2022 Prep Football Previews: Two-way starter for Holy Cross set lofty goal for his senior season

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

Javier Ward has his mind set on scoring 20 touchdowns for the Holy Cross football team during his senior season that starts next Friday. That’s a pretty lofty goal, but he’s confident in his ability to make big plays.

“It is easier for me,” he said. “I’ve got the speed for it so once I get the ball in my hands I just go.”

Holy Cross senior Javier Ward, left, is an elusive runner who’s hard to bring down whenever he has the ball in his hands. (Photo by Tim Cooper, www.bmustangs.com)

Last season, Ward scored a combined total of 14 touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams for the Indians, who won three of their last five games, reached the second round of the Class 2A playoffs and finished with a 4-8 record.

The elusive 5-foot-8, 140-pound athlete’s scoring breakdown included six touchdowns receiving, three rushing, two on interception returns and three on kickoff returns.

Ward finished the season with a combined total of 630 yards receiving and rushing along with the big plays he made in other facets of the game.

In his team’s first playoff win in five years, he caught three passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns against Lloyd. But he said his favorite scoring play from last season was a 95-yard kickoff return against Scott without being touched.

“I’ll run 50 percent until I find an opening and then just shoot on through,” Ward said of his success on kickoff returns, especially on artificial turf fields where the Indians will play most of the games.

Holy Cross also has senior quarterback Javier Ison and junior running back Lavarr Jones back from last year. Ison passed for 1,274 yards and eight touchdowns while Jones rushed for a team-high 974 yards and 12 TDs.

Javier Ward

Ward said he’ll primarily be used as a slot back, but the coaches like to shift him into other positions to keep opposing defenses from keying on the Indians’ big-play threat.

“They said they’re going to get me the ball as much as they can this year and let me do my thing like last year,” he said of his role on offense. “I’ll be tired a lot, but I don’t mind doing it for my team.”

On defense, Ward usually plays safety, but he expects to be used as a cornerback as well. Last year, he made 42 tackles, which ranked fourth on the team.

The three players ahead of Ward in tackles last year were linebackers who graduated. But he said some new players added to the Holy Cross roster during the offseason have helped the Indians rebuild their defense.

“We just need to get people in the right spots and know what they got to do,” Ward said. “Our defense should be good this year. We scrimmaged Ryle the other day and locked them up pretty good.”

HOLY CROSS INDIANS
2021 SEASON:  4-8 record, lost in second round of Class 2A playoffs.
DISTRICT:  Class 2A, District 4 with Beechwood, Lloyd, Newport.
HEAD COACH:  Bruce Kozerski (75-122 in 17 seasons at Holy Cross).

2022 SCHEDULE
Aug. 19 – at Bellevue, 7 p.m.
Aug. 26 – vs. Walton-Verona at Thomas More, 7 p.m.
Sept. 1 – at Scott, 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 – vs. Brossart at Thomas More, 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 – vs. Newport Central Catholic at Thomas More, 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 – vs. Holmes at Thomas More, 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 – at Beechwood, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 15 – vs. Newport at Brossart, 2 p.m.
Oct. 21 – vs. Lloyd at Thomas More, 7 p.m.
Oct. 28 – vs. Ludlow at Thomas More, 7 p.m.

Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
COOPER JAGUARS
HIGHLANDS BLUEBIRDS
CAMPBELL COUNTY CAMELS
HOLMES BULLDOGS
BROSSART MUSTANGS