Any idea of rhythm and flow just wasn’t in the cards for Bowling Green. The Purples did what they had to in a 29-7 win over Christian County for what was likely the last home game of the year at El Donaldson Stadium.

A stout defensive effort was there again, but the Bowling Green offense was just good enough to keep the lead comfortable – a feeling the Purples (9-2) probably won’t have the rest of the postseason.

Bowling Green scored a touchdown each quarter to pull away from Christian County and lock up a second-round road game at old rival Owensboro. It’ll be the first time since 2010 the Purples have traveled for a second-round playoff game.

The right scenario of upsets could happen for the Purples to host again in the quarterfinals in two weeks, but knowing that unlikelihood prompted celebration of end zone dances and extended cheers between team and fans outside the locker room.

“Coming out knowing it was the last game at the stadium, we wanted to make a memory out of it,” junior running back DeVito Tisdale said. “Kind of rusty at some points, but we got pretty fluid throughout the game. We won and that’s all that matters.”

Bowling Green scored a touchdown per quarter and nearly pitched a second straight shutout before the junior varsity allowed Christian County’s only score with 2:03 remaining.

The Purples led 15-0 at halftime and Evan Spader’s 3-yard touchdown run made it 29-0 late in the fourth quarter.

Head coach Mark Spader knew Christian County’s defense wouldn’t let the Purples run rampant. In two losses to close the year, the Colonels (4-7) allowed 15 and 12 points, respectively.

“Offensively, not a lot of points on the board but I thought we ran the ball well and that’s something we wanted going into this game saying against a good front, we need to be able to move the ball on the ground. I thought we took some steps in that direction.”

Bowling Green ran for 114 yards combined between Tisdale, Jamil Smith and Evan Spader, who has over 120 yards rushing in the last two games since being added to the Purples backfield. Spader’s 32-yard run down the right sideline helped spark the drive ending with Tisdale’s punishing 9-yard touchdown run to go up 15-0 in the second quarter.

Christian County had a chance to cut the lead in half before halftime with a trip in the red zone after a Beau Buchanan fumble on a mishandled snap. But the Purples defense kept the Colonels off the board with Jaylen Wardlow’s interception on fourth down.

Bowling Green made another stop inside the 10 in the fourth quarter with the defensive front stuffing Jadonavin Mcneal on fourth down.

“Christian County is a really good team and we tried to pick up the intensity,” Purples senior linebacker Miles Smith said. “Just dominated up front. We were getting beat up front really bad (the last two games). Not just the front seven, the DBs were getting beat up, too. We just have to become stronger and more mentally tough and that’s what we’ve done the last two games.”

The biggest play of the night came on Beau Buchanan’s 45-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Scotty Brown to put the Purples up by three scores in the third quarter.

Buchanan finished the night with 16 completions for 160 yards and two scores.

The Purples’ win over the Colonels was their seventh straight dating back to 2010, coincidentally the last time Bowling Green left El Donaldson Stadium after the first round of the postseason. The Purples earned that No. 2 seed in the district by losing to undefeated South Warren on Oct. 19.

Now Bowling Green preps for a return trip to Rash Stadium, where it edged out a 21-12 win in Week 4.

“You pay for your sins,” BGHS coach Mark Spader said. “We got handled in the district championship and that’s the road you have now. It’s sad to think there’s no more games here at the El, but we’re in the playoffs and we want to win. It’s on to Owensboro next week. We’ve been over there once this year and we know it’ll be a tough task.”

CCHS 0 0 0 7 – 7

BGHS 8 7 7 7 – 29

First quarter

BG – Zack Brassell 12 pass from Beau Buchanan (Jamil Smith run), 5:13

Second quarter

BG – DeVito Tisdale 9 run (Dalton Major kick), 6:53

Third quarter

BG – Scotty Brown 45 pass from Buchanan (Major kick), 8:03

Fourth quarter

BG – Evan Spader 3 run (Major kick), 2:49

CC – Jadonavin Mcneal 32 pass from Donte Abren (Ben Settle kick), 2:03{&end}