The key to a great team is to have many different offensive weapons. On Friday night, the Bowling Green Purples proved that they had more playmakers than expected. BGHS had seven different players find the endzone in a 58-0 win over Barren County. The victory was one of the most impressive performances for the Purples this season, as every aspect of the game was a positive for BGHS.
The center of the Purple offense this season has been quarterback Devin Hayes. Against Barren County, Hayes distributed the ball ball all over the field. The senior quarterback threw for 259 yards and five touchdowns in only two quarters of play. Hayes spread the ball to four different receivers on his touchdown passes. Bradley Wierson, Blake Pillow, and Patrick Simms all caught one touchdown, while Nacarius Fant caught two. “Devin always plays great, he’s the first one on the field and the last one to leave,” said Simms. “I have a lot of faith in him.” Hayes threw more touchdowns (5) than incompletions (4) Friday night to improve his completion percentage to 69% on the season.
To go along with Hayes’ impressive display, the Purples also found success with several players on the ground. Despite playing without starting running back Blue Tisdale, the Purples ran for 153 yards against the Trojans. BGHS scored twice on the ground, both by underclassmen. Ben Holt scored on a short gain, and Tre Boards ran in a 50 yard touchdown as time expired in the fourth quarter. Bowling Green didn’t play like they were missing their star running back, as the Purples averaged over nine yards per rush.
The 58-0 win was the second straight shutout for the Purples over Barren County. Bowling Green’s defense dominated against the Trojans, forcing three turnovers and allowing only 68 offensive yards. Lincoln Quick and Josh Kelley both intercepted passes, while Austin Jones recovered a fumble. The Purples also blocked a punt in the first half. Chievy McCutchen ran in the punt for a Purples’ touchdown. “It was pretty big for the team,” said McCutchen. The win for BG was their first shutout of the season.
The win over the Trojans was special to a lot of the Bowling Green players. With seven different players finding the endzone, four of those athletes scored their first touchdowns. Simms, Holt, Boards, and McCutchen all scored for the first time against Barren County. “I loved it, I had all my fans and support behind me,” said McCutchen. “It was special for me.” On the offensive side, senior tight end Simms found paydirt for the first time as well. “I’m glad I got to contribute to the team,” said Simms.
The Purples are now 5-0 on the season and have won 35 consecutive games. BGHS will take on Logan County Thursday night.
