[Crossback]

It does seem to me that people seem to think since HC beat Newport - they wont lose the rest of the way.. I watched the Newport and HC game. Yes two very good teams, but New port defensive gameplan was horrible - they gave the short pass to HC - that is why HC threw the ball 35x.. Newport never ever made an adjustment. go figure. watching I could not understand what they were thinking. HC consistently had 3 wr against 2 db or 4 and 3. It more than likely wont be that easy against the Jumpers!

HC's offensive plan was a change from the prior game that they played NCC. They were giving the cushion because HC went over the top the prior game. NCC slide in tight a few plays in the 2nd half, so HC went over thw top of them. I would not say NCC's gameplan was bad. I would say HC did a good job pkaying theirs and making adjustments when needed. HC can run a lot of offensive setups. Because they have not played before it will be interesting to see what theyy come out with friday, and the adjustments if needed.

[Crossback]

It does seem to me that people seem to think since HC beat Newport - they wont lose the rest of the way.. I watched the Newport and HC game. Yes two very good teams, but New port defensive gameplan was horrible - they gave the short pass to HC - that is why HC threw the ball 35x.. Newport never ever made an adjustment. go figure. watching I could not understand what they were thinking. HC consistently had 3 wr against 2 db or 4 and 3. It more than likely wont be that easy against the Jumpers!

Holy Cross beat NCC. Biggest win in school history. Fans may feel they are the one to beat to win state but the pkayers and coaches dont. Real fans dont. Let the others have their fun. The point if the matter is that to Somerset, if they wantto get to state they have tobeat HC. But guess what, for Holy Cross, if they want to get to state they have to beat Somerset. Fans can think and say what ever they want but still on of the two have to happen not matter what people say. I THINK this is going to be a great game, I HOPE it is going to be a big win for Holy Cross.

[Grey Goose]

Good post. I think it will be a great game also. A very interesting matchup.. which is what you get this time of the year!

[Stardust]

There are people responding on here that think HC will win or expect them too that arent HC fans. The same holds true with Somerset. There are people who are just expecting them to win it all now. Anyone that knows football knows this is going to be a great game

That's fair, and a perfect response. This will be a great game. It's not about who winds up being right or wrong in picking the winner. Let the kids decide who's best, let us old guys whose days are over root, prognosticate, gloat and pout when its over. I didn't join the site to agree with everyone, nor do I want others to agree with everything I have to say. So, if I pick a winner, then its only an opinion. No dissing on the team I am picking against, just picking a winner based on what reasons that I feel are legitimate.:Thumbs:

[LeeCoUKFan]

This is the year that Somerset gets over the hump with Coach Lucas under the helm and I think that they will win the 2A State Title so I definitely don't see them losing this game. Should be a good game but, I think that the Briar Jumpers may even be down in the 1st half but they have proven that they can overcome and separate themselves from their opponents in the 2nd half!

Somerset - 35

Holy Cross - 21

[Can you dig it?]

I think this game could be extremely close. On one side you have Somerset with a pretty nice tradition, while on the other side you have the relative youth of the Holy Cross program that just beat the likely pick to win 2A at the start of the playoffs. I'm pulling for HC, just to be a homeboy, but if either of these teams makes it to Bowling Green and brings home the title, I'll be happy for them.:Thumbs:

[Crossback]

What type of defense does Somerset play that they are most comfortabke with? Holy Cross has played a little of everything and I am not sure what they prefer. They do well playing man coverage on the rcvrs so it leaves them a lot of options.

[RoShamBo]

What type of defense does Somerset play that they are most comfortabke with? Holy Cross has played a little of everything and I am not sure what they prefer. They do well playing man coverage on the rcvrs so it leaves them a lot of options.

We have run a 34 ever since Lucas came back from Lincoln Co. in 2004. They will throw in wrinkles every now and then, but that is our base defense.

[da bunny Cecil]

Does anyone from Holy Cross know if this game is being broadcast live?

I check ihigh last week and it had a broadcast listed as "NKY - 2A State Semi-Finals - TBD" which I'm assuming would have been this game now but ihigh has removed that listing from their line up so I was wondering if there are any locals Cincinnati/NKY companies that will be broadcasting it? Or on a radio's website so families out of state can watch/listen...

Thank you!

[Jumper Dad]

Looking forward to Friday night, I expect this to be a very good game. Even though the Glasgow/Murray folks think they are playing the 2A championship out west this week.

Go Jumpers!!!!

