Oak Forest edges Bowling Green 21-20

By Darron Thomas

Bowling Green and Oak Forest renewed their annual rivalry Friday night in Franklinton and while the two schools are no longer district foes that didn’t diminish the intensity between the two. Oak Forest overcame a 13-7 Bowling Green halftime lead to edge the Buccaneers 21-20 before a full house at Buck Hellen Stadium.

Oak Forest drew first blood at the 3:31 mark of the opening quarter on an Alex Rimes 29 yard run on 4th and 5. Bowling Green would answer with a drive beginning at their own 26 and would end the quarter at the Oak Forest 8 yard line. The drive was highlighted by two Cash Cooley connections to senior wide-out Colton Owens totaling 29 yards. After an Oak Forest sack and a delay of game penalty pushed the Buccaneers back and into a 3rd and goal from the 19 yard line the Yellow Jackets would be called for a pass interference penalty giving Bowling Green a 1st and goal at the 8 yard line. Two plays later Bowling Green tied things up on a Cash Cooley 8 yard scramble with 9:19 left in the half.

(Bowling Green led in total offense and time of possession on the night)
The first turnover of the game came on the Jacket’s next possession when Bowling Green linebacker Drake Adams nailed running back Drew Misita causing a fumble which the Buccaneers recovered at their own 40 yard line with 8:24 left in the first half. Bowling Green would advance quickly as quarterback Cash Cooley hit Dylan Varnado for 33 yards and a first down to the Jacket 27 yard line. The Bowling Green drive would stall at the Oak Forest 6 yard line and with 4:48 left in the quarter a Jason Milton 22 yard field goal put Bowling Green up 10-7. Both teams were three and out on their next possessions. With Oak Forest at the Bowling Green 38 yard line and a 1st and 10 the Jackets would turn the ball over again on a Chris Gill fumble that was recovered by Bowling Green’s Dylan Varnado at the 31 yard line with 2:24 left in the first half. Five straight completions from Cash Cooley to Buccaneer receivers quickly moved the ball to the Oak Forest 20 yard line with 32 seconds left in the half. An Oak Forest penalty moved the ball to the Jacket 10 and a Cooley to Jaron Edwards completion got the Bucs to the Oak Forest 5 yard line with 9 seconds remaining. Another Oak Forest penalty gave Bowling Green the ball at the 2 ½ yard line but with time running out Bowling Green would add another Jason Milton field goal to take a 13-7 lead into halftime.

(Above) Oak Forest quarterback Denton Hanson on a Jacket scoring drive
It didn’t take long for Oak Forest to regain the lead as running back Drew Misita busted a 72 yard run on the first play from scrimmage and was brought down at the Bowling Green 1 yard line. Misita would punch it in on the next play to put Oak Forest up 14-13 with 11:36 left in the first quarter. On Bowling Green’s second possession of the quarter and trailing 14-13 the Buccaneers completed a 74 yard drive when Cash Cooley scrambled in the end-zone on a 13 yard run. A Jason Milton extra point gave Bowling Green a 20-14 lead with 4:11 left in the third quarter. On the ensuing kickoff Oak Forest gave the ball back to Bowling Green on a fumble at their own 26 yard line. The Oak Forest defense was put to the test three plays later as Bowling Green was facing a 4th and 1 at the Jacket 17 yard line. At the 1:38 mark of the quarter Oak Forest linebacker Baylor Blanchard stopped David Fulks for a three yard loss as Oak Forest regained possession of the ball at their own 20 yard line. The quarter ended with Bowling Green up 20-14.

(Above) Bowling Green's Drake Adams (#54) recovers a fumble

Oak Forest then went on an 80 yard drive in 5:48 seconds culminating on a Chris Gill two yard run and with the PAT the Jackets took a 21-20 lead with 7:38 remaining in the game. Bowling Green was unable to get a first down on their next possession and after a 35 yard punt from Jaron Edwards, plus a 15 yard Oak Forest personal foul, the Jackets had the ball at their own 45 yard line with just over 5 minutes remaining in the game. Oak Forest would convert on two 4th downs to run out the clock and seal the 21-20 win.

Bowling Green quarterback Cash Cooley finished the night with 216 yards on 23/33 passing and had 56 yards rushing on 12 carries and two touchdowns. Senior wide-out Colton Owens had 141 yards on 9 catches.
Junior running back Drew Misita led the Jackets with 106 yards rushing on 13 carries and one touchdown. Chris Gill had 48 yards rushing on 14 carries and a touchdown.
Bowling Green fell to 2-1 and will open up district play next week when they host Central Hinds. Oak Forest improved to 2-1 and will travel to Central Private. (Right) Bowling Green quarterback Cash Cooley