5A South Warren (6-1) at 5A Bowling Green (6-1) 

Easily one of the best 5A regular season games of the year right here, with the winner taking a strong step toward sowing up the regular season 5A District 2 title, a huge RPI Boost, and a more favorable pathway into the 5A playoffs.  And those metrics have been a very similar theme going into this game for the past several years now.  BUT, this will be the final year for South Warren in 5A, as they will step up to 6A District 2 next season and play in the district being vacated by Barren County and Warren Central who step back into 5A District 2 in 2025 and 2026.  I’m told BG and South will still be playing which I’m thankful for as it is really good for the community and GREAT Gate money for both schools.  BUT, it will likely take some of the venom out of the rivalry as district seeding/common playoff path ramifications/meeting a second time in the playoffs and sending senior classes home will not be in play for the foreseeable future.  But alas, still playing is good enough to extend this strong rivalry!

STREAMING VIA: 

D93 Radio Station in Bowling Green does a great job with their facebook live feed.  Link is here:  Facebook

Rivalry Information:

This will be the 13^th meeting between the two local rivals.  The series began in 2017, when South moved up to 5A and was placed in the same district with Bowling Green and they have been playing ever since.  Bowling Green leads the series 7-5.  Interestingly, neither team had ever held a 2-game lead in the series and neither team had won more than 2 in a row.  But that changed after last season’s barnburner of a contest at South Warren, where South used a clock chewing strategy to methodically dictate game pace and kept the BG offense off the field.  It worked great and South took their first lead of the game with 32 seconds left on a QB Bryce Button 2-point conversion to put South Warren up 29-28.  But BG did not quit and after 1 play gets them to the South 40, the Purples would call upon an old friend (the hook and ladder) to stun South and pull out a tremendous rivalry win 36-29.  I know South hasn’t forgotten about that and would love nothing more than to pay the Purples back here as they prepare to checkout of 5A. 

South Warren Information:

South Warren comes into this game with nearly 800 rushing yards on the year and just over 1,300 passing (through 6 stat games).  So that is roughly 2 rush yards for every 3 pass yards. 

South Warren is led again this season by 3-Year Starter and leader QB Bryce Button.  The SR has already committed to Eastern Michigan and will be a good one for the Eagles.  Button is 87 for 132 for 1,284 yards with 18 TDs vs 4 INTs on the year.  Other important skill guys for South include JR RB Kayden York with over 360 yards on the season with 2 TDs and SR PJ Ward with about 180 yards on the season.  At WR JR Jake Carter leads the way with 23 catches on the year with 390 yards and 6 TDs.  SR Colton Veltcamp also having a very good year for Sparty with 17 catches for 228 yards and 5 TDs. 

The Spartan defense is allowing about 70 rushing yards and 160 passing yards per game on the season.  SR Brody Enslow leads the Spartans with 53 tackles on the year.  And the Spartan LBs have roughly 15 sacks on the year in South’s aggressive defensive strategy.  South used a blitz-heavy scheme vs BG last game.  Will they again?  I think it is likely.

South seems to be on the uptick following their only defeat of the year vs a very solid 6A Manual squad 35-7.  The Spartans come into this game fresh off a shellacking of 5A bottom-dweller Moore High School 51-6.  I don't have a recap of that one, but it was scoreless after the first quarter and then the flood gates opened with South running away and hiding from the Mustangs.

Bowling Green Information:

Bowling Green comes into this game fresh off their BYE week and prior to that, 4 games they power-washed 4 less challenging opponents 211-30.  Prior to that, were 3 more memorable games with the Purples coming out of the down side in the Rafferty’s Bowl opener 35-13 against a talented Frederick Douglass squad.  They then eased past a quality (even though @Brown is disappointed in them) Owensboro squad 35-14 and finally avenged last season’s setback against a better than their record would indicate 6A Bryan Station team 38-22.

