The NKyTribune will be providing focused coverage of NKY high school football throughout the season, thanks to support from St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine. See all of our pre-season features on each of NKY’s 21 high school football teams and follow our coverage, including roundups each week at Northern Kentucky High School Football.
By Evan Merrill
NKyTribune intern
A mental lapse. That’s what kept the Scott football team from winning its Class 4A state quarterfinal game against Johnson Central last November. A 30-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the game gave Johnson Central a 27-26 win and ended the Eagles’ best season in program history.
Nelson Perrin is making the switch from running back to quarterback on the Scott football team this season.
“The last eight seconds we needed to make a play and we didn’t,” said Scott coach Dan Woolley. “That’s one of our goals (this season), to finish things and play until there’s no time on the clock. Yeah, it left a bitter taste in our mouth and we’ve had a lot of time to think and mull over it. But, at the same time, it’s a new year. It’s a new team, a new group.”
Scott lost 14 seniors from last year’s team to graduation, including quarterback Danny Fitzgerald and running backs Roberto London and Deondre Pleasant. Those three players accounted for the majority of the Eagles’ offensive yardage and points in 2015.
Woolley is counting on junior quarterback Nelson Perrin and junior running back Alex Thurza to be the offensive leaders this season. Perrin had 746 yards rushing, 445 yards receiving and scored 12 touchdowns as a slot back on last year’s team.
“People are probably going to watch me and target me as I return from last year,” Perrin said. “But Thurza can do the same things as me. He just runs harder than me. The offensive line, we got faster people so we can pull more. They’re more powerful and bigger in size.”
Last season, Perrin was averaging less than 10 carries per game before Pleasant went down with a season-ending injury in the first round of the playoffs. That put Perrin in a position to show his skills and he made the most of the opportunity.
“[Deondre] was somebody I looked up to, like somebody I want to play in college with,” Perrin said. “Last year, with him getting hurt, somebody had to step up and I thought it should be me, with me and Deondre being so close. Deondre was always there for me and telling me what it takes to help the team out.”
This season, Perrin is taking on a new role as quarterback for the Eagles and coach Woolley is pleased with what he has seen in practice.
“We’re very confident in Nelson,” Woolley said. “We’re a modified single-wing team and we’re going to try to run the ball first. Nelson can make some great throws, but he’s more deadly with his feet.”
Unlike many of the other positions lacking experience, Scott returns four of five starting offensive linemen. For a run-based offense, that’s never a bad thing.
“We know offensively we’re going to hang our hat on our offensive line,” Woolley said. “We know we have talented running backs (so) we can do pretty well. Even if we didn’t, I feel confident with the offensive line we have. They’re pretty big and strong and can move people around.”
Coming off a best-ever season last year, the Eagles are excited about what the future holds. Even if this year doesn’t go as well as expected, the future is bright.
“When I got here, Scott football was an afterthought,” Woolley said. “Our goal was to not just have good teams, but a good program year in and year out. With football, you know not every year you’re going to be up, but hopefully we have more up years than down years. Our middle school program has won two of the last three middle school championships. We got a peewee program supporting us. It’s the best time ever for football in Taylor Mill. We’re definitely excited about the direction of the program.”
SCOTT EAGLES
2015 SEASON: 10-3 record, lost in third round of Class 4A playoffs.
DISTRICT: Class 4A, District 7 with Bourbon County, Harrison County, Holmes, Mason County.
HEAD COACH: Dan Woolley (28-17 in four seasons at Scott).
2016 SCHEDULE
Aug. 20 – at Newport Central Catholic, 7 p.m.
Aug. 26 – DIXIE HEIGHTS, 7 p.m.
Sept. 2 – NEWPORT, 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 – at Conner, 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 – HOLY CROSS, 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 – MASON COUNTY, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 30 – at Harrison County, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 14 – at Bourbon County, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 – HOLMES, 7 p.m.
Oct. 28 – at Simon Kenton, 7 p.m.
Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
Conner
Dixie Heights
Walton-Verona
Holmes
Ryle
Bellevue
Brossart
Covington Catholic
Dayton
Lloyd
Cooper
Newport Central Catholic
Boone County
Beechwood
Highlands
