By: Marc Hardin, prepsports@enquirer.com
Covington Catholic's A. J. Mayer (7) is tackled by Beechwood's Robbie Cottingham during their football game, Friday, Sept. 16.(Photo: Tony Tribble for the Enquirer)
Northern Kentucky high school non-district football matchups don't get much bigger than perennial Class 5A power Covington Catholic vs. Class A titan Beechwood.
Factor in the rare sight of lights at CovCath's Wooten Field and an extra aura is added. Add a pregame deluge in the form of a prolonged rain shower and another round of Friday evening lightning in the area that pushed the original 7 p.m. start to 7:40 p.m., plus a full moon, and craziness was sure to ensue.
It was indeed a crazy game, won 44-10 by CovCath, which rarely met a fourth-down try that it didn't like.
Related: CovCath football schedule, stats
It was 3-3 following converted field goals by both sides. Beechwood led 3-0 on a Daniel Mescher 40-yard first-quarter try while trailing in total yards 74 to minus-15.
CovCath tied it 3-all on Matt Kloska's 25-yard second-quarter field goal following a pair of fourth-down fails by the offense and a Beechwood interception.
The Colonels (4-1) went ahead to stay on Anthony Best's four-yard touchdown run, capping a 10-play, 66-yard drive with 52 seconds left before halftime. CovCath led in first-half total yards, 214-0, but led Beechwood (3-1) by just three points.
Things got really crazy after the break.
Following a CovCath sack on fourth-and-17 for Beechwood on the opening series of the second half, the Colonels made it 17-3 on AJ Mayer's 25-yard first-down TD pass to Josh Newman and the extra-point kick. Mayer passed for 302 yards. CovCath outgained Beechwood, 462-58.
Best's 34-yard interception return for a touchdown on the next Beechwood offensive play helped push the lead to 24-3.
Beechwood scored on the very next play with a James Davis 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The score cut the Colonels' lead to 24-10, but CovCath answered with three more touchdowns during what would be a 34-point third quarter for the Colonels.
Related: Beechwood football schedule, stats
Inconsistent game play did not befit the teams' high caliber. The storied programs have combined for 17 state championships. In Kentucky annals, both are top-10 state title winners. Beechwood's 11 crowns are fifth-most in Kentucky history. CovCath's six are tied for ninth all-time.
Both rank in the top five of their respective Associated Press state polls, Beechwood second in Class A and CovCath fifth in 5A.
With one loss between them entering Friday, they clashed again after dark thanks to a zoning change in Park Hills. Previously, CovCath was the only school in Northern Kentucky that did not have lights at its home football field.
It was the fourth home game at night for CovCath. The first was against Beechwood in 2007. The Colonels also won that one. They have won six of the last seven meetings with the Tigers.
Beechwood 3 0 7 0 -- 10
CovCath 0 10 34 0 -- 44
B-Mescher 40 FG
C-Kloska 25 FG
C-Best 4 run (Kloska kick)
C-Newman 25 pass from Mayer (Kloska kick) C-Best 35 interception return (Kloska kick) B-Davis 96 kickoff return (Mescher kick) C-O'Connell 5 run (kick failed) C-Butler 13 pass from Mayer (Kloska kick) C-Coldiron 58 pass from Mayer (Kloska kick)
Records: B 3-1, C 4-1.