[Crossback]

Yea looking forward to this game very much. I have to work during the day but plan to get to the field right after that for tailgating and all the "we are going to beat Somerset" pre game chat.
Their will be plenty of room at the field for tailgating so remind the Somerset faithful to bring their coolers. Have a safe trip up and drive slow, we need to make that drive as long as we can for your team. LOL. Just kidding, have a safe trip up.:welcome:

[RoShamBo]

Looking forward to Friday night, I expect this to be a very good game. Even though the Glasgow/Murray folks think they are playing the 2A championship out west this week.Go Jumpers!!!!

Saw that on another site, some of them think they won it in week 6 to hear them talk. They must forget that they were lucky to leave with a win even with our 9 turnovers helping them out. Genius quote I saw:

"Somerset is to big city to be tough, but they do have some talent this year"

Nailed it. Murray and Glasgow are both bigger than Somerset.

[Stardust]

Covington Holy Cross got the biggest win in school history by beating defending 2A champ Newport Central Catholic 24-21, avenging a 31-14 loss to the Thoroughbreds a few weeks ago. Kyle Fuller threw for two TDs, ran for a TD and kicked a game-winning 32-yard field goal with 10 seconds left to give the Indians the region title. NewCath beat Holy Cross in 16 of the previous 17 meetings. The Indians' other win came in the 2006 regular season, but NewCath won the rematch in the playoffs that year. Holy Cross Coach Bruce Koserski, a former standout center for the Cincinnati Bengals, said last week's win was the ultimate tribute to John Wysong, who started the Indians' program in 1998. Koserski was Wysong's assistant before taking over as head coach in 2004. Wysong died in 2004, but his spirit lives on. "He's still a huge part of what goes on here," Koserski said. "He lives within these kids' lives, and certainly in the way I approach the game. With all my past football experience, it's crazy, but a lot of it comes back to what he taught me." How would Wysong have reacted to last week's upset of NewCath? "He'd be in his glory, laughing and yukking up a storm," Koserski said.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/11/24/19721...z1egROaW4u

[Stardust]

In Rob Lucas' first two years as Somerset coach, the Briar Jumpers didn't lose a game until the playoffs. They fell to to Paducah Tilghman in the 2009 state finals and to Belfry in the 2010 semifinals. Somerset lost four games this regular season (to Breathitt County, Glasgow, Whitley County and Perry Central), but Lucas says his players are better prepared as they take on Covington Holy Cross in the 2A semifinals Friday night. "Those undefeated seasons were nice, and those kids worked really hard to attain those things," Lucas said. "But we know what we've got this year because we've been tested in about every way. We've seen Hazard's strength and speed; Breathitt's physicality; Whitley's man-child running back (Boston Bryant); every athlete imaginable playing Danville, LCA and Glasgow; and West Jessamine had about five or six kids who were special players. I hope all that has prepared us for Holy Cross." Somerset is led by quarterback Alex Lange and receiver Storm Wilson, who've made big plays for the Jumpers all season.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/11/24/19721...z1egRedOIe

[toussaints]

Does anyone from Holy Cross know if this game is being broadcast live?

I check ihigh last week and it had a broadcast listed as "NKY - 2A State Semi-Finals - TBD" which I'm assuming would have been this game now but ihigh has removed that listing from their line up so I was wondering if there are any locals Cincinnati/NKY companies that will be broadcasting it? Or on a radio's website so families out of state can watch/listen...

Thank you!

Not that I know of up here, nkysports is showing Highlands v. LexCath and Beechwood vs. Mayfield. Tristate internet sports radio is doing Boone vs. Scott County.

[Tailback44]

Somerset 20-0.

[Stardust]

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...111250325/

oday's Class 2A football state semifinal pitting Holy Cross against Somerset at 7:30 p.m. at Newport Stadium is a happening for Holy Cross and its supporters.

"The teachers are just as fired up about it as the students and a lot of alumni are coming back for the game," Holy Cross athletic director Anne Julian said. "Everybody's making plans on Facebook and it's been hard to keep the kids off the computers."

The buzz surrounding the team amplified following the Indians' stunning 24-21 quarterfinal victory over defending state champion Newport Central Catholic. Holy Cross (10-3) is in the semifinals for the first time. Somerset (9-4) toppled a pair of powers, Lexington Christian and Danville, in the regional rounds.

"They're a pretty good team," Indians coach Bruce Kozerski said of the Briar Jumpers. "But we're going to play our game."

Kozerski, a former Bengals offensive lineman, said the response this week from former Holy Cross players, coaches and students has been so overwhelming that he's actually learning how to text.

"I'm becoming text-literate because I've been returning a lot of messages congratulating us," Kozerski said. "But, like I've been telling the team, last week's win doesn't mean much if we don't win this week."

