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CovCath’s home game against Lexington Catholic on Friday drawing interest from around the state


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

The leading candidate for Mr. Kentucky Football and one of the state’s best two-way starters will be lining up against each other Friday when Lexington Catholic visits Covington Catholic in a 7 p.m. game that’s drawing interest from around the state.

LexCath senior quarterback Beau Allen, a University of Kentucky recruit, heads the list of Mr. Football contenders after completing 36 of 49 passes for 518 yards and six touchdowns in his team’s first two victories.

CovCath tight end Michael Mayer scored on each of the four passes he caught in the first two games. (Photo by Dale Dawn)

CovCath senior tight end/linebacker Michael Mayer, a University of Notre Dame recruit, leads the 2-0 Colonels in scoring (30 points), receiving yards (135) and tackles (9).

Ranked No. 8 in the nation at tight end, Mayer has scored on each of the four passes thrown to him and ran for another touchdown. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound senior has also been a standout performer on a CovCath defensive unit that has not allowed a touchdown and given up less than 40 total yards.

Allen is a more experienced and talented quarterback than the ones CovCath faced in its first two victories. Last year, he threw for 3,729 yards and 45 touchdowns with just nine interceptions. He led the state in both TD passes and passing yards per game (310.7).

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior is off to a good start this season. Last week, he  completed 14 of 17 passes for 242 yards and five touchdowns in a 43-9 win over Indianapolis Howe.

The Knights’ leading receiver in last week’s game was junior Jackson Corbett with six catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Senior running back Ryan Nicholds also caught a pair of TD passes and scored a rushing touchdown.

The last time the two teams played each other was 2017 and CovCath came away with a 48-2 win. That was Allen’s first full season as a starting quarterback. He completed 19 of 29 passes for 164 yards against the Colonels, but he had four passes intercepted.

Boone County, Newport and Cooper are the other local teams that will take a 2-0 record into their games on Friday.

If Boone County wins at Lloyd, it will be the Rebels’ first 3-0 start since 2011. Boone County’s best record over the last seven seasons was 2-9 in 2018. Under new head coach Bryson Warner, the Rebels averaged 282 rushing yards per game in their first two victories.

Newport has a home game against Carroll County on Friday and Cooper will host Ryle in the annual Battle of Union between the neighboring schools. Ryle has won the last four games between the two teams and has a 9-3 record overall against Cooper.

High school football schedule

Friday’s games
Beechwood at Somerset, 7:30 p.m.
Brossart at Bellevue, 7 p.m.
Boone County at Lloyd, 7 p.m.
Campbell County at Highlands, 7 p.m.
Holy Cross vs. Scott at Thomas More, 7 p.m.
Conner at Dixie Heights, 7 p.m.
Ryle at Cooper, 7:30 p.m.
Lexington Catholic at Covington Catholic, 7 p.m.
Owen County at Holmes, 7:30 p.m.
Gallatin County at Ludlow, 7 p.m.
Carroll County at Newport, 7:30 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic at Roger Bacon (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Simon Kenton at Oak Hills (Ohio), 7:30 p.m.
North Laurel at Walton-Verona, 7:30 p.m.


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