Bir leads attack for Cov. Catholic

Local Sports

Discussion

November 10, 2012

Bir leads attack for Cov. Catholic

KYLE HOBSTETTER Associated Press Sat Nov 10, 2012, 11:29 AM EST

PAINTSVILLE — Sometimes one team makes plays while the other one doesn’t.

Covington Catholic got big plays from the arm, and legs, of quarterback Blake Bir to sail past Johnson Central 45-15 in a Class 4A second round playoff game on Friday.

Johnson Central coach Jim Matney said when it comes down to it, his team was just outplayed by Covington Catholic.

“We just didn’t play very well,” Matney said. “And they played well and they made big play after big play after big play.”

After Johnson Central’s opening drive stalled, Covington Catholic took over, and penalties forced them into a first-and-25 situation.

Bir responded to the penalty by running for 33 yards on the next play, scoring the game’s opening touchdown.

After a Johnson Central three-and-out, Bir delivered again for the Colonels with a 10-yard touchdown run.

After a long bus ride, Covington Catholic was pretty happy that a quarterback, known more for his arm, was able to use his legs so effectively.

“For a high school football quarterback coming off a four-hour bus ride, against a good team, in a hostile environment, that’s a pretty good performance,” said Covington Catholic coach David Wirth.

Bir finished the game 17-of-25 passing for 287 yards with two touchdown passes and had five carries for 76 yards with two rushing touchdowns.

After Bir’s second TD run, Johnson Central running back Daymion Belcher fumbled on the first play of the following drive.

Defensive lineman Spencer Hemmer took the ball 28 yards and gave Covington Catholic a 21-0 first quarter lead.

“That’s a big play,” Wirth said. “That fumble return for a touchdown broke the game wide open. It was like a cleat in the middle of the back and it was hard for them to recover from.”

But Johnson Central (9-3) scored on the very next drive, when Belcher took the ball 23 yards into the end zone for a touchdown.

Belcher was a bright spot for the Golden Eagles — the sophomore finished with 126 rushing yards on 18 carries to go with one touchdown.

“He ran hard and played well for a sophomore,” Matney said about Belcher.

But when the Golden Eagles needed a stop, the Colonels found a way to keep drives going.

After the Johnson Central scoring drive, Covington Catholic answered with a four-minute drive that ended with backup quarterback Sam Dressman barreling into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown.

All Matney could do was watch, as after a tough season his team seemed beaten up. It struggled to keep pace with Covington Catholic’s high-speed pace.

“We went as far as our bodies could take us,” Matney said. “I think our schedule towards the end of the season hurt us a bit because we were awfully banged up.

“Anytime you play Ironton, Ashland and Belfry in a row, I think it’s hard to recuperate from that.”

Wirth said his team’s spread out, fast-paced offense worked well against Johnson Central’s defense that featured players that play both ways.

“I think our offense’s ability to vary the pace and go really fast and wear them out is big,” Wirth said. “And then at the end being able to slow it down and frustrate them was just as important.”

In the second half up 28-7, Covington Catholic opened up the second half scoring with a 53-yard screen pass to Ethan Egbers.

Johnson Central got a 1-yard touchdown run by Jordan Young, but Covington Catholic’s following drive ended with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Bir to Matt Summe. The play came after Johnson Central backed Covington Catholic up to a third-and-12 position.

Covington Catholic’s ability to make big plays on third down, and its 451 total yards compared to Johnson Central’s 184, were the keys to the game, Matney said.

“We just didn’t make the big plays and they did,” Matney said. “It’s as simple as that. Normally we’re able to finish those drives up and we weren’t able to tonight.”

Text Only

Local Sports

63rd District baseball: Greenup County outduels Lewis, 7-3
Lightning delayed the 63rd District Tournament championship game several times following the first inning on Tuesday, creating a late night for Greenup County and Lewis County.

May 22, 2013
Boyd’s Fraley commits to Herd
Boyd County sophomore basketball player Logan Fraley has announced her commitment to Marshall University.
The 5-foot-11 shooting guard informed Marshall women’s coach Matt Daniel of her decision on Monday morning, which was confirmed by Boyd County coach/father Pete Fraley via text message.

May 21, 2013
63rd softball: Greenup leans on bunting, baserunning; Russell wins
Immersed in another district contest with little breathing room, Greenup County softball coach Eric Keeton resorted to the strengths of his lineup: bunting and baserunning.
Two bunts and a swinging bunt helped the Lady Musketeers scratch across three runs in the fifth inning of a 6-2 victory over Raceland in the 63rd District Tournament opening round on Monday night at Russell High School. Top-seeded Russell defeated Lewis County, also 6-2, earlier in the evening.

May 21, 2013
Boyd pounds out 11 hits to go along with Grimm’s shutout, 14-0
Robbie Shivel might be a little sore after Monday night, but it was Fairview that left the game battered and bruised.
Boyd County belted out 11 hits to go along with Dylan Grimm's complete-game gem as the Lions roared past Fairview, 14-0, in the opening round of the 64th District Tournament at Ashland's Alumni Field. The game lasted five innings.

May 21, 2013
Different look, same results for Lady Lions
A longtime fixture in the 64th District softball championship game, Boyd County looked different this return trip.
The Lady Lions defeated Fairview 10-5 in Monday’s district semifinal, which doubled as an Autism Awareness Night. Boyd County players wore light blue shirts and colorful, jigsaw puzzle socks for the event, which had to be rescheduled more than once due to weather problems.

May 21, 2013
Musketeers explode in final 2 innings to beat Raceland; good times continue for Lewis
Through the first four innings of its 63rd District Tournament opener, Greenup County found itself hitless. The Musketeers made up for it over the next two innings.
Greenup County scored eight runs on eight hits in the final two innings to defeat Raceland, 9-1, at Russell High School on Monday.

May 21, 2013
The will to win
Opponents get the same look from Emily Stewart whether it’s softball, basketball or soccer season.
Steely eyed and lips pursed, the Boyd County senior is keenly focused and all business between the lines.

May 20, 2013 1 Photo
THE WEEKLY CYCLE: Holding the key to upset city?
It takes only one game. Few are more firm believers in that fact than the small schools that find themselves in underdog roles year after year.

May 20, 2013
Locals struggle to make impact
Some days you are the windshield and some days you are the bug.
It is a saying that proved to be all too true for Rowan County on Friday night at the KHSAA Class 2A State Track and Field Championships at the University of Louisville’s Owsley Frazier Cardinal Park.

May 19, 2013 1 Photo
Womack eliminated in state semis; Rose Hill, Russell doubles also ousted
Fairview senior Kennedy Womack wasn’t her consistent self in Saturday morning’s state tennis semifinals at the University of Kentucky’s Hilary Boone Tennis Complex.
As a result, the top seed fell to Lexington Sayre sophomore Madeline Rolph 6-1, 6-0.
Womack was obviously disappointed with her finish, especially after losing in last year’s state finals, but she was happy for her good friend Rolph.

May 19, 2013 1 Photo
More Local Sports Headlines

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

Bir leads attack for Cov. Catholic

Site Map

Contact Us