[Stardust]

There was a time when junior running back Zach Harris and senior quarterback Donovan McCoy were underclassmen pining for a Bluebirds blowout so they might get the chance to step onto the field and bask in the welcoming glare of the Friday night lights even for a moment.

Last night, it was their turn to give a new generation of Highlands underclassmen a peek at those lights.



Harris and McCoy combined to rush for 224 yards and six touchdowns in the first half on Friday, numbers that left them relaxing on the sidelines for the entirety of the final two quarters as Highlands’ second-string finished off the Bluebirds’ 60-37 home win over Scott County.

“Getting a lot of guys into the game is just so helpful for everybody,” Highlands coach Dale Mueller said. “For the (starters), it gives them some rest. For the (subs), it gives them some good playing time with the game on the line. It’s just such a positive thing for all of us.”

The Bluebirds scored on all but one of their first half possessions to lead 47-14 at the break. The majority of the offense came on the ground as Highlands amassed 278 rushing yards in the opening two quarters.

“Our offensive line is just awesome,” Harris said. “They literally blow people off the line three yards. It makes it so easy for me to run the ball wherever I want it.”

Highlands’ early dominance was a stark contrast to last week, when the Bluebirds trailed Boyle County by nine points at the half before rallying with 37 unanswered points.

“It was really big (for us to get off to a good start),” Mueller said. “We felt like we could pin (Scott County) down and get some good field position and the defense came through.”

The Bluebirds (2-0), ranked first in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches’ poll, have now won 22 straight games dating back to October of 2010. As with the majority of those wins, Friday’s victory came over a quality opponent.

The Cardinals (1-1) went 14-1 last season and advanced to the Class 6A state title game. However, Scott County is breaking in a new quarterback in sophomore Clay McKee. On Friday, things either went very right or very, very wrong for the Cardinals’ work-in-progress offense.

Scott County turned the ball over three times in the opening half – all of which Highlands converted into touchdowns. But the Cardinals also reached the end zone in spectacular fashion with an 80-yard play-action screen pass from McKee to Kevo Edwards and a 98-yard kickoff return by junior Scott Daniel.

“They’re a dangerous team,” said Mueller. “They’ve got a lot of good, explosive football players.”

Scott County coach Jim McKee’s assessment of the Cardinals’ performance was a bit more blunt.

“A – they outcoached us. B – they outplayed us on offense. C – they outplayed us on defense. D – outplayed us in the kicking game. And E, they were certainly in much better condition than us.”


Scott County 7 7 7 16 -- 37
Highlands 14 33 6 7 -- 60

H – Harris 14 run (Brockett kick)
H – McCoy 1 run (Brockett kick)
S – Edwards 80 pass from McKee (Ward kick)
H – Hayes 21 run (Brockett kick)
H – McCoy 1 run (kick failed)
H – Turner 33 pass from McCoy (Brockett kick)
H – Harris 7 run (Brockett kick)
S – Daniel 98 kickoff return (Ward kick)
H – Harris 5 run (kick wide)
S – Daniel 36 pass from McKee (Ward kick)
H – Hayes 35 run (kick failed)
S – Ward 28 field goal
H – Seidl 43 run (Brockett kick)
S – Dumphord 4 run (Ward kick)
S- Nelson 14 run (kick failed)

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