EDDIE EVISTON OF COVINGTON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL NAMED
2019 CATHOLIC ATHLETES FOR CHRIST TOP 25 COACH OF THE YEAR
Ranking of Catholic High School Football Teams, Presented by
Siena Heights University and Global Football, Honors KY State Champion
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 – ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Covington Catholic High School head coach Eddie Eviston has been named the Catholic Athletes for Christ Top 25 Coach of the Year for the 2019 season.
Coach Eviston led the Colonels to a 15-0 record, the Kentucky Class 5A state championship and a number nine final ranking in the CAC Top 25, presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football.
The perfect season erased the disappointment of missing out on the state title in 2018, as the Colonels came back this term to beat previously unbeaten Frederick Douglass 14-7 in the championship game.
"It is an extreme honor and very humbling to be recognized," said Coach Eviston. "Football is such a group activity, so I am surrounded by great people at the school; players, coaching staff, families, and I accept this award on their behalf as well.
"Our primary function in coaching is to turn student-athletes into fine young men and these awards are wonderful because it's nice to be recognized when you're just trying to do the best thing by these kids.
"This season, it was great to see those kids come together as a team. They are ordinary high school players who have done extraordinary things and won a state championship. I knew we had a good team, but didn't expect to do as well as we did."
The Colonels were not ranked in the CAC Top 25 preseason poll, but entered the lower reaches of the ranking in Week 4 following a 49-3 win over Beechwood after a stout defense had conceded only 48 points the to open the campaign. A breakthrough game for the Northern Kentuckians saw them humble Cincinnati Catholic League powerhouse La Salle 27-7 and climb up to fifteenth place in the ranking. Coach Eviston's team rose two places the following week then once the playoffs rolled around, broke into the top ten at number nine, having crushed Madison Southern (Berea), 49-9, in the Class 5A quarterfinals.
Eviston coached previously at Georgetown College in Kentucky, where he was the offensive coordinator as the Tigers finished the 2014 season ranked 9th nationally in scoring offense. Before that, he was the head coach at his alma mater Newport Central Catholic High School from 2010-2013, compiling a record of 35-8 while winning the KHSAA class 2A state championship in 2010 and 2012. Coach Eviston was recognized by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017 when he was the recipient of the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award.
"We'd like to congratulate Coach Eviston on this well-deserved honor," said Covington Catholic athletic director Tony Bacigalupo. "Coach Eviston is extremely detailed orientated and values doing everything right. He is a great man of Catholic faith and integrity and we are so blessed to have him lead our young men both on and off the field. There couldn't be a better recipient of this award."
Patrick Steenberge of presenting sponsor Global Football added: "Coach Eviston exemplifies what a high school coach should be, especially a coach at a Catholic school. We are proud to honor him, his team and the entire Covington Catholic community for their success this past season, especially how they overcame adversity to achieve their goals."
Coach Eviston joins Mike Mischler of Cathedral Prep (Erie, Pa.) and Tim McFarlin of Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.) in earning the Catholic Athletes for Christ Top 25 Coach of the Year award, after they were honored in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
View the final CAC Top 25 ranking for 2019 here:
http://www.globalfootball.com/cac-top-25/2019-final-ranking/
Media may download the CAC Top 25 logos here:
https://app.box.com/s/pw6575b91aktlvnhkwb9q3qllb2l5o15