ooking to come back this week after suffering its first loss of 2015, as the Buccaneers are at home tonight, facing Amite School Center.
Bowling Green enters this week with a 2-1 record after falling to undefeated Adams County Christian School, 27-7.
“We’re OK with where we are,” Bowling Green coach David Currier said. “Last week, we played a talented tough team, which we knew coming in. We played well defensively after the first 14 minutes (trailed 21-0 with 10:17 left in the second quarter). After the first 14 minutes of the game, we took it to them. Offensively, we struggled, but we can fix that.
“Going into Amite School Center, they’re not going to be as physical of team as Adams, but they’re good. It going be a little more of an even match size wise.”
Currier said the defensive front seven are playing well for his team.
“Our linebacking core and our front four are playing well against the run,” Currier said.
The inside linebackers are Hunter Mulkey and Hayden Thompson while Matt Pierce and Jack Bickham are the outside linebackers.
On the line, Drake Spears and Brandon McElveen are inside at defensive tackle. They are flanked by defensive ends Chris Waskom and Seth Schilling. Last week, Tyler Currier said Cunningham stepped in for Schilling, who was injured, and Currier said he was happy with Cunningham’s performance.
Currier said Schilling could play this week.
In last week’s game, Mulkey made 16 tackles and intercepted a pass. Pierce finished with 16 stops. McElveen recorded nine tackles, a sack and he recovered a fumble. Waskom tallied five tackles to go with a sack. Thompson finished with 13 tackles.
Offensively, Currier said Cameron Cowart is stepping up.
“He’s steady and getting better,” Currier said.
Last week, Cowart scored the Bucs’ only touchdown on a 48-yard run.
Currier said the key to this week defensively is to play physical again, and to be more consistent on offense.
“The biggest thing is we don’t need to give up the big play,” he said. “If we get lax or tired, we’ve given up the big play. We’re good enough to be a shutdown defense if we don’t give up the big play.
“Offensively, we need to be more consistent. The offensive line has to pick up the blitz better and we have to get our passing game on track. We’re not hitting on all cylinders offensively, but a couple of the bright spots have been Cameron Cowart’s running, and Jordan is a threat at quarterback.”
Currier also said that Jace Ball has been consistent on both sides of the ball and is a solid leader on the field. He said Ball plays wherever the team needs him. This year, Ball has seen time at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and cornerback.
Amite School Center enters this week with a 1-2 record. ASC was blanked by Prentiss Christian School, 27-0 last week in a game the Rebels trailed, 7-0, at halftime.
“We opened up against Centreville, which was tough,” Amite School Center coach Nick Mitchell said. “Then we played Ben’s Ford and had a good game against them. We hit some big plays against them, so we didn’t have to drive the ball.
“Our biggest problem on offense is that we’ve had trouble sustaining drives. Prentiss was a good football team. We had trouble blocking them. Their front four are real good on defense.”
The quarterback is Devin Booty, who Mitchell said runs the ball very well.
The running backs include David Leyendecker and Josh Jackson. Jackson is the bigger, more physical, inside player while Leyendecker is faster and cuts better.
The Rebels try to rotate them since they play both ways. Jackson is also a defensive end while Leyendecker plays safety on the defensive side of the ball.
The main receiver is Tyler Johnston and the team rotates the others.
Defensively, Mitchell said his top players are Jackson and linebacker Dylan Fry.
Mitchell said one of the keys for Amite School Center tonight is protecting the football.
“Turnovers have put us in some bad spots and we have to block,” Mitchell said. “We have to do a better job of staying on blocks and to help keep drives alive.”