BELLEVUE (9-3) AT BEECHWOOD (8-4) What: Class A state football quarterfinal.
When: Kickoff at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Edgar McNabb Stadium, Fort Mitchell.
Kypost.com coverage: Terry Boehmker.
John Lachmann’s pick: Beechwood
Terry Boehmker’s pick: Beechwood.
Dan Wright’s pick: Beechwood.
Notes: When these teams both named the Tigers played earlier this season, they combined for 59 passing yards.
Beechwood rushed for 332 yards, and Bellevue totaled 160 ground yards, and Beechwood won, 20-8.
The story of this game will likely follow the same pattern. With the success both teams have had with their running attacks this season, there is little reason for either team to alter its offensive game plan.
The difference between the two is: Beechwood has two 1,000-yard rushers, and Bellevue only has one. But Bellevue senior Ricky Buckler has 2,682 ground yards and 40 touchdowns, more yardage and TDs than both of Beechwood’s top ball carriers combined.
Bellevue is coming off a 29-26 upset win at top-seeded Frankfort. The team has won its last four road games, and is averaging 42.0 points during the postseason.
Bellevue is riding a three-game winning streak, with its last loss coming against Beechwood.
Buckler averages 29 carries per game. Bellevue also uses D.J. Slater in its ground game on occasion – the junior has 474 rushing yards on 82 carries, and six TDs.
Bellevue throws less than 10 times per game, but senior Richard Wills has been pretty effective passing when he isn’t handing the ball off to Buckler. Wills is 59-for-114 for 887 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Of the team’s 61 completions, 23 have been to senior Alex Hegge (38 percent), and his 458 receiving yards account for 47 percent of Bellevue’s passing totals.
No other Bellevue receiver has more than eight catches, and Buckler only has six receptions for 12 yards, so the Beechwood secondary can focus on Hegge.
Beechwood is allowing 163.9 rushing yards per game and 95.4 in the air for a total of 259.3. This is not one of Beechwood’s best-ever defensive teams – especially against the run – but the team did a good job of holding the Bellevue offense to 196 yards of offense in the regular-season meeting.
Beechwood has posted back-to-back shutouts in playoff games, outscoring its opponents, 112-0.
The team started the season 1-3 with losses to Class 5A schools Dixie Heights, Highlands and Covington Catholic, but has won seven of eight since. Beechwood's lone blemish after a slow start was a 26-22 loss at Newport Central Catholic.
On offense, Beechwood senior running back Joe Colosimo and senior quarterback Matt Rigdon are only 16 yards apart in their season rushing totals. Colosimo has 143 carries for 1,158 yards and 15 touchdowns, and Rigdon has gained 1,142 yards and scored 13 TDs on 108 rushes.
While Colosimo’s rushing yardage has piled up steadily, Rigdon’s totals are mainly the result of a recent surge. Rigdon had 267 rushing yards after five games, and has 875 since.
Rigdon struggled throwing the ball the first half of the regular season – and Beechwood’s tough schedule didn’t help – but he has raised his completion percentage from 38.0 to 42.8 since and has thrown 12 touchdown passes during that stretch.
Beechwood has four receivers regularly, and senior Jacob Maus has been the team's best pass catcher. Maus leads the team in catches (22), receiving yards (400) and receiving touchdowns (4).
Sophomore Cameron Vocke has 17 receptions for 163 yards and three TDs, senior Kody Klug has caught 14 passes for 210 yards and one score, and junior Josh Smith had 11 receptions for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
Bellevue is allowing 148.8.rushing yards and 76.4 passing yards per game – 218.2 total. Beechwood rushed for more than twice Bellevue’s average allowed when these teams met in the regular season.
Bellevue will have to do a better job of stopping Beechwood’s running game if it wants a shot at a state semifinals berth.
Beechwood currently has a four-game winning streak vs. Bellevue. The last time Bellevue came out ahead in one of these matchups was a 27-21 win during the 2005 regular season.
Kypost.com is sending reporters to all four of Friday’s state quarterfinal football games involving area teams. Next preview: NewCath at DeSales.
