run by Tarter, who broke two tackles to reach the end zone.
Brossart scored its touchdown early in the second quarter on a 66-yard pass from Austin Schadler to Alex Amin and Tyler Smith kicked the extra point. Schadler ended up completing 7 of 15 passes for 146 yards. The Mustangs rushed for 34 yards with Evan Orth picking up 30 on 11 carries.
Next Friday, Brossart will play its final district game at home against Paris. The winner will be a top seed in the Class 1A playoffs and get a home game in the opening round.
After falling behind, 14-6, in the first quarter, Lloyd went on a scoring spree and defeated Newport, 44-22, in a Class 2A district game on Friday. It was the third straight win for the Juggernauts (4-2), who will visit two-time defending state champion Beechwood (6-1) in a district game next week.
Beechwood running back Mitchell Berger
Beechwood rolled to a 55-3 win over Holy Cross with senior Mitchell Berger rushing for 115 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers also had sophomore quarterback Clay Harden pass for 181 yards and three TDs.
In Class 5A district seeding games on Friday, Highlands buried Boone County, 50-0, and Cooper outscored Conner, 41-7. It was the fourth consecutive game that Highlands (6-2) has scored 50 points or more.
Cooper (4-3) opened its game with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Cole Henry and ended the first half with a 41-0 lead. The Jaguars other scoring plays in the first quarter were an 81-yard pass from Cam O’Hara to Austin Alexander, blocked punt return by Mason Stanton and 52-yard run by Eli White.
Ryle defeated Campbell County, 35-20, in the only Class 6A district game on Friday. The Raiders (4-3) took a 28-0 lead in the first half when senior wide receiver Kaden Gardner scored two touchdowns on jet sweeps.
Campbell County (3-4) did outscore Ryle during the second half, but it wasn’t enough for the Camels, who had won their previous two games after getting off to a 1-3 start.
The other shutout on Friday came in Dayton’s 48-0 win over Bellevue in the 148th game between the long-time Class 1A district rivals. Landyn Hopper rushed for four touchdowns and has 14 in seven games for the 3-4 Greendevils.
High school football scoreboard
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Simon Kenton 66, Dixie Heights 23
Newport Central Catholic 60, Ludlow 30
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Brossart 7, Bracken County 6
Beechwood 55, Holy Cross 3
Cooper 41, Conner 7
Highlands 50, Boone County 0
Dayton 46, Bellevue 0
Ryle 35, Campbell County 20
Boyd County 43, Holmes 8
Walton-Verona 29, Owen County 7
Lloyd 44, Newport 22
