The NKyTribune is featuring each of the 21 high school football teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties leading up to the first games of the 2019 season on Aug. 23. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Holmes football coach Ben Nevels enjoys having fraternal twin brothers Tayquan and Quantez Calloway on the team because they both have exceptional athletic skills. They also provide a bit of entertainment.
“Just like any brothers, they bicker, and it’s fun to watch them go back and forth fussing at each other,” Nevels said. “But if anyone else says something bad about one of them it’s ‘Hey, don’t talk about my brother like that.’ There’s a sibling rivalry, but there’s also a lot of love between the two of them.”
Twin brothers Quantez, left, and Tayquan Calloway were in the Holmes starting lineup as sophomores last season.
The Calloway brothers played in every game as sophomores last season when Holmes posted a 4-7 record and lost in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs for the fifth time in the last six years.
Quantez was the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback in the first four games while senior James Walker was recovering from an injury. When Walker returned, Quantez went to wide receiver and caught 24 passes for 355 yards in seven games.
Quantez will be running the team’s spread offense at quarterback once again when the 2019 season begins on Aug. 23 with a game at Boone County.
“This year, it’ll be better because I’m more focused and know what to do,” he said of returning to the quarterback position. “When I watched James last year, I learned from him. Now I know how to control everything like him.”
With some big offensive linemen returning, the Bulldogs hope to generate more offense than last season when they averaged 215 yards per game and were held to eight points or less in five of their losses.
Quantez did not throw the ball very much during his short stint at quarterback and none of his passes went for touchdowns. He’s still looking to hook up on a scoring pass with his twin brother for the first time in a varsity game.
Tayquan caught 24 passes for a team-high 533 yards and four touchdowns last season. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 338 yards on 53 carries and scored six TDs.
Ben Nevels
He said taking the ball into the end zone is his favorite part of the game, and it would be even better if he scored on a pass from his twin brother.
“We did it before in youth league, but it’s going to feel different since its varsity football,” Tayquan said. “It would be pretty special.”
On defense, Tayquan had three of his team’s eight pass interceptions as a sophomore cornerback last year. He’ll be playing that position once again as well as returning punts and kickoffs.
“He just really likes to compete more than anything else, and that’s true for both of them,” coach Nevels said. “You take a kid who’s very athletic and factor in that they like to compete, I think that helps them go a long way.”
Holmes has two new Class 4A district opponents – Boyd County and Rowan County – on this year’s schedule along with Scott and Harrison County. Only four teams from the district will advance to the playoffs, so all of those games will be important.
“We’ve got to come prepared against every team in our district and find a way to beat them so we can make the playoffs,” Tayquan said. “Winning our district games comes first.”
HOLMES BULLDOGS
2018 SEASON: 4-7 record, lost in first round of Class 4A playoffs.
DISTRICT: Class 4A, District 6 with Boyd County, Harrison County, Rowan County, Scott.
HEAD COACH: Ben Nevels (18-36 in five seasons at Holmes).
2019 SCHEDULE
Aug. 23 – at Boone County, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 – at Grant County, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 – OWEN COUNTY, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 13 – at Louisville Holy Cross, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 – NEWPORT, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 – at Rowan County, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 11 – BOYD COUNTY, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 – HARRISON COUNTY, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 25 – at Scott, 7 p.m.
Nov. 1 – at Bellevue, 7 p.m.
Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
BELLEVUE TIGERS
DIXIE HEIGHTS COLONELS
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC THOROUGHBREDS
HIGHLANDS BLUEBIRDS
WALTON-VERONA BEARCATS
DAYTON GREENDEVILS
COOPER JAGUARS
LLOYD JUGGERNAUTS
LUDLOW PANTHERS
BEECHWOOD TIGERS
NEWPORT WILDCATS
