[Stardust]

Simpson leads Pioneers
By Ryan Ernst • [email]rernst@enquirer.com[/email] • October 8, 2009

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During last season’s storybook season, the Simon Kenton football team snuck into the playoffs on its way to a Class 6A state runner-up finish.


Nowadays, the Pioneers aren’t sneaking up on anybody.

Simon Kenton cemented its place as Northern Kentucky’s big school to beat with a 49-29 victory over Ryle on Thursday night.

• Photos: Pioneers 49, Raiders 29


“It’s kind of scary,” Simon Kenton coach Jeff Marksberry said of his team’s position. “We have to stay focused and we have to make sure nobody sneaks up on us. Complacency’s a bad thing. And now we’ve got to fight it. We’re in a good place, but we can’t be too happy.”

The Pioneers and Raiders entered the game ranked second and third respectively in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches’ poll. But from early in the game, it was obvious that much more separates the teams than one spot in the polls.

Behind a record-breaking performance from senior running back Miles Simpson, the Pioneers led 42-7 heading into the third quarter.

The Mr. Football candidate ran for 275 yards and scored four touchdowns. In the process he broke the school career rushing record of 3,637 yards set by Daniel Morrison in 2000. Simpson now has 3,824 career yards

He gained his yards through gaping holes and on exhilarating make-’em-miss runs. The highlight came midway through the third quarter. Facing a third-and-8 from the Ryle 22-yard line, Simpson took a handoff, broke three backfield tackles, then sprinted down the Simon Kenton sideline for a touchdown.

“Miles Simpson,” said Ryle coach Bryson Warner, “is unreal.”

“He’s ridiculous,” said Marksberry. “At one point (assistant coach), Steve Burns said, ‘I don’t even know why we design things. We just need to turn around and hand him the ball.”

Simpson, who was hampered by an ankle injury earlier in the season, has rushed for 704 yards and scored 14 touchdowns in his last three games.

“When I was injured I was kind of down because I didn’t know if I’d make it back,” Simpson said. “... It’s great to get some of those yards back.”

Simpson and quarterback Chad Lawrence provided most of the offense. Lawrence ran for 187 yards and two scores and threw for two more touchdowns.

But the defense also shined. The Pioneers sacked Ryle quarterback Conner Hempel seven times. Junior linebacker Austin Baldwin had 3.5 of the sacks.

“All week in practice we ran what they were going to run,” Baldwin said. “We went out and executed. Those plays gave us confidence and took some of their confidence away.”

The Pioneers, who entered last year’s playoffs as a No. 4 seed, sit in sole possession of first place in the Class 6A district. After losing a key district matchup 42-7 to Boone County on their home field, they won seven straight games – including a playoff upset of Boone County – to reach the state finals.

After Thursday’s loss, Warner reminded his team how Simon Kenton rebounded from a lopsided district defeat.

“They’ve done a great job as a program,” Warner said. “They started believing last year after that Boone County loss. And they haven’t stopped since.”