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I just received this email from my good friend Jason Lowe. Coach Lowe is an assistant at Springs Valley and brother in law of Coach Bowsman. Hopefully this can spread through the state. Good morning Coaches. As many of you know, West Washington's head football coach/AD Phillip Bowsman passed away yesterday afternoon. Phillip was a great man, an extraordinary leader, and the best brother-in-law I could ask for. Springs Valley will be honoring Phillip by turning on our football field lights friday morning and leaving them on until Phillip's funeral services conclude Saturday. I've yet to meet anyone that loved Friday Night Lights as much as Phillip and his family. I'm inviting you to honor Phillip in the same way but also asking you to forward on to other schools/football programs in our area that I do not have contacts for. Let me know if you have any questions. Jason Lowe

Among the most loathsome things I have ever seen written here. Please crawl back into whatever hate filled little hole you slimed up from.

I recognize that this is a fan site, but anyone who thinks they know how Friday is going to turn out is delusional. There have been years we have been big favorites and lost, years where we have been underdogs and won. Years when we had good offenses, good defenses, bad offenses, and bad defenses. Years where we knew our opponent better than any other team in the state and years where we didn't know a thing about our opponent. We've played games in good weather, bad weather, with good officiating, and with bad officiating. We've played close to home and far away. We've gotten stuck in traffic, took wrong turns, had buses break down and we've had games where that has happened to our opponents. We've played where everyone has been healthy and where we've had key injuries. We've had years where we won big, barely won at the last second, lost big, and barely lost at the last second. Games where we've played our best and games where we didn't. What is going to happen on Friday? Who knows? Anything can happen and no one has any idea what the outcome will be. That is the beauty of sports, after all. Chatard has played in 95 championship games (cumulative sectional, regional, semi-state, and state). In that many games all kinds of crazy $hit can happen and much of it has over the years. We are 76 - 19 in those 95 games. Now, 19 losses is a lot of losses. That means there are a lot of stories out there about some team beating Chatard for a championship. I commend every one of those teams. They each deserved it and, with very few exceptions, those fan bases have been gracious in victory. But that doesn't mean that anyone who predicted those 19 losses (or those 76 victories for that matter) knows any more than anyone else. Enjoy the banter, but, keep it civil. These are two great programs who will play a great many more championship games in the future. Pray for the safety of all of the players and good luck to both teams on Friday.

As a tribute to Coach Bowsman, I had a cross fashioned that stands 6'3" tall (I thought he was more like 6'2", but he always said he was 6'3"). It is placed at the 50 yard line,on the home sideline just on the field of play (where Coach roamed, despite repeated warnings to "get back"). Community members, students, staff and former players and coaches have visited to share memories of coach and leave mementos and grieve the loss of a great man. We thank you all for your prayers and support.

I have a feeling it was the "Leaders" in the locker room that was apart of this. While I would have kicked the player in the first incident off the team to send a message, how do you continue to let Jack go into the locker room unsupervised? How do you not make sure there is someone supervising in the locker room period! It shouldn't have to be that way, but obviously you have a culture problem in your locker room. Totally incompetent!

I would wonder why team leadership itself in the locker room didn't seize this situation early on, and get that behavior stopped from the get-go.

I can't wrap my mind around this story. All he wanted to do was be a Rebel and apart of something and that was taken away from him. It's wild to me that we still have people who think the way it sounded like those player did.

The coaching staffs of both Indy Lutheran and LCC have come together and will Honor Coach Bowsman of West Washington with Helmet Stickers that read #WWeFamily. It was important for the coaches to show support for one of there coaching brothers. Also to show support for West Washington during this difficult time.

Prayers to the West Washington Football team and to the whole community during this difficult time. The coaching staffs of both Indy Lutheran and Lafayette Central Catholic felt it was important to honor coach Bowsman. So Both Indy Lutheran and LCC will be wearing helmet stickers with #WWeFamily in honor of coach Bowsman This Friday. Peace be with you All

This gesture makes feel good about the world. RIP Coach Bowsman.

Anything that those who care about this thing called Indiana Hs Football can will do, to honor the legacy of a Teacher, Athletic Director and Coach is appreciated. I hope that the IHSAA does its best to communicate the impact that Coach Bowsman has had on the lives of the young people that were within his perview throughout the years during the 2019 State finals is warranted. We are all a family in extracurricular education! Amen, and God Bless you Coach Bowsman!

Any chance pictures of the lit stadiums could be posted later in this thread? The positivity of this topic is helping me deal with the negativity of other recent news.

Brownstown Central HS will have our football stadium lights on from Friday morning until Saturday evening in honor of Coach Bowsman. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the West Washington community.

The “cult of victimhood” is apparently alive and well at Eastbrook.

Twin Lakes will have our lights on in honor of Coach Bowsman.

