Snapped: Looking Back on Beechwood’s 27-Game Win Streak
The Beechwood Tigers’ 27-game winning streak came to an end Friday night with a 31-14 road loss to 5A power Covington Catholic, but the Tigers are still among the favorites to win 2A again this season and become the first school besides Trinity and Highlands to win six championships in a seven-year span. The streak included a 27-7 victory last season over Covington Catholic.
The 27-game winning streak was by far the longest active winning streak in the state. Throughout the streak, the Tigers always found a way to pull out close games. In the 2020 state semifinals, Cam Hergott’s incredible scrambling helped buy enough time to throw a somewhat controversial late, go-ahead two-point conversion to beat West Carter.
The following weekend they survived an LCA double-doink missed field goal at the end of regulation and then blocked a kick in overtime for a narrow victory.
Then last season in 2021 a first-year kicker nailed a pressure-packed field goal to take a late lead and the Tigers defended a 4th down LCA pass in the end zone to claim another state title.
It has been a golden era at Beechwood. They were the smallest school remaining in the state baseball tournament, making the quarterfinals. Mitchell Berger (7-0, 2.57 ERA), who was the ace of the pitching staff, is also a Mr. Football Candidate. His father, Brandon Berger, helped lead the Tigers to two state football titles and later played for the Kansas City Royals.
Mitchell plays offense and defense while also handling kicking and punting duties. He led the team in receptions (five) and tied for the lead in tackles for loss (two) against Covington Catholic on Friday night and is among the state leaders in some individual categories.
Antonio Robinson, a senior transfer from Florida, is ranked as the highest senior player in Kentucky by some recruiting services as a defensive back. He is committed to Wake Forest. Robinson had an electrifying kickoff return for a touchdown to get the Tigers on the board Friday night.
The Tigers were missing a key linebacker tonight out with injury along with their first-string quarterback, who they expect back soon after being injured in the preseason. The Colonels stacked the box tonight, daring Beechwood to beat them through the air with a freshman quarterback, something the Tigers had issues with.
The Colonels used a swarming defense to hold the Tigers to negative 18 rushing yards. Covington Catholic’s Oliver Bent wreaked havoc with two tackles for loss, an interception and a pass breakup. The offensive line eventually wore down the Tigers, with Owen Leen rushing 37 times for 150 yards and a score. Willie Rodriguez had an impressive touchdown catch and another play where he steamrolled over a Tiger defender. Quarterback Evan Pitzer tossed two touchdown passes and added another on the ground.
Covington Catholic now holds three ranked wins over Pikeville, Lexington Catholic, and Beechwood. They are looking like legitimate 5A contenders again after winning state titles in 2017 and 2019 finishing runner-up in 2018 with current Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer featuring prominently on those three squads. After semifinal and quarterfinal finishes the past two years, the Colonels are proving they can compete with the best of the best, even without a dominant specimen like Mayer.
For Beechwood, one streak may have come to an end, but their pursuit of a third straight state title is still very possible. Beechwood has 16 state titles, trailing only Trinity (27) and Highlands (23).
“Win, Lose, or Draw. You gotta get better from it. It creates a playoff atmosphere,” Beechwood Coach Noel Rash said after the loss. “Your kids get a sense of what you need to do when you’re going to get into those big games.”
2A will be dynamite again this year with undefeated Mayfield currently ranked #11 overall and LCA picking up LaRue County transfer quarterback Cutter Boley, who is currently dealing with an ankle injury. Last year LCA knocked off eventual 1A (Pikeville) and 4A (Boyle County) state champions before falling to Beechwood in the finals. Expect 2A to go down to the wire again this season.
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