We Congratulate Bowling Green Purples Football Team For WALLOPING Warren Central Dragons 52-9 On Their Way To Becoming State Champions.
By MICHEAL COMPTON
The Bowling Green football team moved one step closer to a Class 5A state title, knocking off crosstown rival Warren Central 52-19 on Friday night at El Donaldson Stadium.
In a rematch of a regular-season game won by BG 21-0, the Purples exploded for 35 second-half points to down the Dragons and claim their fifth region title in the past seven years.
“It was fun,” BG coach Kevin Wallace said. “I thought we really played well offensively. Obviously we have to get some things cleaned up in terms of our kicking game, but this was a pretty good night for the Purples.”
Bowling Green’s defense dominated in the regular-season meeting. While defense was again key, it was the offense, led by senior quarterback Scooter Hollis, that shined in Friday’s rematch. Bowling Green racked up 418 yards of offense. Hollis had 190 yards passing and 120 yards on the ground.
“We didn’t think we played very well the first time we played them,” Wallace said. “If you looked at it statistically we had pretty good control of that game too, but we didn’t finish drives. We talked to our kids for four weeks, telling them if we would finish drives and play a little better in the passing game. We didn’t think we threw it and caught very well the first time. We threw it and caught it OK tonight.”
The Purples scored on their opening drive of the night - getting a 2-yard touchdown run from K.J. Cofer.
Warren Central (11-2) got a blocked punt to set up an Eric Brown touchdown run late in the first quarter that made the score 7-7.
Both teams missed field goals in the second quarter before the Purples took the lead for good on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Hollis to Nacarius Fant.
The Dragons turned the ball over twice in the final three minutes of the first half, with the Purples getting a Sam Williams field goal to take a 17-7 halftime advantage.
Bowling Green extended its lead on the first offensive play of the second half when Hollis took off around the left end and raced 69 yards for a touchdown run.
That spark started a second-half explosion for the Bowling Green offense, which scored touchdowns on four straight possessions.
“The first half, we knew what they were going to do, but we were overthinking it a little bit,” Hollis said. “We were tight. Some of my balls weren’t going where I wanted them to. The second half, we got things rolling and got some momentum.”
The Dragons tried to stay within striking distance, but were stopped on fourth-and-inches on their first drive of the second half deep in BG territory.
After a Hunter Neveras touchdown run made the score 31-7, Warren Central scored on the first play of the fourth quarter to pull within 18 points.
Bowling Green put the game away though with 21 straight in the final period, capped by a 50-yard fumble return by Michael Bailey.
Warren Central added a touchdown in the final minute to shave the final margin to 33 points.
“We just didn’t play well,” Warren Central coach Mike Rogers said. “There is no sugar coating it. They’ve got a great football team and you see our youth. We’ll just continue building.
“This is more about the accomplishments of my senior class and how much they’ve helped me build the program back. Getting to two regional championship games in a row, there’s not a whole lot of schools that do that. We’ll get over the hump here and keep building.”
Michael Bush threw for 127 yards for Warren Central, while Brown had 66 yards rushing in his final game as a Dragon.
Fant finished with five catches for 106 yards for the Purples.
Bowling Green will host John Hardin in a battle of unbeatens at 7 p.m. Friday in the Class 5A semifinals.
“It’s the way it ought to be,” Wallace said. “We’ve been the best two teams in the state in 5A all year long. I saw them play in person the first game of the season and thought immediately that they were better than us. We’ll go back and look at film and see what we can do to win the football game. I wouldn’t trade our guys and I know we’ll give great heart. We’ve got to fight, fight, fight to make sure we have a chance to win a state championship.”
WCHS 7 0 0 12 - 19
BGHS 7 10 14 21 - 52
First quarter
BG - K.J. Cofer 2 run (Sam Williams kick), 5:54
WC - Eric Brown 3 run (Adel Muskic kick), 1:06
Second quarter
BG - Nacarius Fant 52 pass from Scooter Hollis (Williams kick), 3:01
BG - Williams 31 field goal, 0:06
Third quarter
BG - Hollis 69 run (Williams kick), 11:42
BG - Hunter Neveras 55 run (Williams kick), 3:39
Fourth quarter
WC - Bryan Stovall 8 run (pass failed), 11:55
BG - Hollis 9 run (Williams kick), 9:11
BG - Brandon Green 24 run (Williams kick), 6:03
BG - Michael Bailey 50 fumble return (Williams kick), 4:47
WC - Daryen Ross 3 run (pass failed), 1:04
Labels: High school sports
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