Friday’s matchup between Bowling Green and Fremont Ross was for second place in the Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division, but it didn’t look anything like that.
The Little Giants pummeled the Bobcats, 49-0, on BG’s Senior Night at Bobcat Stadium.
Even though the Bobcats, who have already clinched a Division III playoff spot, finish the regular season 6-4, they close league play at 2-2, while the Little Giants finish 5-5 and 3-1, one game behind league champion Clay, which clinched their first outright league title since 1982 last week.
BG coach Shawn Kiss hopes his team can take lessons learned from Friday and turn it around heading into the playoffs.
The Bobcats had won five of their six previous games and were two points away from being on a six-game win streak, so Kiss knows his team has it in them.
“The only good thing about a butt-kicking like tonight is we get to play another week,” Kiss said. “We’ve got to come out focused on Monday because we weren’t tonight. They outexecuted us in every aspect of the game. Hats off to them. They are a big, physical fast team.”
Fremont Ross garnered 392 yards of total offense, including 197 rushing and 195 passing, to 32 total yards for BG.
The Little Giants had 18 first downs to the Bobcats’ one, and Ross’ defense never allowed BG’s offense to gain entry into Little Giants’ territory. BG’s only first down came on thier first possession of the game, and never again did the Bobcats reach the line to gain.
“We brought it today,” Ross coach Chad Long said. “This is the team I thought we were going to be from the beginning, and you know, we’ve had injuries, we had things going on, but we’re on track and we’re playing really good football right now. Hopefully it carries right over into the playoffs.”
Ross senior quarterback Karson Kayden completed 10-of-13 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown without throwing an interception, including a string of nine straight completions in a row.
“He’s good. We always knew he would be good,” Long said. “He’s really gaining confidence and really did well the last four games. He played well and he threw the ball well.”
Kayden’s only TD pass was for 46 yards to senior receiver Jadrian Brown, who caught three passes for 66 yards. Sophomore receiver Mason England had four catches for 51 yards.
Senior back Norris Brown led Ross’ ground game with 60 yards on seven carries, junior back Tallon Brown had three carries for 58 yards, including TD runs of 21 and 35 yards, and senior back Zalen Harris had seven carries for 44 yards.
Ross senior back Elijah Ysaguirre and junior back Tyress Brown both scored on one-yard runs behind an offensive line that easily outsized the Bobcats’ front line.
“They were physical. We have athletes,” Long said. “We can distribute the ball. We’re going to do whatever the defense gives us and kind of counter off whatever they are doing.
“What was nice tonight was were in a good rhythm offensively and our defense played lights out. You force them to throw the ball, I’d say we are in a good position to win the game.”
Kiss said he was aware that the Little Giants were a better team than their record showed.
“Some of the mistakes that they showed on film, they didn’t make any of them tonight,” Kiss said. “They played real sound. They came out ready to play. We did not.
“Their coach talked to me before the game, and they were a little beat up early in the year,” Kiss continued. “They figured it out down the stretch, and that is exactly what I’ve been telling them all week is they are putting it together at the right time and they get in the playoffs, they are going to be a scary team for one of those upper seeds in Division II.
For the Bobcats, senior back Jamison Horst ran for 49 yards on eight carries. BG freshman quarterback Grant Gillispie was 2-for-3, completing both passes to senior receiver Alex Wozny for 14 yards.
However, Gillispie, thrown into the fire his first year in high school, was sacked four times for a total loss of 28 yards, was intercepted once by junior defensive back Bryce Shiets and Gillispie fumbled once while being sacked, which was recovered by Ross junior defensive lineman Kale Myers.
Now Kiss has to prepare his team for the first round of the D-III playoffs and whoever awaits them on the other side of the gridiron.
“It’s desperation time. Our backs are against the wall,” Kiss said. “We’re going to see what we are made up, because ‘how much do you care that you want to still be around?’
“I think we’ve got a good group of seniors that are going to work hard on Monday and we’ll get this fixed, but we’ve got to get back to the drawing board and figure it out.