Boehmker: West Leads Conner To Win Over Dixie

 Conner senior quarterback Nick West wanted to win Friday’s home game against Dixie Heights a little bit more than his teammates.

 When the two football teams played last season, West sprained his ankle during a touchdown celebration and had to watch from the sidelines as Dixie Heights came from behind for a 48-28 victory.

 With that unfortunate incident on his mind going into Friday’s game, West scored twice and threw a touchdown pass to lead the Cougars to a 36-20 win that snapped a four-game losing streak against the Colonels.

 “It was just nice to come out and beat them since I hadn’t beaten them my whole career,” West said.

 West wasn’t the only reason Conner came away with the victory that raised its record to 4-0. 

 After Dixie Heights (2-2) opened the second half with a touchdown drive that tied the score, the Conner defense allowed only one first down on the Colonels’ last five offensive possessions.

 “Every week our defense has kept us in it and given us an opportunity to win, and that’s just what we’ve done,” said Conner coach David Trosper.

 Conner finished with 440 total yards. West accounted for most of it by completing 15 of 23 passes for 227 yards and picking up 90 yards on 19 carries.

 The Cougars’ leading rusher was senior Austin Pugh with 102 yards on 16 carries. Junior wide receiver Taylor Miller caught six passes for 100 yards.

 “Our offensive linemen are stepping up to the challenge this year,” West said. “They knew if they give me or Austin or anybody just a seam we can do some good things with the ball.”

 Dixie Heights finished with 312 total yards. The team leader was senior quarterback Ryan Wilson, who completed 23 of 35 passes for 184 yards and one touchdown.

 But coach Tom Spritzky said it was a “frustrating night” watching the Colonels.

 “We just weren’t sharp for 48 minutes on either side of the ball and in the kicking game,” Spritzky said. “Conner came to play and executed and did that they needed to do to win so they deserve the credit.”

 Both teams had a touchdown nullified by a penalty. The one against Dixie Heights came on an interception return by senior Ben Haggerty late in the second quarter that could have given the Colonels the lead.

 On that play, the officials called an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a block thrown by a Dixie Heights player.

 Spritzky disagreed with the call, but he said it was “immaterial” because his team tied the score with a touchdown on its first possession of the second half.
“We missed the extra point so instead of being up one we were tied and from that point on Conner pretty much handled us,” Spritzky said.

DIXIE HEIGHTS 7-7-6-0--20
at CONNER 3-17-7-9--36
C–Stephens 36 FG
DH–Raleigh 19 pass from Wilson (Bronner kick)
C–West 10 run (Stephens kick)
C–Pugh 8 run (Stephens kick)
DH–Klei 35 run (Bronner kick)
C–Stephens FG 37
DH–Klei 1 run (kick blocked)
C–Champ 26 pass from West (Stephens kick)
C–West 25 run (kick failed)
C–Stephens 31 FG
RECORDS: Conner 4-0, Dixie Heights 2-2.