'It's all about the kids.' Simon Kenton runs past Ryle for a district title, 38-31

INDEPENDENCE, Ky. – Right before the Ryle football team tied the game at 31 early in the fourth quarter, a fireworks display went off in the distance that was visible to the press box and the home fans at Simon Kenton’s Menefee Stadium.

Once the game was tied, the Simon Kenton football team didn’t want to get the lead back with aerial fireworks of its own. Instead, the Pioneers went back to basics, trusting their massive offensive line and array of talented ballcarriers to deliver a win for themselves and for the home crowd.

Simon Kenton edged Ryle 38-31 Saturday night in a game that was broadcast live on WSTR-TV. The Pioneers, 6-3 overall, won the KHSAA Class 6A, District 6 championship with a 3-0 record. Ryle dropped to 5-4 and finished second in the district at 2-1.

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Both teams will play at home next week to end the regular season, Ryle against Covington Catholic and Simon Kenton against Woodford County. Then, both teams will be at home for the first round of the playoffs Nov. 4. Simon Kenton earned the right to play again at home in the second round.

“I feel good,” senior offensive lineman Nathan Bieber said. “This is my senior year. I‘m really excited to see how well we do in the playoffs. I love football.”

The Pioneers had to regroup after squandering a 17-point lead in the second half. The Pioneers got the ball back after the Raiders tied the game at 31 with 7:24 to go in the game.

The Pioneers kept the ball on the ground, gaining 65 yards on 13 plays with its diverse group of runners. Durrell Turner had a 10-yard run. Kaleb Bleier had an 8-yard run. Chase Crone had gains of 7, 17 and 8 yards to highlight the drive before scoring from a yard out with 2:12 to go in the fourth quarter.

“We have that dominant offensive line,” Crone said. “We have some hard runners and I have a lot of confidence in our team.”

SK rushed for 431 yards in the game and Crone had 192 passing yards for 623 total yards, 289 total yards more than the Raiders did.

Crone, a four-year starter at quarterback who recently broke the school’s career record for passing yards and yards from scrimmage, rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 192 yards and one TD.

Senior Jayden Lawson rushed for 125 yards and a score. Turner rushed for 48 and Bleier for 37.

They ran behind a massive line of seniors Nathan Bieber, C.J. Heflin and Kaleb Russell; and juniors Aba Selm and Jacob Putthoff. Selm has been getting Power 5 Division I offers of late.

“It’s an honor,” Bieber said. “I can’t ask for a better group of guys to block for. You can’t ask for a better backfield.”

Ryle head coach Mike Engler said his Raiders played well but the Pioneers were better. Ryle and Simon Kenton could meet again as soon as the third round of the playoffs if both teams advance.

“Great football game,” Engler said. “I hope we see them one more time. That means we both made it past the second round. I’m glad I don’t have to see Chase Crone anymore but I would love to see him one more time. They’re a good football team. I can’t fault anything. We probably could have tackled a little bit better, but those guys are tough. This will make us better because the real season starts in two weeks.”

Simon Kenton was hot out of the gate, scoring on its first drive when Crone threw a long pass to a wide-open Nathan Kitchens for a 36-yard touchdown.

“Nathan made (the defender) fall and the guy went down,” Crone said. “He was wide open. My job is not to overthrow him.”

Simon Kenton drove again on its second possession. Kaden Gardner and Jacob Savage made tough defensive plays to break up passes, forcing Simon Kenton into an Andrew Petty field goal, and the Pioneers led 10-0.

Ryle struck back. Logan Verax threw a 19-yard pass to Abram Cusick, who made a tough leaping grab, then Jayce Harden made a 23-yard gain after a shovel pass. Verax scored on a TD rush and it was 10-7 after one quarter.

Verax threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns. Harden had four catches for 173 yards. SK limited Ryle to 41 rushing yards.

Simon Kenton scored again after a 26-yard run by Lawson and a TD pass from Crone to Chase Williams, who had seven catches for 124 yards.

The Pioneers were driving again when Savage intercepted Crone, the first of three Simon Kenton turnovers. The Raiders made it 17-14 at the half.

The Pioneers got the ball to start the second half and scored quickly on a 28-yard run by Williams and a 36-yard run by Lawson to the house. Lucas Ferment intercepted Verax for Simon Kenton. Crone scored from 41 yards one play after Ryle committed a roughing penalty on him. After the defender threw him to the ground, players from both teams got in each other’s faces briefly and tempers flared.

Crone then ran untouched to give Simon Kenton a 31-14 midway through the third quarter.

“I can’t show weakness,” Crone said. “I can’t show them any type of weakness. When that happened, that kind of made me mad so when they called that play, I knew I was going to take it to them. Don’t get caught. Just keep moving.”

After that, Simon Kenton committed two turnovers and gave the Raiders a short field after a bad punt snap.

One of the turnovers, a 40-yard fumble return by Ryle’s Dillon Smith, set up a Ryle score.

Ryle struck back with two long pass plays from Verax to Harden from 53 yards and 92.

After the Pioneers took the lead in the final minutes, Ryle drove down to the Simon Kenton 38. The Pioneers' defense forced Verax into an intentional grounding penalty, and Brayden Ross intercepted him on the next play to clinch it.

The district title and the winning record are a boost for the Pioneers after two losing seasons in a row and playing for head coach Roy Lucas, a veteran head coach who was promoted to head coach at SK after the retirement of Jeff Marksberry.

“It’s all about the kids,” Lucas said. “It’s not about me taking over. If Coach Marksberry had still been here, it would have been the same because we got great kids. They have worked their tail ends off to get here. They’ve learned to believe in themselves and keep fighting.”

Bieber agrees.

“Those last two years were tough, but we knew we were going to be good this year,” Bieber said. “We worked hard in the weight room and in the cold. Blood, sweat and tears on the football field and for this team. We work for each other, we love each other and we’re here for each other.”

Simon Kenton 38, Ryle 31

Ryle                       7          7            14          3-31

Simon Kenton     10        7            14          7-38

S – Kitchens 36 pass from Crone (Petty kick)

S – Petty 29 field goal

R – Verax 3 run (Moses kick)

S – Williams 23 pass from Crone (Petty kick)

R – Gardner 24 pass from Verax (Moses kick)

S – Lawson 36 run (Petty kick)

S – Crone 41 run (Petty kick)

R – Harden 53 pass from Verax (Moses kick)

R – Harden 92 pass from Verax (Moses kick)

R – Moses 28 field goal

S – Crone 1 run (Petty kick)

Records: R 5-4, SK 6-3.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Simon Kenton runs past Ryle for district title, 38-31