5A Bowling Green (11-2) at 5A South Warren (12-1)

5A STATE SEMIFINALS – Fourth Round Game

BLACK FRIDAY EDITION!!!

These cross-town rivals will meet for the second time in 2024.  Since they started playing each other (began in the 2017 season), they have played 2 times per season every year but two.  They did not play twice in 2018 nor 2023.  Why?  Owensboro.  The Red Devils upended Bowling Green and broke a 14-game win streak doing so in the second round of the 2018 playoffs at Rash Stadium 28-21.  In 2023, the same thing happened to South Warren where the Spartans headed to Rash and didn’t come home the victor (O 53–SW 22). 

I think most BG fans would admit (maybe not) that they would not have preferred to have met South again last season after BG stole that regular season game with a hook and ladder play with about 10 seconds to play in the game.  And this year I feel, it’s the South fans that silently would have preferred not to have had to face BG again, as I just feel in the earlier regular season matchup that South played closer to their best game than BG did.  Perhaps that’s just me though. 

That October 18^th game was another classic between these two with BG earning a 10-point lead with 8 minutes to go in the game, but it would be the Spartans who would show more resolve in this one to shock the Purples on their home field and earn the one seed out of 5A District 2.  This is going to be a “Game For The Ages” down in Warren County!  This WILL be the last district affiliated game these 2 teams will play for the foreseeable future, as South Warren will step up to 6A District 2 next season.  This will also be the lastest in any season these two will play.  The first playoff game they played in 2017 at Bowling Green was a Regional Finals game (Round 3).  South got their first win in the series in that game and really set this rivalry off from that point.

STREAMING VIA: 

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

Also the Sporting Times does a great job as well with their broadcasts, which can be found here:

- Sporting Times

Rivalry Information:

This will be the 14^th meeting between the two local rivals.  Bowling Green leads the series 7-6.  South Warren is on a one game win streak in the series.  For only playoff games, Bowling Green leads the series 3 games to 2.  Of the playoff games at South Warren, the series is tied at one.  Bowling Green won 41-24 at South Warren in the second round in 2020 in a crazy “turnovers-on-steroids” game where South had 8 turnovers and Bowling Green had 4.  Bowling Green would go on to win the 2020 5A Title with a 17-7 win over arch-rival Owensboro.  South Warren won 28-3 at home in the second round in 2021 when South would go on to win the 2021 5A Title defeating a good Fredrick Douglass team 38-26.   

South Warren Information:

It seems like yesterday, I ventured down to Campbellsville to watch South Warren take on and dominate a 6A Ballard team (that gave Trinity all they wanted for most of the night last night) that went all the way to Round 3 of the 6A playoffs.  South looked great that night and has most nights with the exception of one September evening when Dupont Manual came calling and overwhelmed the Spartans 35-7 in Bowling Green.  But since that game, South has defeated eight straight opponents by a score of 347 to 65. 

This well-coached team has leaned on the right arm of SR QB Bryce Button much, if not all, of this year.  And why not?  The Eastern Michigan commit has over 2,100 yards passing with 30 TDs vs 8 INTs on the year (not including North Bullitt game).  Plus, he is third on the team in rushing with nearly 200 yards and 7 more TDs.  SR RB Kaden York has played really well this year with over 115 rushing attempts for over 600 rushing yards.  At WR Jake Carter leads the way with 39 catches and 10 TDs along with SR Colton Veltkamp with 29 catches for over 400 yards and 9 TDs on the year. 

Defensively, the Spartans, who hang their hat stopping the run, have given up right around 500 rushing yards on the year.  Impressive.  The defensive front seven are all good players with SRs LB Brody Enslow (72 tackles), LB Bradyn Martin (63 tackles and 6 sacks) and DE Colton Veltkamp (61 tackles and 16 sacks – really impressive!) leading the way for Sparty. 

South has been using a blitz-heavy defensive scheme vs BG the last couple game.  Will they again?  I think it is highly likely.

Against North Bullitt, the Eagles were simply out-manned and fell 42-7 to a South team that played a near perfect first half.  The offense was 4 for 4 on first half offensive drives with the defense adding a scoop and score as well.  South earned the running clock late in the second quarter and outgained North Bullitt 271 to 63.  Wow!

Bowling Green Information:

The Purples have had a good season to this point.  They stumbled out of the gate vs a good Frederick Douglass team (who is still playing) at the Rafferty’s Bowl 35-13 and didn’t fall again until the mid-October District showdown battle with South Warren falling 28-24.  Since then, Bowling Green has some good wins including at St Xavier and at Owensboro.  They seem to be picking up their play, which has been a trademark of former Purples Championship teams.  But I know the BG players haven’t forgotten that earlier loss to South and them celebrating on BG’s field.  So, I look for a great performance out of the Purples. 

Bowling Green continues to be led by star SR QB Deuce Bailey who has played awfully well this year and perhaps played his best game of the season last night.  The Purples’ All Time Passing Yards Leader and Missouri State commit has over 2,600 yards on the year with 43 TDs vs 8 INTs on the year.  Impressive for the Kentucky Football Coaches Association 5A D2 Player of the Year!  SO Nick Graham leads the Purples in rushing with just over 325 yards on the year with 5 TDs.  But JR Jaxen Smith has really come on for the Purples, now second in rushing with over 300 yards on the year and 4 TDs; plus 39 catches for 550 yards and another 10 TDs.  JR Travey Barber has over 1,000 yards receiving on the year with 27 TDs.  Back to Bailey as he tied his single game record for TD passes with 6 on the night vs Atherton.  Great job! 

