2016 Snapshot: Highlands

The 101st year of football at Highlands saw its second century launch in ominous fashion. A program that had grown so accustomed to winning was stung and stunned, sitting at 1-5 to start 2015. Even more startling was that the Bluebirds scored just six and three points in the latter two of those defeats being dominated by Louisville St. Xavier and Simon Kenton. The last five Highlands’ squads had all started the season off 6-0.

Highlands RB/RS Brad Greene (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com).

Things changed from that point on. A group of 30 seniors started seeing younger Bluebirds begin to contribute. Highlands would go on to win eight games in a row before falling to Pulaski County in the Class 5A state semi-finals. It was a game that Highlands put themselves in a position to win.

Head coach Brian Weinrich and his troops go into this season with two great things on their side – motivation and momentum. The 2016 version of the Bluebirds have much to prove. They want to be the seventh Highlands team in the last eight years to win at least eight in a row and eighth in the last nine campaigns to win a state title.

“We have a lot of experience returning along with speed and depth at the skilled positions,” Weinrich stated.

That bodes well for a team that averaged 36.8 points over the last nine games of ’15.

However, the Bluebirds did give up 43.3 points in their six losses. Stepping up the effort on defense against top opponents will give Highlands the mix it needs to make another deep playoff run.

Class 5A, District 5
2015 Record: 8-6-2, 3-0 Class 5A, District 5 – State semi-finalist
Coach: Brian Weinrich (21-8 at Highlands, two years; 21-8 overall)

TOP RETURNEES

Highlands RB Grant Murray (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

Grant Murray, Sr, RB – Murray came on strong in the playoffs running for 271 of his 534 yards and four of his six touchdowns in the final four weeks of ’15.

Jared Pulsfort, Sr, RB – A role player last year in the ground game, Pulsfort never carried the ball more than eight times but ended up with 378 yards and three touchdowns rushing.

Trent Buchert, Sr, WR – Buchert hauled in eight receptions for 100 yards with a touchdown as a junior.

Trey Bowden, Sr, LB – Bowden will be a force in the middle of the Highlands’ defense.

Brad Greene, Sr, DB/RS – This speedster is one of the top return specialists and defensive backs in Northern Kentucky. Greene has five career interceptions and has averaged 25.4 per kickoff return and 17.0 yards per punt return.

Sam Taylor, Sr, DB – Like his secondary mate Greene, Taylor has been very opportunistic for the Bluebirds. He recovered three fumbles a year ago.

Kyle Finfrock, Sr, OL – Finfrock is one of the Bluebirds’ leaders on the offensive line.

Highlands OL Michael Dunn (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

Michael Dunn, Jr, OL – Dunn, a returning starter on the o-line, is also one of the leaders in the junior class.

NEWCOMERS
Brady Gosney will be the sixth different senior to start at quarterback in the last six years for Highlands. A trio of junior wide receivers Nick Venemann, Braden Posey and Griffin Huber showed promise last season and should be even bigger factors in the offense this fall.

Seniors DL Jacob Johnson along with LB Luke Ross and Dalton Cornett will bolster the defensive depth.

STATE TITLES
23 (tied for first all time in Kentucky with Louisville Trinity) – 1960, 1961, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014

2016 SCHEDULE
The Bluebirds get a chance to avenge all of their regular-season losses as the schedule the same as 2015, but in opposite venues. All of those schools – Cooper, Scott County, Ryle, Louisville St. Xavier and Simon Kenton are loaded again. District rival Covington Catholic will be as formidable as they have ever been. A regular season along with a playoff match-up with the Colonels could deal Highlands serious damage for the first time in a decade.

91 OF 101
Last year was the 101st season of Highlands football. The Bluebirds 8-6 mark gave the program its 91st winning season in school history.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
The combined record of the five teams that Highlands lost to start the ’15 season was 50-14. Not one of the teams that beat during their eight game winning streak finished the year above .500. That included two wins against Covington Catholic (5-8 and two over Dixie Heights (3-9).

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