Bowling Green showed why it is one of the top high school football teams in the state Thursday night when it scored 28 points in the first quarter and cruised past Christian County 49-14 at the Stadium of Champions.
Purples quarterback Deuce Bailey completed his first six pass attempts and two of those went for touchdowns. He finished the night 8-of-11 for 232 yards.
Montravion Graham started the scoring, capping a four-play, 68-yard drive with a 5-yard run. Braden Widener’s first of seven point-after kicks made it 7-0 with 10:34 to play in the first quarter.
The Class 5-A No. 1-ranked Purples (6-1) made it 14-0 on their next possession, marching 42 yards in two plays. Bailey hit Ethan Kirkwood on a 28-yard touchdown pass with 7:07 to go in the first.
Brandon Gurley stepped in front of a Jaiden Williams pass and returned it 13 yards for a touchdown for a 21-0 lead with 6:26 to play in the first. It was one of the lone mistakes by Williams, who completed 14-of-22 attempts for 275 yards and two touchdowns.
Bowling Green pushed the lead to 28-0 on its next possession, as Bailey found Jaxen Smith, who outran the Colonel defenders 37 yards for a touchdown with 4:38 left in the first quarter.
Christian County (0-6) then possessed the ball for most of the next 6:30 of the game but penalties and an interception stopped two drives. Bowling Green struck on an 87 yard pass from Bailey to Trevy Barber to push the lead to 35-0 and start the running clock with 8:34 to go in the half.
Bailey and Barber connected again on a 9-yard score with 1:09 to play in the half.
Christian County got on the board with 4:29 left in the half on a 46-yard scoring pass from Williams to Josh Bridges. The two connected five times on the night with Bridges going for 163 yards and a pair of scores.
Bridges also hauled in a 54-yard scoring pass with 9:22 to go and Kemarion Ford’s conversion run cut the Bowling Green lead to 42-14.
A late interception and return to the Colonels’ 3 yard line set up the game’s final score with 2:03 to play. Drian Bunton carried the ball into the end zone from 3 yards out with 2:40 to go.
Christian County outgained the Purples 324-273. Zyon Wharton had seven catches for 81 yards. One of his receptions was a diving 32-yard catch on fourth-and-27 to continue a Colonels’ drive late in the first half.
The Colonels, who have now lost 12 straight games dating back to last year, turn their attention to the Class 6-A playoffs next week. Christian County (0-6) will travel to Owensboro to face Daviess County next Friday night in the first District 1 match up of the year for both teams. The game kicks off 7 p.m. and can be heard at 6:30 p.m. on 95.3 The Farm.
Score By Quarters
Bowling Green 28 14 0 7-49
Christian County 0 6 0 8-14
Invidual Scoring:
BG: Montravion Graham, 5-yard run; Braden Widener, kick.
BG: Deuce Bailey, 28-yard pass to Ethan Kirkwood; Widener, kick.
BG: Brandon Gurley, 13-yard interception return; Widener, kick.
BG: Bailey, 37-yard pass to Jaxen Smith; Widener, kick.
BG: Bailey, 87-yard pass to Trevy Barber; Widener, kick.
CC: Jiden Williams, 46-yard pass to Josh Bridges; Conversion failed.
BG: Bailey, 9-yard pass to Barber; Widener, kick.
CC: Williams, 54-yard pass to Bridges; Kemarion Ford, conversion run.
BG: Drion Bunton, 3-yard run; Widener, kick.
File Photo