Class 2A football finals preview: Lexington Christian vs. Beechwood
It’s championship weekend for the 2020 UK Orthopaedics/KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl. Here’s a look at Friday’s Class 2A state title game at Kroger Field.
Lexington Christian (10-1) vs. Beechwood (9-2)
Kickoff: 3 p.m. Friday
RPI ratings: No. 1 LCA (.74357); No. 4 Beechwood (.67171).
Cantrall ratings: LCA (83.1); Beechwood (81.1).
Championship history: LCA (1-1) — The Eagles won the 2009 Class A state title; Beechwood (14-5) — All of the Tigers’ titles have come in their former Class A, the last in 2018.
How they got here: LCA defeated No. 9 Murray 48-13 in the state semifinals and had to get through No. 5 Somerset 42-35 for the district championship. Beechwood topped No. 2 West Carter 35-34 in the state semis and No. 12 Breathitt County 52-7 for the regional title.
Quick hits:
▪ Beechwood’s 2007 state title came against LCA in a 38-35 thriller that included a kick return and a punt return for TDs by the Tigers and a late fourth-quarter LCA drive to Beechwood’s 10-yard line that was denied by a Tigers’ fourth-down interception in the end zone as LCA tried to go ahead.
▪ Beechwood moved up to Class 2A from A in 2019; the Eagles made that jump in 2011.
▪ Both teams toppled larger school opponents this year with LCA knocking off Class 6A state semifinalist Paul Laurence Dunbar, Class 3A power DeSales and Class 4A’s Lexington Catholic. Beechwood bested Class 4A Corbin and Class 6A Ryle.
▪ LCA’s Drew Nieves (228) and Beechwood’s Cameron Hergott (210) rank second and third, respectively, in pass yards per game in Class 2A. Hergott cracks the top 20 in rush yards per game with 89.
LCA standouts: Drew Nieves, Jr. QB (2,513 yards/28 TDs passing, 403 yards/five TDs rushing); Xavier Brown, Jr. RB/WR (815 yards/nine TDs receiving, 310 yards/six TDs rushing; Mason Moore, Jr. WR (935 yards/11 TDs receiving, 40 tackles; Mattie Lebryk, Sr. LB (121 tackles/5.5 sacks).
Beechwood standouts: Cameron Hergott, Sr. QB (2,313 yards/24 TDs passing, 981 yards/14 TDs rushing); Mitchell Berger, So. WR (571 yards/five TDs receiving); Brady Moore Jr. WR (537 yards/five TDs receiving; Parker Mason, Jr. WR (465 yards/four TDs receiving); Avery Courtney, Jr. RB (359 yards/five TDs rushing).
@HLpreps pick: LCA 35, Beechwood 31.
This weekend’s championships
Where: Kroger Field
Tickets: Available by advance sale at KHSAA.org. No walk-up sales.
Online: Subscription required for live video stream at KHSAA.tv. Free audio stream at KHSAA.net
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Class A: Kentucky Country Day vs. Paintsville, 11 a.m.
Class 2A: Lexington Christian vs. Beechwood, 3 p.m.
Class 4A: Boyle County vs. Franklin County, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Class 3A: Elizabethtown vs. Ashland Blazer, 11 a.m.
Class 5A: Owensboro vs. Bowling Green, 3 p.m.
Class 6A: Trinity (Louisville) vs. Male, 7 p.m.
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 7:26 AM.