Bowling Green continues to be led by star SR QB Deuce Bailey who has played awfully well this year.  The Purples’ All Time Passing Yards Leader has a quality stable of WRs that seem to keep expanding (of the Missouri State commit’s 25 TDs on the year (including 1,690 yards vs only 3 INTs) 5 WRs have at least 2 TDs).  BGs top WRs include JR Travey Barber and SR CJ Sweeney along with JR Jaxon Smith.  BG has passed nearly 3 times to every 2 runs on the year with SO Nick Graham leading the way on the ground for BG with 233 yards on only 33 carries (that’s a 7 yard per carry average) and 2 TDs on the year.

The Purples defense has been pretty solid all year long.  They held up pretty well considering when BG’s offense wasn’t effective moving the ball against a quality Douglass squad.  And take back 2 very poor tackling efforts that allowed 2 long Bryan Station TD efforts and BG has only allowed 2 TDs to both Owensboro schools and the rest are blanks (except for 2 second unit defense scores vs Christian County).  This less turbulent part of the season has also allowed several key BG defenders to take time off and get healthy for the stretch run.  And that stretch run starts right now with this important rivalry district matchup. 

Game Information:

Currently, South Warren is on a 2-game win streak.  Bowling Green is on a 6-game win streak and a 3-game win streak in this rivalry series.  This game will be played at Bowling Green, which is an advantage. 

I look for South Warren to use the strategy they used last season to ground and pound the Purples with a good sprinkling of Bryce Button magic to try to methodically chew clock and extend South offensive drives to keep the BG offense on the sidelines yet again.  That was very effective last season.

I just don’t know if the Spartans have the horses this year to do that.  South 2023 skill guys were super solid and had significant game experience.  For example, RB Jimmy Sales had 150 yards in last year’s game for South.  South hasn’t had a 100-yard rusher any game this season.  Perhaps, they haven’t needed to run and choose to pass more.  But it would seem to me that they are going to need to run now; at least enough to try to chew clock and extend drives.  The question is can they.  IMO, there will be a lot of pressure on Souths new skill guys to step up in this game.  South Warren also has some effective short passing schemes I saw in their game vs Ballard.  So, they will likely use that to supplement their rush attack. 

For the Purples, just continue to do what you’ve been doing and that starts with QB Deuce Bailey getting in rhythm with his receivers and testing a South secondary that came in totally new this season. 

It’s going to be a super-charged atmosphere Friday night at Bowling Green High School!

I have been to 3 straight great games: Cooper at Highlands; Woodford County at South Oldham; and Manual and St X.  Will it be 4 for 4?

Can the Purples hold serve at home and win a 4^th rivalry game in a row?  Or will South fight back and stun the Purples at home and steal what could be the last district game these 2 teams ever play? 

Who wins this important matchup and why?

May be your best write up yet. Great job, 88!

South will certainly try to win the time of possession battle to keep Deuce and the gang off the field. 
 

Coach Smith and the boys in black had to lose some sleep last year after the hitch pitch game. 
 

Purple train is rolling and I suspect it will Friday night as well. 
 

My guess:

Purples 42

South 20

I have the Purples 35-14.

I really don’t think it’ll be close. Purps big. 

Purples win this one gonna be a good game but BG gets the win. 

Purples by a couple of scores, don’t believe the Spartans can slow down the Bailey to Barber connection. 
 

BG - 35 SW - 21

Personally, I’m a bit hesitant to predict a multi score win. I can see the same approach from last season being applied to this game for South.

Happy to have the game at home this go around, that makes me feel slightly better. I have no doubt the Purples will put some points up, I’m more concerned about the ability to get off the field and limit long sustaining drives. I think it will be a close game. 
 

BG 31-24

9 minutes ago, BillNye said:

Personally, I’m a bit hesitant to predict a multi score win. I can see the same approach from last season being applied to this game for South.

Happy to have the game at home this go around, that makes me feel slightly better. I have no doubt the Purples will put some points up, I’m more concerned about the ability to get off the field and limit long sustaining drives. I think it will be a close game. 
 

