'It's a wonderful time.' NewCath ready to take on Pikeville in KHSAA Class 1A state semis

NEWPORT, Ky. – Facing one of the longest drives of any Kentucky team on Black Friday to play the season-long state title favorite in Class 1A, the Newport Central Catholic football team does not lack for confidence.

NewCath will travel to Pikeville Friday for the Class 1A state semifinals in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association football playoffs. Pikeville, the reigning state champions, is 10-2 overall, while NewCath is 11-2.

“I’m excited,” NCC senior Matthew Landrum said. “We haven’t been there (to the semis) since sophomore year and I’m ready to go.”

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NewCath will drive 220 miles to the southeastern corner of the state to take on the Panthers. It is the second-longest trip any team will take for a trip to next week’s finals.

Newport Central Catholic preparing for Class 1A state semifinals

NewCath will be off school Friday and Lickert said the team plans to drive down there at a calm, leisurely pace to be in top form and energy for the game

“Our kids will be able to sleep in a little bit,” Lickert said. “The biggest thing is being able to split the trip up. Get off the bus, do a little walkthrough, eat our pregame meal, talk to the kids a little bit about the game plan. Then get on the bus for another hour and a half. Then we get there an hour or two ahead of time so we can get accustomed to where we are and just get into our groove. We’ve been on road trips before so we’ll be OK.”

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NewCath is looking for its first appearance in the state final since 2015 and its sixth state championship overall, which would be its first since 2012.

Pikeville has six state championships, three of them in the previous seven seasons in 1A. Pikeville has not had a losing season since 1997.

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“I think we’ll have a good shot to beat them,” senior lineman Eli Morgan said. “It depends on how we play. They’re a good football team and we just got to come hard and be the best we’ve ever played in our lives.”

'They’re really big up front. They want to wear you down'

Pikeville running back Blake Birchfield, a senior, is one of the leading contenders for Kentucky Mr. Football. He has 1,629 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry.

“They’re really big up front,” Lickert said. “They want to wear you down, give the ball to Birchfield and let him make plays with his feet. They have a real solid defense and I think they lean on their defense to make you tired and at the end of the game they score enough points to win.”

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Landrum, one of NewCath’s two-way stars, said Birchfield is a big key to the game.

“We got to stop the run,” he said. “If we stop that and make them pass it, we have a good shot. In practice we’ve been working on reading their linemen, coming up on the run and making a tackle. If we’re confident and make open-field tackles, we should win the game.”

NewCath has been battle-tested, with the only losses coming to 6A Campbell County (28-18) and Beechwood (26-9). Demetrick Welch leads the offense with 1,255 rushing yards and 17 TDs, and senior Luke Runyon leads on offense, defense, and kick returns.

NewCath’s most recent game was a big battle after the Thoroughbreds beat Kentucky Country Day in the regional final last week. NCC led 21-0 and then held on with some key plays for a 28-21 win.

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“That was a good game to be in because we had to fight every single play in order to win,” Lickert said. “That’s what this week is going to be. You don’t want to play in blowout wins all the time.”

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With a win, NewCath advances to the Class 1A state final against either Louisville Holy Cross (10-3) or Raceland (12-1). Kickoff is noon Friday, Dec. 2, at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field.

The players hope to regain championship form for the program.

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“It means everything,” Landrum said. “My whole family went here, my mom and dad. My dad played football, my brother played football and a couple of my cousins and uncles. I’m excited to get out there and see what I can do.”

Said Morgan: “I’ve been in the program for five years. It’s the best time in my life and I’m glad to be a part of it. I’m with them more than my own family and I get to call them my brothers. It’s a wonderful time.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: KHSAA football: Newport Central Catholic ready to take on Pikeville