35 years ago, Tomcats and Covington Catholic staged a Putnam Stadium masterpiece

Thirty-five years ago this season, Ashland and Covington Catholic slugged it out in one of the greatest games ever played in Putnam Stadium’s 86-year history.

It was the 1988 state semifinals and Covington Catholic came into the game roaring. The Colonels were 12-1 and entered as a 17-point favorite with a powerhouse running game and a slick passing attack that had devoured opponents.

Ashland had underachieved in the regular season but began hitting a stride in the playoffs. The Tomcats came into the semifinals with a pedestrian 7-6 record but much better than the record showed.

Still, nobody gave them much of a chance, including their own loyal followers, to defeat the northern Kentucky powerhouse.

What happened on that cold November Friday night in 1988 was, well, chilling, the stuff of goosebumps and legends. The Tomcats battled the Colonels to a scoreless tie in regulation before dropping a tear-your-heart-out 6-0 loss in overtime. While a haunting defeat for the Tomcats of coach Vic Marsh, it’s one of the classics in Putnam Stadium. It remains one fans talk about today.

Those Tomcats didn’t listen to the pre-game talk. Today’s Tomcats may want to stay away from the naysayers, too.

The game with Covington Catholic was supposed to be a mismatch. The Colonels were high-powered with quarterback Paul Hladon expected to make it look easy for the defending state champions.

If Ashland had any chance, it would be because of a battering-ram offense that had carried the Tomcats most of the season. It included running back Mike Johnson, who that season would become Ashland’s all-time leading rusher.

But on this night, it was a defense designed by assistant coaches Don McReynolds, Steve Salyers and David Arthur that befuddled the Colonels. It was a mix of zone looks and was predicated on a fierce pass rush. And it worked. An uncomfortable Hladon completed only 4 of 22 passes for 28 yards. It wasn’t all Hladon’s fault. Some of his throws were rushed but his receivers also dropped many passes after some jarring hits from Ashland’s secondary, namely Jason Hall and David Hicks, who had two interceptions and made an early statement with a thunderous hit on a receiver who dared to come over the middle on the first play.

By the end of the game, the receivers were hearing the footsteps of Hall and Hicks when a football was thrown their way. The pass rush was effective, too, keeping Hladon uncomfortable in the pocket.

Marsh’s coaching trademark was preparation, and it was the most prepared Tomcat team I can ever remember. They were ready and they were motivated to win, not just play a good game against a team that frankly had superior talent.

That kind of mental preparation was the only way the Tomcats were going to compete with Covington Catholic. They weren’t the more talented team, so they had to be the more physical team. Tonight’s game with Covington Catholic will be another test of toughness for these Tomcats.

Hladon left the game knowing the Colonels were fortunate to go home with a victory. “I’ll tell you, Ashland Paul Blazer deserved to win,” he said.

The game may be the most exciting scoreless football ever played in Putnam Stadium.

Zeroes dominated the scoreboard but on the field there were blocked punts, blocked field goal tries, a touchdown called back by penalty, long runs, big losses, passes dropped, passes intercepted, fumbles, a goal-line stand, critical penalties, great decisions, bad decisions and gutsy decisions.

The only score came on Dan Ruh’s 10-yard run on a draw play in overtime.

Ashland had taken possession first in overtime and got to the four on two runs by Mike Johnson before Hicks, the quarterback, was dropped for a two-yard loss. That left it up to Charlie Johnson’s foot and Roger Werner blocked the sophomore’s 22-yard field goal try.

When Covington Catholic took possession for its overtime opportunity, Charlie Johnson chased Hladon back to the 23 and looked to have him corralled for a sack when the quarterback flung a pass out of bounds in the vicinity of a receiver.

On the next play, Ruh went up the middle, did some stutter steps to avoid the first wave of tacklers, cut left and went into the end zone.

Ruh, excited with the win, spiked the ball. The officials threw a flag, but unless it was going to be marked off on the kickoff of the state title game, it was meaningless.

Ashland’s players stood frozen on the field and it wasn’t because of the November chill. Their emotions were chilled. This roller-coaster ride of a game was over and so was the season.

Ashland had its chances to win the game in regulation with only seconds remaining. Stopped at the Covington Catholic 12 with only nine seconds to play, the Tomcats called a timeout. Johnson tried a 27-yard field goal that was slightly wide left, but an illegal procedure penalty gave the Tomcats a five-yard setback but another try for the win, much to the protest of the Colonels’ sidelines. Again though, Johnson’s kick, this time from 34 yards out, was wide left and regulation ended 0-0.

Covington Catholic had a chance in the fourth quarter, but a goal-line stand by the Tomcats kept the shutout. The Colonels had a first-and-goal from the 3-yard line. The first two plays were one-yard gains and then fullback Chris Penn was stopped twice for no gain. Ashland’s fans in the end zone went wild. Everybody who was at this game was into the game. For the Tomcat fans who had invested so deeply, that’s what made losing so much tougher.

But the 1988 state semifinal game, even though a loss, will be forever remembered by those same fans and those who played in the game. Those gentlemen are between the ages of 50 and 53 today but the memory of a time when you put so much of your heart and soul into a battle – win or lose – stays with you.

I’m sure the same is true for the Covington Catholic players of that era. They remember the Tomcats.

Will these Colonels remember the Tomcats after tonight?

Covington Catholic went on to repeat as state champions in 1988, defeating Paducah Tilghman 30-24 in overtime the following week. Ashland was left to wonder what if?

Two years later, the sophomores on this Ashland team, including Charlie Johnson, would win a 19-14 semifinal game against Bell County in Putnam Stadium on the way to the 1990 state championship.

Ask them today and they’ll proudly tell you about both games, each considered epic in Ashland’s proud history.