As the clock hit zero, several Owensboro Catholic players fell to their knees in disbelief. A third straight trip to Kroger Field ended in another heartbreaking loss, this time 33-28 to Lexington Christian Academy. Despite battling their own emotions, the OCHS seniors helped console their teammates, making sure they lined up for the trophy presentation.
The same group of seniors will graduate from Owensboro Catholic as the winningest class in school history, touting a 50-9 record and three straight Class 2A football championship appearances.
“It’s the only time in program history that we have gone three times in a row like this,” Owensboro Catholic Head Coach Jason Morris said. “The feeder system looks great, and our numbers in the high school are record numbers. The community support is like none other. These guys should be proud of what they built here. What we have built here.”
It was a senior class that led by example, perhaps none more noticeable than Barrett Evans, stepped into the leadership void to become the team’s hype engine on and off the field.
Junior quarterback Dre’Mail Carothers acknowledged that when he struggled early on in the season, it was Evans who helped pick him up. At halftime of Friday night’s loss, Evans made sure to do the same thing, consoling his QB and telling him to keep pushing forward.
Entering the year, the Aces had multiple questions to figure out, but the seniors helped pick up the pieces, rolling to a 9-1 regular season record. In their four playoff wins, they outscored their opponents 178-80 and never trailed until the second half of the quarterfinals.
While the seniors are set to leave having finished just short of their ultimate goal, they leave behind a program that continues to be on the upswing.
“These guys, we have been together forever, and I feel like we are all going to be together the rest of our lives,” Evans said. “This community that we have behind our backs tonight and the whole playoffs and season is going to keep getting stronger and stronger. I sure hope next year these boys in the junior class and below can come out and win this thing.”
