Owensboro, Catholic ready for battle at Steele Stadium

This article contains a preview of Owensboro v Owensboro Catholic, features on Chris Boarman (OC)/Austin Gough (OHS), Gavin Wimsatt (OHS)/Lincoln Clancy (OC) and the final scores from every game in the illustrious series of the Aces and Red Devils.

Owensboro @ Owensboro Catholic, 7 p.m., Steele Stadium

It’s no surprise that many members of the Owensboro Red Devils and the Owensboro Catholic Aces football teams are friends, but that friendship has been put on hold because of two words.

Rivalry week.

The two teams meet tonight at Steele Stadium for another battle in the prestigious history of the rivalry as the Red Devils and Aces both enter the game at 4-0.

Jay Fallin (Owensboro)

Owensboro Red Devil coach Jay Fallin has seen his fair share of rivalry games in his career on the field and on the sidelines.

He said while tonight will be the same as any other game in many ways, it’s still special when Owensboro and Catholic meet.

“You want to prepare pretty much as if it’s any other game,” he said. “But, I think it would be a mistake to not address the fact that there is a little more on the line in this game. It’s a very old rivalry. Just like our program, it matters a lot to their coaches and kids. It matters a lot to their community. They’re going to come out and compete, our kids are going to come out and compete. It’s a lot of fun to get to coach and play in. 

“It would be disingenuous to say that it’s not (different) — it’s a rivalry game.”

With both team’s entering the game undefeated at 4-0, Fallin said it does bring a little extra to the matchup as they usually meet a week earlier.

“It adds to some of the buildup,” he said. “It’s one of the things that we want to try to keep on the periphery in terms of prep because building things up and getting really anxious is never going to be good for execution in practice or in a game.”

The Red Devils cruised by Ohio County last week and Fallin, said they spent practice this week cleaning up different areas.

One thing Fallin wanted to focus on was not facing long yardage situations.

“We’ve put ourselves in 2nd-, 3rd-, 4th-and-long situations a little too frequently and we’ve been able to execute our way out of that but not really going to make a living on doing that all season,” he said. “We need to do a better job of staying ahead of the sticks.”

Fall break is a time to get more practice as there wasn’t a JV game this week, so Fallin was able to get more time with his younger players.

“Focusing on us,” was vital he said. “Making sure we’re taking care of the things we can control.”

One thing that comes with crosstown rivalries is knowledge of your opponent.

Fallin said he and his team are well aware of what the Aces can do on offense but he feels confident in their plan.

“Braden (Mundy) is a great player and we need to be aware of where he is on the field,” he said. “(Lincoln) Clancy’s done a good job of filling in big shoes that Drew (Hartz) left. They’ve got a good scheme. Coach (Jason) Morris and his staff do a good job. As every week, the coaches have put in the work on a game plan and scouting report, kids have put in work in practice and we think we’re prepared and have a game plan and we’re ready to go.”

In a contest of this significance, the crowd sometimes plays a factor. But in the time of COVID-19, the fans won’t be packed into the stands this season.

Fallin said he doesn’t think less fans will be an issue when the game gets underway.

“If these were a normal year with both of us being 4-0 … It is the largest crowd of the year,” he said. “When you’re playing and coaching, that’s really only a factor in pregame. Once the toe meets leather, you’re kind of only focused on what’s going on on the turf. 

“It’s unfortunate for our community but we have to respect the decisions the administrations and health experts are making right now and trying to stay safe. The really important thing is the kids are getting to play.”

Jason Morris (Catholic)

Much like Fallin, Morris is focusing on Friday being like any other game, but his players may not think like he does.

“We want to play the same way every week,” he said. “I know that’s coach talk but it’s the truth. You’re trying to get your kids to play as hard as they can every snap, no matter who the opponent is. Just being the City-County rivalry, obviously, the kids won’t have as much trouble giving that kind of effort that we talk about giving because of the rivalry.

“From a coach’s standpoint, it’s no different than any other week. You’re going to put everything you have into preparing and game planning to win the game on Friday night. From a player’s standpoint, yeah it’s a little different.”

While the undefeated battle between the two teams isn’t uncommon, records can be thrown out of the window when the two meet.

Morris said he uses the game as a measuring stick for the rest of his season.

“The success builds off itself,” he said. “Every year when we play each other, it’s going to be somewhat similar. We may not be undefeated every year when we play each other but we’re both going to be in the top 10 in our class. We’re both pretty much every year going to be two of the better teams in western Kentucky playing each other and we know that. For us, it’s a good test because this a very deep, talented team. 

“If you can match up with Owensboro, you can match up with anybody in 2A. There’s no doubt that Owensboro High School could win a 2A State Championship. That’s what our goal is and for us, if we play four quarters with Owensboro or even beat Owensboro, we know where we stand in 2A.”

There’s no doubt that Gavin Wimsatt is not only one of the best quarterbacks in Kentucky, but possibly in the country in his class according to 247sports. But, the Aces have a formidable man as quarterback as well and Morris said he’s privileged to coach Lincoln Clancy.

