Pabst deserves his own blue ribbon for his sophomore season @Liamtoml, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @KyHighFootball, @BeechwoodFB, @beechwood_tiger

’27 defensive back among the most versatile performers in the ’27 class

🎶There’s no place that I’d rather be than right here 
With my red necks, white socks, and blue ribbon beer…🎶

Johnny Russell ‧ 1973

Nathan Pabst isn’t going to wow anyone with his measurements. Performance? That is an all-together different matter. At 5’9,” and weighing under 170 Pabst is proof that “football players” come in different shapes and sizes but share the ability to “make plays” among their brotherhood. Make no mistake, this kid is 100% a playmaker, 100% football player. Pabst also plays for one of Kentucky’s premier programs at any level of play. Pabst was a major contributor in multiple phases a year ago as a sophomore. His contributions figure to only go up as he takes the field for his junior season. That’s what we would describe as a “blue ribbon” performance.

HB Lyon, Chief of Scouting, “KPGFootball”

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Ronnie Mingua began experimenting with making beef jerky back in the 1990s. He shared his efforts with neighbors and friends, soon realizing he had come up with something different and superior to all other beef jerkies on the market. From these humble beginnings, Mingua Beef Jerky got its start.  

Today, the Mingua Beef Jerky Company still prides itself on using its old-fashioned, all-natural recipes which offer outstanding products to customers across the nation. The recipes are a family tradition, passed down from generation to generation.     

Our recipes and our quality ingredients, hand-cut from solid pieces of beef, are never chopped or formed like other brands, making our products superior and one of a kind. That would make our products similar to this week’s Protein-packed Performer, Nathan Pabst, ’27 “athlete” from Beechwood High in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. 

Fort Mitchell, KY: Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) was first brewed in 1844 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The beer has been consistently brewed by the Pabst Brewing Company, which was founded by Jacob Best. 

There actually used to be a real blue ribbon tied around the neck of the bottle. They stopped doing that in 1916 but it began at the World’s Fair in Chicago, Illinois. Pabst won the title of “America’s Best” at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. 

The slogan for Pabst Blue Ribbon was “What’ll you have?” Nathan Pabst answered that question for his Tiger ball club as only a sophomore. What Beechwood would have was an outstandingly versatile skill set. That is exactly what they got from their blue ribbon athlete.

Nathan Pabst isn’t a guy who’s going to rock your world with his measurements. This kid is 5’9,” and weighs under one-buck seventy (168-pounds). Still his “on field” production, especially for a sophomore playing on a team which is the bell-cow standard for 2A football across Kentucky just might astound you.

Beechwood just won its 18th KHSAA title. The Tigers beat Owensboro Catholic 50-34 in a game which sounds closer than it actually was.

The play the team got from its sophomore, three phase performer was remarkable. We have been featuring versatility for over a year now. This guy here sort of sets the standard.

Pabst rushed for 178-yards on 23-carries and three (3) TDs. Pabst caught 16-passes, five (5) of which scored TDs. Pabst scored on a pair of pick-sixes, housed a pair of kickoffs, and scored on a two-pointer on special teams.

If you are counting, you’re correct. Pabst exhibited three-phase utility at 5’9,” 168 and playing for one of the most storied traditions in the KHSAA, regardless of classification.

We have said many times there are teams in Kentucky whose performance transcends its level. Mayfield is such a team. Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) is such a team. Pikeville High (1A) is such a team. Christian Academy-Louisville, Covington Catholic, Boyle County, Owensboro Catholic, and Paducah Tilghman are all presently in that class.

There are other examples. We aren’t even going to count the 5A and 6A teams who can make a similar boast.

All of these teams play “big boy ball” whether they are in a “big boy” classification or not. In Kentucky, there are good teams, mediocre teams, and bad teams and those three (3) types span all six (6) classifications.

Pabst and teammates were 14-1 a year ago and took home a championship in 2A. The only loss of the year suffered by the Tigers was to a Covington Catholic team which finished 11-3 and lost by four (4) points to 4A finalist Franklin County in Frankfort, Kentucky.

What is next for the diminutive sophomore who also contributed 32-tackles, half a TFL, three (3)-INTs with 104 IRNYs to go along with both his and his team’s other numbers before set forth? Well, we don’t rightly know.

It is hard to imagine his doing much better than the production detailed in this particular article. Beechwood has lost a ton of talent off the ’24 team as there were seniors manning many of the prime time positions on both sides of the scrimmage line and in all three phases of its championship team.

Of course, this is Beechwood we are discussing here. I suppose they will challenge for Kentucky supremacy like any other season or any other year.

They will have them a blue ribbon performer on the field for the Tigers when the team breaks Fall camp. This guy will have already proven his merit as much will be expected of this “blue ribbon” performer.

Join us next week as we return to honor another weekly prize winner. Until then, pop some Mingua Beef Jerky in your mouth and savor the quality and flavor which sets it apart from the competition. Remember, our product is superior and one of a kind; just like Beechwood’s Nathan Pabst.  

This is Friday Night Fletch reporting for Kentucky Prep Gridiron and reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE. Don’t forget to SAVOR THE FLAVOR!