The Purples Jungle D has been pretty solid all year long.  And IMO are starting to play their best football right now.  The list of Purples defenders playing well is pretty long, but I want to highlight JR LB Montez Trussell who leads the team with 88 tackles (21 for loss and 12 sacks, Very Impressive), JR DE Malik Coburn with 69 tackles (15.5 for loss and 6 sacks), SR DT Ryan Watt with 61 tackles (15 for loss and 7 sacks) and SR DE Brandon Gurley with 54 tackles (12 for loss, 7 sacks and a team leading 3 INTs on the year!).  Lot to like about this Purples defense.  Bowling Green comes into this post-Turkey-day game fresh off their Week 3 solid shutdown of upstart Atherton.

Game Information:

Currently, South Warren is on an 8-game win streak and 1 game win streak in this series.  Bowling Green is on a 5-game win streak.  This game will be played at South Warren, a reward for their earlier victory over BG. 

South Warren surprised me a bit in the last game where they were pass-heavy compared to recent games and earned 306 passing yards against the Purples.  That was a big factor in the game.  Can BG make some defensive adjustments to their pass coverage schemes to slow down Bryce Button’s 21 pass completions from last game?  We shall see. 

Can Bowling Green execute better this game?  Up 10 points with 8 minutes to play and not winning isn’t typical for the Purples.  I would think that would be a major talking point this week in the land of Royal Purple and Old Gold!

For South Warren, keep the ball in Button’s hands if the pass isn’t there, just run it.  That’s a tough strategy to defend.  Defensively, you need to find ways to keep pressure on Deuce Bailey, but that’s standard for South, but perhaps no more so than this week.

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 continuing to test South’s secondary.  Defensively, get pressure on Button and you have to game plan vs Colton Veltcamp.  The senior had 7 catches for 140 yards and 2 TDs to scoop on top of his 6 tackles (second on the team) and only sack of the game for South. 

Can South hold serve at home and win a 2nd rivalry game in a row and even up the all-time series?  Or will Bowling Green fight back and send South to 6A a game earlier than they would like?    

WHO GOES TO THE STATE FINALS AND WHO GOES HOME?  IT’S REALLY THAT SIMPLE SPORTS FANS!!!

Who wins this GREAT matchup and why?

Amazing

l’ill post my thoughts of this game later on in the week. Weather could get interesting.  
 

Great job, 88! 

At first blush, this game gives me CAL/Central vibes. The team with the higher ceiling lost the first game, but may get one back in the rematch, the one that matters most.

This is the best rivalry in the state right now. I think forces beyond our control share that sentiment, because the Purples and Spartans almost always find their way back to one another in November. 

I can’t wait to watch this one!  2 excellent teams, 2 great QB’s, 2 great coaches and staffs!  I think BG has the better team, but with Brandon Smith on the sidelines….I just don’t know.  Further comments later in the week but this should be a great game.

Great Tradition!  Very fortunate to have it!  Going to be a great game!

 

 

 

Whoever has the better defense on Friday wins. No reason to get into a long spill about what ifs from last time or what needs to be corrected. It's simple. Play the best defense you can and don't turn the ball over, you will win the football game.  Execution will be paramount. 

Go Purples

31-28

Is there a big game happening in Bowling Green this week?

Hype level ?.

Bowling Green 22-14.

BG wins 20-14 on a GW TD

It's a total team effort in Purple country. Every aspect of preparation matters, from game planning, to the surface you practice on.

 

On 11/23/2024 at 11:02 AM, Purple88 said:

Defensively, get pressure on Button and you have to game plan vs Colton Veltcamp.  The senior had 7 catches for 140 yards and 2 TDs to scoop on top of his 6 tackles (second on the team) and only sack of the game for South. 

Veltkamp's offensive showing in Game 1 was an outlier. He's obviously a great all-around player, but that's the most productive he's ever been as a receiver, by far. He was probably the MVP that night.

Ultimately, South's end falls on Button's shoulders. Bailey has Barber, who can make things happen in the open field like few others can. I don't see that guy for Button, which puts a little more on his plate than Bailey's. 

The outcome may hinge on whichever quarterback has the better game with the fewest mistakes, plain and simple. Nothing fancy in that assessment. 

I think Bailey raises his level a notch or two this week and gets one back for BG. 

At what point in the game will Hitch Pitch be called? 

I am looking forward to watching this one Friday night. South Warren got the best of Bowling Green the first time around, but Bowling Green has the experience of being in this situation last year and knowing what it takes. Because of that, and having Bailey at QB, I'm going with the Purples.

Bowling Green - 24

South Warren - 14

Regardless of the outcome, I’m most looking forward to the BG crowd vs. Souths PA announcer. 
 

another thing to watch: BG Linebackers. Didn’t perform the best last matchup, could see if South looks to attack them again.