Quarterback Kyle Fuller, a hero last week with 303 passing yards, is approaching 4,000 yards from scrimmage and 50 total touchdowns. He's passed for 2,534 and 31 TDs and rushed for 1,238 and 16 scores.

"It's been a team-wide effort," the coach said. "It's been a step in the right direction. I can't tell you how much school pride I see."

Holy Cross has become such a force during Kozerski's eight seasons as coach that it's easy to forget the Indians have been playing football for just 14 years.

Kozerski took over the team after John Wysong stepped down following the 2003 season to coach the freshmen. Wysong died of a heart attack at school in May 2004. Kozerski was at Wysong's side when he collapsed.

"I was on my way into school that morning and John was standing on the front steps and leaning against the wall," Kozerski said. "I think about him all the time."

Together, the two men initiated the football program at Holy Cross in 1998.

"He was a very big believer, and he believed in Holy Cross football. How proud he would be of this team," Kozerski said.

Today's winner will play either Glasgow or Murray in next week's championship at Houchens Industries-L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green.

"My kids have been focused all year," Kozerski said. "I think they'll be ready to go."

[Stardust]

Class 2A state semifinal: Somerset (9-4) vs. Holy Cross (10-3)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m. today at Newport Stadium.

WHAT TO WATCH: Don't let Somerset's record fool you, because it played an extremely tough schedule, losing to two Class 5A schools (Whitley County, 27-21, and Perry County Central, 7-3), Class 3A power Breathitt County (20-0), which just lost its first game of the season in the playoffs last week, and Class 2A power Glasgow (14-7), which is 13-0 and participating in the other semifinal. This is the third straight year Somerset reached the state semifinals after finishing as state runner-up in Class 3A in 2009 and losing in the Class 3A semifinals last year to Belfry. The Briar Jumpers are good defensively; they have held seven opponents to 14 points or less and five to less than 10 points. No team has scored more than 23 points on them. In last week's 55-14 playoff win over Lexington Christian they allowed just 18 yards and no first downs through the first three quarters. The Holy Cross offense can be explosive and relies heavily on Kyle Fuller, who has accounted for 3,792 yards total offense and 46 touchdowns, has kicked 49 extra points and two field goals, including the game-winner in the waning seconds of last week's 24-21 win over Newport Central Catholic. Walker has tallied 19 touchdowns (15 receiving, two on interception returns and two on kickoff returns). The Indians have improved significantly on defense and have won eight of their last nine games in which they held opponents to just 68 points in the eight wins, 21 of which came last week against NewCath.

BOTTOM LINE: While Somerset took a class drop this season and is participating in its third straight semifinal, Holy Cross cleared a huge hurdle last week by beating NewCath and is playing well enough to win another close game.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...111250323/

[Jumper Dad]

Looking at mapquest map, I can't really tell where parking area is. Do you pull in at the school or over behind the tennis courts, or somewhere else?

[Crossback]

Looking at mapquest map, I can't really tell where parking area is. Do you pull in at the school or over behind the tennis courts, or somewhere else?

In at the school. Most of the parking is actually under the 471 expressway so it wont show on the map. Other parking is just on the other side of 471 from the school.

[Jumper Dad]

thanks

[Can you dig it?]

Looking at mapquest map, I can't really tell where parking area is. Do you pull in at the school or over behind the tennis courts, or somewhere else?

Parking will not be a worry. In addition to the many spaces under I-471, there are spaces all along the access road where the tailgaters stand and watch, as well as a library lot and a shopping center across 6th Street. The most you'll have to walk is a few blocks. If you decide to get here early and eat, Donato's, McDonalds and Arbys are within walking distance, and BK, Wendy's, Gold Star, Skyline and LaRosa's are within a five minute drive. My personal recommendation would be Rio Grande, a Mexican place across the street from Wendy's. Just remember Burrito Carne Asada and a margarita. That'll put you in the mood for a ballgame.:yum::Thumbs:Safe travels.

[LeeCoUKFan]

It's Game Day!! Good Luck Jumpers!! Sure would be nice to see two teams from Somerset in the State Finals!!

[Stardust]

7 to 7 in the 1st quarter

[Stardust]

End of 1Q. 7-7. Somerset has ball on HC 9. 2nd down.

[Stardust]

HC holds, still 7-7

[Stardust]

TD HC. 14-7 with 8:53 left in the half.

[Stardust]

Holy Cross 14-7, 5:00 left in first half

[Stardust]

14 to 7 HC at half.

[RoShamBo]

Screw job thus far.