Highlands won its 23rd state championship trophy in dramatic fashion, scoring 28 unanswered points during the second half of a 49-42 comeback victory over Owensboro in the Class 4A state final at Western Kentucky University.

After giving up 42 points during the first half, the Highlands defensive unit held Owensboro scoreless during the second half and intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter that enabled the Bluebirds to come away with the victory in Brian Weinrich’s first year as head coach.

Junior free safety Austin Beal scored on a 70-yard interception return and Jared Dougherty kicked the extra point to tie the score, 42-42, with 9:31 left in the fourth quarter.

Owensboro tried a trick play on its next possession. Running back Anthony James took a handoff and fired a pass downfield. The ball was tipped into the air by one Highlands defender and senior cornerback James Hinkle made a diving catch for another interception.

The Highlands offense then ran the ball on 11 straight plays during a 73-yard scoring drive. Senior quarterback Beau Hoge carried the ball six times and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run.

Highlands finished with a 455-413 edge in total yardage. In the second half, the Bluebirds picked up 191 yards compared to 119 by the Red Devils.

“Our coaches told us when we went into locker room at halftime that it’s up to us,” Beal said. “They told us if we want to win state it’s our job to get it done. Our offense was doing well, that’s what kept us in the game, but the defense had to take control.”

Highlands senior quarterback Beau Hoge received the most valuable player award after the game. He rushed for 78 yards, scored three touchdowns and completed 15 of 26 passes for 205 yards and two TDs.

The victory capped off the 100th anniversary season of the Highlands football team that first took the field in 1914.

In other state championship games involving Northern Kentucky teams:

CLASS 6A --- LOUISVILLE TRINITY 47, DIXIE HEIGHTS 14

Trinity scored touchdowns on five consecutive offensive possessions to take a 33-6 halftime lead and coasted to the victory in the Class 6A final to claim its 23rd state championship trophy.

Dixie Heights was making its first appearance in a state champioinship game. The Colonels finished with 395 total yards, but that wasn’t enough to keep up with the high-powered Trinity offense that rolled up 540 yards.

Senior quarterback Drew Moore accounted for most of Dixie's offense. He rushed for 141 yards on 16 carries and completed 8 of 21 passes for 225 yards. 

On the game’s second play from scrimmage, Moore broke free on a 74-yard run before being brought down on the 14-yard line. Two plays later, he dashed into the end zone on a 13-yard run to give the Colonels a 6-0 lead.

Trinity got a touchdown on its next possession to start its scoring run. After the Shamrocks extended their lead to 20-6, Dixie Heights put together a drive that reached the 2-yard line. But a quarterback sack moved the ball back to the 9 and the Colonels ended up turning it over on downs.

Trinity scored two more touchdowns before the half ended to open up a 33-6 lead and extended it to 47-6 in the third quarter. Late in the fourth quarter, Ethan Harrison scored Dixie's final touchdown on a catch-and-run that covered 94 yards and Luke Zajac ran in the 2-point conversion.

CLASS 2A -- LOUISVILLE DeSALES 26, NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC 0

An impressive defensive performance carried DeSales to its second straight Class 2A title in a rematch between last year's finalists.

The DeSales defense snuffed out several plays before they got started and held NewCath to just 50 total yards. The Colts had 11 tackles for a loss, four quarterback sacks and three pass interceptions.

This is the second consecutive year that the two teams met in the Class 2A championship final. DeSales outscored NewCath, 34-26, in the 2013 title game.

NewCath cornerback Erik Anderson recovered a fumble on the game’s second play from scrimmage, but that was the only thing the Thoroughbreds' fans had to cheer about in the first quarter. DeSales scored touchdowns on its next two possessions and then intercepted a pass to set up a field goal that gave the Colts a 16-0 lead. 

DeSales scored another touchdown early in the second quarter on a 2-yard run by junior quarterback Austin Johnson. In the second half, NewCath’s defense played well enough to limit the Colts to just one field goal.

The Thoroughhbreds' leading tacklers were linebacker Kobe Tallon with 13 and defensive back Brandon Gray with nine.