Popo: Highlands wins record sixth straight state championship

BOWLING GREEN, KY - It was different for Highlands this year because their head coach wasn't with them. It was the same for Highlands because they finished as Kentucky's 4A football champion once again.

The Bluebirds scored 33 points in the first half on their way to a commanding 47-0 victory over Martha Layne Collins High School at Houchens-L.T Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Ky.

Head Coach Dale Mueller wasn't with the team when it won its latest title. His mother-in-law died earlier in the week, and Mueller left the team Wednesday to be with his wife in New York.  Assistant head coach Brian Weinrich led the team in Mueller's absence.

The Bluebirds showed they could move the football in the first quarter with two scoring drives. One of the drives ended on a 14-yard pass from Donovan McCoy to Ryan Greene. The second concluded with another McCoy pass, this one a 21-yard strike to Luke Turner.

The Bluebirds scored three more times in the second quarter, all on running plays. Zach Harris scored twice with touchdown runs of 8 and 3 yards. Colin Seidl turned the left corner for a 30-yard score. 

McCoy, who was named the game's Most Valuable Player, ran for two touchdowns in the second half.

It wasn't just the final score that was overwhelming. Highlands had 476 yards of total offense to just 173 yards for Collins.

Collins pulled off some big plays of its own but never could get into the end zone. Highlands had seven sacks, five of which were credited to defensive lineman Seth Hope, that helped to derail the Titans offense.

In winning Friday night, Highlands won its sixth consecutive title, a Kentucky state record. It also won its 30th consecutive postseason game, also a record in the Commonwealth.