Published: November 13, 2008 11:28 pm      

’Cats start fresh with Dixie Heights

Many consider the playoffs the start of the second season. A new and ultimate wrinkle following the ordinary grind of the regular season.

Nothing could be more true for Ashland.

While the Tomcats made a solid routine of running through, over and past opponents in a 6-4 regular season, tonight’s playoff opener has a different feel for sure.

And while not everything may be working in the Tomcats’ favor, the transition to the postseason has been a good one, according to Ashland coach Leon Hart.

For the first time in two seasons, the Tomcats are in the playoffs. They’re also home in historic Putnam Stadium.

Ashland is also coming off an open week and off its worst loss of the season.

In addition, the Tomcats are renewing a series with Dixie Heights, the last game between the two being in the 1998 playoffs (a 48-13 Dixie Heights victory).

It’s a new horizon all right for the Tomcats, who are leaving their regular-season finale — 41-6 loss to Central on Nov. 7 — behind them.

“When we found out after the (Central) game that we were still second in the district, it was a good thing; it picked their spirits up,” Hart said. “It was a good thing to know for many of them it wouldn’t be their last game ever in Putnam Stadium. It helped us bounce back.”

While the Tomcats are home tonight after winning a three-way district tie-breaker for second place, it won’t necessarily be against a familiar opponent.

Ashland and Dixie Heights have met only five times — all of those meeting coming in the playoffs and the Colonels leading the series 3-2.

Hart, in his fifth season with the Tomcats, hasn’t faced Dixie Heights while with the Tomcats, but did get to watch the Colonels play last week, a bye-week perk.

To say whether he liked what he saw depends on the perspective.

Dixie Heights racked up 572 yards of offense in blowing out Campbell County 56-7. It was the same Campbell County team Hart says Ashland played “even” with in a scrimmage back in the preseason.

“But you never really know exactly how good you’re going to be from a scrimmage,” Hart said.

“Dixie Heights is a good football team that doesn’t have a great record. Playing in their 5A district, all you have to do is mention teams like Highlands and you know what it’s about. And then you throw in teams like Ryle and Boone and that doesn’t lend itself to having a great overall record.”

The Colonels (4-6) certainly make the grade, however, according to Hart.

They spread the field much like Woodford County did against Ashland — but with their own brand, going more to the deep ball.

“The best we can do is try to simulate what we’ll see with some no huddle offense in practice,” Hart said. “We’ll go in and call three or four plays in a row and try to give the kids who will see the most action most of the reps.

“We’ve made some progress in defending the pass, but we know our defense is going to be tested.”

In addition to last week’s 56-point performance, Dixie Heights has scored more than 40 points three other times and 39 in another.

Quarterback Ryan Wilson leads the Colonels’ offense. Last week he was 9-of-14 for 124 yards, going to the air less than normal in the blowout.

On Ashland’s side of the field, it has been a run first and a pass-when-need-to approach for most of the season.

The Tomcats have outrushed their opponents at a nearly two-to-one pace, Rashard Carter and Josh Alber combining for just short of 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns.

It may take a little more this week, though.

“In the playoffs, you can’t just line up and shove it down their throats,” Hart said. “We’re going to have to make them thin the box out.”

In another 5A game, Johnson Central hosts Holmes after its first loss of the season last week at home against Belfry.

The No. 1-seeded Golden Eagles (9-1) rushed for more than 4,200 yards and scored 427 points in the regular season. Meanwhile, Holmes (3-7) has lost six straight, three of those by way of shutout.

ADAM VANKIRK can be reached at avankirk@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2664.