Friday, June 09, 2000
Newport QB lifts East in N.Ky. football victory
Broken thumb doesn't stop quarterback
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
FLORENCE — Doctors told Newport quarterback Charlie Smith he wouldn't be able to throw the ball Thursday.
Smith showed doctors don't know everything. He threw for one touchdown to lead the East to a 19-7 win in the annual Northern Kentucky High School All-Star football game at Boone County.
It was a feat for Smith even to grip the ball. He broke the thumb on his right hand during practice last week, and he played with three screws in and a cast on the digit.
“Every time I took a snap, it hurt,” Smith said.
Fortunately for the East, all Smith had to do the first half was hand the ball to Holmes' Eddie Bane. He took the ball over right guard, avoided one tackle and was gone for a 90-yard touchdown run just 18 seconds into the game.
“I got the handoff and looked for daylight,” Bane said. “It was designed to go up the middle. I went outside and kept running.”
There were some memorable defensive plays, too.
It started with East lineman Eric Heck of Bellevue sacking West quarterback Ben List of Beechwood for a 7-yard loss late in the first quarter.
Later in the second, West lineman Jake Steuber of Conner recovered a fumble by Dixie Heights' Jason Soden.
The East countered with an interception by Highlands' Adam Johnston and an interception and fumble recovery by Dayton's Curtis Turner.
Smith found Holmes' Jerry Weaver for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 4:52 left in the third quarter for a 13-0 East lead.
“(Weaver) told (Covington Catholic assistant coach Tim) Hobbs the post corner would work,” Smith said. “He got past that corner, and I threw it up, and he caught it.”
Even when things went wrong, the East scored. Smith lateraled to Highlands' Brenden Zenni for a 12-yard score five seconds into the fourth quar ter.
“It was snapped on the wrong count,” Zenni said. “Charlie picked it up and tried to make something happen. He threw it up there, and I caught it.”
The West avoided the shutout with 1:41 left in the game, when Conner's Jeremiah Giron hit Ryle's Scott Johns with a 6-yard TD pass.
East All-Stars ....... 7 0 6 6—19
West All-Stars ....... 0 0 0 7— 7
E-Bane 90 run (Goetz kick)
E-Weaver 20 pass from Smith (kick failed)
E-Zenni 12 run (run failed)
W-Johns 6 pass from Giron (Kuhl kick)
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