In the final seconds of the first half, the main goal of the Beechwood defense was just to keep Mayfield from breaking open a big play.
Instead, the Tigers made a big play in a moment that summarized the whole evening.
Beechwood senior Cam Hergott, the reigning Mr. Football, took the field for his first snap on defense for the year. He laid a big hit on Mayfield sophomore Kylan Galbreath, one of the top running backs in the state, and forced a fumble that Beechwood lineman Colby Vanderpool recovered.
That led to a 36-yard field goal at the buzzer by senior Jake Conrad, and a 24-0 lead for the Beechwood heading into halftime.
Beechwood carried that into a 38-7 win over Mayfield in a KHSAA Class 2A state football semifinal at Beechwood.
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The Tigers, 14-0, will take on undefeated Lexington Christian (14-0) in the state championship game at 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field. It is a rematch of last year’s state title game, won by Beechwood in overtime.
“I’m really excited to play them,” said Hergott. “It’s going to be a great challenge for us. They’re a great team. They have a lot of talent. I’ve been watching them. I’m excited to play a team as good as that, we haven’t really had that this year."
It was also the first win by Beechwood over Mayfield all-time in nine matchups, all in the playoffs, including a rout two years ago in the semis. Mayfield has 12 state championships and is second all-time in Kentucky in overall wins. But it’s the Tigers and their 15 state titles who move on.
“I was thinking about that a lot this week,” Hergott said. “I was blessed to be able to come back and do it again. We got to come out on our home field and beat them. It’s a big rivalry in Beechwood history, so this was really cool.”
Hergott’s tackle resulted in one of Mayfield’s six turnovers on the night, and it was the peak of frustration for the talented sophomore Galbreath. He had 1,552 yards for the season coming in, but was limited to less than 50 on the night. Galbreath had broken loose for a 12-yard gain before the fumble and had only 23 yards at the half.
Hergott, Beechwood’s record-setting quarterback, was only playing defense because of a season-ending injury to safety Brady Moore.
“I just saw him and got a hit on him, and the ball popped out,” Hergott said. “I’ve been practicing defense all week. I love playing defense. The last couple weeks I’ve been practicing defense. I got to get in today and I was so excited.”
Mayfield’s only touchdown came with the help of a 50-plus yard run by Jutarious Starks. It came after Beechwood took a 38-0lead to set the KHSAA running clock in motion, and it was by far Mayfield’s most successful drive of the game.
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“It really was a great performance all the way around,” said Beechwood head coach Noel Rash. “It begins and ends with our kids and their commitment to working their butts off. That’s a great football team we just beat like that, so I’m very pleased. Our front seven on both sides of the ball was incredible, and that’s where the game was won and lost. I was so proud of how physical we played.”
Beechwood’s offensive line punished the Cardinals all night, allowing the Tigers to rush for more than 350 yards. The line, led by senior right tackle Luke Slusher, a 290-pound Western Kentucky commit, and right guard Austin Waddell, gave Beechwood the lift it needed against its archrival.
Mitchell Berger, pressed into service at tailback after an injury to regular starter Avery Courtney, rushed for 191 yards and two touchdowns. He had eight double-digit runs among his 18 carries, two for 30-plus yards.
Berger had 37 carries on the year going in, with seven touchdowns. He had been used more as a receiver all year with 25 catches and seven scores. Friday's output put him near the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
“We just wanted to run the ball the whole game,” Slusher said. “Mitchell just kept sticking his head down and running over guys. Everybody overlooks our offensive line, because besides me and Austin, everybody is small and quick and they won’t think we can do it. It’s just awesome to prove everybody wrong.”
Hergott rushed for 135 yards, not counting one 12-yard sack that went against his rushing total. He rushed for two touchdowns, and completed 6-of-7 passes for 53 yards and a score. Mayfield had 16 interceptions for the year, five for touchdowns, and the Tigers decided to let their running game do the work.
Mayfield head coach Joe Morris said Beechwood played its best game of the year and the o-line was the best the Cardinals had seen all year.
“They’re big, strong, fast. They run-block , they pass block and they put a lot of pressure on you,” Morris said. “When you have Hergott back there, you have to account for him and load the box and we just couldn’t get it done.”
Beechwood got to work on its second drive. A 30-yard run by Berger behind Waddell and Slusher to the 7-yard line set up a 7-yard pass from Hergott to Liam McCormack to lead 7-0.
McCormack intercepted a pass and returned it to the Mayfield 41. An 18-yard burst by Berger and a 3-yard run by Hergott on fourth down set up a 13-yard run by Hergott for his first touchdown of the game. Berger made it 21-0 midway through the second quarter on a 12-yard TD run.
Coming out of the locker room at halftime, the Tigers poured it on, driving 72 yards for a score, highlighted by a 38-yard run by Berger. Beechwood led 31-0.
Berger then recovered a fumble on defense, and eventually scored his second touchdown of the game to put Beechwood up 38-0 in the third quarter.
Mayfield 0 0 7 0-7
Beechwood 7 17 14 0-38
B – McCormack 7 pass from Hergott (Conrad kick)
B - Hergott 13 run (Conrad kick)
B – Berger 12 run (Conrad kick)
B – Conrad 36 FG
B – Hergott 10 run (Conrad kick)
B – Berger 7 run (Conrad kick)
M – Cartwright 3 run (kick good)
Records: B 14-0, M 12-2
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