No. 17 Owensboro Catholic hosts Greenwood in battle of unbeatens

The No. 17 Owensboro Catholic Aces are set to host the Greenwood Gators in week three action of Friday Night Lights across the Bluegrass.

Both teams hold an undefeated 2-0 record after blowout wins in weeks one and two. The Aces defeated Apollo 42-6 in week one and Daviess County 50-0 in week two, while the Gators claimed a 49-14 win over Hopkinsville in week one and a 38-6 win over Warren East in week two.

The strength and skill set of opponents thus far obviously play a factor in both teams’ clean slates this season, but the stats don’t lie. These teams are undefeated and win big for a reason. Let’s break down some numbers and analyze how they match up for this Friday’s game. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST at Owensboro Catholic.

What Owensboro Catholic brings

The Aces have been steadily climbing their way up the ladder in KSR’s Top 25 Rankings. They stood in the No. 25 spot during the preseason, moved their way up to No. 22 after week one, and now sit at No. 17 after week two.

The Aces seem to have had a successful offseason — these guys put up solid numbers in the first two weeks, with their stats translating to a cohesive offense. Junior OB Brady Atwell has thrown for 607 yards and converted 41 on 51 pass attempts. He is averaging 303.5 yards per game and 4.5 touchdown passes per game.

He’s backed by some talented receivers, too. Senior receiver Will Carrico has totaled 258 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Senior receivers Noah Rhinerson and Mitchell Sims have combined for 262 yards and four touchdown receptions. I’m eager to watch the Aces’ offensive line as well. Atwell converting 80% of his passes speaks to not only his skill, but also to his comfortability in the pocket provided by a solid front line.

What Greenwood brings

Greenwood looks to continue their undefeated campaign when they travel to Owensboro Catholic for their third away game in a row. The Gators are led by senior QB Cam Smith, who has thrown for 352 yards and converted on 15 of 24 attempts with five touchdown tosses.

Tel Tel Long is a senior for the Gators who plays on both sides of the ball at running back, receiver, full back, and safety. He has totaled 144 yards rushing with two rushing touchdowns and 113 yards receiving with another pair of scores. This kid is a reliable option for the Gators’ offense in the air and on the ground.

Senior Elmo Stewart is another weapon on the Gators’ offense who’s likely one of the first options for a pass play, with 119 yards and one touchdown receiving so far on the season

Owensboro Catholic will have the home-field advantage when they take on the Gators this Friday. However, Greenwood has traveled for every game this season and has been successful in claiming wins on foreign turf. It should be a thrilling game on both sides, and an indication of just how good both teams are (or aren’t) at this stage in the season.