2004 Year in Review:
The 2004 season ended very successfully for the Highlands Bluebirds varsity football team, as they captured their 16th state football title, a new record in Kentucky. The 'Birds defeated the defending Class AAA state champion Boyle County 22-6 in the final game to earn the title. The championship game, played at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky, was dominated by defense, but it was Highlands running back James Hubbard, operating out of Highlands' wing-T jet sweep offense, who won Player of the Game honors (70 yards rushing, 61 yards passing, and one touchdown in the game). This was the Bluebirds' first championship since the 2000 season, and it also marked the first time in six years that Boyle County did not win a state crown (Boyle County won two straight Class AA titles followed by three straight Class AAA titles).
Highlands has traditionally been known for outstanding offensive play, but it was the team's defense which carried the 'Birds through the regular season and playoffs. In fact, national football analyst Kenneth Massey rated Highlands as the top defensive team in the entire state, regardless of football classification, and the team surrendered only 116 points in 15 games. Highlands' sole on-the-field blemish was a 25-15 loss to two-time defending Ohio Division I state champion Cincinnati Elder, held at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Highlands' regular season schedule included two other defending state champions, Kentucky Class A champion Danville and Kentucky Class AAA champion Boyle County (both of which HHS handily defeated on the field). When Highlands finished 2004 with a 14-1 record (plus a 2-0 preseason scrimmage record against eventual Class A champion Beechwood and Class AAAA power Louisville Male) and a Class AAA state title (in addition to being crowned regional champion, district champion, and NKAC champion), the 'Birds were ranked number one, regardless of football classification, in the entire state of Kentucky by Litkenhous, Kenneth Massey, and Dave Cantrall (the state's top ranking services). Also, Highlands finished the year ranked 22nd in the entire nation in the National High School Football "Tony" Poll (conducted by Tony Bianco).
The season was not without controversy, however. Covington Catholic transfer student-athlete Mike Mitchell, a key player for the Bluebirds in 2004 while playing under a court injunction order, was declared ineligible by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) just a few days before the title game. Highlands played and won the championship game without Mitchell, but Highlands was forced to forfeit all the in-state games in which Mitchell had played. Therefore, Highlands finished 2004 as the Class AAA state champion with a 2-14 record (the Boone County, Cincinnati Elder, and Boyle County title game results were not changed by the KHSAA). The Highlands junior varsity (JV) and freshman teams both finished 2004 with undefeated records. Finally, three of Highlands' top senior players, Jordan Nevels, Mike Mitchell, and Justin Auton, signed with Division I colleges (Nevels with the University of Kentucky, Mitchell with Ohio University, and Auton with Eastern Kentucky University).
2004 Kentucky Class AAA, Region 3, District 5 members - final rankings (the top four teams made the state Class AAA playoffs):
1. Highlands, 2. Covington Catholic, 3. Oldham County, 4. South Oldham, 5. Grant County
2004 Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference (NKAC) members:
Highlands, Beechwood, Bellevue, Boone County, Campbell County, Conner, Covington Catholic, Covington Holmes, Covington Holy Cross, Dayton, Dixie Heights, Lloyd Memorial, Ludlow, Newport, Newport Central Catholic, Ryle, Scott, Simon Kenton
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