Pomona coach Jay Madden got an early taste of what life will be like without Donovan Bowens in the backfield next football season.
Bowens, who leads the Panthers with 902 yards rushing this season, was a spectator for the Panthers’ Class 5A Big 8 League game against Lakewood on Thursday, Oct. 16, at Jeffco Stadium. The senior running back has been nursing an ankle injury he suffered Oct. 2 against Chatfield. Bowens played in Pomona’s loss against Arvada West, but Madden decided to sit his star tailback against Lakewood (2-6, 1-5).
Quarterback Nathan Grimes and running back Dylan Buononato filled the void with Bowens out of the lineup. The Panthers scored two touchdowns and a safety in a span of 3 minutes, 17 seconds in the third quarter on Pomona’s way to a 36-20 victory.
Buononato had seven runs of more than 10 yards on his way to 175 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns for Pomona (7-1, 5-1).
“He (Buononato) can definitely do it, and his is going to have to do it in the playoffs,” Madden said. “We need to be able to fake it to Bowens and get it to Buononato, fake it to Buononato and get it to Bowens. We have to throw the ball too. It’s going to make us a three-headed monster.”
Pomona’s two-headed monster was enough to extend Lakewood’s losing streak to four games.
Grimes bounced back after a rough game against rival A-West. The junior was 10-for-14 passing for 180 yards and a touchdown. He also carried 10 times for 74 yards.
Lakewood senior quarterback Connor Eppard had an impressive first half rushing for 117 yards on 11 carries, but Pomona’s defense adjusted and held Eppard to just eight yards rushing in the second half.
“He (Eppard) is a pretty quick guy,” Pomona senior defensive lineman Travis McKee said.
Madden believes Pomona is a lock at grabbing a top 7 seed for the state tournament no matter what happens in the Panthers’ regular-season finale against Columbine (8-0, 6-0) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada.
While the Panthers would love to end the Rebels’ undefeated season, Madden wants to be sure Pomona is at full strength when the playoffs begin.
“I’d rather have a 7-2 record with a healthy Bowens than an 8-1 record with an unhealthy Bowens going into the playoffs,” Madden said. “If he’s not ready to go we’ll try to beat Columbine without him.”