[Stardust]

Rival Colonels put scare into No. 1 Bluebirds
BY RYAN ERNST • [email]RERNST@nky.COM[/email] • OCTOBER 15, 2010

Despite its recent lopsided nature, Northern Kentucky’s top rivalry was renewed again Friday night. Rumors of its death, apparently, have been greatly exaggerated.

“It hasn’t been like this for a while,” said Highlands senior defensive back Ty Seidl. “It got me a little nervous to be honest. But this is always a hard-fought game. This time it was just a little closer.”

CovCath hasn’t beaten Highlands since 2006. Heading into Friday night, the Bluebirds had won the previous four meetings in the series by an average score of 41-7.

The latest installment in the rivalry was definitely different.

With 4:32 remaining in the game CovCath trailed 27-13. It faced a fourth-and-goal from the Highlands 4-yard line. That’s when sophomore quarterback Blake Bir found senior receiver Alex Connelly on the other end of a perfectly-placed throw in the corner of the end zone. The extra point cut the lead to 27-20 with time winding down.

CovCath forced a three-and-out, then turned the ball over on Bir’s third interception of the game. The seventh-ranked Colonels, who held Highlands scoreless in the fourth quarter, then forced a punt, and got the ball back with 17 seconds remaining. Bir’s desperation pass from his own 30-yard line was tipped in a crowd and fell incomplete, ending the game.

“That could have been caught behind us,” said Highlands coach Dale Mueller.
“They were in it right up until the last play. It’s a great rivalry. It’s Highlands-CovCath.”

Still, despite the Bluebirds’ recent dominance and their state-best 36-game winning streak, Friday’s result could conceivably be called an upset. It the least, CovCath fans could call it a moral victory.

Not so, according to CovCath coach Dave Wirth.

“There isn’t a moral victory,” he said. “There might be a silver lining, but there isn’t a moral victory. … I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to the public perception of (the rivalry). I only care what the guys in the program think. We knew we were close, but you can’t play good teams and leave all those points on the field.”

Highlands’ defense spent much of the game bending but not breaking. After the Bluebirds scored on an 80-yard screen pass from Patrick Towles to Corey Compton on their first play from scrimmage, they protected the lead when Carter New picked off a pass at the goal line. The Bluebirds also held CovCath to two field goals.

Highlands took a 20-0 lead early in the second quarter on Compton’s second touchdown of the night. Then CovCath slowly chipped away at the lead.

Senior defensive back Paul Ritter opened the second half with a 99-yard kickoff return – his third return for a touchdown of the season – to make it a two-possession game.

“Paul is one of our guys who can match up with what Highlands has athletically,” said Wirth. “You could see that. There were guys right on his tail who couldn’t finish the play. … We got some things going in the second half. We just couldn’t score enough points.”

Highlands answered Ritter’s return with its final score of the night – a 24-yard touchdown pass from Towles to Austin Sheehan.

How close was the game?

Each team finished with 316 yards of total offense.

Highlands lost three fumbles. CovCath threw three interceptions.

Compton led Highlands offensively with 141 yards of total offense and two touchdowns. Towles was 10-of-13 passing for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

The game put Highlands alone atop Northern Kentucky’s Class 5A standings. It also might have rejuvenated a rivalry.

“They came out fired up,” said Mueller. “It was good for us, because we got a win. But I think it was good for them, too.”