People with Down Syndrome are some of the sweetest, most loving souls on the planet. I've seen kids do some pretty stupid things, but this situation is beyond a kid making a dumb mistake. This needs to be dealt with through the legal system.

Lazy comment - am I to assume then that your public school has different rules? What are they? What is your source? So easy to throw out opinions, but yours must be based on some type of fear and some type of weak "academic" public standard...if we use your logic, which I find beyond flawed. There is a common sense moral standard that our society should be able to agree upon, but that would be another topic. Just had to respond to your careless comment which blankets a large segment of people who have nothing to do with this horrible situation.

Doesn’t look good - and it shouldn’t. But lets be clear, the kids that did this should be punished fully....and as openly as the law allows. Honestly, there’s just no excuse for any of this

Maybe some slight exaggerations here. Hopefully the turnover bug is out of their system. That being said, I think the EM defense is good enough to create some turnovers/put EN in some bad spots and EN's defense is good enough to do the same.

Disgusting. The administration at Roncalli High School should be ashamed of themselves. I think the lack of action speaks to the incompetency of the leaders throughout the school. Who is going to protect these kids if the administration of the school will not. as they shouldn't

I feel beat up and tired just reading this thread and I don’t go both ways!

Can Saturday be here already?????? I think this will be a really good game. 2 hard nosed teams with 2 great coaches. Win or lose it is special to get this far, in the end these kids from both teams have been proving people wrong all year. I have been saying all year the thing that will hold Eastbrook back is their line on both sides. Then last week our line manhandle a huge Andrean team. Eastbrook had the biggest target for teams in the North, same for Western Boone and teams in the south, yet both found a way to play on thanksgiving weekend again. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best and right now that’s Webo. So my Panthers better come out with energy and focus. Blue or Red ring it is special playing on thanksgiving weekend!

Evansville North will also have lights on at Bundrant Stadium Friday-Saturday. Coach Bowsman was a great coach and even better person! Thoughts and prayers being sent from Husky Nation!

Lets stay on topic here folks: Take the nonsense to other places, such as PMs, yea that works Again, trying to maintain sensibility here, the easy thing to do is lock this thing if you cannot have civil conversations about this news.

Roncalli and the Archdiocese aren’t exactly on the best of terms. An ongoing and open class action lawsuit between former Roncalli staff and the Archdiocese has splintered this relationship and the trust between the two. The Archbishop is too pre-occupied mitigating sexuality In the high schools to also govern a situation like this. I guess the Archbishop and the Vicar Counsel could use this malfeasance as an excuse to shed the leadership at Roncalli, but I think they would be too exposed to a wrongful termination suit for all the missteps both the Archdiocese and the Roncalli administration made during the Fitzgerald fallout and the subsequent staff thereafter. Yucky situation on the southside. You would think after all the sensitivity and inclusion training they have had lately, it might spill over to the athletics program.

I have no dog in this fight, but i will tell you that one call last year killed Eastbrook. Normally one call does not change a game, but it did here. I really believe after seeing film that Eastbrook wins this game by at least 10 points.

As I read this article I couldn't believe that anyone, especially football players, would do this to another peer specifically one with disabilities. As a man that works daily with children with special needs this article angered me a little more. The reason I isolated the football team above is because I feel the team, including managers, are family. They go to school together, they work together, the eat together, they go to battle together, they are there for each other.....always and those managers are typically there every step of the way attending to the needs for the team. It also bothers me that more young men didn't step in with the integrity of knowing right an wrong and actively stop individuals doing these behaviors. With that said....it seems to me that there could be some serious legal problems for coaching staff, school administrators and players involved. Not reporting these incidents to agencies is a serious legal problem. Videoing a person's "area" is a serious legal problem, especially if those investigating decide to include intent to share!! The idea that there was/possibly was a cover up is a serious legal problem! I think it's safe to say people will pay dearly for these incidents. I hope in the end this article, this situation, can be used a a serious talking point to educate and train players and coaches alike. We can always assume that our teams act the way we want them too especially when no one is watching, but the reality is kids don't always make the best choices and peer pressure is a bi%#$ Supervision is of upmost priority , always when you are dealing with teenagers, especially those that need our attention and safe keeping the most!! Learn from this terrible mistake is all I can say.

I can see why you would draw that comparison. I was impressed with Mt. Vernon for the most part, and they had opportunities in that game that they did not capitalize on. Hopefully, EN can score points in those situations. I think EN is better up front and I think Parker is more accurate than the Mt. Vernon QB. A lot of their struggles is a credit to Memorial. East Noble will need an answer to Memorial's 3rd/4th and Long package. Lining up Combs inside and stunting him and #69 while bringing the RB #9 off the edge, could cause the Knights problems up front. I see Memorial lining up in this defense quite a bit, even if its not on 3rd or 4th and long to try to get some pressure on Parker.