“Gavin Wimsatt deserves all the accolades that he gets,” he said. “He has that stuff that only God provides. He’s 6-4 where Lincoln’s 5-11. He’s going to go to showcases and he’s got an NFL type arm. He can make those throws and the film proves it, Gavin proves it every Friday night.

“Lincoln Clancy is a very good, on that type of level, talented quarterback. He’s just not going to wow you with his height and his size. As far as production on every Friday night, he’s going to get it done because he’s that kind of quarterback and he’s that talented. I love that I get the opportunity to coach Lincoln Clancy.”

Steele Stadium is usually standing-room only for the rivalry game but with COVID-19 being a factor the fans will be socially distanced, yet, Morris is expecting many faithful Ace fans in the crowd.

“I think we’re going to have more fans in the stands because we sold season tickets and not all the season ticket holders have shown up for the previous games, and we know they’re going to show up for this one,” he said. “It’s going to be louder, it’s going to be more packed.”

Catholic last won the game in 2018 but Morris said they’ve got a formula to grab the win Friday.

“We’ve got to play Owensboro Catholic football,” he said. “We can’t let the name Owensboro Senior or the Red Devils, being ranked in 5A versus being ranked in 2A, we can’t let that be what beats us. We’ve got to just come out and play a good, clean football game.”

Catholic’s Boarman, Owensboro’s Gough shine on both sides of the ball

Catholic’s Chris Boarman and Owensboro’s Austin Gough have been a jack of all trades for their respective teams this season as both are leading their team in tackles but doing their duty running the football as well.

Both said they’re excited to take the field friday.

“It’s just a big game, it’s always something you watch  growing up and you saw all the other kids get really excited for this game when you’re younger,” Gough said. “It just carries a lot of weight with a lot of people in our community and I’m just excited for it.”

For Boarman, the stakes are just as high.

“It means everything to me because it’s one of our biggest rivalry games of the year,” he said.

Gough is playing in the rivalry game for the third time as an injury prevented him from suiting up in 2019.

He said not being able to play made him that much more ready for his senior year.

“I for sure fed off last year,” he said. “When you get something taken away from you so suddenly, you find out how much you love it. Coming into this year, I have a lot seniority and a leadership role. I just wanted to carry my team as well as I can and make the most out of every hardship we go through.”

Boarman has 100 rushing yards this season with four rushing touchdowns while Gough has 43 yards on the ground and three scores.

Both players said they’ll do anything to help their team win and while they are friends, they won’t let that deter them.

“It’s nothing different,” Gough said. “It’s every other football game. It’s just another game. I’ll take it like every other play. I’m going to go out there and do my thing and I’m sure he’s going to do his thing.”

Boarman said he’s ready for the battle as well as the two will surely meet during the game.

“It just makes you want to play harder and knock ’em around a little bit,” he said. 

Catholic’s Clancy, Owensboro’s Wimsatt ready for rivalry showdown

Much like Boarman and Gough, Catholic’s Lincoln Clancy and OHS’s Gavin Wimsatt are friends. But like their teammates, words haven’t been spoken between them this week.

“We’ve grown up playing each other,” Clancy said. “He’s a great player, there’s no doubt about it … All the stuff he’s got, he’s earned all of it and he deserves it all. I just hope I can go out there and I know what I can do so that’s the way I look at it.”

Wimsatt agreed and said each player has to do what’s best for their team.

“It’s always fun,” he said. “We’re all friends and compete … We talk during the game, talk trash to each other. When it comes that time, you gotta do what you gotta do.”

Clancy has seen many football games during his time at Catholic and has seen a lot of good players but he said he’s ready for his shot.

“Growing up as a kid, watching this game, it’s always the most-hyped game,” he said. “It’s the best game this city has to offer and to be able to play in that, it’s such a blessing. I’ve worked so hard to get where I’m at and for me to finally be in this big moment, I just can’t wait to seize it.”

The last time the Aces were 4-0, Clancy was eight years old and was a long way from leading Catholic on the field.

He said it’s a testament to the team.

“It speaks volumes for the amount of work our team puts in,” he said. “What we know we can do and how we play for each other and play as hard as we can go. That’s pretty cool, honestly. When you watch all those great quarterbacks come through and finally now I’m in the spotlight. The team did something not a lot of people have done so far.”

Wimsatt said he’s been solid this season but knows there’s more work to be done.

On his team being 4-0, Wimsatt said they can’t look ahead and have to worry about the task at hand but they can’t let the moment get too big.

“The way I think about it, it’s just another football game,” he said. “Don’t let the hype get to you because it’s just another football game. I bleed like they bleed.”

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Here’s a look at the all-time meetings between Owensboro and Owensboro Catholic. The Red Devils lead the series 46-15-1. OHS won last year’s meeting 36-7 while Catholic’s last win came in 2018 in a 45-32 victory. The lone tie was in 1973 with the final score being 14-14.