HIGHLANDS 56, LOU. WAGGENER 7

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Best Kentucky team ever? Bluebirds make strong case

Sunday, December 6, 1998

BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Highlands players celebrate the most lopsided Kentucky championship victory. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

LOUISVILLE -- The game had been over 20 minutes, and any suspense had ended hours earlier. But the Bluebirds were still running and hugging all over Cardinal Stadium. Senior lineman Brandon Clark was weeping. Players were piling on top of each other.

History had happened, and Highlands was going to savor every second.

"It's probably not for us to judge, but I think we sent a message to all of you (media) who compare teams and eras," senior linebacker - fullback Brian Ulbricht said. "This is one heck of a football team."

Brian Ulbricht (5) shows off the trophy with Jared Lorenzen (22), Josh Hasson (10) and Mike Kleier (9). (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Highlands won its state-record 13th championship Saturday with a 56-7 rout of Louisville Waggener, the most lopsided title game in Kentucky history. It wasn't even that close: It was 56-0 before the Wildcats finally dented Highlands' third-string defense.

The Bluebirds (15-0) capped a scintillating season by setting six state records Saturday, including ones for total points and yardage in a season. They own a school-best No. 20 national ranking USA Today. They were never threatened.

"Today shows we're the best team in the state, the best team in the history of Highlands, and maybe the best in Kentucky history," Highlands senior defensive back - tailback Noah Gibson said.

That's the tag this team will likely adopt. Only once did Highlands win by less than 16 points: a season-opening 51-41 beating of Class AAAA champion Louisville Male, a game Highlands led 51-28 before allowing two TDs in the final five minutes.

Noah Gibson races down the sideline on his 91-yard kickoff return for a TD. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Highlands' 1996 team, which went 15-0 and ended 23rd in USA Today's rankings, had been argued as the best in state history. That team had an 27.3 average victory margin; Highlands won this year by 39.9 points per game.

No records are kept on average victory margin, but Highlands' total is believed to be the state's all-time best.

"If there has ever been a better high school football team (in Kentucky), I'd like to see it," Highlands coach Dale Mueller said.

Part of Highlands' legacy will be its two Division I-A signees, quarterback Jared Lorenzen and tight end Derek Smith (both with Kentucky). Ulbricht is receiving Division I-A offers, and others may also play at that level.

"I expect to see some of them playing on Sundays," Waggener coach Ken Hockman said. "Coach Mueller's got a machine up there."

Chad Thompson, left, jumps into Jared Lorenzen's arms after Lorenzen scored the first TD. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Highlands could have named the score Saturday, and essentially did. It shelved its renowned passing attack in favor of pure power: a blistering running game that totaled 395 yards.

Lorenzen finished 3-of-7 for a career-low 11 yards. But averaging 9.6 yards per carry, the Bluebirds were content to stay grounded.

"That's great for our team," Lorenzen said. "I'm known as a passing QB, but we showed we can win running the ball just as easily."

Ulbricht wowed the crowd, rushing for 174 yards and two TDs on 13 carries. Lorenzen carried 13 times for 123 yards and three TDs. Gibson also starred, carrying nine times for 85 yards and a TD, scoring on a 91-yard kickoff return and intercepting two passes, one of which he returned 68 yards to set up another TD.

Coach Dale Mueller celebrates another score. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Waggener (12-3) committed six turnovers, five in the first half, to set up several Highlands scoring chances.

"God knows they don't need any momentum," Hockman said.

Highlands has gone 41-2 the past three seasons. The setbacks both came last year: a one-point loss to Moeller and a double-overtime loss to Covington Catholic.

The latter loss motivated this season. The Bluebirds insist they didn't know how dominating they would become, only that they wanted to leave little to chance this fall.

"We just wanted to win so bad," Smith said. "We wanted to go out and prove it every night. And we did."

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Waggener 0 0 0 7 -- 7
Highlands 7 21 14 14 -- 56

First Quarter
Hig -- Lorenzen 17 run (Jones kick), 5:20
Second Quarter
Hig -- Lorenzen 1 run (Jones kick), 8:07
Hig -- Ulbricht 8 run (Jones kick), 4:26
Hig -- Lorenzen 1 run (Jones kick), 1:33
Third Quarter
Hig -- Gibson 91 kickoff return (Jones kick), 11:46
Hig -- Ulbricht 3 run (Jones kick), :34
Fourth Quarter
Hig -- Gibson 32 run (Jones kick), 7:41
High -- Zenni 14 run (Jones kick), 6:37
Wag -- Means 11 run (Pentecost kick), 4:57
A -- 7,564

Wag High
First downs 25 23
Rushes-yards 38-110 41-463
Passing 249 011
Comp-Att-Int 18-39-3 03-07-0
Punts-Avg. 02-34 01-47
Fumbles-Lost 8-3 2-0
Penalties-Yards 11-86 2-25
Time of Possession 29:29 18:31

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Waggener, Kamer 14-95, Means 11-51, Reese 1-7, Stewart 1-(minus-5); Highlands, Ulbricht 13-242, Lorenzen 13-123, Gibson 9-79, Zenni 5-17.

PASSING -- Waggener, Kannapal 18-39-3 249; Highlands, Lorenzen 3-7-0 11, Hasson 1-1-0 1.

RECEIVING -- Waggener, Reese 10-156, Turner 4-62, McCauley 3-31, Means 1-0; Highlands, Hasson 1-6, Hamblen 1-4, Gibson 1-1.

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