Has there been any other situations like this at Indiana HS's in the last several years? I just wonder if the IHSAA will have to step in or if Roncalli, or the Archdiocese, will administer punishments themselves to the administrators involved? I just feel for this poor kid. All he wanted to do was be a Rebel and it's forever taken away from him. Hopefully he can find the comfort and peace in a new situation.

North Daviess Football will have the lights on! Prayers to everyone involved!

I have a bit of a sidenote. dmizers did pick 10 out of the 12 finalists correct, thats pretty darn good.

The IHSAA needs to give a penalty similar to the Southport Basketball team, if not worse.

This is wrong on so many levels! Young people abusing this young man, an incompetent administrator bungling the initial investigation, a school not having proper processes in place to report such an incident, no one applying discipline and teaching to prevent another incident, then a decision to deny and cover their tracks. It kept getting worse the more I read. Where are the coaches to say we don’t condone this regardless of impact to our team? Where are the parents to say my son will be taught to take responsibility for his actions? Where are the administrators to say this is not what we represent as a school or religious entity? The only answer lies in the fact it is a systemic problem. From the top down there is a problem. Thank goodness there was at least one individual with a conscience who would write an anonymous letter.

Yeah, we’ll see a lot of James Banks and Jeff George type talent all over LOS this weekend...There’s a major difference between a team with great football players and once in a generation type talent. Nevertheless, it’s the draw they were given, by no means am I saying the deserve sympathy.

Come on Mods, we need to up the emoji limits a little bit. There’s some good stuff popping up in here! 🤣

I would think talk of last year’s BC/EM semi state is a disservice to this year’s teams and HH. All three squads (BC, EM and HH) have earned the right to play for championships this year. While EM may be 3-0 vs BC in recent memory, I’m not sure it’s a coincidence that EM is 0-3 the week following. It shows the physical and mental toll it takes to beat the always sound and tough BC teams. The best part of this HH-BC matchup is that it is at LOS. As @Lysander pointed out, it is a worthy matchup of the big stage. It will be a great one to watch.

I think we can all agree that Animal Farm was a classic novel and that anything can happen.....

Can we all agree that every team will hit hard, will play as hard as they can, will play all 4 quarters, will be unselfish, will love each other, won't underestimate their opponent, won't give up, won't be intimidated, that they are a special group of players that have prepared their entire lives for this moment, and that the coaches will put in new wrinkles and will be prepared for anything? That applies to every team. Let's just take that as a given, shall we?

I have struggled to put into words what to say... a million thoughts run through my head as a fellow coach... I can't even imagine what his family and the community is going through. I was fortunate to know Coach Bowsman. He was a great and humble man. The fact that he was also a great coach was just a bonus. I am so sad to see this tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the community.

Cathedral would have won 4A by a wide margin if not for the last minute change that kept them in 5A.

13 more seconds and LCC and RCHS would of had a date in 2013 as well

60 is definitely not “older.” 😠

No but they're will to share custody so CG would get Wednesday night's and every other weekend

Forced 7 turnovers because OL got blasted by a team with a bunch of 2 way players from SW Indiana. I’m sure HH is well aware of BC and what it’s going to take to compete. Don’t underestimate HH or it could be even more embarrassing in 2919.

Their jetpacks make them far superior.

It would appear that this game could be close, especially when smoothing out the "other factors" like played at LOS before, etc. It seems EN has answered every challenge this year and I would expect them to do the same vs. EM. Should be a good one though...just think EM inconsistency and some inexperience will ultimately be the difference, but who knows? Prediction: EN 24 - EM 14 I will be sitting back enjoying the games Saturday...hopefully still smiling from a Chatard win Friday!

It was three years ago tomorrow a chain of events began that led us to losing two family members by Christmas. Thanksgiving dinner was in the cafeteria at IU that year. The holidays just have not been the same. My heart breaks for the Bowsman family, Coach Bowsman was passionate about his Senators. I worked some Softball down there as well, always enjoyed talking Football with him when I was there. I'm so old I remember working games when he was a player back in the day.

I believe you're mistaking Chatard for the other Northside Catholic school on 56th Street. Just take a look at the roster that was posted in the thread, 95% of the team is from Archdiocese schools on the Northside of Indy. Take your slander elsewhere.

I have known many of these kids since they were little and watched them for years and this is a dream come true for them. But getting to LOS is not the goal--winning state is. They have heard the poison all year about "everyone in 3A is playing for 2nd place". They are chomping at the bit to do everything they can to see that BC is that 2nd place. No, we don't have a roster full of guys that have moved in from all over the region to play for the super school that will be playing D1 football with a few playing on Sundays in a few years. BUT, what we do have is a bunch of hard nosed country boys that will give it everything they have, every snap--and if they have the game of their life (which I think they will), it will be enough. This has got to be the most unselfish team I have ever seen play. Regardless of what happens, BC may be surprised that they probably haven't been hit as hard as they will be hit Friday afternoon.