Next man up mentality earns Tigers third straight state title

BY EVAN DENNISON | LINK nky SPORTS EDITOR

Down to its third string running back and needing a first down to clinch a third straight title, Beechwood High School football team did what its been doing all year.

They tapped into the next man up mentality that had carried them all season and prevailed one more time.

Running back Alex Courtney broke down the sideline for 43 yards for a first down with under a minute to play, the Tigers doing it again, hoisting the championship trophy at midfield for the third straight season.

It was only fitting that one of their last snaps put them in a similar position as one of their first snaps of the season.

First it was freshman quarterback Cash Harney taking the opening week snaps for quarterback Clay Hayden dealing with an injury. Harney helped get the Tigers off to a 4-1 start to the year as Beechwood didn’t skip much of a beat, averaging 34.6 points per game in those contests with a freshman under center.

Then came the unfathomable when senior running back Mitchell Berger went down with a knee injury. The state’s leading scorer at the time and do-it-all running back was lost for the season. Berger had 1,119 yards rushing, 21 rushing touchdowns and was one of the team’s leading receivers with 19 grabs for 251 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Oh, Berger was also 19-for-19 on extra point attempts and even kicked a field goal. Despite missing the final seven games of the season, Berger still finished

22nd in the state in scoring with 162 points. But were their title hopes lost?

Not with this team.

Next man up.

“When you lose a Mr. Football candidate, we have never had to deal with that. You have to remember Mitchell’s talent on the field, everybody sees, but it’s everything he does when nobody’s looking. It’s the locker room stuff. I think that along with the quarterback being out, we have a freshman quarterback, Cash stepped in and played his tail off in the first half of the season. So I think next man up would be the theme for this team,” Tigers coach Noel Rash said, who is now 8-1 in state championship games.

It just meant sophomore running back Chase Flaherty would be the main man in the backfield. More would rest on the shoulders and throwing arm of Hayden, and receivers Liam McCormack and Antonio Robinson having to increase their production on the outside at receiver.

After Berger went down, the Tigers outscored teams 311-48 in those seven games. The only one in doubt was the final one. The first four playoff games they had outscored teams 214-26. But Mayfield provided the toughest challenge yet.

Things didn’t come as easy, but one thing was certain…the defense was there for the occasion. A senior-heavy defensive side of the ball shut Mayfield out in the first half. Senior linebacker Austin Waddell was named MVP of the game.

“I make some simple calls and he makes the complex calls on the field. He runs the show for us out there. Then when you have to run against him and you want to cut back in the middle against that dude, you better strap it on. He made a difference today,” Rash said in the postgame press conference.

But the resilient Cardinals, who had their town destroyed by one of the deadliest tornadoes in American history less than a year ago, sure weren’t going to fold. Down 14-7, a touchdown with 1:13 left and suddenly they were an extra point away from tying the game up.

Special teams play a major role when the stakes get bigger. Beechwood is all too familiar with that. In 2020, it was a blocked extra point in overtime that helped them prevail over Lexington Christian Academy. In 2021, it was a Jake Conrad 36-yard field goal with 1:50 left, that lead to Beechwood beating LCA, 23-21. Now in 2022, a Cardinals missed extra point off the left upright was another special teams play going the Tigers’ way.

“That’s something we pride ourselves on and I think most of the programs that get to that final four stage do. Things went our way, I feel terrible for that kid. But there’s so many more plays left out there on that field, none of this comes down to one kid and one play,” Rash said.

It truly was a full team effort for the Tigers in 2022. From the first man all the way down to the 64th man on the roster.

Some standouts throughout the season were Hayden throwing for 1,822 yards and 21 touchdowns, and Harney throwing for 638 yards and seven touchdowns. Flaherty ran for 768 yards and 19 touchdowns. McCormack led the Tigers in receiving with 670 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, followed by Robinson with 588 yards and seven receiving touchdowns.

Defensive numbers are harder to come by, but defensive lineman Xavier Campbell led the team in sacks with 11, and defensive back Carson Craycraft had eight interceptions, two of them returned for touchdowns. Defensive backs Luke Sleet, Robinson, Courtney and McCormack all had multiple interceptions, with Berger leading the way with two of the team’s 12 fumble recoveries.

Beechwood’s dominance clearly showed in the numbers, posting 40.6 points per game while allowing just 7.8. The offense churned out a whopping 358.4 yards per game while the stingy defense allowed just 157.6 yards per game.

The Tigers will graduate 17 seniors, according to the KHSAA roster, but will once again have a bright outlook with so many having to step up into roles they may not have been used to with the injuries suffered throughout the year.

Despite the adversity, the Tigers were dominant once again in 2022. The championship was their 17th in program history, the third most all-time in the state.

Gateway’s Dr. Chris Rickels promoted to dean

Dr. Chris Rickels was recently promoted at Gateway Community & Technical College — he will now represent the school as the dean of Business, IT, and Professional Studies.

