[Frozenbird]

LEXINGTON – Highlands junior Colin Seidl wasn’t the biggest name in Friday night’s Class 4A state semifinal at Lexington Catholic.

He was just the biggest difference.

Seidl returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and then answered a long Lexington Catholic touchdown drive at the start of the second half with a 90-yard sprint to the end zone to provide the Bluebirds with the cushion they needed in a 42-21 victory at Joseph K. Ford Field.

Quarterbacks Patrick Towles of Highlands, a University of Kentucky commit, and Kyle Bolin of Lexington Catholic, who has committed to Louisville, lived up to their recruiting status but Seidl was the factor Lexington Catholic couldn’t overcome.

Highlands improves to 14-0 and advances to play for its 21st state championship next Saturday at Western Kentucky University. The state’s No. 1-ranked team will face No. 5 Franklin-Simpson, a 20-15 winner against Collins.

Highlands has won the last four Class 5A state championships but was moved to 4A this season.

The Bluebirds also pushed their season scoring total to 807 to break the 1998 team’s state record. Seidl’s kickoff returns were the first of the season for Highlands.

“We’ve been waiting and hadn’t had one all year,” said Seidl. “Coach (Dale) Mueller has had one every year of his coaching career and we hadn’t had one until now so it’s good to get one now.”

Third-ranked Lexington Catholic (11-3) rebounded from the opening kickoff and controlled play in the first quarter. The Knights just couldn’t put a dent on the scoreboard. The Knights had the ball for nine minutes, 59 seconds of the first quarter but had just two missed field goals attempts from 35 and 50 yards to show for it.

Lexington Catholic tied the score 7-7 when Bolin hit senior wide receiver Adam Bush for a 21-yard touchdown pass with 8:29 left in the second quarter.

Highlands’ offense had managed just 39 yards on nine plays in its first two possessions but got going on its third drive. Towles completed all three of his passes on the drive for 66 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown pass to junior Luke Turner. Turner took the quick out and read his blocking perfectly to reach the end zone.

Senior running back Jake True made it 21-7 with a 15-yard run with 1:28 left before halftime.

“Points would have been big on those two possessions but going in we felt like what we had to do was keep the ball out of their offense’s hands,” said Lexington Catholic coach Bill Letton. “We got good field position and did come up empty but did eat up a lot of the clock. If we had made one touchdown there and eliminated those two (kickoff returns) that’s a huge deal.”

The Knights got to within 21-14 on their opening possession of the second half. Bolin guided a 13-play, 78-yard drive that culminated in a five-yard touchdown pass to Noah Mitchell.

Then Seidl struck for the second time and regained momentum and a 14-point lead for the Bluebirds.

“Colin made a great read on that second one,” said Mueller. “it was supposed to go wider but he saw the blocking up the middle and he turned it on.”

Towles had scoring runs of eight yards and one yard to complete Highlands’ scoring. Bolin added a third touchdown pass, a 34-yarder sophomore David Bouvier for Lexington Catholic.

Highlands outgained Lexington Catholic 339-301, including 231-78 on the ground.

Towles didn’t attempt a pass in the second half after completing seven of 11 in the first half for 108 yards and one touchdown. He finished the game with 121 yards and two touchdowns rushing on 17 carries.

Bolin threw for 223 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 24-of-43 passing. He rushed for 58 yards on 14 carries.

“We come in trying to throw the ball as much as we can but we saw that big advantage up front and decided to take advantage of it,” said Towles. “I consider myself motivated for every game but definitely playing another Division I guy was awesome.”


Highlands 7 14 14 7 -- 42
LexCath 0 7 7 7 -- 21

H – Seidl 95 kickoff return (New kick)
LC – Bolin 21 pass to Bush (Pumphrey kick)
H – Towles 16 pass to Turner (New kick)
H – True 15 run (New kick)
LC – Bolin 5 pass to Mitchell (Pumphrey kick)
H – Seidl 90 kickoff return (New kick)
H – Towles 5 run (New kick)
LC – Bolin 34 pass to Bouvier (Pumphrey kick)
H – Towles 1 run (New kick)




Records: Highlands 14-0, Lexington Catholic 11-3


Read more here: http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...311250144/