BROWNSTOWN

The table is perfectly set for Friday night’s game at Blevins Memorial Stadium.

Brownstown Central will play host to Seymour for what might turn out to be the best game in southern Indiana for 2016.

Last year, the Owls held on for a 38-30 win at home.

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However, that’s irrelevant to this year’s contest with new faces and seasoned veterans taking the gridiron.

Braves looking for for revenge

Brownstown — ranked No. 9 in Class 3A this week — stands at a perfect 5-0 on the season and looks for revenge on its home turf.

Since the series rebooted in 2007, the Braves have been undefeated four times heading into the Jackson Bowl (most recent in 2014).

Brownstown is 5-10 overall versus Seymour but is 5-4 since 2007.

This group hasn’t forgotten last year’s result.

Ask any member of the Braves’ senior group — they’ve had this game circled on the schedule since dates were released.

Blevins will be packed to capacity, and the overflow will extend past the fence around the field.

“Any time you play at home, it’s to your advantage,” Braves coach Reed May said. “We will have our Elm Street crowd and a packed house. It makes a difference. Our field is a lot different than theirs now.

“We kind of treat it like a tournament game. We prepare like it’s a sectional game all week. It’s exciting for everyone.”

The Braves’ offense has been nothing short of superb halfway through the season, averaging 46 points per game.

That average is tied for the 13th most in the state of any class and second for 3A.

Brownstown’s offensive line has kicked into another gear to help run the scoreboard.

Under center, senior Kyle Kramer has been highly efficient for the Braves in the second year of the shotgun wing-T offense.

The quarterback has completed 23 of 37 passes (62 percent completion) for 503 yards with five touchdowns. He also has rushed 56 times for 259 yards and three TDs.

In the backfield, senior Gavin Bane has anchored the Braves’ rushing attack, which has averaged 302 yards per contest — and has 1,514 total yards.

On 40 rushes, Bane has 565 yards with 10 rushing TDs and is consistently putting up 113 yards each week.

Overall, Bane has accounted for 88 points for the Braves’ offense.

“(Brownstown’s) offense is wicked,” Seymour coach Josh Shattuck said. “They are more diverse in Year 2 with it. They’re going to false pull. They’re going to have four guys running one way, two the other and three down the middle. They will have guys going all over the place, and it comes back to assignment football for our guys.”

On the defensive side of the ball, the Braves are coming off a 35-9 win against North Harrison without giving up an offensive touchdown.

Outside of their game against Charlestown (the second-highest scoring team in Indiana), the Braves haven’t allowed more than 14 points in a game and have held their opponents to single digits twice.

The Braves’ defense gang tackles, with 210 assisted tackles and 106 solo stops.

Owls’ season building momentum

Seymour’s 2-3 record isn’t indicative of how good of a team it has been at times this fall.

Subtracting the loss to Silver Creek, the Owls lost to powerhouse Class 5A No. 5 Columbus East and 6A Jeffersonville.

Since starting 0-3, the Owls picked up back-to-back wins against then-ranked 5A No. 13 Floyd Central and Bedford North Lawrence — a team they hadn’t beaten in a decade.

“Our schedule helps us for this game,” Shattuck said. “Brownstown is an unbelievable opponent and unbelievably coached team. It’s a team that I think we would be in big, big trouble with in week one or two.

“Having played Jeffersonville, Columbus East and Floyd Central, it prepares us for a game like this. It doesn’t give us an inherent advantage, but I strongly believe that our kids have seen top-notch competition. We’re not going to be awestruck by a very good team.”

In recent weeks, junior quarterback Alan Perry has picked apart defenses, especially on the ground.

Perry ran for three TDs against Floyd Central with 47 yards and four behind 153 yards versus Bedford North Lawrence.

On the season, he leads all rushers with 446 yards.

He’s getting it down in the air, also, with 846 passing yards and six touchdowns. The past two weeks, he has combined for 10 total TDs.

Senior Jackson Morris has been Perry’s favorite target, with 24 catches for 273 yards and a TD.

The ball has been spread around the field, with eight different receivers recording catches

“They have a nice offense,” May said. “They have a nice balance between the option, bubble screens and jets. What they do offensively gives you a lot of problems because of their alignments and speed. (Perry) does a great job.”

On defense, the Owls call themselves “the swarm.”

Attacking the ball carrier is emphasized on every play.

“They fly around,” May said. “Against Bedford, they put everyone on the line. They put pressure. We’re not a throwing team, but it will be interesting. We’ve seen some film, and they like to blitz a lot. They get after people.”

While both coaches are confident in their team’s chances, they know that a high level of play will be needed for a victory.

“We’re going to have to nearly play a flawless game to win in the fourth quarter,” Shattuck said. “Going over there, their kids expect to win. They have a great culture and scheme. We’re going to have to realistically play our best game of the year to have a chance.”

May said, “Coach Shattuck has done a great job with the program. I know he struggled a little bit earlier, but they’ve done really well now. I always tell the kids that (Seymour) has a tough schedule. They’re rolling now, and it’s going to be a tough game for us.”

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2016 Jackson Bowl

Seymour (2-3) at Brownstown Central (5-0)

Where: Blevins Memorial Stadium, Friday, 7 p.m.

Radio: 92.7-WXKU and 96.3-WJAA

Coaches: Josh Shattuck, 9-28 in fourth year at Seymour, 27-47 in eighth year overall. Reed May, 233-46 in 24th year at Brownstown Central.

Last outing: Brownstown Central def. North Harrison 35-9, Seymour def. Bedford north Lawrence 44-38.

Series past 30 years: BCHS 5-4.

Previous meeting: Seymour won 38-30 on Sept. 25, 2016.

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