Friday, October 01, 1999
N.KY. FOOTBALL PICKS
By Neil Schmidt
Highlands (4-1) at Covington Catholic (2-3)
• WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday
• WHERE: Covington Catholic HS, 1600 Dixie Hwy., Park Hills
• WHAT TO WATCH: Think Army-Navy or Ohio State-Michigan on a high school scale. That's what this rivalry represents.
Highlands leads the series 25-14 and has won seven of the past eight meetings, but the teams have split 14 games this decade.
The Bluebirds, tops in the Class AAA state poll, improve by the week. Last week at Lexington Paul Dunbar, they scored seven touchdowns in 17 first-half offensive plays.
“They're an excellent team,” CovCath coach Lynn Ray said. “They have great quickness at every position.”
CovCath has lost three consecutive games, but historians should note this isn't unusual. It suffered a 3-4 start in 1997 and a 1-4 start in '94 yet ended up state champion both times.
“We're not going away, regardless of what happens in this game,” Ray said.
Said Highlands coach Dale Mueller: “Hey, they're Covington Catholic. They've won five of the last 11 state titles. They'll be ready.”
• PICK: Highlands
Holmes (5-0) at Conner (2-2)
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. today
• WHERE: Conner HS, 3310 Cougar Path, Hebron
• WHAT TO WATCH: Holmes has quietly gone 5-0, and coach John Vander Meer likes the relative silence.
“Write about other teams,” he said. “We'd rather keep a low profile and sneak up on people.”
No chance now. The Bulldogs, who struggled to a 1-9 finish last year, will get everyone's attention now that the AAA district season begins.
“The thing that scares me is the thing that always scares me: It's such a dadburn tough district,” Vander Meer said. “No one's talking about Conner, but Conner is an outstanding football team. They beat the living snot out of us (42-14) last year. We're going to have to play awful well to play with them.”
Holmes' sparkplug is senior QB Brian Ferguson, who has thrown for 640 yards and 11 TDs while rushing for 362 yards. Senior FB Eddie Bane has rushed for 566 yards (9.0 avg.).
Conner could struggle without senior QB Jeremiah Giron, out with a bone spur in his hip.
• PICK: Holmes
Boone County (2-3) at Campbell Co. (1-4)
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. today
• WHERE: Campbell Co. Middle School, 8000 Alexandria Pike, Alexandria
• WHAT TO WATCH: Boone is back, having won two straight games after getting junior TB Timmy King's shoulder healed. King rushed for 330 yards on 37 carries last week against Scott County.
The Rebels want revenge for a 7-0 loss to Campbell last year on the season's final night, a game that kept Boone out of the AAAA playoffs for the first time since 1984. It was Campbell's first win in this series since 1986.
Campbell, last in Northern Kentucky in offense (averaging 210 yards per game) and defense (413), won't reprise the upset.
• PICK: Boone County
Newport CC (0-5) at Ludlow (3-2)
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. today
• WHERE: James Rigney Stadium, on Victoria Street, Ludlow
• WHAT TO WATCH: Ludlow has never beaten NewCath. This shapes up a lot like last year, when NewCath came in 0-6 and Ludlow 5-1; the Thoroughbreds won 21-20.
NewCath may have the superior talent, but this is a team the Panthers badly want to beat. Maybe tonight's the night.
• PICK: Ludlow
Holy Cross (2-2) at Bellevue (5-0)
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. today
• WHERE: Gilligan Stadium, on Berry Street, Bellevue
• WHAT TO WATCH: This is Holy Cross' first Class A district game in school history. It's a heck of a way to start: Bellevue is No. 3 in the state.
One week until the titanic Bellevue-Beechwood showdown.
• PICK: Bellevue
Other top games
• Newport at Fleming County: Newport cruises to 6-0. Pick: Newport.
• Dixie Heights at Scott: Dixie (4-1) begins its most anticipated district season ever. Pick: Dixie.
• Simon Kenton at Ryle: Both teams are 0-2 in the local AAAA district. Pick: Ryle.
• Dayton at Beechwood: Beechwood (4-1) goes for its fifth shutout victory. Pick: Beechwood.
LAST WEEK: 7-3 SEASON: 38-13 (74.5 percent)
PREP FOOTBALL PAGE
This week's football schedule
OHIO FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Senior corps fuels Madeira
CINCINNATI FOOTBALL PICKS
N.KY. FOOTBALL PREVIEW
N.KY. FOOTBALL PICKS
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