Meet Highland's Own Inspector Gadget: Charlie Noon
As we reach the end of the high school football season, fans have begun to speculate the favorites to be crowned 2022 Mr. Kentucky Football. Some notable names that have been thrown around this year are Ty Bryant from Frederick Douglass, Blake Birchfield from Pikeville, and Kenyon Goodin from Collins. All three of these names have been heavily profiled in KSR Games of the Week this season, so many fans are familiar with this trio.
One name you may not be as familiar with is receiver Charlie Noon from Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Noon does it all for head coach Robert Sphire and the Bluebirds, recording passing, receiving, rushing, defensive, kick return, and punt return stats in his three seasons at Highlands. Noon began his career primarily at quarterback, leading the team in both passing and rushing yards in his sophomore and junior season.
Now a senior, Noon transitioned fully into a receiver role, recording 674 yards through the air on 44 receptions and eight touchdowns. He is also third on the team in rushing, totaling 226 yards on 34 attempts. In addition to his contributions on offense, he is also the heart of the special teams unit. Noon finished the regular season with 481 kick return yards for a touchdown (including a game-winner against Covington Catholic) and 267 punt return yards for another touchdown.
As Noon’s high school career comes to a close, he is nearing 6,000 all-purpose yards for his career — 2,000 this season alone.
The Hunt for 6,000
Noon’s origins don’t lie in Fort Thomas, as his father was born in Europe and his mother in Missouri. His family migrated to the Fort Thomas school district early in his elementary years from Ohio, where he and his brother, Connor, began to find their love for football. Connor Noon played for Highlands from 2017 to 2020, where he became an influential part of Charlie’s eventual success.
“In the first year without him at the high school, he stepped up and took a leadership role with me and my recruiting process,” Charlie Noon told KSR of his brother. “He’ll watch film for me so he’s a big part of everything.”
With the help of his brother and teammates, Noon gradually rose up the ranks of Highland’s best, and is nearing the top with his great senior season. However, he always seems to be looking towards the future, and not relying on his past success.
“I just take it game by game. Getting to that 6,000 (yards) mark is obviously going to be super cool and exciting, but I’d much rather be out there making a deep run in the playoffs.” Highlands hasn’t won a state championship since 2014’s Class 4A victory over Owensboro.
Noon’s Legacy
When asked about what position he believes he is most talented at, Noon unexpectedly answered with kick/punt returner.
“I can get a little speed and get into open space before I have to really make a move. I can be explosive on special teams.”
Explosive he can be. Earlier this year, Noon made waves in the state of Kentucky with his game-winning kick return touchdown against rival Covington Catholic. This helped snap Highlands’ nine-game losing streak to the Colonels.
“It was a whole wave of emotions,” Noon said of the touchdown. “I remember just jumping up and getting all excited with my teammates. I looked up on the sideline and everybody was just going crazy. It was a really cool, awesome experience.”
“I was a dynamic player who could bust out big plays whenever,” Noon responded when asked what he wanted his legacy to be. Those in Fort Thomas will certainly not forget his ability to thrive wherever and whenever the team needed him.
Noon and Highlands Gunning for State Title
Highlands begins its hunt for a state championship Friday night against Montgomery County with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
“We all know that we have to take it week by week and can’t get caught up in who our next opponent might be. We can’t really control that, so we have to take it week by week.” After a stellar high school career, a state championship would mean vindication for a Highlands team that is having its best season since 2018.
Noon has currently received a few opportunities to play college football, including a PWO from the University of Louisville.
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