In a rivalry game, it’s only fitting for a senior to lead the way for the winning side. On Friday at Steele Stadium, the Red Devils got that type of performance from one of their leaders.
Senior wide receiver Ben Flaherty finished with two scores and 170 yards as Owensboro took down Owensboro Catholic 28-14 for their first win at Steele since 2014 and the Red Devils’ second-straight City-County title.
“In addition to two touchdown catches and a long catch when we were in a bind on third down that really ended the game. He’s on kickoff, kickoff return, punt, punt return, PAT and PAT block, he’s on every single one,” OHS coach Jay Fallin said of Flaherty’s contributions. “He doesn’t come off the field. We have to find strategic ways to rest him defensively … He really embodies the best ability is reliability. He’s so reliable and he does what we ask him to do.”
Overall, it was a tale of two halves for the Red Devils as they struggled to find their offense in the first half but that changes as soon as they hit the field for the final 24:00.
“Coach Morris and his staff did an outstanding job,” Fallin said. “If you listen to some of the ‘experts’ this summer, they would have told you Catholic was going to win 2-3 games. I think despite their losses to graduation, I think they’re a significantly better team than they were last year because their kids play with so much heart and they play hard. We knew they would and we prepared our kids for that tonight.”
The Aces struck first and used some trickery when the ball ended up in Braden Mundy’s hands but not in the way one might think as Mundy hurled the ball toward the endzone and it was grabbed by Reid Clark for a statement touchdown near the end of the first frame to give Catholic a 7-0 lead.
It wasn’t until seconds remained in the half that Gavin Wimsatt found Flaherty for the duo’s first score of the game. Wimsatt hit Flaherty for the 20-yard touchdown to make it 7-7 at the break.
Fallin said the Aces stuck to their gameplan and really made it difficult on offense for his team throughout the first half.
“Their defensive coordinator and I go back a long way, Lincoln Latham, he always does a good job,” he said. “Lincoln had a great plan.”
Owensboro outscored Catholic 21-7 in the second half with scores from Flaherty (37-yard catch), Austin Gough (6-yard run) and Treyvon Tinsley (4-yard catch).
Gough said it was a good feeling to come out on top Friday.
“We took a big loss here my sophomore year,” he said. “To kind break the curse, so to say, is huge. Hopefully it carries on to my younger guys and just keep the tradition going.”
The senior linebacker and running back missed last years game so he was ready to get back on the field. He said the mood was relaxed among the team before the game.
“We get so worked up about City-County games, especially this one, especially here,” he said. “We weren’t relaxed in the first half and we struggled. We went at halftime, talked it out, breathed and we just got it going. We took it step by step, play by play and we pulled out a good win.”
Chris Boarman scored the last touchdown of the game when he punched it in from a yard out to make it 28-14 with 1:17 left in the game.
Javius Taylor and Maurice Moorman grabbed interceptions for the Red Devils while Michael Sullivan pulled one down in the first frame for the Aces.
Catholic coach Jason Morris was proud of the way his team played in the contest.
“Overall, I’m pleased with our kids’ effort,” he said. “I feel like this kind of game last year would have gotten away from us completely and so you see where we’ve came in a year’s time.”
On Thursday, Morris said their battle with Owensboro could prove dividends going forward this season.
“I think they’re a top-10 in the entire state type football team,” he said. “That’s a deep 2A-type playoff game. For that fact, I’m pleased but I’m never going to be pleased with a loss.”
Morris said he knows he’s team will be ready to fight next week when it takes on Hancock County, its fourth undefeated opponent in a row.
“I don’t think they’re distraught,” he said of his squad after the game. “I think they understand what kind of team we are and they kind of understood after we explained to them we just squandered away opportunities and you can’t do that against a really good team. It also proved what kind of team we are. These seniors, they’re not going to sit around and pout, they’re going to work. I feel good about where we’re at mentality right now.”
For the Red Devils, Friday’s win gives them their second-straight City-County title as they solidified their top spot in the city.
“There’s so much on the line and it’s just a little bit different when it’s Owensboro and Owensboro Catholic,” he said. “That’s not to take anything away from Daviess County, Apollo, it’s just different.”
It had been six years since Owensboro won at Steele Stadium and Fallin said they need to savor the victory, but the work doesn’t stop.
“This is a tough place to win,” he said. “If you look at them over the last 15 years since they opened this place, they haven’t lost many here.”
Owensboro is scheduled to play Graves County Friday at Rash Stadium.
Owensboro 28, Owensboro Catholic 14
OHS (5-0) 0 7 14 7–28
OCHS (4-1) 7 0 0 7–14
Scoring plays
First Quarter
1:03 (OC) Braden Mundy 37-yard pass to Reid Clark (PAT good) 7-0
Second Quarter
17.8 (OHS) Gavin Wimsatt 20-yard pass to Ben Flaherty (PAT good) 7-7
Third Quarter
10:08 (OHS) Wimsatt 37-yard pass to Flaherty (PAT good) 14-7
2:58 (OHS) Austin Gough 6-yard run (PAT good) 21-7
Fourth Quarter
6:39 (OHS) Wimsatt 4-yard pass to Treyvon Tinsley (PAT good) 28-7
1:17 (OC) Chris Boarman 1-yard run (PAT good) 28-14
