Jim Mashek

BARBER BURNS COLONELS ON 87-YARD TD RECEPTION; BOWLING GREEN RUNS RECORD TO 6-1 OVERALL

HOPKINSVILLE, Kentucky — Bowling Green High School’s dynamic duo, senior quarterback Deuce Bailey and junior wideout Trevy Barber, survived an interception off a deflected pass in the opening moments of the second quarter in the Purples’ non-district game with Christian County on Thursday night at the massive Stadium of Champions.

Bowling Green had already built a 28-0 lead, thanks to Nick Graham’s 4-yard touchdown run, Ethan Kirkwood’s 44-yard scoring reception, a sensational defensive play by the Purples’ Brandon Gurley and Jaxen Smith’s 37-yard TD catch with 4:38 left in the first quarter.

Gurley snagged Jaiden Williams’ pass at the line of scrimmage before returning the interception 14 yards for Bowling Green’s third touchdown of the night, putting BGHS in front by three touchdowns.

In the second quarter, however, the Colonels’ Kemarion Ford intercepted the deflected Bailey pass — just his third INT this season — before returning it to the Purples’ 22-yard line with a chance to get on the scoreboard midway through the first quarter.

BGHS hybrid linebacker/safety Grayson Newman and the Purples’ defense forced Christian County to turn the ball over on downs, however, and Bailey and Barber trotted back on the field looking to make something happen.

Something did happen.

Bailey got the ball to Barber on the left sideline, on a simple hitch pattern, before Barber made a couple decisive cuts and motored past the Christian County secondary for an electric 87-yard touchdown catch. Braden Widener added the PAT and it was 35-0.

Say good night, Colonels.

Mark Spader, Bowling Green’s seventh-year head coach, emptied his bench in the second half and the Purples coasted to a 49-14 victory over the winless CCHS squad from Hoptown.

Bailey never lost confidence in Barber, who leads the Purples with nine touchdowns this season. Bowling Green improved to 6-1 overall, heading into an open date and its annual grudge match with crosstown rival South Warren High School on October 18 at BGHS.

“You gotta have a short memory in a situation like that,” Bailey said. “We went back to Trevy the next time we got the ball (after the interception).”

Barber was quick to credit his teammates when it was over.

“I had a couple great blocks in front of me, from Jaxen Smith and Ethan Kirkwood,” he said. “We haven’t reached our full potential, but we’re working on it.”

That was Spader’s message to his squad afterward, for his players to heal their bodies during the open week before returning to the practice field next Thursday in preparation for the annual showdown with South Warren.

The Spartans (5-1 overall) have their open date this week.

“We’ll be healthy, fresh and hungry coming out of the break,” Spader said. “Our team knows this is the most important part of our schedule.”

Trevy Barber, the Purples’ 5-foot-9, 170-pound junior receiver added another TD on an 8-yard scoring grab in the final moments of the first half, catching Deuce Bailey’s pass on a fade route in the left corner of the end zone.

Bailey and Barber have been playing football and basketball together since they were in knee pants, so they have sort of a telekinetic understanding when the ball’s snapped and Bailey goes through his progressions.

“Along with our other skill guys, they make it hard to defend,” Spader said.

Bailey completed eight of 11 passes for 248 yards and four touchdowns, all in the first half. Understudy QB Embree Dotson, a sophomore, took the snaps in the second half. The Purples’ Miles Richey made a juggling interception before returning the ball 45 yards to the CCHS 3-yard line. Bowling Green’s Drion Button took the handoff from Dotson and scored on the next play, closing the door on the scoring for the night from the Purples.

Brandon Gurley and BGHS teammate Andru Jones also had interceptions for the Purples, and Gurley’s unusual pick six took place in the game’s first six minutes, when Bowling Green was establishing its dominance over the Colonels.

“That was a nice play by Brandon Gurley,” Spader said. “You always love a defensive score.”

The Purples maintained a steady pass rush on the Colonels’ Jaiden Williams, and senior BGHS lineman Ryan Watt recorded a couple sacks before stepping aside for his younger teammates in the second half. Williams found CCHS teammate Joshua Bridges for their second touchdown pass of the night, a 54-yard scoring strike early in the fourth quarter.

“When we play at our best, we think nobody can beat us,” Watt said.

Bowling Green’s offensive line — tackles Parker Fields and Zach Jordan, guards Mekhi Axson and Caleb Ray and center Brooks Nuckols — provided BGHS quarterback Deuce Bailey with a sturdy pocket, and Nuckols, a sophomore, may have been the only player in the Purples quintet to take a snap after halftime.

“We have a big litmus test coming in after the break,” BGHS coach Mark Spader said, “and I think that’ll show us where we are in many areas, including the offensive line.”

The Purples have put their season-opening loss — a 35-13 setback at the hands of Lexington’s Frederick Douglass High School at WKU’s Smith-Houchens Stadium — in the rear-view mirror, with back-to-back district games against South Warren and Greenwood next on the schedule. Greenwood (3-3 overall, 0-1 in KHSAA Class 5A, 2nd District play) faces winless Ohio County (0-6, 0-2) tonight at The Swamp.

Ohio County has been outscored, 253-37, in six games this season.

“We’ve got a lot to work on when we get back from fall break,” BGHS defensive lineman Ryan Watt said. “We’ve got to look at the little details, things we’ll need to win the close games.”