The Boone County Rebels host Walton-Verona at Owen Hauck Stadium in Florence on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.
Boone County (2-1) opened the 2026 season with wins over St. Henry and Holmes before falling 55-28 to Newport Central Catholic on Sept. 5. The Rebels jumped out to a 14-0 lead in that game before NewCath scored 48 unanswered points, according to LINK nky.
"We executed in the first quarter, probably the best quarter we've played all year," head coach Dan Court said after the NewCath loss. "We just couldn't make plays in the second half."
Court said NewCath seized control after halftime. The momentum shift, he told LINK nky, "kind of sucked it out of us a little bit."
The Rebels want a reset.
Senior running back Malik Johnson, who rushed for 1,188 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2025, scored twice in the first quarter against NewCath. Senior quarterback Asa LeGrand connected with junior wide receiver Amare Newberry on a 45-yard touchdown and hit Payton Crager on a 25-yard scoring pass. Senior quarterback Michael Chiasson added a 33-yard touchdown pass to Crager in the fourth quarter.
Boone County will need that offensive firepower against a Walton-Verona squad that shut out Ludlow 33-0 the week of Sept. 6, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. The two programs also met in Week 4 of the 2025 season.
On defense, Boone County leans on senior linebacker Javier Diaz, who recorded 117 tackles and eight sacks in 2025, and senior defensive end Hunter Rose.
Court set the bar for 2026 after the Rebels made the playoffs for the first time since 2018 last fall. They went 4-7 and lost to Woodford County 54-7 in the first round, but the taste stuck. "We want to host playoff games … That's the motivation amongst the players," Court told the NKyTribune in a July 31 preseason preview.
The Sept. 11 matchup doubles as a "Country Club" golf-themed spirit night at Owen Hauck Stadium. Tickets and a livestream link are available through the school's athletics page.
Boone County travels to Mason County on Friday, Sept. 18, before returning home Oct. 2 for homecoming against Conner, a game that will also feature the retirement of David Trosper's No. 44 jersey.
