Dixie Heights scored 28 unanswered points in the third quarter and beat Scott 49-12 on Friday, Sept. 25, in a Class 5A district game.

The Colonels (2-4) have won two straight after opening the season 0-4. The win was their eighth consecutive over the Eagles (1-5) and puts Dixie Heights in a tie with Cooper for first place in Class 5A, District 6, as reported by the Northern Kentucky Tribune.

The two teams meet Friday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Cooper with sole possession of the district lead on the line. Cooper, ranked No. 6 in the Class 5A statewide media poll, edged Conner 22-21 in its own district game Friday.

After a scoreless first quarter, Scott struck first. Junior quarterback Nash Overholser hit senior tight end Justin Hardy on a 9-yard touchdown pass. A failed two-point attempt left the Eagles up 6-0.

Gavin Henson answered with a 27-yard touchdown run, and Leo Wogenstahl's extra point gave Dixie Heights a 7-6 halftime lead.

The third quarter belonged to the Colonels' defense.

Linwood Erney returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown, and Brad Roaden followed with a 41-yard pick-six of his own. Parks Vonderhaar hauled in a 30-yard scoring pass from quarterback Brycen Schatzman, and senior captain Levi Gilliland punched in a 10-yard run. All four touchdowns came in the same quarter.

"They played phenomenal," Dixie Heights head coach Pat Burke said of Erney and Roaden. "They showed their athleticism and they're willing to win and put our team in a good position to help our offense tonight."

Scott answered early in the fourth on a trick play, with junior running back Jonah Rector catching a 12-yard pass from wide receiver Kaydenn Marshall. Dixie Heights responded twice: Gilliland scored his second touchdown on a 1-yard plunge, and Jeremiah Carnes caught a 62-yard bomb from Schatzman to close the scoring.

Gilliland, who rushed for 270 yards and three touchdowns in the Colonels' Week 5 win over Henry Clay, has emerged as the engine of the turnaround. Burke called him "tough as nails" and the leader of the team.

The 0-4 start came against a gauntlet that included Simon Kenton, Hamilton Badin, Beechwood and Covington Catholic. Burke said his seniors have come together over the past two weeks after battling through a difficult early schedule and injuries, adding that he feels the program is moving in the right direction.