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Best Bets: Week 13 — N. Kentucky

Only six teams remain in Northern Kentucky, and two (Holy Cross and NewCath) play each other in the third week of the playoffs.

Just two games will be played in this area while the other three will be held downstate.

Here are the Best Bets for the state quarterfinals of the playoffs in Northern Kentucky:

Class A

Kentucky Country Day (10-2) at Beechwood (11-1), 7:30 p.m. – KCD has really tuned up its defense the season half of its season. In their first six games, the Bearcats allowed an average of 34.4 points, but they have given up just 10.8 points per game in their last six contests. Jared Frank is the biggest offensive threat for KCD, rushing for 910 yards and catching 51 passes for 813 yards, tallying 24 total touchdowns. Speaking of defenses stepping up, Beechwood has surrendered just 26 points in its last five games, scoring 48.0 points per contest in that stretch. QB Brayden Burch just reached the 2,000-yard passing mark, throwing 23 TDs and just four picks.

Class 2A

Holy Cross (9-3) vs. Newport Central Catholic (7-5) at Newport, 7 p.m. – NewCath won, 21-0 when these teams met in the regular season. That game didn’t feature a lot of offense, but the Indians had averaged 52.8 points in the next four games before being stymied in a 13-10 win over Walton-Verona last week. The Thoroughbreds have outscored their playoff opponents, 91-20, and Kyle Kelly is up to 823 rushing yards and 14 scores.

Class 5A

 

CovCath quarterback A.J. Mayer (Cathy Lachmann/TSF).

CovCath quarterback A.J. Mayer (Cathy Lachmann/TSF).

Covington Catholic (9-3) at Fern Creek (10-2), 7:30 p.m. – CovCath finally won its district after being stymied by Highlands for years, and the Colonels have beaten their opponents by an aggregate total of 111-28. The amazing stat for CovCath is A.J. Mayer has 2,300 passing yards, yet no one has over 350 receiving yards. Six Colonels receivers have between 250 and 350 yards, making them very difficult to defend, while Casey McGinness has rushed for 1,216 yards. Fern Creek has scored 44.0 points per game while allowing just 13.0 during the Tigers’ current seven-game winning streak. RB Kyree Hawkins is the team’s top offensive threat, with 1,155 rushing yards and 18 scores.

Class 6A

Simon Kenton (11-1) at Lexington Lafayette (11-1), 7:30 p.m. – A pair of 11-1 teams square off in Lexington. The Pioneers lead all of Class 6A in scoring, as they average 47.5 points per game. Dylan Hampton, Cameron Racke and Jon Sergent have all rushed for over 650 yards and have combined for 34 rushing touchdowns. The Generals have posted a 50.0 points-per-game average over the past seven weeks. Not only do they boast a passing threat of Walker Wood (2,439 passing yards and 23 touchdowns) and Quinton Brown (50 catches, 794 yards, seven TDs), Wood and Cameron Morgan have both rushed for over 1,000 yards this season.

Ryle (12-0) at Scott County (10-2), 7:30 p.m. – Ryle has scored at least 30 points in every game this season and averages 41.3 per game. Jake Chisholm has piled up 1,498 yards and 20 touchdowns, including three scores last week. The Raiders have outscored their first two postseason oppoenents, 96-23. Not to rehash but Scott County did forfeit a game this year because of a violation issue. Kendrick Hamilton leads the team in rushing yards with 798 and 12 touchdowns, and Brice Fryman has 732 ground yards and 10 scores.

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