By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Northern Kentucky had two quarterbacks pass for more than 2,000 yards during the 10-game regular season and 11 others who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark.
Conner senior Jared Hicks led the way by completing 177 of 272 passes for 2,358 yards and 19 touchdowns. He more than doubled the 1,130 passing yards he had last year when he missed four games with a shoulder injury. His 235.8 yards per game average this season ranks 10th in the state and first in Class 5A.
Conner quarterback Jared Hicks gets instructions from head coach Dave Trosper. (Photo by Rocio Flores-Walls)
Covington Catholic junior quarterback Caleb Jacob played a key role in his team’s 10-0 regular season by passing for 2,034 yards and 24 TDs. Last year, he finished the regular season with 2,006 passing yards and then added more than 800 yards in five playoff games.
Newport Central Catholic senior Paul Kremer passed for 735 yards in his team’s last four games to give him a season total of 1,633. He enters the playoffs ranked fourth in career passing yards (4,034) and second in career passing touchdowns (51) in the NewCath team record book.
Eight of the other 10 local quarterbacks with more than 1,000 yards this season are first-year starters at the position. That list includes one senior, one junior, four sophomores and two freshmen.
The newcomers who have put up the best passing numbers are Scott sophomore Gus Howlett (1,571 yards) and Simon Kenton freshman Chase Crone (1,536 yards).
The area’s leading pass receiver is Holy Cross junior Brandon McClendon with 43 catches for 1,078 yards and nine touchdowns. His 107.8 yards per game average ranks ninth in the state and third among Class 2A pass receivers.
Scott senior running back Quincy Perrin leads the area in rushing yards with 1,283 going into the playoffs. He has a four-year total of 4,561 rushing yards and has a chance to join the five local players who surpassed 5,000 yards in their career.
The area’s leading scorers are Perrin and Dayton junior Jordan Marksberry with 130 points each. Holmes junior Tayquan Calloway is fourth with 116 points. In addition to rushing for 13 touchdowns, Calloway scored one receiving, two on interception returns, one on a punt return and one on a kickoff return during his team’s 7-3 regular season.
Here are the final regular season statistics for local players in passing, receiving, rushing and scoring compiled by the NKyTribune based on statistics reported to the khsaa.org website:
Passing leaders
Receiving leaders
Rushing leaders
Points scored leaders
Team standings
