Bowling Green forced seven turnovers in a 34-7 victory over Centreville Academy Friday night at home in District 5AAA action.
“The defense was solid all night except for the long run,” Bowling Green coach David Currier said. “We played great against the pass. It was a great defensive effort.”
Two of the turnovers came on squib kickoffs. Centreville fumbled six times and Bowling Green recovered four of them. Matt Pierce came up with three fumbles and Hunter Mulkey had the other recovery.
The pass defense was stout all night. Centreville completed 4-of-14 passes for minus-3 yards and three interceptions. Mulkey, Hayden Thompson and Brody Schilling all picked off a pass.
Centreville ran 21 times for 153 yards.
The game was scoreless after one quarter, but Centreville, which won the Class AA title last season, scored in the second quarter to take a 7-0 lead.
Bowling Green tied things late in the first half. Centreville lined up to punt. The Bucs attempted to block it. The kick was short and Jordan Barnes, who was a cornerback on the play, caught it and returned it 43 yards to paydirt. Thompson hit the extra point and the teams went to halftime tied, 7-7.
Bowling Green outscored Centreville, 27-0, in the second half.
Jace Ball, who had 92 yards rushing on 11 carries, scored on a 21-yard run. The two-point conversion was no good, keeping the lead at six points 1:23 into the second half.
The Bucs were back on the board again 2:04 later when Barnes ran it in from the 2. Bowling Green faked the extra point and Cameron Cowart found Jack Bickham for two, increasing the Bucs’ lead to 21-7.
The lead remained at 14 through three quarters.
In the fourth, Barnes, who ran for 31 yards and two touchdowns, scored from the 1. Thompson was good on the extra point.
Then Cowart, who had 64 yards rushing, had a 30-yard touchdown run to cap off the scoring after the extra point was no good.
“It was a huge win for Bowling Green,” Currier said. “Centreville, they are a traditional power year-in and year-out. They won the state last year. Coach (Bill) Hurst has 380-something wins.
“This senior class has never beaten Centreville. It’s a huge win for our school. I’m proud of our team and our school.”
Bowling Green is 5-1 overall this season and 2-0 in league play. The Buccaneers are at home Friday, facing Ben’s Ford Christian School.