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11-18-2011, 01:20 AM
NKY.com
Craig Foley couldn't have been more proud of his Frankfort football team last Friday. The Panthers rallied at home from a 21-6 deficit halfway through the third quarter against Bellevue to beat the Tigers 33-21 in a Class A second round playoff game.
The reward for all of Frankfort's hard work is a regional championship matchup against Beechwood.
"We get a nice prize," said Foley. "This could be the best Beechwood team I've seen in three or four years. They don't just throw a team out there; they're senior-dominated with plenty of playoff experience in front of them. They're very solid this year. Finding a weakness has been tough."
Beechwood enters Friday's 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Frankfort's Sower Field 11-1 and ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press state poll. The Tigers have scored 605 points this season, tops in Class A and second in the state behind only Highlands (706), according to Kentucky High School Athletic Association stats.
Frankfort is 7-5 and unranked but like Beechwood the Panthers are undefeated against Class A opponents this season.
The winner moves on to the state semifinals against the winner of top-ranked Mayfield and No. 3 Louisville Holy Cross.
Senior running back Cameron Vocke leads the Tigers with 1,918 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground, while junior Max Nussbaum has added 725 yards and 12 touchdowns. Beechwood had to deal with some injuries toward the end of the season but has gotten key players back, including quarterback Taylor Davis and linebacker Gage Erdman.
Tigers coach Noel Rash said he's been impressed by Vocke's unselfish nature. Vocke had a three-yard touchdown run against Paris in the first round of the playoffs that had been set up by a 45-yard completion to Nussbaum.
"(Vocke) came over to our offensive coordinator and made a comment to him that it wasn't right, that Max should've gotten to finish it off," said Rash. "He knows how to work hard and have fun. He models the behavior you want your younger kids to see."
Frankfort is led by junior quarterback Chris Hawkins and freshman running back/defensive back Jalen Washington. Washington intercepted a Bellevue pass early in the fourth quarter and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown that got the Panthers to within three points, 21-18.
"We preached to them last week that they were going to have to weather the storm and they stayed patient and they stayed with what we were doing," said Foley. "We're going to step out on the field Friday night, let the whistle blow and play until it stops."
This will be the fourth time in the last five seasons Beechwood has traveled to Frankfort in the postseason. The Tigers have won the three previous matchups by a combined score of 147-44. Frankfort trailed just 14-7 at halftime of last year's game and was driving for a possible tying touchdown when Jake Kremer, now a senior, intercepted a pass at the 3-yard line to halt the drive and kick-start Beechwood to an eventual 56-13 win.
The Tigers' lone loss this season was against 4A regional finalist Covington Catholic, as they won their three district games 187-21 and their first two playoff games by a combined 116-7.
All of their touchdowns in the postseason have come on running plays.
"We've really been taking what the defense gives us," said Rash, who is mindful of the balance between sportsmanship and doing what's best for his team. "If I have to throw the ball to work on it, that's what I'll do. I have responsibility to the game but also to my team and the kids as well."
Craig Foley couldn't have been more proud of his Frankfort football team last Friday. The Panthers rallied at home from a 21-6 deficit halfway through the third quarter against Bellevue to beat the Tigers 33-21 in a Class A second round playoff game.
The reward for all of Frankfort's hard work is a regional championship matchup against Beechwood.
"We get a nice prize," said Foley. "This could be the best Beechwood team I've seen in three or four years. They don't just throw a team out there; they're senior-dominated with plenty of playoff experience in front of them. They're very solid this year. Finding a weakness has been tough."
Beechwood enters Friday's 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Frankfort's Sower Field 11-1 and ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press state poll. The Tigers have scored 605 points this season, tops in Class A and second in the state behind only Highlands (706), according to Kentucky High School Athletic Association stats.
Frankfort is 7-5 and unranked but like Beechwood the Panthers are undefeated against Class A opponents this season.
The winner moves on to the state semifinals against the winner of top-ranked Mayfield and No. 3 Louisville Holy Cross.
Senior running back Cameron Vocke leads the Tigers with 1,918 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground, while junior Max Nussbaum has added 725 yards and 12 touchdowns. Beechwood had to deal with some injuries toward the end of the season but has gotten key players back, including quarterback Taylor Davis and linebacker Gage Erdman.
Tigers coach Noel Rash said he's been impressed by Vocke's unselfish nature. Vocke had a three-yard touchdown run against Paris in the first round of the playoffs that had been set up by a 45-yard completion to Nussbaum.
"(Vocke) came over to our offensive coordinator and made a comment to him that it wasn't right, that Max should've gotten to finish it off," said Rash. "He knows how to work hard and have fun. He models the behavior you want your younger kids to see."
Frankfort is led by junior quarterback Chris Hawkins and freshman running back/defensive back Jalen Washington. Washington intercepted a Bellevue pass early in the fourth quarter and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown that got the Panthers to within three points, 21-18.
"We preached to them last week that they were going to have to weather the storm and they stayed patient and they stayed with what we were doing," said Foley. "We're going to step out on the field Friday night, let the whistle blow and play until it stops."
This will be the fourth time in the last five seasons Beechwood has traveled to Frankfort in the postseason. The Tigers have won the three previous matchups by a combined score of 147-44. Frankfort trailed just 14-7 at halftime of last year's game and was driving for a possible tying touchdown when Jake Kremer, now a senior, intercepted a pass at the 3-yard line to halt the drive and kick-start Beechwood to an eventual 56-13 win.
The Tigers' lone loss this season was against 4A regional finalist Covington Catholic, as they won their three district games 187-21 and their first two playoff games by a combined 116-7.
All of their touchdowns in the postseason have come on running plays.
"We've really been taking what the defense gives us," said Rash, who is mindful of the balance between sportsmanship and doing what's best for his team. "If I have to throw the ball to work on it, that's what I'll do. I have responsibility to the game but also to my team and the kids as well."
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