By Trey Huntsman – ST Repoter –
It is not uncommon for athletic teams at any level of competition to experience success for a brief period of time. The real test of a program is whether or not it can maintain that level of excellence over an extended period of time. The Bowling Green Purples have proved over the last few decades that consistency is not a burden, but rather a challenge in the pursuit of greatnessBowling Green can trace the roots of their recent success to the 1990s during the tenure of Coach Dan Haley. BGHS had only won one regional title before 1991, but Haley quickly turned the program to dominance in the mid-1990s. The Purples’ made their way to two state championship games under Coach Haley, including a win over Highlands in the 1995 title matchup to bring home their first state title. Haley finished his Purple career with a record of 119-33, winning one state championship and three regional championships. His 253 overall wins still ranks 18th among Kentucky high school coaches.
When it came time to pass the reigns after Haley’s departure in 1996, the Purples didn’t have to go very far to find his successor. Hired by BGHS in 1994 as an assistant, Coach Kevin Wallace was promoted to the top spot after Haley left for Cumberland College. Wallace said he benefitted greatly from having spent two years under Haley’s wing.
“The value of working for Coach Haley in 1994 and 1995 was something that afforded me a professional growth that I had not accomplished during my previous experience,” said Wallace. “Coach Haley ran our program with a level of organization and an attention to detail that I had never seen.”
Building upon the foundation established by Coach Haley, Coach Wallace began to chart his own path to success at BGHS. Wallace led the Purples to back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in his first two years as head coach, and later repeated that feat in 2003 and 2004. However, despite the regular season successes, a second state championship eluded BGHS. The Purples came close in 2006, 2007, and 2008 but finished runner-up all three years Coach Wallace and his staff were able to put the past behind them and moved into the new decade with high hopes of once again bringing a title back home to Bowling Green. In 2011, BGHS benefitted from the emergence of some of the most talented players in the program’s history. Led by quarterback Scooter Hollis, the Purples marched their way to a perfect 15-0 season culminated by a 55-3 throttling of Anderson County in the 5A State Championship. The 52-point margin stands as the largest in KHSAA championship game history. The Purple powerhouse was just getting started, however. Only sixteen Kentucky high schools had won back-to-back state championships prior to the 2012 season. Despite losing the majority of their starters from the 2011 championship team, BGHS maneuvered a difficult schedule to once again go undefeated, knocking off Cooper to bring home the school’s third state championship. The Purples’ current 30-game winning streak is the longest active streak in Kentucky, the longest in school history, and ranks 11th all-time in the KHSAA. To put that accomplishment in perspective, two of Kentucky’s strongest programs, Warren Central and John Hardin, are a combined 48-0 over the past two seasons in games that did not include BGHS. They are a combined 0-6 in games that did.
The legacy of BGHS Purples football has also extended beyond the high school level. The program has opened doors for many players to play at Division One schools, including, Trent Steelman (Army), D.L Moore (South Carolina), Robert Reynolds (Ohio State and later the Tennessee Titans), Scooter Hollis (Columbia), Joe Manley (Louisville) and Ryan Beard (Western Kentucky). The list will most likely grow in the next year, as the Purples have a handful of players receiving offers from major schools. Standout WR Nacarius Fant has already announced his commitment to Western Kentucky, while others are still deciding on their future. For Coach Wallace, player development has not only been an area of emphasis, it has also been a family affair. During his career, Wallace has had the privilege of coaching two of his sons. His oldest son, Ryan, was an established tight end who went on to play for Colorado, Kentucky, and Western Kentucky. Cameron is currently a junior tight end for the Purples.
Even with the phenomenal success the program has enjoyed in the recent past, the players and staff understand that the final chapter of their legacy remains unwritten. Prior to the 2012 campaign, Wallace stressed to the Purples the importance of establishing their own legacy and to not be content with past success. “With six region titles, five state championship appearances, and two state titles in the past eight seasons, BGHS has been able to peek inside the room where only the best programs in Kentucky reside,” said Wallace. That “room” to which Wallace refers is home to the state’s elite programs who have been able to build on their success. BGHS has won 629 games in school history, good enough for 11th all-time, but dynasties are built on championships. Only seven teams in KHSAA history have won three consecutive championships which is the goal for the Purples heading into the 2013 season. Led by a strong class that includes Fant, quarterback Devin Hayes, and running back Blue Tisdale, BGHS returns almost all of its offensive firepower from last season as they take aim at a third straight title. The Purples, however, will have to overcome the departure of several key staff members who have moved on to head coaching positions after last season, just another indication of the tradition of excellence Coach Wallace has fostered at BGHS. Wallace, however, is quick to shift praise to those who have traveled this road with him. “I am indebted to the large number of talented players, coaches, administrators, and supporters that I have worked with at BGHS who have enabled this program to continue to grow since 1996,” said Wallace.
Time will tell what the next chapter holds for Coach Wallace and the Purples, but one thing is clear: Bowling Green High School is not only peeking in that room of elite programs, they are threatening to knock down the door.
