The fatal play: Jeff Smith fumbles after getting hit by Danville's Andrew Hopewell in the third quarter. Julio Gallegos returned it 79 yards for a TD. (Jeff Swinger photos) | ZOOM |

        LOUISVILLE — Newport Central Catholic reached Friday's Class A football championship with four straight road wins, but Danville made sure there wouldn't be a fifth.

        The Admirals beat the Thoroughbreds 23-9 at old Cardinal Stadium Friday behind Julio Gallegos' 79-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Buddy Trumbo and Stephen Grubbs also had TDs for Danville (14-1).

        “It's real special to be here,” NewCath junior Tyler Barto said. “I'm sorry I couldn't win it for the seniors, bring home a ring for them. We had a great season, overcame a lot of obstacles.”

        The Thoroughbreds (10-5) got to Louisville by beating Berea 48-20 in the first round, then overcoming a 14-point deficit and ending Beechwood's 47-game home winning streak in the second round. They followed by avenging a last-second, regular-season loss to Bellevue with a win over the Tigers in the regional finals, then beat Pikeville in the semifinals.

Andy Brennenstuhl catches an 8-yard pass for NCC's only TD. | ZOOM |

        Despite Friday's loss, NewCath coach Bob Schnei der said this team made the list of top 10 NewCath squads he posts on his office wall.

        “Nobody expected us to be here, let's face facts,” Schneider said. “We felt like this was a bonus and we were going to come down and win it. We didn't get the things done, but by golly we got here, and we did an awful good job.”

        Danville won its eighth state title. But to Danville coach Sam Harp, Friday meant redemption for a 1998 loss to Caldwell County in the Class AA final — especially because he said this year's team is not the most talented he's had.

        “We came through a lot of adversity this year,” Harp said. “Every week we had people hurt or sick who missed two or three days of practice every week. But it's nice to see them put it all together and come down here and win it.”

        NewCath gained 298 yards on offense to Danville's 289. But the Admirals also recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass to go with Gallegos' touchdown.

Gloomy fans watch the final minutes. | ZOOM |

        All season, junior tailback Steve Everson has been the heart of NewCath's offense, with 2,154 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns. But on Friday's opening drive, he had three carries for just 12 yards and finished the game with 79 yards on 19 carries.

        Instead, it was Barto and senior Hank Bosley who kept the Thoroughbreds going. His 20-yard run and 15-yard reception of Jeff Smith's pass put the ball at the Danville 23.

        But the drive stalled after that, and senior kicker Rob Schumacher's 29-yard field goal with 8:51 left barely cleared the crossbar.

        If there was one thing that worried Schneider about this game, it was Danville's speedy running backs and receivers, and they're the ones who gave the Admirals the lead for good.

        Trumbo's 1-yard run with 1:12 left in the second quarter put Danville ahead to stay at 7-3. But sophomore quarterback Adam Schott's 14-yard pass to senior Tyson Prewitt, 16-yarder to sophomore Orlando Simpson and 24-yarder to Grubbs set it up.

        NewCath grabbed its last bit of momentum early in the third quarter when Barto intercepted Smith at the NewCath 43. A 14-yard pass from Smith to Schumacher and a 13-yarder to Barto helped put the ball at the Danville.

Andy Fogelman gets a reassuring pat on the helmet. | ZOOM |

        Then, disaster.

        Smith was looking to his right when Danville junior Andrew Hopewell hit him from the left side. Junior Chris Walker picked up the loose ball and tossed it to Gallegos, who went untouched down NewCath's sideline for the score with 6:10 left in the third.

        “I'm not real sure (what happened,” said Smith. “I didn't see (Hopewell) come from behind me, and he just knocked it out.”

        From then on NewCath mostly stayed with the pass. Senior Andy Brennenstuhl (six catches, 69 yards) caught one for 27 yards and Smith's 8-yarder with 2:50 left in the third quarter cut Danville's lead to 14-9.

        Smith thought the pass was going to be intercepted because there was “too much air under it,” but Brennenstuhl had no trouble beating Danville junior Michael Woods.

        “I just had to turn around,” Brennenstuhl said. “I had a height advantage over (Wells). I just kept my eyes on the ball and caught it.”

        Smith finished 16-of-36 for 174 yards.

        Danville junior Bennett Clark's 30-yard field goal nine seconds into the fourth quarter made the score 17-9, and a 33-yard pass from Schott to Grubbs with 7:23 left closed the scoring.

        Everson, Smith and Barto lead a junior class that thinks it can make it back to Louisville next year.

        “We can live with second place,” Smith said. “It would have been nice if we'd won.”

        Danville ....... 0  7  7  9—23

        Newport CC ....... 3  0  6  0— 9

        NCC-Schumacher 39 field goal

        D-Trumbo 1 run (Clark kick)

        D-Gallegos 79 fumble recovery (Clark kick)

        NCC-Brennenstuhl 8 pass from Smith (pass failed)

        D-Clark 30 field goal

        D-Grubbs 33 pass from Schott (kick failed)

        Records: D 14-1, NCC 10-5.

        NewCath fans make best of loss
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