The NKyTribune is featuring a player 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 on Aug. 19. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
If he opens the season as starting quarterback for the Dixie Heights football team, sophomore Armani Gregg will have a couple of added incentives to do his best. His two older brothers, Roman and Xavier, are seniors who want their final year to be a success.
The Colonels had mostly seniors in the lineup last year when they made it to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs and finished with a 7-5 record. They lost so much talent to graduation that this could be considered a rebuilding year under new head coach Patrick Burke, but that’s not what Armani wants.
If Dixie Heights sophomore Armani Gregg, left, is named starting quarterback, he’ll be playing on the varsity level with his older brothers Xavier, center, and Roman.
“Everyone is like talking down on Dixie, saying we’re not going to be anything this year and we can’t handle anybody,” he said. “I just want this year to take off and prove everybody wrong.”
The older Gregg brothers are twins who will both be playing defense. Xavier is a returning linebacker and Roman said he’s making the switch from offensive guard to defensive end.
Roman broke a bone in his hand earlier this summer and didn’t get to participate in defensive drills during the first two weeks of practice. But he’s determined to be in the defensive lineup with his twin brother at some point this season.
“It’s really cool having two Greggs on the same side of the ball for their senior year,” Roman said. “Right now, I’m obviously not a starter since I haven’t been there (in practice), but I’m going to work my way back. I’m going to grind and just try to do whatever I can.”
The top five tacklers for Dixie Heights last season were seniors who made a combined total of 275 stops. On offense, the team lost several linemen and all of their best skill players to graduation.
“It’s going to be challenging, obviously,” Roman said of filling starting positions. “We don’t have that vast experience like last year’s seniors. We’ve got like 13 or maybe more in our (senior) class and then a bunch of people who are juniors and sophomores. But we’re all giving it a good effort and bringing in the mentality it takes to win.”
Logan Landers
The Colonels’ starting quarterback the last three seasons was Logan Landers, who graduated with career totals of 5,171 yards passing and 1,490 yards rushing. As a senior, he led the team in passing, rushing and scoring.
That’s a tough act to follow for this year’s starting quarterback. Armani said he has trained with Landers and found him to be a great mentor.
“He started as a sophomore too and he was telling me everything to expect,” Armani said. “That there’s going to be nerves at first and everything’s not going to be perfect, but it’ll all start going uphill.”
To be a double-threat quarterback like Landers, Armani said he devoted a lot of time to weight training to get stronger and faster. He also worked on the passing skills that he’ll need at the varsity level.
“I never really worked my arm. I’d just throw on the run every play,” he said of his freshman year. “What I’ve been working on this offseason is accuracy and reading defenses, which is a big part of it all.”
DIXIE HEIGHTS COLONELS
2021 SEASON: 7-5 record, lost in second round of Class 6A playoffs.
DISTRICT: Class 6A, District 4 with Campbell County, Simon Kenton, Ryle.
HEAD COACH: Patrick Burke (30-19 in five seasons, first year at Dixie Heights).
2022 SCHEDULE
Aug. 19 – LLOYD, 7 p.m.
Aug. 26 – COOPER, 7 p.m.
Sept. 2 – at Conner, 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 – COVINGTON CATHOLIC, 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 – at Highlands, 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 – at Beechwood, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 6 – SIMON KENTON, 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 – at Ryle, 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 – CAMPBELL COUNTY, 7 p.m.
Oct. 28 – at Scott, 7 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
