Sunday, August 20, 2000
Highlands survives scare from Trinity
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
MOUNT STERLING, Ky. — Senior quarterback Gino Guidugli was 22-of-30 for 378 yards and three touchdowns in Highlands' 42-29 win over Louisville Trinity Saturday in the Recreation Bowl at Montgomery County High School.
Senior receiver Brett Hamblen caught seven passes for 220 yards and all three Guidugli TDs, and junior tailback Eamon Mueller ran for the other three.
But the Bluebirds nearly blew a 35-0 lead in the second half as Trinity scored 29 straight points. The win wasn't secure until Mueller's 38-yard run with 2:53 left in the game.
Highlands players had mixed reactions. Senior defensive lineman Ben Scott was angry.
“This shouldn't be happening,” Scott said. “We all need to be a lot better next week.”
Hamblen was shocked.
“Personally, I didn't think it would be this close,” he said.
And Guidugli, the game's most valuable player? Relieved.
“We haven't had too many close games,” he said. “It's good to get a close game under our belt.”
Highlands coach Dale Mueller said he admired Trinity's effort.
“Most teams don't have the firepower to come back from 35-0,” he said. “Trinity did.”
Only Trinity coach Bob Beatty was peeved after his debut game.
“I'm pleased we put points on the board,” Beatty said. “We didn't close the door shut. We shouldn't have been behind 35-0.”
Highlands dominated every category, including: yardage, 503-284; first downs, 23-15, and rushing, 125-64.
None of that mattered by the second half.
Trinity senior quarterback Geoff Riddle threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns in the first start of his career. Junior James Murray caught six passes for 118 yards and a TD, senior Erik Brown hauled in a TD toss, and junior lineman Jason Jordan picked off a Guidugli pass and ran 20 yards for the score that made it 35-29 with 9:50 left in the game.
Highlands needed all 236 yards it gained in the first half.
One sequence stood out.
After Guidugli hit Hamblen with an 8-yard TDwith 1:40 left in the first quarter, senior linebacker Brent Grover ended Trinity's next possession with an interception and 20-yard return to the Trinity 15. Three plays later, it was Guidugli-to-Hamblen again for an 11-yard TD with 1.8 seconds remaining.
Highlands opened the third quarter with a 21-0 lead, but 28 seconds in, Hamblen made it 28-0 with an 81-yard bomb from Gui dugli — a play in which he split Shamrocks safeties John Woock and Brandon Burfict.
“I was going to jump with them,” Hamblen said. “One of them tipped (the ball), and it went right into my hands.”
After Eamon Mueller's final score, Trinity moved the ball to the Highlands 41, but the drive stalled on three incomplete passes.
The Bluebirds face another Louisville school, Fern Creek, in the St.Luke Hospitals Champions Bowl next Saturday at Beechwood. Grover thinks his team learned a lesson against Trinity.
“It shows we can't have any weak spots in our game,” Grover said.
Trinity ....... 0 0 14 15—29
Highlands ....... 14 7 14 7—42
H-Hamblen 8 pass from Guidugli (Chuke kick)
H-Hamblen 11 pass from Guidugli (Chuke kick)
H-E. Mueller 1 run (Chuke kick)
H-Hamblen 81 pass from Guidugli (Chuke kick)
H-E. Mueller 2 run (Chuke kick)
T-Riddle 1 run (run failed)
T-Murray 25 pass from Riddle (May pass from Riddle)
T-Jordan 20 interception return (May run)
T-Brown 5 pass from Riddle (Williams kick)
H-E. Mueller 38 run (Chuke kick)
Records: T 0-1, H 1-0.
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