Highlands Football Honored by MaxPreps

MaxPreps, a national prep sports ranking service, recently presented the Fort Thomas Highlands Bluebirds football team with an award for finishing in the top 30 in the final MaxPreps national high school football rankings (Highlands finished 21st). This recognition was part of the MaxPreps Tour of Champions, sponsored by the Army National Guard. Of approximately 16,000 high schools participating in football, only 30 were recognized.

Highlands Football Banquet Recently Held

This past week, the annual Highlands Football Banquet was held to honor the 2007 varsity, junior varsity (JV) and freshman Highlands football teams. This event was held at the Newport Syndicate. Below is a list of the honors and awards presented during the ceremony, along with the award recipients:

Ryan Ball - Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Clay Cecil - Mr. Highlands Football
Drew Simons - Defensive MVP
Joe Fitzgerald - "Red Dog" Spirit Award
Luke Stein - State Champion Award
Drew Bathiany - HHS Football Tradition of Excellence Award
Brady Dowling - Leader of Champions Award
Jay Draper - HHS Football Greatness of Character Award
Zach Hurtt - Mr. Everything Award
Trey Jurgens - Dedication to Excellence Award
Terry O'Brien - Hail Terry Award
Matt Reed - Quinn Stapleton Award
Adam Reis - Enforcer Award for Best Defensive Lineman
Michael Buten - Coaches' Award for Perseverence
Will Coleman - Coaches' Award for Integrity and Improvement
Dan Court - Coaches' Award for Commitment
Jake Crothers - Ron Welch Coaches' Award for Persistence
Josh Frost - Coaches' Award for Courage
Jimmy Hall - Coaches' Award for "Not Breaking"
Alex Hempfling - Coaches' Award for Blocking Ownership
Jeremy Hickman - Coaches' Award for Reliability
Milton Peko - Coaches' Award for The Warrior Spirit
Jessie Richie - Coaches' Award for Dedication
Josh Conner - Underclassman MVP
Brandon Roller - Underclassman Mr. Highlands Football
Austin Collinsworth - Underclassman Mr. Highlands Football
Michael Laber - Underclassman Mr. Highlands Football
Oliver Head - JV Most Valuable Player
David Hogue - JV Mr. Highlands Football
Brian Beck - JV Mr. Highlands Football
Jake Turner - JV Mr. Everything
Nick Martin - JV "Red Dog" Spirit Award
Nick Buten - JV Mr. Playmaker Award
Tyler Combs - JV Best Offensive Lineman
Ryan Hahn - Freshman Mr. Highlands Football
Cherokee Meyer - Freshman Mr. Highlands Football

Congratulations to all the award recipients and to everyone associated with Highlands football in 2007!

Highlands Alumnus Jared Lorenzen is Super Bowl Bound!

Current New York Giants back-up quarterback and former Highlands great Jared Lorenzen is headed for Super Bowl XLII, after his Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. The Giants will play the New England Patriots in the 2008 Super Bowl. Lorenzen led the Bluebirds to a perfect 15-0 record during the 1998 season (his senior year), and was named Mr. Kentucky Football, the only Highlands football player to earn this prestigious honor. After graduating from Highlands, he played starting quarterback for four years at the University of Kentucky before moving on to the professional ranks with the New York Giants. Good luck Jared!

Highlands' Biggest Fan Passes Away

Viola "Vi" Gerding, considered by all who knew her to be the greatest supporter and biggest fan of Highlands High School, passed away at the age of 89 this past week, in Fort Thomas. Mrs. Gerding worked in the Highlands cafeteria for 42 years and attended countless Highlands football games, student plays, basketball tournaments, musical concerts and various other school functions during the past several decades. She adored every aspect of Highlands High School and the school community, and the entire Fort Thomas community truly adored her. She will be sadly missed by those whose lives she touched. God Bless Vi Gerding, and as Vi would say, Go 'Birds!