Most recently, Rickels was the associate dean of Arts & Sciences and an assistant professor in philosophy at Gateway.

He first joined Gateway in 2015 as a program coordinator in communications, humanities and foreign languages.

Local businesses honored with NKY Tri-ED Build + Elevate Growth Awards

NKY Tri-ED awarded many regional businesses with their Build + Elevate Growth awards during the 2022 Tri-ED Annual Forum & Awards.

The goal of the awards, which were held at the newly renovated Turfway Park, was to recognize the businesses that excelled in categories such as capital investment and new jobs announced in Tri-ED’s four targeted industry clusters which include advanced manufacturing, life sciences, supply chain management and information technology. In total, there were 2,356 jobs announced in 2022 with $291 million raised in capital investment across these Northern Kentucky businesses.

Supply chain management was the targeted sector that added the most jobs at 1,382. 42% of the award winners were in the advanced manufacturing sector, closely followed by supply chain management at 37%. Boone County announced the most new jobs, followed by Kenton County then Campbell County.

Kimberly Rossetti, vice president of economic development at Tri-ED, presented representatives from each business with their awards.

Spreading a little luck and love: Paddy’s on Main sponsors gifts for 25 families

Covington’s Paddy’s on Main is spreading some extra Christmas cheer this year.

The bar stated on its Facebook that they have dedicated $10,000 to purchase gifts and gift cards to be delivered on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

“Here at Paddy’s, we believe in being there for each other,” they shared. “This extends to all the great people in this neighborhood that we have so grown to love. We wish you all a merry Christmas, with many more to follow, with you, our neighbors.“

Golf Courses of Kenton County host breakfast with Santa, toy drive

The holiday spirit is in full swing at the Golf Courses of Kenton County.

From now until Christmas Eve, anyone who donates a toy as part of the golf course’s toy drive will receive a voucher for either a free 18-hold cart fee or a free large-range bucket.

Santa will also be at the course for breakfast on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The cost is $10 for children and $15 for adults and includes a breakfast buffet, crafts and photos with the big man himself.

To reserve your spot, call (859) 371-3200 as there are only 10 children allowed per time slot.

Aviatra accelerators hires program manager

Aviatra Accelerators, a Covington-based nonprofit accelerator focused on empowering women entrepreneurs, has hired Kourtney Terry, owner of Taste-T-Love Baby Food and graduate of Aviatra’s Launch accelerator to serve as Aviatra’s program manager.

With a background in healthcare, Terry most recently held positions in buying and operations with Premier Health Partners.

For more information on Aviatra Accelerators visit aviatraaccelerators.org.

Excellence in Education Award nominations now open

Nominations are now open for the 2023 Excellence in Education Celebration Awards where outstanding students, educators, community partners, and business leaders will be recognized.

Winners will be announced at the end of February and honored at the Excellence in Education Celebration on April 25, 2023.

To nominate an outstanding individual or business, to apply for the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Scholarship, or to read about each scholarship, head to nkyec.org/excellence-in-education-awards.

Nominations for the Golden Apple Award, Student Services Award, A.D. Albright Administrator of the Year Award, Extraordinary Service Award and the Robert J. Storer Business-Education Champion Award are all due by 5 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2023.

Nominations for the Business Engagement of the Year Award, Academic AllStar Awards, Career & Technical All-Star Awards, Student Leadership Awards, Against All Odds Awards and the St. Elizabeth Healthcare’s Scholarship Program nominations are due by 5 p.m., Jan. 20, 2023.

KYTC offering new scholarship in construction management

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is expanding its two civil engineering scholarship programs to include a construction management scholarship, which provides tuition assistance, hands-on experience, and employment after graduation.

KYTC will award up to 30 new scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year to prospective and current college students pursuing civil engineering and engineering technology degrees. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2023.

The new construction management scholarship is for students focusing on a fouryear construction management degree who attend Northern Kentucky University, Eastern Kentucky University, Western

Kentucky University, Morehead State University, or Murray State University. A limited number of scholarships will be offered, and they will be worth up to $59,200 (also ranging from $7,200 to $7,600 per semester).

The scholarship begins during the summer and offers job placement at KYTC after graduation. Scholarship recipients agree to work for KYTC for a year for every year they receive the scholarship.

Scholarship recipients will be notified in April.

Real ID enforcement delayed by two years in Kentucky, across U.S.

Enforcement of the Real ID will be delayed by two years in Kentucky and across the United States, the Department of Homeland Security recently announced.

The delay offers Kentuckians, and those across the country, two more years to request a compliant driving or identity card that maintains air travel access and military base entry, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a release. Real IDs are indicated with a star, which grants the ID holder access to air travel and some federal buildings that require identification.

The former deadline to receive a Real ID was May 3, 2023; that date has been moved to May 7, 2025.

