Coal City – Independence sophomore Trey Bowers enjoys getting touches on offense.
The only issue is the Independence offense has a lot of mouths to feed. Atticus Goodson, Judah Price, Logan Phalin and Cyrus Goodson are amongst the plethora of players on the Indy roster that can hurt opposing defenses from anywhere on the field.
That limits how much Bowers can showcase his talents on that side of the ball.
“I’m just trying to win,” Bowers said. “I know there are a lot of us that can have big plays and have big games and score touchdowns. I’m just looking to win and do my part to help us win.”
One way or another the ball finds its way to him.
While he’d love to be catching passes from Phalin throughout the games, during the Patriots’ postseason run to the Class AA championship he’s become accustomed to just taking the ball away from opposing offenses instead. After intercepting two passes in the regular season, the speedy sophomore cornerback has hit a new gear in the playoffs, a sixth gear. It’s fitting as seven is the number of interceptions he has on the season.
That sixth gear has served Bowers well as he intercepted four passes in the Patriots’ three postseason games – two against Shady Spring and one each against Bluefield and Roane County. If not for an offensive pass interference he may have had another. None of them have been cheap ones though. All four have come on some variation of verticals routes, forcing the sophomore to stay calm and disciplined when the ball’s in the air.
“Coach Lilly said last year that I had a sixth gear,” Bowers said. “I just see the ball in the air and try to go get it. I’m pretty good at tracking balls down in the air. It’s just kicking in a new gear when I see the ball in the air and I go get it.”
“He’s an instinctive player,” Indy coach John H. Lilly said. “Some people are fast but they’re not good football players. He’s both – a good football player and fast. He’s only in 10th grade so that’s what a lot of people don’t realize. He had to grow up fast because he started as a freshman and not too many people on this level start as freshmen and every game he just gets better. All I can say, and it’s the best compliment I can give, but he’s an OKG, our kinda guy. If the weight room’s open, he’s there.”
Hitting that extra gear is something Bowers does in a deliberate effort to help his team. If he’s not touching the ball on offense he can generate big plays on defense and he’s done just that, compiling seven interceptions in 11 games.
“Just not having as many opportunities on offense in the postseason so far, I’m trying to take advantage of my opportunities on defense,” Bowers said. “Recently I’ve liked playing defense more. Usually I like playing offense and scoring touchdowns more.”
While he’s shined on defense in the postseason, he’s still electric with the ball in his hands on offense. In the regular season he led the team in receiving touchdowns with seven, averaging 23 yards per reception. He was also second on the team in receiving yards with 439 on only 19 catches.
“I’d say in southern West Virginia the kid from Bluefield (Jacorian Green) is probably the fastest but Trey’s probably right there,” Lilly said. “He had one one of the fastest times at the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville camps this past summer. I think he’s one of the fastest kids in the state and he’s slowly developed. He’s our backup quarterback and he’ll probably be our quarterback next year. But he’s a hard worker in the offseason. We’ve got this sign in our weight room that says ‘OKG’ and it means ‘Our Kinda Guys.’ They’re guys that want to lift weights, run and don’t fake injuries. He’s an OKG, a weight-room junkie.”
“I’m just trying to win,” Bowers said. “I know there are a lot of us that can have big plays and have big games and score touchdowns. I’m just looking to win and do my part to help us win.”
The Patriots are hoping Bowers’ stellar postseason continues Friday when they travel to Wheeling Island Stadium to play Fairmont Senior in the Class AA title game.
The two teams met in the quarterfinals last year, a game won by the Polar Bears. While he won’t be tasked with stopping all-stater Gage Michael, Fairmont’s previous QB, he will have to stay honest against this year’s signal caller, Dom Stingo.
“I think last year was a really good experience for me and the team,” Bowers said. “Especially as a freshman. They had Gage Michael last year and he’s at Kent State now, so he’s a really good quarterback. I think it’ll be a good game.”
Email: tylerjackson@lootpress.com and follow on Twitter @tjack94