[Can you dig it?]

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...311200100/

Highlands found itself in unfamiliar territory late Friday night. Johnson Central had countered the 14 points scored by the Bluebirds in the first six minutes of the Class 5A regional championship game in Fort Thomas with a methodical, clock-grinding 14 points of its own to forge a tie with just over three minutes left in the first half.

The Bluebirds answered that adversity with 28 points in a span of 13 minutes and advanced to next week’s state semifinal with a 42-21 victory against the Golden Eagles.

Highlands, ranked No. 8 in the USA Today national poll and now 13-0, will host either Pulaski County or Letcher County Central next Friday with a trip to Bowling Green for the state championship game on the line. The Bluebirds are seeking a third consecutive state championship and No. 19 overall.

• Photos: Bluebirds 42, Golden Eagles 21


“Our guys picture every week what it’s going to be like if you’re down five points and there’s two minutes left in the game,” said Highlands coach Dale Mueller. “We picture that, we practice for that and they’re ready for it.”

Senior running back Austin Collinsworth led Highlands with 159 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 14 carries, while fellow senior Tyler Fennell added two touchdowns and 46 yards on seven carries. Sophomore quarterback Patrick Towles threw just six passes but completed four of them for 91 yards, including gains of 35 and 36 yards to senior John Drenen.

Towles took over the starting job in the middle of the season after senior Will Bardo went down with an elbow injury. Bardo has returned to the lineup as a running back while Towles has remained the quarterback.

“We try to be the most prolific offense we can be,” said Towles. “We want to score every possession. We want to gain positive yardage every play and gain as much yardage as possible. The O-line was awesome tonight.”

Highlands outgained Johnson Central and its Veer rushing attack, 352-296. The Golden Eagles had won eight straight games, including wins against Scott and Covington Catholic in the first two rounds of the playoffs, entering the regional championship.

This is the second season in a row Highlands has beaten Johnson Central for the regional title. The Bluebirds won 35-21 in Paintsville last season in a game that was tied 7-7 at halftime. In that game, Highlands got a pair of long touchdown passes from quarterback Tony Guidugli and a 73-yard fumble return for a touchdown by defensive tackle Kody Rosenhagen in the third quarter to break open the game.

The rematch was a similarly tight game through the first half before Highlands’ depth and overall talent took control.

Collinsworth was dropped for a 1-yard loss on the first play from scrimmage but came back on second down to break free for a 62-yard touchdown run. Highlands made it 14-0 on its next possession as Fennell went through the left side of the line for a 29-yard scoring run and it appeared to be another run-away for the Bluebirds.

Johnson Central regained its composure, however, and answered Fennell’s touchdown with a 74-yard drive that Nate Dillon capped on the ninth play with a 30-yard touchdown.

The Golden Eagles then stopped Highlands on downs for a defensive breath of life. The Johnson Central offense responded to its defense with a 13-play, 71-yard drive that took up 6:41 of the clock. Dillon, who finished with 130 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, scored on a 6-yard run to even the score with 3:14 left in the half.

Highlands regained the lead for good on Collinsworth’s 6-yard touchdown run with 1:08 left in the first half. It didn’t take long for the Bluebirds to extend the margin in the third quarter. Johnson Central had possession to open the second half but fumbled on the third play from scrimmage. The ball was recovered by sophomore Josh Quillen of the Highlands at the Johnson Central 29 and five plays later Collinsworth had his third touchdown of the game, this time on a 1-yard run.

Quillen also had an interception in the second half.

“We felt good at the half; it was going pretty much the way we had planned,” said Johnson Central coach Jim Matney. “We knew we’d have a tough time stopping Highlands but we felt good about our chances to move the football. Then we come out and put the ball on the ground. You just can’t do that with our offense.”

Fennell scored on a 12-yard run in the third quarter and Towles added a 13-yard run of his own on the first play of the fourth quarter to seal the win for the Bluebirds.
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I was talking to Kody at the game last night. He's like a lucky Buddha against JC.