The Real ID Act is a federal law that sets standards for all U.S. states and territories regarding the issuance of state-issued credentials. Once the enforcement date takes effect, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a Real ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card, or a federally-compliant form of identification, to pass through airport security checkpoints for domestic air travel, enter military bases, or enter federal buildings that require identification.

“DHS continues to work closely with U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories to meet Real ID requirements,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said. “This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a Real ID-compliant license or identification card. DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible. We will continue to ensure that the American public can travel safely.”

Please send any events, birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, weddings, or other special announcements to LINK nky via email, at news@linknky.com, with the subject line “Town Crier.” Please note, meeting times and dates are subject to change. Contact organizers for the most up-to-date information.

Dec. 16-24, 2022

Note: City and county offices are closed from Dec. 23 to 26 for the Christmas holiday.

Boone County

Dec. 19: Boone County Board of Adjustment Meeting, 6 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Dec. 20: Boone County Fiscal Court Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Dec. 21: Boone County Planning Commission Business Meeting, 7 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Dec. 21: Boone County Planning Commission Public Hearings, 7:30 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Florence

Dec. 20: Florence City Council Meeting, 6 p.m., Florence Government Center, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence

Campbell County

Dec. 20: Campbell County Municipal Board of Adjustment Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport

Dec. 21: Campbell County Fiscal Court Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport

Alexandria

Dec. 20: Alexandria Planning and Zoning Meeting, 7 p.m., 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria

Cold Spring

Dec. 16: City of Cold Spring Coat Drive, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cold Spring City Building, 5694 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring (drive is ongoing through January, Monday and Friday)

Dayton

Dec. 21: Dayton VFW Post 2899 Bingo Night, 5 p.m., 828 Sixth Ave., Dayton (every Wednesday)

Fort Thomas

Dec. 19: Fort Thomas City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Mess Hall in Tower Park, 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

Dec. 21: Fort Thomas Farmer’s Market, 3 p.m., Mess Hall in Tower Park, 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

Dec. 21: Fort Thomas Planning Commission Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Mess Hall in Tower Park, 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

Dec. 22: Fort Thomas Holiday House Decorating Contest, 6 to 8 p.m., throughout Fort Thomas neighborhoods. Check ftthomas. org for further details.

Highland Heights

Dec. 17: Rain Date for Santa’s Tour Through the City, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., throughout Highland Heights (only if event on Dec. 10 was rained out)

Dec. 20: Highland Heights City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Highland Heights City Building, 176 Johns Hill Road, Highland Heights

Newport

Dec. 16: Santa Claus at Newport on the Levee, noon to 6 p.m., One Levee Way, Newport (continues Dec. 17 and 23).

Dec. 22: “Elf” is the film for Movie Night at Newport on the Levee, 6 p.m., One Levee Way, Newport. Families are invited to dress in an Elf-inspired outfit.

Southgate

Dec. 21: Southgate City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Southgate City Building, 122 Electric Ave., Southgate

Wilder

Dec. 19: Wilder City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Wilder City Building, 520 Licking Pike, Wilder

Kenton County

Covington

Dec. 16: S’mores and More, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at NaturePlay outdoors, Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montaque Road, Covington (Family fun night, free)

Dec. 17: Family Fun Day, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., seasonal crafts, Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington (museum admission fee)

Dec. 17: Covington Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Braxton Brewery, 27 W. 7th St., Covington

Dec. 20: Covington Board of Commissioners Meeting, 6 p.m, Covington City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington

Dec. 21: Special Meeting of Board of Devou Properties, Inc., 11:30 a.m, Devou Golf and Event Center, 1201 Park Drive, Covington

Dec. 21: Covington Board of Architectural Review and Development Meeting, 5:30 p.m, Covington City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington

Dec. 21: Devou Park Advisory Committee Meeting, 6:30 p.m, Devou Golf and Event Center, 1201 Park Drive, Covington

Dec. 21: Polar Express Reading and Craft, 2 to 3 p.m., Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington (museum admission fee)

Dec. 21: S’mores and More, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at NaturePlay outdoors, Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington (Family fun night, free)

Dec. 22: Polar Express Reading and Craft, 11 a.m. to noon, Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington (museum admission fee)

Edgewood

Dec. 19: Edgewood City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Edgewood City Building, 385 Dudley Road, Edgewood

Dec. 20: Edgewood Senior Cards, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Edgewood Senior Center, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Edgewood (open to all, card games).

Dec. 22: Acoustic Jam, 6 to 9 p.m., Edgewood Senior Center, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Edgewood (open to all).

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Mainstrasse Village is famous for its architecture and restaurants, but one of the village’s statement-piece buildings is the Boyd Mansion, located at 606 Philadelphia St., in Covington.

Listed for $1.5 million, this large, historic structure is located in the heart of Mainstrasse, across the street from the Carroll Chimes Bell Tower in Goebel Park.

James G. Arnold, Covington’s first public school teacher and later city councilman,