Owensboro Catholic gears up to take on Somerset in the semifinal round of the Class 2A state football tournament. This is the first time since 2010 that Catholic has made it to the semifinal round of the playoffs. That same year they went on to make an appearance in the finals where they lost 42-0 against Newport Catholic Central. Another appearance in the finals would top the Aces’ season off after an already impressive 10-0 regular season.
However, to get to the finals they have to go through Somerset, 10-3, tonight as they host the Briar Jumpers at Steele Stadium. Somerset have only allowed 20 points scored on them so far in the playoffs.
One player in particular that will be on the Aces’ radar is Somerset’s star running back Kam Hughes. Hughes has accumulated about 1,900 rushing yards so far this season and leads the team in interceptions with six. OCHS head coach Jason Morris said Hughes and his brother Kris, who plays at wide receiver, will have to be locked down.
“Their running back is one of the top running backs in the state,” he said. “You don’t get close to 2,000 yards rushing for no reason, and we’re definitely going to have to bottle him up. Then there’s his brother, number 17 at receiver. He’s a really good athlete as well as the quarterback. The quarterback is what I call a sneaky athlete. He doesn’t get enough attention really.”
Morris said the message to his team in the late stages of the playoffs has been to work hard and earn everything.
“They’re a really solid team,” he said. “You make it to the final four and everybody is really good this time of year with good solid defenses. You have to earn everything you get. That’s been our message to the boys is that you have to go earn it.”
The Aces have kept sharp and determined mindsets all season as they’ve protected their undefeated 13-0 record. With a spot in the state championship on the line, their mentality will have to be as good as ever to keep their heads when the stakes are this high. However, Morris assured that his team is as confident and focused as ever.
“We’re a confident group, and we’ve been looking forward to this game all year long,” he said. “Really it’s been since we lost last year that it’s been the goal and the focus. We’re locked in. I know this sounds like coach talk, but we’ve treated every week the exact same all year, and that’s what’s allowed us to not have to change anything. We’re a confident group with a great mentality, and we’re just focused and ready for our next opponent.”
The Aces hosting this round will mean they will be surrounded by their own community and fans, and Morris feels that home field advantage is definitely in their favor when it comes to playing at Steele Stadium.
“There’s definitely a home field advantage because when you come into Steele Stadium it’s a different environment, especially when you haven’t been in that kind of environment again,” he said. “We’re going to have 3,000 rowdy fans here ready to cheer on the team, and that’s special.”
Ahead of the match, the Aces opened their Thanksgiving morning practice to the public. The players were joined in their morning drills by friends and family alike to support the team before their big game.
“This allows our kids to know what kind of support they have,” Morris said. “We got a couple hundred people here on a Thursday morning on Thanksgiving to show them what kind of support they have, so like I keep saying it’s just a special environment.”
Owensboro Catholic takes on Somerset in the Class 2A state semifinal match at Steele Stadium today at 7 p.m.
