Brossart wins Class 1A football district opener against new head coach’s former team

By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Adam Kozerski will have a winning record in his first season as a head football coach. His Brossart team made sure of that Friday with a 35-0 victory over Holy Cross in a Class 1A district game at Thomas More College.

The victory gives the Mustangs a 6-1 record. Even if they lost their last three regular season games and got knocked off in the first round of the playoffs, they would finish 6-5. But that’s unlikely with the way the team is playing.

Brossart went into Friday’s game with the fourth highest Ratings Percentage Index among Class 1A teams in the state based on won-loss records and strength of schedule. And they showed why with a dominating performance during the final three quarters against a young Holy Cross team.

It was Brossart’s fifth consecutive victory against the Indians. But it was the first time Kozerski, a former Holy Cross player and assistant coach, faced his former team.

In the second quarter, Brossart’s defense kept Holy Cross from reaching the end zone on a fourth-down play at the 1-yard line. The offense responded by going 99 yards in 14 plays to score the game’s first touchdown.

It looked like the Mustangs would have to settle for a field goal, but an offsides penalty against Holy Cross gave them a first down at the 2-yard line. On the next play, Keegan Gulley caught a pass from Tyler Holtz in the end zone.

Holy Cross had to punt on its next possession, but a bad snap resulted in a turnover-on-downs at the 18-yard line. Once again, Brossart took advantage of the situation on the next play. Holtz threw an 18-yard TD pass to Isaac Amin and Max Runge kicked the extra point to make it 14-0 at halftime.

Brossart opened the second half with an 82-yard touchdown drive that ended with Cam Mandell’s 18-yard run into the end zone. On their next possession, the Mustangs scored on a 4-yard pass from Holtz to  Quinten Tischner. Late in the fourth quarter, Landon Geyer got the team’s final touchdown on a 1-yard plunge across the goal line.

The Mustangs finished with 326 total yards (225 rushing, 101 passing) compared to the Indians’ 113 (52 rushing, 61 passing). Holtz completed 7 of 15 passes for 101 yards and three touchdowns. Mandell picked up 143 yards on 14 carries.

Next week, Ludlow will visit Brossart in a game between the top two teams in their district standings. Ludlow won last year’s game, 20-7.

BROSSART       0  14   7   14 — 35
HOLY CROSS   0    0  0     0 —   0

B — Keegan Gulley 2 pass from Tyler Holtz (Max Runge kick)
B — Isaac Amin 18 pass from Holtz (Runge kick)
B — Cam Mandell 18 run (Runge kick)
B — Quinten Tischner 4 pass from Holtz (Runge kick)
B — Landon Geyer 1 run (Runge kick)
RECORDS: Brossart 6-1, 1-0, Holy Cross 2-5, 0-1

High school football scoreboard

THURSDAY GAMES
Lloyd 50, Pendleton County 20
Ludlow 54, Trimble County 0
Grant County 47, Holmes 0
FRIDAY GAMES
Newport Central Catholic 35, Newport 7
Beechwood 42, Owen County 0
Ryle 42, Campbell County 14
Conner 35, Dixie Heights 31
Bellevue 42, Dayton 0
Highlands 55, Boone County 0
Cooper 41, Scott 0
Great Crossing 45, Simon Kenton 35
Walton-Verona 23, Carroll County 0

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