Class 2A Owensboro Catholic capped off an undefeated regular season with a commanding 49-7 victory over Class 6A North Hardin at Steele Stadium Friday night. The Aces used a blend of offensive power and defensive grit that proved overwhelming for the Trojans, who were 7-2 and ranked 7th in RPI in Class 6A entering the contest.
Catholic wasted no time asserting dominance, with quarterback Brady Atwell and wide receiver Dereon Crowe connecting all night.
Atwell’s rushing touchdown opened the scoring, then he connected on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Woodward. Crowe then followed shortly after with a 61-yard touchdown catch, extending the lead to 21-0 midway through the second quarter. Atwell punched in another rushing touchdown from one yard out before halftime but the extra point was missed, giving Catholic a 27-0 lead.
North Hardin got on the board early in the second half, with Marian Jaudon catching a six-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 27-7. But any hope for the Trojans was quickly dashed.
Catholic was pinned deep on its own 1-yard line on the ensuing kickoff. Crowe then broke loose on a 98-yard touchdown run that shifted the game’s momentum firmly back to the Aces.
“It was just incredible,” head coach Jason Morris said. “Big-time players make big-time plays, and that’s exactly what Crowe did for us tonight. Offensively, defensively, he was everywhere, and to see him deliver in front of our fans in the last regular-season game was special.”
The Aces’ defense continued to stifle North Hardin’s passing game, highlighted by freshman Noah Grant’s third-quarter interception. Crowe added his third touchdown of the night on a 10-yard run, and Atwell’s two-point conversion gave Catholic a 42-7 lead and triggered a running clock in the fourth quarter. Senior linebacker Vince Carrico punctuated the Aces’ dominant performance with a pick-six, pushing the final score to 49-7.
Crowe credited his team’s preparation throughout the week.
“We knew this would be a great challenge, and we just kept our heads down and stayed focused,” he said. “Going undefeated in the regular season is amazing, but now it’s time to lock in for the playoffs.”
Catholic ends the season with an impressive points total, outscoring opponents 483-83 and finishing atop the RPI rankings for Class 2A. Atwell praised his teammates for the win and the effort they put into each game.
“I get a lot of credit, but it’s really all 68 of us preparing together each week. Coach Morris has set the standard, and we’ve just followed his lead,” Atwell said.
With their perfect record intact, the Aces are poised for what they hope will be a deep playoff run. They’ll play Crittenden County in the first round next week at home.
