Bowling Green High School’s football team has made the trip up Interstate 65 to Louisville this season, and ventured west to scrap with McCracken County.
The Purples, the defending KHSAA Class 5A state champion, have also played at Houchens-Smith Stadium on the campus of Western Kentucky University, where a slow start doomed them on opening night. A furious comeback fell short as Highlands escaped with a 21-18 victory.
But Bowling Green became road warriors the next two weeks, edging McCracken County 14-10 in Paducah before holding on for a 7-0 victory over Pleasure Ridge Park in Louisville.
BGHS head coach Mark Spader likes to challenge his team in non-district play, with the idea that it will pay dividends when the KHSAA playoffs begin in November. That was certainly the case last season, when Bowling Green knocked off Owensboro High School 17-7 in the Class 5A championship game at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field.
At long last, though, the Purples will play a home game for the first time in about 10 months. And this will be new ordinary debut.
Bowling Green (2-1) will be playing at its sparkling new stadium, on the high-tech artificial turf you see in the college ranks and the NFL, when the Purples play host to Hopkinsville High School (1-2) on Friday night.
“I want ’em to enjoy the moment,” Spader said. “But when the ball is kicked off, nobody really cares where you’re playing. You’ve still got to go out and execute.
“We’ve had two long road trips, back to back. It is exciting, playing at home. My job will be to make sure we’re dialed in, to what’s going on, on the field and the scoreboard.”
Senior defensive lineman Bradley Gurley admits it’ll be a special night in BGHS football history. A sign on the Purples’ field house reminds the players that Bowling Green has won seven KHSAA state championships, all but one of them in the last 10 years.
Gurley said that creates a sense of pride for each senior class at Bowling Green, and what lies ahead for the Purples.
“It’s our year, as seniors,” Gurley said. “It’s our chance to put a stamp on the new field. Establish our own legacy.
“If we come together, we should be able to compete for another state title.”
Senior running back Tyler Moore, who was a linebacker on last year’s state championship squad, said there’s been a sense of anticipation across the entire BGHS campus.
“Last year, we had an amazing chemistry,” Moore said. “This year, we’re still working on it. I’m real excited to play in the new stadium. There’s going to be a big crowd.”
That seems to be music to Gurley’s ears.
“It’s gonna be loud, it’s gonna be packed,” he said. “We’ve told ourselves, ‘Just wait ’til Friday.’ It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” blared from the equipment room on Tuesday evening as Spader put his squad through its paces. Moore, the MVP of the Purples’ victory over Owensboro in the KHSAA title game last December, has changed his jersey number from No. 58, typical for a linebacker, to No. 8, more common for a back or specialist.
“I kinda like the single digit. I think it fits me better,” Moore said with a smile. Moore has rushed for a team-high 258 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Gurley, meanwhile, is part of one of the Purples’ greatest strengths, their defensive line.
“We’re getting better every day, but there’s still work to do,” Gurley said. “I’m excited about playing (Hopkinsville). It’s a historical game.”