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NKY Round-Up: Beechwood back in finals

It was semi-final weekend around the Bluegrass State with trips to next week’s state title games on the line. Three Northern Kentucky teams were alive to start the night, but by time the dust settled only one advanced.

CLASS 2A

BEECHWOOD 48, LLOYD 0

The clock struck midnight on Cinderella on Friday night in Fort Mitchell as the Tigers shutout the Juggernauts 48-0 to advance the KHSAA Class 2A state championship game and a crack at the school’s 17th state championship and sixth in seven years.

Lloyd last made it this far into the football playoff bracket in 2003, but the team had scored 41 one or more points in every postseason game so far couldn’t dent the end zone in this contest on Beechwood’s tenacious defense that has held its last nine opponents to 14 points or less.

Clay Hayden connected Talon Linder on a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes to get Beechwood out to an early 13-0 lead. Chase Flaherty followed that up with a pair of 3-yard TD runs. Hayden hit Liam McCormick on a 26-yard TD pass in the final minute of the first half to give Beechwood a 34-0 lead at the break.

Flaherty got his third TD of the game midway through the third quarter and Zander Riegler rounded the scoring in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard rushing touchdown.

The Tigers are set to play next Friday afternoon at 4PM at Kroger Field in Lexington in the 2022 Class 2A 2022 UK HealthCare Sports Medicine State Football Finals versus their longtime rival, Mayfield.

CLASS 1A

PIKEVILLE 50, NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC 14

Newport Central Catholic’s hopes of a championship came up two wins shy as their season ended with a 50-14 loss on Friday night in Pikeville.

The Panthers running game was too much for the Thoroughbreds as they ran for 259 yards on 35 carries. Blake Birchfield led the way for the home team with 166 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries.

Luke Runyon finished with 106 total yards and a touchdown on eight touches (three rushes, five receptions) to lead NCC. 

NewCath finishes the year with a 11-3 mark. Pikeville will meet Raceland next Friday for the Class 1A title.

Get the complete scores from all of tonight’s action on the Underground Sports Shop Scoreboard at TriStateFootball.com/scores.

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