By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Highlands celebrated winning its first Class 5A district title since 2015 and Dayton clinched a home game in the Class 1A playoffs for the first time since 2007 with their victories on Friday.
Highlands defeated Cooper, 34-5, behind a big game by junior quarterback Brody Benke, who accounted to 205 of his team’s 325 total yards. He completed 11 of 24 passes for 134 yards while rushing for 71 and scoring twice.
Highlands quarterback Brody Benke accounted for 205 of his team’s 325 total yards in the win over Cooper. (File photo by Dale Dawn)
Two big scoring plays helped Dayton come away with a 28-21 win over Ludlow. An 87-yard run by senior running back Landyn Hopper was one reason the Greendevils had a 22-0 halftime lead and junior Mason Johnson’s 97-yard kickoff return gave them a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.
“This is huge,” Dayton coach Jesse Herbst said after the victory that lifted his team’s record to 4-5 and clinched second place in the district standings. “This is another step forward for our program.”
The Greendevils went 0-9 the year before Herbst took over in 2019. In the last four seasons, they’ve compiled an 18-23 record and won their first post-season playoff game since 1998 last year.
Dayton’s other two touchdowns in Friday’s game came on a 5-yard run by senior quarterback Russell McIntyre and a 15-yard halfback option pass from Hopper to senior Dylan Davis.
In the third quarter, Ludlow senior quarterback Jaxson Rice scored his team’s first touchdown on a 5-yard run. Rice threw a 37-yard TD pass to Andrew Kendall that trimmed Dayton’s lead to 22-14, but Johnson scored on the ensuing kickoff to sidetrack the Panthers’ momentum.
Ludlow scored the game’s final touchdown on a 7-yard run by senior Jaylen Bridges with 2:09 left in the game to make it 28-21, but Dayton was able to run out the clock.
Highlands had a 13-2 lead over Cooper at halftime of their game. Benke scored the Bluebirds’ first touchdown on a 14-yard run and Davis Burleigh kicked field goals from 37 and 39 yards out to offset a safety by the Jaguars.
Highlands defensive back Carson Class
In the second half, Cooper junior Carson Taylor kicked a 33-yard field goal on his team’s first possession, but a rash of turnovers kept the Jaguars from getting any other points.
Highlands opened up a 27-5 lead on touchdowns runs by junior Cam Giesler and Benke. The game’s final TD came on a 60-yard interception return by junior defensive back Carson Class.
That was one of four passes picked off by the Highlands defensive unit. They also had three quarterback sacks that helped limit Cooper to 181 total yards.
After losing their first two games, the Bluebirds won eight in a row to end the regular season with an 8-2 record. They have a bye next week to prepare for their first-round game in the Class 5A playoffs.
The other teams that won district games on Friday were Lloyd and Walton-Verona in Class 2A, Holmes in Class 4A, Covington Catholic in Class 5A and Campbell County in Class 6A. The winner of the local Class 6A district will be decided on Saturday when Ryle visits Simon Kenton at 5 p.m.
Lloyd had 292 rushing yards in its 47-13 win over Holy Cross. The team leaders were running back Kaiden Zulager with 132 yards on 14 carries and quarterback Isaiah Sabastian with 104 yards on seven carries. Both of them scored two touchdowns.
CovCath defeated Conner, 42-3, with senior Zac Roberts playing quarterback instead of usual starter Evan Pitzer. Roberts completed 13 of 17 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns for the Colonels, who also had 166 rushing yards with Owen Leen picking up 89 on 13 carries.
High school football scoreboard
THURSDAY GAME
Beechwood 57, Newport 0
FRIDAY GAMES
Highlands 34, Cooper 5
Covington Catholic 42, Conner 3
Holmes 44, Scott 6
Lloyd 47, Holy Cross 13
Dayton 28, Ludlow 21
Campbell County 49, Dixie Heights 19
Walton-Verona 35, Trimble County 8
SATURDAY GAME
Ryle at Simon Kenton, 5 p.m.
