Juwan Hill is getting his first taste of the successful tradition that has become South Warren football.

The senior defensive back joined the team this year and his mind is on state, just like every other Spartan. Any other hardware collected along the way is an afterthought.

“I forgot we were even getting a trophy,” Hill said. “I just want state.”

Lexington is on South Warren’s mind and everyone else appears to be in the way. The most recent victim was Owensboro, which was dealt with quickly in a 44-7 South Warren win in the Class 5A, Region 1 championship game Friday night in the season finale at Spartan Stadium.

South Warren (13-0) led 21-0 after one quarter and never allowed the Red Devils (10-2) to threaten. The Spartans advance to the 5A semifinals for a second straight season and will play at South Oldham (12-1) next week in Crestwood.

South Warren got a running clock started – albeit late in the fourth quarter – for the third week in a row and won its ninth game of the year by at least a 30-point margin. Next week will mark the fourth time playing in the state semifinals in the school’s eight seasons of varsity football.

“It’s good, but it isn’t really a new feeling,” senior receiver Caleb Lloyd said. “This was the whole plan. This ain’t the goal. We know what the goal is and they were in our way. We knew what we had to do and execute.”

Owensboro entered Friday on an eight-game win streak while averaging 37.5 points per game. That momentum for the Red Devils took a leap last week after defeating Bowling Green in the second round of the playoffs, their first win over the Purples in the last 14 attempts.

South Warren scored on its first four possessions, with Gavin Spurrier’s 43-yard zip to Tanner Gallahair down the middle making it 28-0 with 10:10 left in the second quarter.

Spurrier threw for nearly 300 yards and had three touchdown passes to three different receivers.

“We wanted to make sure we moved the ball early,” South Warren coach Brandon Smith said. “The common thing to say is score early, but we wanted to get first downs and move the ball and establish our offense. They turned it into points and we thought if we got them behind, it’d help us out on defense because they’re extremely explosive on offense and we wanted to eliminate their run through the score.”

South Warren got key receiving contributions from one receiver, but lost two to injury in the process. Caleb Lloyd returned after missing the last four games and had five receptions for 105 yards.

Clayton Bush caught the first touchdown on an 8-yard pass from Spurrier, but left moments later with an ankle injury on a punt return and didn’t re-enter the game. Receiver/defensive back MJ Boley and kicker Eldar Dervisevic also left the game with injuries.

“I was really impressed with the guys that came in,” Smith said. “(Cameron Harrison) came in and played both ways and Conner Mason is a younger guy and came in and did a great job. I don’t think it affected us really. Clayton and MJ were over there giving any piece of advice they could, so really a great job all around from a team perspective.”

South Warren didn’t punt the ball until the 7:36 mark of the second quarter. That’s when Owensboro finally found the end zone when Will Warren hit Imonte Owsley on a screen pass. The receiver raced down the Owensboro sideline for a 52-yard touchdown to make it 28-7.

But Gallahair pushed the margin right back to four scores by taking the ensuing kickoff back 85 yards for a touchdown.

“We knew they were fighters and coming in hot and confident,” Lloyd said. “We had to put it all together. It all started in the locker room before the game. Coach got us hyped and we came out and executed and scored.”

Harrison scored his second touchdown run late in the third quarter, but the Spartans failed to get the two-point conversion on a double reverse pass to Spurrier and start the running clock.

Kanyon Sanders, filling in for the injured Eldar Derisevic, kicked an 18-yard field goal with 2:52 left.

South Warren will play South Oldham, whose only loss is a 21-3 defeat to Christian Academy-Louisville in Week 1, next week. South Oldham defeated Fern Creek 35-12 on Friday.

“This was their goal to get back into this position,” Smith said. “Hopefully they’ll have a great week of preparation and be ready to go Friday.”

Owensboro 0 7 0 0 – 7

South Warren 21 14 6 3 – 44

First quarter

SW – Clayton Bush 8 pass from Gavin Spurrier (Eldar Derisevic kick), 8:17

SW – Cameron Harrison 8 run (Derisevic kick), 4:20

SW – Chidi Afam 11 pass from Spurrier (Derisevic kick), 0:45

Second quarter

SW – Tanner Gallahair 43 pass from Spurrier (Kanyon Sanders kick), 10:10

OW – Imonte Owsley 52 pass from Will Warren (Grayson McFarland kick), 5:21

SW – Gallahair 85 kick return (Sanders kick), 5:08

Third quarter

SW – Harrison 10 run (Conversion failed), 0:43

Fourth quarter

SW – Sanders 18 kick, 2:52{&end}