[Stardust]

Ryle runs through CovCath
Ryle 34, CovCath 14
By Ryan Ernst • [email]rernst@enquirer.com[/email] • August 21, 2009

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The Ryle Raiders’ 2009 football season started, quite literally, with a bang.


Sophomore running back Travis Elliott took an off-tackle handoff on the team’s first play from scrimmage and ran 80 yards for a touchdown. The score set off a series of fireworks behind the north end zone at Borland Stadium. They were virtually invisible due to the still-setting sun. Fortunately for Ryle fans, there would be plenty of others.

The Raiders beat visiting Covington Catholic 34-14 on the opening night of high school football in Northern Kentucky, sticking with the ground attack that served them so well on the opening play. For the game, the Raiders outrushed CovCath 445 yards to 176.

Ryle coach Bryson Warner said he decided at the end of practice this week to open the game by calling Elliott’s number.

“We repped it about 100 times this week,” he said. “That was the biggest play we focused on. Everybody just did a great job of executing it.”

Elliott – a thick, barrel-chested, low-to-the-ground runner – did most of his damage between the tackles. Senior running back Kiefer Eubank, a leaner and shiftier runner, beat CovCath on the outside.

“We’ve got plenty of weapons on our team,” Elliott said. “Basically, he’s the speed and I’m the power.”

Elliott rushed for 236 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Eubank gained 165 yards and two scores on just 10 carries.

Ryle led 13-0 at the half after a pair of field goals from senior Erik Pederson (one from 39 yards and one from 45).

Both teams, however, struggled deep in their opponents’ territory. CovCath was penalized nine times for 90 yards.

“It was pretty frustrating,” said CovCath coach Dave Wirth. “… We obviously didn’t have ourselves prepared well enough.”

Despite the setbacks, CovCath was able to cut the lead to six shortly after the second-half kickoff. Paul Ritter returned the kick 60 yards, setting up a short drive and an 11-yard touchdown run from Leo Schaeffer.

Ryle answered immediately.

The Raiders went 74 yards on just eight plays – Elliott and Eubank carried on seven of those plays – and capped the drive with an Elliott 1-yard touchdown run.
Eubank added the final two scores – one on a 54-yard end around, the other on a similar play he cut upfield for a 30-yard score.

“That’s kind of the way Travis and I split carries last year,” Eubank said. “We’re just trying to pick up where we left off.”

Ryle, which went 5-6 last year, is ranked sixth in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches’ poll. CovCath is eighth.

“CovCath is a good team,” Warner said. “They’re big and strong up front. That staff has done a good job getting that team together in such a short time.”

The game marked Wirth’s first as the Colonels head coach. He served as an assistant at the school earlier this decade, then served as the head coach at Badin.
“It’s still a loss,” Wirth said. “It’ll be nice to get the first win under our belt next week against Lexington Catholic.”

Ryle next week will play host to top-ranked Highlands, the back-to-back defending 5A state champions.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Warner said. “It’s only going to help. They believe they can win anywhere they go. We’re excited about having them come in here.”

CovCath quarterback Brayden Erpenbeck, who left the game with an injured shoulder before returning, rushed for 105 yards on 13 carries. Zach Senvisky led the Ryle defense with seven tackles and an interception.