Sep. 6—Friday night was a whirlwind of high school football, to say the least.
Owensboro and Daviess County battled in a shootout that ultimately resulted in a 49-42 victory for the Red Devils at Reid Stadium, but in the midst of that game, the news broke that it was OHS senior star quarterback Gavin Wimsatt’s last contest in high school.
Across town, Owensboro Catholic battled Union County in a defensive showdown before the Aces fell 12-7 at Steele Stadium.
Apollo traveled to face an ultra-talented Centra Hardin squad and left Elizabethtown with a 43-13 defeat.
Hancock County remained undefeated with a 50-7 romp over Ohio County in Hawesville.
McLean County fell 49-30 to Grayson County in Leitchfield.
And Muhlenberg County was blanked 28-0 by Hopkins County Central in Greenville.
Several weeks into the football season, we’re starting to learn which teams are legitimate contenders and which programs still have serious work to do.
In Owensboro’s case, curiously, it’s both.
The Red Devils will lose one of the state’s most prolific signal-callers in Wimsatt, who is enrolling early at Rutgers University. No matter the reason — many speculate Name, Image, and Likeness deals that await, or perhaps he wants to get acclimated to the Scarlet Knights’ program as quickly as possible — he’s making what he thinks is the best decision for himself and his family. Despite the off-hand comment or two on social media, the choice has been widely supported by those who know Wimsatt, including coaches and teammates.
There’s nothing wrong with his decision, especially when it’s an investment in his future.
It is a bittersweet accomplishment, however. OHS was setting itself up for a deep run at a state championship, and of course, the Red Devils have the talent and depth to take another shot at it. The perfect ending, from a sports fan’s perspective, would be for Wimsatt to lead OHS to a KHSAA Class 5-A championship before leaving. No doubt, Wimsatt wants the same — who wouldn’t? — but it’s a unique situation with unique circumstances.
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime player making a once-in-a-lifetime decision.
On the field, Friday night had its ups and downs for area teams.
OHS outlasted DC, which in turn, showed it can certainly do some damage this season. The Red Devils (2-1) and Panthers (2-1) traded blows back and forth until the very end, which is an encouraging sign as DC moves into the rest of its schedule.
Owensboro Catholic’s defense showed up in a big way against Union County — holding firm on goal-line stands and forcing crucial turnovers — as the offense looked to find a rhythm. The Aces (0-3) weren’t able to put points on the board until late in the contest, but there were still some positives to take away. They’re a young team working through unlucky injuries and a difficult schedule, so it’ll be interesting to see how Catholic adapts moving forward.
Though the final score may not show it, Apollo’s outing to Central Hardin was about helping the Eagles (1-2) get better as a football team. Of course, Apollo would have preferred a win, but any chance to learn and grow has to be appreciated. After all, Eagles coach John Edge is going to make sure his team learns from it.
The Hornets (3-0) continued to roll with a victory over Ohio County (0-3) in a battle between two programs trending in opposite directions. Hancock County has been dominant in the early portion of the season, outscoring opponents 122-15. The Hornets are primed for a big year ahead, while the Eagles continue to look for their first win.
McLean County suffered a setback at Grayson County, but don’t expect that to slow down the Cougars (2-1). They’ll get a shot at getting back into the win column when they host Muhlenberg County (1-2) this week. The Mustangs are another team looking to find their footing.
The important thing to remember is that it’s still early in this high school football season. Some teams are surging to prosperity, and it’s not too late for others to turn it around.
The nice thing about sports is that there’s always another game ahead. Let’s just see how these teams build on last Friday’s performances, and what they can accomplish this week.