BG 31-24

I understand your hesitation to be say BG by 28, but you are wrong.  BG is the best team O has played bar none - great staff.  I get it’s a rivalry game but unless BG plays super sloppy this game is a complete blowout.  I love Brandon smith but there is only so much he can do here.  Purps big.

 

49-14 Purps

24 minutes ago, Brown said:

I understand your hesitation to be say BG by 28, but you are wrong.  BG is the best team O has played bar none - great staff.  I get it’s a rivalry game but unless BG plays super sloppy this game is a complete blowout.  I love Brandon smith but there is only so much he can do here.  Purps big.

 

49-14 Purps

Would love to be wrong and see them step on the gas this Friday! I’ve just seen too many of these games at this point to feel as if it’s a certainty. 

Having seen both of these teams this season, I will have to go with the Purples by 2-3 TDs. 

49-21 BG

These scores make me nervous for this game.

It wouldn't be the first time high school kids read the headlines and expect that game to go a certain way.

South will be really motivated for this game.  I could see BG coming out of the gate sluggishly.  They were off last week and haven't played a really tough game in a month. 

Bryce Button is a terrific QB; If their OLine plays well, they could be able to extend drives.  But the turnover battle in this game is always critical.  And whoever wins it, especially early on in the game, will have a leg up.

On 10/12/2024 at 8:21 PM, Purple88 said:

5A South Warren (6-1) at 5A Bowling Green (6-1) 

Easily one of the best 5A regular season games of the year right here, with the winner taking a strong step toward sowing up the regular season 5A District 2 title, a huge RPI Boost, and a more favorable pathway into the 5A playoffs.  And those metrics have been a very similar theme going into this game for the past several years now.  BUT, this will be the final year for South Warren in 5A, as they will step up to 6A District 2 next season and play in the district being vacated by Barren County and Warren Central who step back into 5A District 2 in 2025 and 2026.  I’m told BG and South will still be playing which I’m thankful for as it is really good for the community and GREAT Gate money for both schools.  BUT, it will likely take some of the venom out of the rivalry as district seeding/common playoff path ramifications/meeting a second time in the playoffs and sending senior classes home will not be in play for the foreseeable future.  But alas, still playing is good enough to extend this strong rivalry!

STREAMING VIA: 

D93 Radio Station in Bowling Green does a great job with their facebook live feed.  Link is here:  Facebook

Rivalry Information:

This will be the 13^th meeting between the two local rivals.  The series began in 2017, when South moved up to 5A and was placed in the same district with Bowling Green and they have been playing ever since.  Bowling Green leads the series 7-5.  Interestingly, neither team had ever held a 2-game lead in the series and neither team had won more than 2 in a row.  But that changed after last season’s barnburner of a contest at South Warren, where South used a clock chewing strategy to methodically dictate game pace and kept the BG offense off the field.  It worked great and South took their first lead of the game with 32 seconds left on a QB Bryce Button 2-point conversion to put South Warren up 29-28.  But BG did not quit and after 1 play gets them to the South 40, the Purples would call upon an old friend (the hook and ladder) to stun South and pull out a tremendous rivalry win 36-29.  I know South hasn’t forgotten about that and would love nothing more than to pay the Purples back here as they prepare to checkout of 5A. 

South Warren Information:

South Warren comes into this game with nearly 800 rushing yards on the year and just over 1,300 passing (through 6 stat games).  So that is roughly 2 rush yards for every 3 pass yards. 

South Warren is led again this season by 3-Year Starter and leader QB Bryce Button.  The SR has already committed to Eastern Michigan and will be a good one for the Eagles.  Button is 87 for 132 for 1,284 yards with 18 TDs vs 4 INTs on the year.  Other important skill guys for South include JR RB Kayden York with over 360 yards on the season with 2 TDs and SR PJ Ward with about 180 yards on the season.  At WR JR Jake Carter leads the way with 23 catches on the year with 390 yards and 6 TDs.  SR Colton Veltcamp also having a very good year for Sparty with 17 catches for 228 yards and 5 TDs. 

