Jim Mashek

BGHS WILL FACE UNBEATEN COOPER JAGUARS IN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME REMATCH

Mark Spader didn’t want to leave anyone out.

Bowling Green High School’s special-teams excellence has put the Purples back in the KHSAA Class 5A state championship game, but the Purples’ defense had to deliver in Friday night’s epic battle against South Warren, and their offense had to burn some clock to keep the resourceful Spartans at bay.

And it seemed the clock was moving in slow motion in the final moments.

Bowling Green earned its third consecutive berth in the Class 5A state championship game, taking out its crosstown rival, 31-28, in dramatic fashion on a bone-chilling Friday night at Spartans Stadium.

Spader, the Purples’ seventh-year head coach, had to compose himself before sharing the credit with just about anyone who had a hand in their sixth straight victory, a streak that began after a devastating 28-24 loss to South Warren on October 18.

The battle cry on the BGHS sideline sounded a little familiar:

“We’re goin’ back to the ‘ship!”

Bowling Green earned its 12th victory against two defeats, and the Purples will face unbeaten Cooper High School (14-0) in the final game of the KHSAA’s Championship Weekend next week in Lexington. The Purples will tangle with the Jaguars, a 61-23 winner over Highlands on Friday night, in a rematch of last year’s championship game.

Bowling Green won that one, 28-14, on a cold, rainy night at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field, claiming the eighth state championship in school history, and the second under Spader’s watch.

“It was everything I thought it would be,” a beaming Spader said when it was over. “It’s been that kind of season … Even to the bitter end, I was just holding my breath, because that’s how it has been with the two of us playing each other.

“It was everything I expected. (South Warren has) a great team, a great program. You had two teams, both of them justifiable in going to state. I’m so glad we’re on top, I’m very proud of our guys.”

South Warren quarterback Bryce Button, who turned in a magnificent performance in defeat, scored the game’s final touchdown on a 4-yard run with 2:14 left in the contest. The Purples’ Trevy Barber recovered South’s onside kick attempt and Bowling Green’s defense kept the Spartans on their end of the field to finish the task at hand.

Bowling Green’s Brandon Gurley came up with a sack in the final minute, and the Purples could finish off their fourth victory over South, in five tries, since 2022. The Spartans, on their way to the KHSAA’s Class 6A for the 2025-26 school year, finish their season at 12-2.

“It’s disappointing, but I think this team came as close to any I’ve coached at maximizing their potential,” South Warren coach Brandon Smith. “That’s about as good a compliment as you can give a football team.”

The Purples’ special-teams brilliance set the tone for the game immediately.

Barber, the BGHS junior wideout, fielded the opening kickoff and used a quick burst upfield before finding his way to the right sideline. From there, he had a passel of protection, a convoy of blockers to accompany him on a 93-yard kick return for a touchdown.

And the Purples were just getting started.

South QB Bryce Button took the Spartans 86 yards in 10 plays on the next series, hitting teammate Jake Carter for a 4-yard touchdown pass to the right side of the field. Alin Alec added the extra point, to tie the game at 7, with 6:57 left in the first quarter.

Fifteen seconds later, the Purples were back in front.

Bowling Green’s Christopher Sweeney took a running start at a pooch kick, also in the middle of the field, before hitting the right sideline himself on an 83-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Braden Widener’s extra point made it 14-7, and the Spartans wouldn’t get back on the scoreboard until the opening moments of the second quarter.

Button directed another impressive scoring drive before finding Carter, again, on a 10-yard touchdown pass to the middle of the field with 10:11 left in the opening half. The big-play Purples grabbed the momentum back on Trey Graham’s 54-yard touchdown run, a dive play that went the distance, to take a 21-14 lead at the 5:40 mark of the second quarter.

“We came away from that last game (with South),” BGHS coach Mark Spader said, “and all our coaches said, ‘We’ve got to develop a running game.’ Slowly, we did, and boy did it pay off tonight.”

Bowling Green finished the game with 124 yards rushing, but it was the Purples’ special teams that truly shined on this memorable night.

BGHS senior placekicker Braden Widener, who also delivered as a punter in the first half, gave the Purples some breathing room with the only points scored in the third quarter.

South defenders Colton Veltkamp and Drayson Moore combined for a sack to create a fourth-down situation on the cusp of the red zone, but Widener trotted onto the field and delivered a 38-yard field goal that pushed the Purples’ margin to 31-21 with 2:44 left in the third quarter.

“I have all the confidence in Braden,” Spader said. “Coach (Clay) Stephens and his guys did a great job with our special teams.”

Widener was modest to a fault in a text message on Saturday morning.

“It’s all in the operation,” he said. “Great snap (from the Purples’ Ethan Warder) and great hold (by versatile defender Grayson Newman). I’m just there to kick it.”

But kick it, he did, and the Purples took that double-digit lead, at 24-14, into the fourth quarter.

Just like they did five weeks ago, when South Warren struck for the 28-24 upset on the Purples’ home turf.

Bryce Button fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to South teammate Colton Veltkamp in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, again trimming the Spartans’ deficit to just a field goal.

Bowling Green’s Jaxen Smith scored on a 1-yard TD run, capping an eight-play, 81-yard scoring run with 4:02 left. BGHS senior quarterback Deuce Bailey converted a fourth-and-eight situation with a 17-yard scramble to the right side of the field.

Button would follow suit, scoring himself before the Purples recovered the onside kick the final three minutes.

“I just tried to make some plays with my feet,” Bailey said.

Button completed 29 of 44 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns, but his 5-yard touchdown run with 2:14 left proved to be the final points of the game.

“I’d say it was a battle, but I’m so proud of our guys,” Button said via text message on Saturday morning. “How we played, how we competed, and executed our game plan. It just didn’t go our way.”

Bailey made a point to congratulate Button and some of the Spartans’ other players after the handshake line. South Warren star Colton Veltkamp didn’t seem to want to leave the field, sharing an embrace with Bailey and a couple other Purples players before finally returning to the Spartans’ locker room.

“I did find Bryce and we talked for a little bit,” Bailey said. “Lots of respect for him and their program …”

Bailey passed for 199 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s KHSAA Class 5A championship game against Cooper, capping the Purples’ impressive title run. They figure to be the underdog this time, based on Cooper’s dominant season. In winning all 14 of their games, the Jaguars have outscored their opponents 644-215.

BGHS coach Mark Spader was quick to embrace the challenge.

“They’ve been rolling, all year,” Spader said. “I’m sure they’d like to get a piece of us … We’re just glad to roll up there, and get the opportunity. We’ll be ready to go back to work right away.”