By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – The numbers are scary and staggering. Seymour’s official mascot might be the Owls, but when they take flight, they trigger a fearful reaction, like a Game of Thrones dragon poised to swoop down from the heavens with devastating flames and destruction.
In the High Valyrian language, the term is “dracarys.” Bedford North Lawrence is about to find out if it can withstand dragon fire in a ferocious passing attack.
The Stars, the current frontrunners in the Hoosier Hills Conference, will face their most difficult challenge to that status when they tangle with the Owls on Friday night. These teams shared the league championship last season, and this rematch has equally weighty implications.
Seymour’s offense demands the spotlight. The Owls (2-2 overall, 2-1 in the HHC) rank 16th in the state in scoring at 44.8 points per game, and no defense has kept them under 40 yet this season. Veteran quarterback Bret Perry has an impressive arsenal of receivers at his disposal, and the Owls can also complement the aerial artistry with a balanced running game. So what concerns BNL coach Derrick Barker as he prepares the scouting report for his defense?
“Everything,” he said. “There’s a lot to worry about.”
So start with Perry. His passing stats are phenomenal: 79 of 109 for 1,429 yards and 17 touchdowns (with only one interception), and he’s been over 400 yards in three of Seymour’s four games. His favorite targets include Kyle Hileman (17 catches for 332 yards and 4 TDs), tight end Jaylan Johnson (21 for 474 yards and 3 TDs) and Jack Pennington (6 catches for 219 yards last week against Floyd Central).
“Perry has been around for about eight years, it seems,” Barker said with a laugh. “He’s really good running and throwing, and they have four really good receivers. But if you play too much pass coverage, they’ll gash you with the run. This is the biggest challenge, definitely the most things you have to prepare for. They do everything and they’re good at it.”
“We have nine senior starters, and they click together, they play well together,” Seymour coach Tyson Moore said. “It’s almost like they have telepathy at times because they’re always on the same page. They find ways to make plays.”
The question Seymour must answer is how the Owls will respond to last week’s heartbreaking loss to the Highlanders. Floyd rallied from a 40-28 deficit in the fourth quarter to win a 50-47 shootout. That’s the second time Seymour has given up 50-plus points this year. Hence, the record.
“That took a lot out of us,” Moore said. “That was a big punch in the gut. We felt like we got out-toughed in areas we need to be tough, and we didn’t make a lot of plays. So the big message was, having two options going forward, we can either fold or somehow find a way to push through.
“This is a very experienced, veteran group. They’ve played a lot of football together and came through a lot of adversity. So I have a good feeling they got the wake-up call and are ready to get back on track. We’re not out of the conference picture. Yes, it was tough to lose. But we still have an opportunity. We have to take the next step, and we have a big barrier in front of us in Bedford.”
The Stars (2-2, 2-0 in the HHC) have been more consistent, with a defense that has not allowed more than 23 points, with a run-based offense that has scored 101 points the last two weeks. Cal Gates leads the way with 299 rushing yards and 5 scores, Piaire Childs has totaled 208 yards and 2 TDs, and Memphis Louden has contributed 230 rushing yards and 3 scores. BNL is averaging 201 yards per game on the ground.
“They always come in and play with a lot of grit, a lot of attitude,” Moore said. “We’ve had some great battles with them. They do some things with their defense that can give us issues. On offense they’re really explosive and they do a lot of things well.”
Louden has completed 19 of 45 passes for 468 yards and six touchdowns.
“We’ve been able to open it up,” Barker said. “The first two weeks we were playing complementary ball. We knew we were young on defense. We wanted to play good defense by playing less defense. Be able to control the clock and run the ball more. These last two weeks we were able to open up the offense, and it’s good to see.”
Seymour won last year’s clash with a strong defensive effort, posting a 27-6 triumph. Perry threw for 214 yards and two scores, while Nick Wheeler ran for 107 yards. However, BNL has won seven of the last eight trips to Seymour. BNL is also chasing back-to-back league titles.
“That’s what you play for,” Barker said. “That’s what you put the work in for, to go on the road and try to win a game with a lot on the line.”
BNL at SEYMOUR
Kickoff: Friday, 7 p.m.
Records: BNL 2-2 (2-0 in HHC); Seymour 2-2 (2-1 in HHC)
Coaches: Derrick Barker, 12-13 in third year at BNL; Tyson Moore, 15-19 in fourth year at Seymour
Sagarin rating: BNL 69.34; Seymour 62.23
Series: Seymour leads 26-22
Last meeting: Last year at BNL, the Owls rolled to a 27-6 victory. Bret Perry threw for two touchdowns and Nick Wheeler ran for 107 yards for Seymour. Ryker Hughes caught a touchdown pass for the Stars.
Previous game story: Tricky Owls flatten Stars
Game notes: BNL and Seymour shared the Hoosier Hills Conference title last season. Seymour ranks 16th in the state in scoring at 44.8 points per game.
