Saturday will be Bowling Green’s first state championship appearance since it won the KHSAA Class 5A state title over Pulaski County in 2016 but year’s class is ready to make their mark on Purples football history with a victory over the Red Devils at Kroger Field.
Mark Spader is in his third year at the helm and after being an assistant for over a decade, Spader knows what the program means to the community and that it’s the people that make it so great.
“It’s at the roots of why our program is what it is,” he said. “We have kids that grow up in this community that they’ve now watched team after team come through and be highly successful and those expectations are there and they want to be a part of that. It’s been a few years since we’ve gone so I think our seniors are really excited that in this crazy year we’re having right now, here we’re going back to state and we have a chance to bring back another title.
“Sometimes it’s to the extreme. I joke sometimes they drunk the purple Kool-aid around here. It can go both ways but let me tell you, there’s nothing like it. It’s a great place to teach and coach because there’s such pride in this school and in our program. It does make things easier sometimes because of that.”
Bowling Green’s (9-2) only blemishes on its record this season is a narrow 10-7 loss to rival South Warren and a 42-7 defeat as the hands of 6A power Trinity in Louisville.
Since their loss to the Shamrocks, the Purples are 4-0 with all four wins coming by double digits, including a 20-0 shoutout of last year’s state champion, Covington Catholic in last week’s semifinal.
Senior tight end Jordan Dingle said the win over Cov Cath gives them a boost.
“It gives us a lot of confidence,” he said. “A lot of confidence in our defense but it doesn’t give us the big head, we know we’ve still got to stay humble and never underestimate or overestimate your opponent but it gives us a lot of confidence.”
Like most teams this season, the Purples have been through the wringer. Spader said that’s what’s made them so successful.
“I think what makes this team special is everything we’ve had to go through,” he said. “There’s been so much uncertainty and so much that we’ve had to overcome that you don’t have to do in a normal season. We’ve had our share of a positive and a large quarantine and some other contact quarantines and some things we’d never mention in any other year.
“Every team that’s won a championship, in our opinion, is special. We hold them up in high regard. They’re a measuring stick for us but if you can find your way through this season and end your season on Kroger Field as the champion, you might just be a little more special in some people’s mind because of everything you’ve had to overcome. We have a tight group of seniors and it’s rubbed off on everyone else.We breakdown on family and this is about an unselfish bunch as I’ve been around. They like to take their lunch pail and go work in practice. When we practice well and play well, they’re as fun to watch as any group we’ve had here. They might not be as explosive offensively, they might not be the most dominant defensively but it is a fun group that pulls together and they give great effort and play for each other.”
Conner Cooper leads the BG offense with 1,686 yards to go with 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions this year. He’s also ran for 428 yards and 6 scores while Javeius Bunton leads the team with 964 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground.
Spader said the offense wasn’t always clicking as it now as it took some time to get sorted out.
“It took us a while to get our personnel in place,” he said. “Conner played a lot of games last year but it was about midseason this year where it kind of clicked for him. He’s just a lot calmer in the pocket. He’s hitting receivers with the ball and when he runs now, it’s not out of fear. He’s going to make a defense pay when he takes off.
“It’s kind of a culmination of things. We finally got the right pieces in place of who plays who. Javeius Bunton has been a steady running back for us for two years. He’s our workhouse, we ride his back. Our guys up front now have played a number of games over the two years they’ve started and with Conner now truly becoming a leader of that offense, that has made them an important weapon for our team.”
Dingle signed his NLI to play at Kentucky Wednesday and leads the Purples in receiving with 36 catches for 473 yards and 2 touchdowns this season. The senior said the team is ready for the game ahead.
“We’ve just been locked in, focused, ready to get after it,” he said. “Just itching for Saturday.”
Dingle had numerous college offers this season but he knew he couldn’t let that take his focus away from the task at hand.
“I know this team means a lot to me and this season meant a lot to us,” he said. “Knew we had an end goal in mind and just kept that in mind throughout the entire season.”
On defense, Rece Jones leads the Purples with 119 tackles, 4 TFL and 3 sacks on the season.
Jones is another senior for BG and said he’s ready to go out with a bang.
“I’m just trying to make sure I’m ready and I’m trying to make sure the rest of the teams ready,” he said. “Trying to help prepare the defense, trying to get them in the right mindset that we’ve got to go into this game strong. Play at our highest level.”
Spader said one of the main focuses for his defense Saturday is Owensboro quarterback Gavin Wimsatt.
He said they’re ready to ‘throw a few rocks’ in the Red Devils’ scheme.
“He makes them go and he’s a smooth operator,” he said of Wimsatt. “You watch every bit of his film this season and he is trying to get it done with his arm and does an exceptional job, makes very throw. I see now why he’s a top prospect. Then when he runs, he’s really smooth running the ball.”
Jones said just knowing where they need to be on the field will be vital keeping Wimsatt contained.
“Every play we need to get lined up right because lining up wrong is going to hurt us greatly,” he said. “Wimsatt will be able to pick us apart if we do that. Also, just flying around and execute. Everyone’s got to fly around, wrap up in the open field, making tackles. I feel like that’s how we’re going to be able to be able to stop them.”
The Purple defense has forced 31 turnovers this season with 20 of those coming during the playoffs.
Spader said they’ve been on a run lately and he’s hoping that continues.
“It’s a bunch and there was a point when we questioned it,” he said. “People were calling us a good defense and we as a defensive staff were saying we really haven’t turned people over much but come playoff time, they’re coming in bunched and I hope it continues to Saturday. We do a few drills in practice but our kids are doing a great job of that.”
Spader said the game will be about matchups and that there will be some good ones Saturday afternoon.
“I think it’s a good matchup of our defense against their offense then there’s the flip side of that,” he said. “How’s our offense going to do against their defense and I like to think we’re working and we’re putting together a great gameplan but then it was just like the previous week, it’s going to come down to special teams and turnovers and our special teams have been really solid and we’ve turned people over a bunch and in turn we’ve been winning games. In big games, it’s always going to come down to that.”
Bowling Green and Owensboro kickoff at 3 p.m. EST Saturday at Kroger Field in Lexington.
