Here is a look at this weekend’s Class A and Class AA high school football matchups involving local teams:
CRITTENDEN COUNTY (10-3) at BEECHWOOD (12-1)Where: Edgar McNabb Stadium, Fort Mitchell.
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Notes: Both teams have been dominant in the playoffs after losing their regular-season finales.
After a 21-7 loss to Caldwell County dropped the Rockets to 7-3, Crittenden County has outscored its postseason opponents, 121-20.
The Tigers’ run at a perfect season was stopped by Newport Central Catholic, 31-20 after a 9-0 start, but Beechwood has won by combined scores of 138-20 in the playoffs.
Crittenden County has two 1,000-yard rushers, and has over 3½ times as many ground yards as passing yards.
Senior Rodney Robertson leads the Rockets with 1,400 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns despite missing three games. Junior quarterback Jesse Gray has 152 carries for 1,115 yards and 14 TDs.
Gray only throws about nine passes per game, but his efficiency forces defenses to respect the Rockets’ air attack. Gray is 64-for-120 (53.3 percent) for 859 yards and 10 touchdowns with just two interceptions.
Gray’s top passing target is senior Louis Courtney, who has 24 catches for 362 yards and six touchdowns.
Beechwood’s defense is allowing just 71.7 rushing yards per game.
Opponents have had a little more success passing against the Tigers, averaging 91.5 yards per game.
Tigers running back Neico Teipel has been the focal point of Beechwood’s offense, and is having one of the best seasons for an area rusher in recent history.
Teipel has 1,991 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns on 264 carries.
Beechwood junior quarterback Matt Rigdon has 710 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, and junior Joe Colosimo has rushed for 539 yards and 13 TDs.
Rigdon also averages nine passes per game, completing 61 of 116 (52.6 percent) for 1,151 yards and 11 touchdowns while throwing five picks.
Crittenden County’s defense has been much better against the run, so Beechwood may try to pick on the Rockets’ secondary.
Crittenden County is only allowing 66.2 rushing yards per game, but is surrendering an average of 162.5 passing yards.
These teams have not met in recent history.
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC (12-1) at CORBIN (13-0)
Where: Deens Stadium, Corbin.
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Notes: After a Week 2 loss to Covington Catholic, NewCath has won its last 11. But Corbin has not lost at all this season, and has won 24 of its last 25 games.
The Thoroughbreds’ offense has been on a roll since the postseason began. NewCath has scored 50, 42, and 54 points in its wins, and has piled up at least 375 yards in each game.
Senior running back Mark Kelly has rushed for 492 yards in the playoffs, after recording 1,083 ground yards during the regular season. On the year, Kelly has 1,575 ground yards and 24 TDs.
Senior quarterback Rob Kues has thrown just 25 passes since the end of the regular season, but he has completed 13 for 143 yards.
Corbin is allowing just over 100 rushing yards per game, and an average of slightly less passing yards.
On offense, Corbin averages over 200 rushing yards per game, led by junior 1,000-yard rusher Caleb Watkins.
Senior Michael Campbell has added over 700 ground yards for the Redhounds.
The Redhounds pass about seven times per game, and senior quarterback Lance Freeman has completed over half of his throws for just under 1,000 yards. He has only been picked off five times.
NewCath is allowing 149 passing yards per game, but many on those have come by teams that were forced to pass to overcome large scoring deficits.
The Thoroughbreds’ defense is giving up 143.5 yards per game on the ground.
Corbin’s one loss in its last 25 games came against NewCath last season. The Thoroughbreds knocked the Redhounds out of last year’s state quarterfinals, 28-16 in these teams’ only recent meeting.
