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2022 Prep Football Previews: One of Newport’s few returning starters was defensive standout last year


The NKyTribune is featuring players on each of the 21 high school football teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties leading up to the first games of the 2022 season this week. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.

By Blake Lehmann

NKyTribune sports reporter

For any football team, adjusting to a new head coach can be difficult even if he has been an assistant on the staff for several years. Ryan Hahn knew that when he was put in charge of the Newport program in March and he tried to make the transition as easy as possible.

“It’s gone more smoothly than you can imagine,” said Newport senior Quincy Barber. “Things have changed, but it’s been smooth.”

Quincy Barber, No. 11, is one of the few returning starters for Newport’s new head coach Ryan Hahn.

Hahn must be glad to have Barber among the few returning starters for the Wildcats, who posted a 3-8 record and lost in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs last year with mostly seniors in the lineup.

A two-way player at defensive back and wide receiver, Barber was second on the team in tackles with 67 and caught three touchdowns passes last season.

Two of his TD receptions came in 21-14 overtime win against Lloyd. He also had a pass interception and ended Lloyd’s overtime possession with a tackle behind the line of scrimmage on a fourth-down play.

“The ability to read the run and play without second-guessing myself helps me,” Barber said. “I think those abilities make me a much more sufficient tackler.”

Junior defensive lineman Javon Burke is the only other returning starter on a Newport defensive unit that was comprised of mostly seniors last year. The graduates included two linebackers and two linemen who made a combined total of 261 tackles.

Finding replacements for those players will be crucial to the team’s success, but Barber said he will remain in a defensive back position.

“There won’t be any change,” he said. “That’s where I like myself and that’s where my coaches like me.”

Last year, the Wildcats give up 34 points or more to six opponents. In their final two games, they lost to Beechwood by scores of 54-0, in the regular season and 58-8 in the playoffs.

Quincy Barber

“I think why that happened a lot last year is because people were playing selfish and not really playing as a team,” Barber said. “If we can (play like a team), with me and Javon coming back along with adding new pieces to the defense, no team will be able to put that many points up on us again.”

On the offensive side of the ball, Newport has two of last year’s top three rushers — MyKel King and Mykell Martin — back in the lineup. But last year’s team leader was quarterback Ethan Jefferson, who passed for 992 yards and nine touchdowns in his senior season.

With a new head coach working with mostly first-year starters, Barber said the vibe around preseason practices has been nice and easy. He’s confident his teammates will adjust and gain the experience they need to improve this season.

“It’s been very simple, nothing too extravagant, nothing too outrageous,” Barber said. “It’s been simple to the bone. I think it’ll be a lot better than it was last year as well.”

NEWPORT WILDCATS
2021 SEASON: 
 3-8 record, lost in first round of Class 2A playoffs.
DISTRICT:  Class 2A, District 4 with Beechwood, Holy Cross, Lloyd.
HEAD COACH:  Ryan Hahn (First season as head coach).

2022 SCHEDULE
Aug. 18 – vs. Mason County at Thomas More, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 – at Brossart, 7 p.m.
Sept. 2 – at Pendleton County, 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 – at Holmes, 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 – at Cincinnati College Prep Academy, 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 – vs. Newport Central Catholic at CovCath, 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 – at Bellevue, 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 – at Lloyd, 7 p.m.
Oct. 15 – vs. Holy Cross at Brossart, 2 p.m.
Oct. 21 – at Beechwood, 7:30 p.m.

Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
COOPER JAGUARS
HIGHLANDS BLUEBIRDS
CAMPBELL COUNTY CAMELS

HOLMES BULLDOGS
BROSSART MUSTANGS

COVINGTON CATHOLIC COLONELS
CONNER COUGARS
BELLEVUE TIGERS
LUDLOW PANTHERS
SIMON KENTON PIONEERS

NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC THOROUGHBREDS
DAYTON GREENDEVILS
DIXIE HEIGHTS COLONELS
RYLE RAIDERS
LLOYD JUGGERNAUTS

HOLY CROSS INDIANS
WALTON-VERONA BEARCATS
SCOTT EAGLES
BEECHWOOD TIGERS

 


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