Covington Catholic football gets Week 1 win despite spirited Ryle comeback
For the first 24 minutes of the season, Covington Catholic football appeared to be in absolute control of the Ryle Raiders. The Colonel offense was clicking, defensively they often pressured Ryle senior quarterback Logan Verax, and they reaped the reward of a 21-0 lead as a result.
But as to be expected for a season-opener against a quality opponent, things wouldn’t go quite so easy, and the Raiders would give the Colonels all they could handle.
Ultimately Covington Catholic’s upperclassmen – led by a trio comprising of senior quarterback Evan Pitzer, senior tailback Owen Leen and senior tight end Willie Rodriguez – made vital plays when it mattered most, propelling the Colonels on a fourth-quarter surge past Ryle 37-22 on Friday night at Covington Catholic High School.
More: Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky Week 1 high school football scores
More: Here is the full schedule for the 2023 Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown
Ryle had stormed back from their early 21-0 deficit to trim the hosting Colonels’ advantage down to just 23-15, but the Colonels regained their composure, scoring a pair of late touchdowns to ice the Raiders.
Three keys to Covington Catholic’s victory
Perhaps a double-edged sword of sorts, but the Colonels really appeared amped and ready to go for the start of the contest, perhaps even to the surprise of the visiting Raiders.
Three quick touchdowns – highlighted by Covington Catholic senior Evan Pitzer’s 203 passing yards and two total touchdowns in the first half – gave the Colonels a strong advantage out of the gate but also seemed to take its toll on the Colonels as Coach Eddie Eviston recognized.
“With that no-huddle, they get it going. We have a lot of guys playing both sides of the ball,” Eviston said. “It’s early. It’s August. Even though we had great weather, we saw the effects of that. We just have to condition our bodies a little better in order to be able to handle that. I’m sure we’ll see it again.”
2. Takeaways, takeaways, takeaways. Just as the surging Raiders had seized their share of momentum in the second half, the Raiders coughed up the rock on two second-half possessions (coupled alongside a special teams error resulting in a safety), both in Colonel territory, and handed the ball right back to Covington Catholic.
Against a team as stout as Covington Catholic, these types of errors will rarely go unpunished.
3. As Eviston explained, his group really performed with their backs against the wall Friday. The Colonels converted 7-of-9 third downs on the night (including 5-of-6 in the first half) and made plays when they really counted. Once Ryle trimmed the lead down to single digits in the fourth quarter, the Colonels played unfazed in the face of a sparked Raider unit.
“Do your job,” Pitzer spoke of his team’s mindset entering the ultimately game-clinching drive. “Coach E talks about it and we weren’t consistent coming out of halftime, we were struggling on offense. When everyone does their job we’re pretty successful like the scoreboard indicated tonight.”
Standout players
Evan Pitzer, Covington Catholic: The senior quarterback missed the final handful of games last season for the Colonels, but looked particularly sharp in the season-opener. He ended the night 17-of-25 passing for 272 yards, along with 70 rushing yards and two total touchdowns. His best throw came on the Colonels’ first touchdown of the season, a 53-yard scoring strike to Rodriguez.
Owen Leen, Covington Catholic: Although running lanes were difficult to find in the first half, the Colonels’ lead returning rusher from a season ago still put together a strong debut. Leen totaled 15 carries for 98 yards and three touchdowns – including the clinching 18-yard rushing score to effectively put away the Raiders late.
Landon Lorms, Ryle: Though the easier choice may have been Verax, given his unique playstyle and difficulty to gameplan against, Verax’s top wideout had a particularly strong night and gave the Colonel secondary fits. Lorms hauled in 12 receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown. His ability to find holes within the crevasses of the Colonel secondary was impressive.
Areas open for improvement
For nearly 24 minutes, the Colonels' performance had few flaws and then some mental mistakes and sloppiness began to slide in: A missed field goal, a penalty on a key fourth down and a sack before the half.
Thankfully for Eviston and his Colonels, mistakes like these are to be expected in week one.
Consistency was a challenge for Ryle. The team's flat start proved dire – despite a spirited comeback attempt – against a stout opponent. But with the leadership of Verax under center and tenured coach Mike Engler helping guide Ryle, the Raider offense will have better days ahead.
Additionally, playing clean football could pay major dividends for the Raiders, who had some costly errors and a couple of third-down stops.
What’s next for the Colonels and Raiders?
Covington Catholic (1-0) will take to the road to face a familiar foe – the Highlands Bluebirds. Highlands defeated the Colonels late last season, a loss the Colonels would like to avenge in this new season. They’ll face off in Fort Thomas at 7 p.m. next Friday, Aug. 25.
Ryle (0-1) will hope to bounce back in its home opener at 7 p.m. Friday against Conner.
Covington Catholic 37, Ryle 22
Covington Catholic – 14 7 2 14 ‒ 37
Ryle – 0 7 0 15 - 22
CC: Pitzer 55-yard pass to Rodriguez (Weitzel kick)
CC: Leen 6-yard rush (Weitzel kick)
CC: Pitzer 6-yard rush (Weitzel kick)
R: Savage 1-yard rush (Line kick)
CC: Safety (high snap on punt)
R: Savage 2-yard rush (Verax conversion)
CC: Leen 18-yard rush (Weitzel kick)
CC: Leen 19-yard rush (Weitzel kick)
R: Verax 11-yard pass to Lorms (Line kick)
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kentucky high school football: Covington Catholic beats Ryle 37-22
