For The Tribune
Alan Perry’s 74-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Bullard with 6:29 remaining lifted the Seymour Owls to a 21-17 homecoming win against Bedford North Lawrence on Friday night at Bulleit Stadium.
The Stars who came into the game 4-0, and ranked No. 8 in Class 5A, was unable to pick up a first down on their final two possessions.
The Owls (2-3) tackled BNL backs for zero and minus yardage nine times.
Seymour intercepted BNL one time and recovered three fumbles.
“It was a great win tonight,” Owls coach Mike Kelly said. “It wasn’t perfect, but it was a win. We overcame diversity. The defense did a great job and forced some (three) punts.
“Our defense has been a question mark all season and now our question mark is what is the offense going to do.”
The Owls played an excellent first half to hold a 14-0 lead.
After both teams punted on their first possessions, the Owls drove 69 yards in 10 plays for their first score, a 21-yard pass from Alan Perry to Tyler Bullard.
Bullard made a one-handed catch with 2:19 left in the first period.
Big plays in the drive included a 12-yard run by Perry and a 15-yard pass interference penalty on the Stars.
The Owls stopped the Stars on downs and marched 63 yards on 12 plays, capped by Alazae Louden 15-yard run around the left end at 8:04 of the second quarter.
The Owls then came up with their best defensive stand of the season stopping the Stars on the 2-yard line after BNL had a first and goal at the 9-yard line.
On the Stars’ next possession, Brendan Smith intercepted one of McCall Ray’s passes.
The Owls tackled BNL backs for losses four times in the first half.
The Owls made another defensive stand on BNL’s first possession of the second half. The Stars had first and goal from the 2-yard line, and the Owls kept them out of the end zone and forced a fumble on fourth down with Haden Mettert recovered for the Owls.
Following a Seymour punt, the Stars scored on a 35-yard pass from Ray to Estenban Flores in the third quarter with 6:40 on the clock.
On the Owls next possession, they were forced to punt; and the snap went out of the end zone for a safety making the score 14-9.
The Stars were attempting to punt on their next possession, and Dustin Metz got a hand on the ball and the kick went for 4-yards.
The Stars took their first lead of the game on a 35-yard run by Ray at 11:25 of the fourth quarter.
Perry completed 13 of 23 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns.
Bullard was Seymour’s top receiver, with four catches for 108 yards.
“Tonight we had some balance and that is what we had to have,” Kelly said. “We challenged them to play hard tonight. We flew around and had some fun,” Kelly said.
The Owls are 1-3 in HHC play and the Stars are 2-1.
Seymour will host Brownstown Central on Friday night for the Jackson Bowl.