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Final from Fort Thomas

Chris Schroer scored five touchdowns and rushed for more than 200 yards for the second straight week and Elder rallied from a seven-point deficit twice in a 38-24 win Friday night at Highlands.

It was the third straight win for the Panthers who now lead this all-time series 5-1.
Highlands’ 28-game winning streak dating back to the final regular-season game in 2010 was snapped and the Bluebirds are now 81-3 since the start of the 2007 season.

Elder took the lead for good on an inspired 19-yard run by Schroer on a 4th-and-1 play with 10:39 remaining in the game for a 24-17 lead. It was his third of the game.
The junior crashed through the line of scrimmage, then stepped over two would-be tacklers before sprinting into the end zone.

That drive was set up by an interception by senior defensive end AJ Burdine at the Highlands 45 in a tie game. Burdine leaped high in the air in the Highlands backfield to grab senior quarterback Donovan McCoy’s pass and took it to the 29 with nine seconds to play in the third.

Schroer later added a 22-yard touchdown for a 31-17 lead with 5:55 to play and a 25-yard touchdown run for the final margin with 1:09 to play.

The Bluebirds led for the second time in the game early in the third quarter. Zach Harris took it in from two yards out for a 17-10 Highlands lead with 6:13 to play in the third.

Elder responded immediately. Schroer tied the game with a 1-yard run that was set up by two Max Mazza catches for 58 yards on the drive. Schroer also had a 4th-and-1 run for a first down earlier in the drive.

The Panthers and Bluebirds played to a 10-10 draw in the first half. Junior kicker Luke Brockett nailed a 26-yard field goal with 3:52 to play in the second quarter to pull the Bluebirds even, but missed a 36-yarder wide left as time expired in the first half.

Highlands led 7-0 early, but the Panthers took the lead with 10 points on consecutive possessions spanning the first and second quarters.

Junior kicker Matt Murray got the Panthers on the board with a 36-yard field goal with 25 seconds to play in the first quarter.

Schroer capped a long Elder drive one possession later with a 3-yard run over right tackle for a touchdown and a 10-7 lead with 6:03 to play before halftime.

Schroer carried 23 times in the first half for 125 yards.

The Panthers looked destined for a game-opening touchdown after easily driving inside the Highlands 10, but senior quarterback Josh Moore was intercepted in the end zone by senior defensive back Quentin Murray three minutes into the game.

McCoy sprinted 63 yards down the right sideline for the game’s first touchdown a few plays later for a 7-0 Highlands lead.

The Bluebirds, ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Class 4A Kentucky state poll and the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches’ poll, have already locked up the top seed in the Kentucky Class 4A district playoffs, so the loss only ended the long winning streak.

Elder, No. 5 in the Ohio Division I area coaches’ poll, is still fighting for a spot in the Region 4 playoffs and needed the win to amass the highest possible amount of computer points in the system the Ohio High School Athletic Association uses to fill postseason brackets.

Elder 3 7 7 21 --38
Highlands 7 3 7 7 --24

H-McCoy 63 run (Brockett kick)
E-Murray FG 36
E-Schroer 3 run (Murray kick)
H-Brockett 26 FG
H-Harris 2 run (Brockett kick)
E-Schroer 1 run (Murray kick)
E-Schroer 19 run (Murray kick)
E-Schroer 22 run (Murray kick)
H-Brockett 10 pass from McCoy (Brockett kick)
E-Schroer 25 run (Murray kick)

Records: E 6-3, H 8-1.

nky.com - Elder beats Highlands