The Spartan defense is allowing about 70 rushing yards and 160 passing yards per game on the season.  SR Brody Enslow leads the Spartans with 53 tackles on the year.  And the Spartan LBs have roughly 15 sacks on the year in South’s aggressive defensive strategy.  South used a blitz-heavy scheme vs BG last game.  Will they again?  I think it is likely.

South seems to be on the uptick following their only defeat of the year vs a very solid 6A Manual squad 35-7.  The Spartans come into this game fresh off a shellacking of 5A bottom-dweller Moore High School 51-6.  I don't have a recap of that one, but it was scoreless after the first quarter and then the flood gates opened with South running away and hiding from the Mustangs.

Bowling Green Information:

Bowling Green comes into this game fresh off their BYE week and prior to that, 4 games they power-washed 4 less challenging opponents 211-30.  Prior to that, were 3 more memorable games with the Purples coming out of the down side in the Rafferty’s Bowl opener 35-13 against a talented Frederick Douglass squad.  They then eased past a quality (even though @Brown is disappointed in them) Owensboro squad 35-14 and finally avenged last season’s setback against a better than their record would indicate 6A Bryan Station team 38-22.

Bowling Green continues to be led by star SR QB Deuce Bailey who has played awfully well this year.  The Purples’ All Time Passing Yards Leader has a quality stable of WRs that seem to keep expanding (of the Missouri State commit’s 25 TDs on the year (including 1,690 yards vs only 3 INTs) 5 WRs have at least 2 TDs).  BGs top WRs include JR Travey Barber and SR CJ Sweeney along with JR Jaxon Smith.  BG has passed nearly 3 times to every 2 runs on the year with SO Nick Graham leading the way on the ground for BG with 233 yards on only 33 carries (that’s a 7 yard per carry average) and 2 TDs on the year.

The Purples defense has been pretty solid all year long.  They held up pretty well considering when BG’s offense wasn’t effective moving the ball against a quality Douglass squad.  And take back 2 very poor tackling efforts that allowed 2 long Bryan Station TD efforts and BG has only allowed 2 TDs to both Owensboro schools and the rest are blanks (except for 2 second unit defense scores vs Christian County).  This less turbulent part of the season has also allowed several key BG defenders to take time off and get healthy for the stretch run.  And that stretch run starts right now with this important rivalry district matchup. 

Game Information:

Currently, South Warren is on a 2-game win streak.  Bowling Green is on a 6-game win streak and a 3-game win streak in this rivalry series.  This game will be played at Bowling Green, which is an advantage. 

I look for South Warren to use the strategy they used last season to ground and pound the Purples with a good sprinkling of Bryce Button magic to try to methodically chew clock and extend South offensive drives to keep the BG offense on the sidelines yet again.  That was very effective last season.

I just don’t know if the Spartans have the horses this year to do that.  South 2023 skill guys were super solid and had significant game experience.  For example, RB Jimmy Sales had 150 yards in last year’s game for South.  South hasn’t had a 100-yard rusher any game this season.  Perhaps, they haven’t needed to run and choose to pass more.  But it would seem to me that they are going to need to run now; at least enough to try to chew clock and extend drives.  The question is can they.  IMO, there will be a lot of pressure on Souths new skill guys to step up in this game.  South Warren also has some effective short passing schemes I saw in their game vs Ballard.  So, they will likely use that to supplement their rush attack. 

For the Purples, just continue to do what you’ve been doing and that starts with QB Deuce Bailey getting in rhythm with his receivers and testing a South secondary that came in totally new this season. 

It’s going to be a super-charged atmosphere Friday night at Bowling Green High School!

I have been to 3 straight great games: Cooper at Highlands; Woodford County at South Oldham; and Manual and St X.  Will it be 4 for 4?

Can the Purples hold serve at home and win a 4^th rivalry game in a row?  Or will South fight back and stun the Purples at home and steal what could be the last district game these 2 teams ever play? 

Who wins this important matchup and why?

Great writeup once again! Should be a great game.

38-28 Purples. 

Bowling Green 28-7.