LEXINGTON – Sibling rivalries are common among athletes. The Bowman brothers are neck and neck in theirs.
In a 48-6 win over Lexington Friday night, Shelby senior Brady Bowman made a routine catch in the first half, his second of the game. Besides the yardage, the catch was more than it seemed, cementing Bowman in the record books again.
It was not just his 169th career reception; it was the one that gave him more than any other receiver in Shelby history, except one – his brother Blaine, who also has 169.
“It’s an unreal feeling to be at the top of the list for a program that’s been around for over 100 years, and I think it’s just truly amazing,” Brady Bowman said.
The record follows another mark he set in Shelby’s Week One matchup against Madison, where he became the school’s all-time leader in receiving yards.
Altogether, it was a quiet game for Bowman on offense. In total he put together 25 yards on two receptions and was tackled for a loss on two carries. It was a far cry from his 114-yard explosion in the season opener.
His big plays were textbook tackles and a 54-yard punt-return touchdown, putting the Whippets up 20-0 early.
It would be Bowman’s only score of the game, coming out at halftime with a win all but secured.
“Obviously, Brady’s a special kid and made a special play on it,” Shelby coach Rob Mahaney said. “Not only is he a special athlete with the ball in his hands, but he’s a really good safety and obviously can make plays on special teams.
“Brady is as good as it gets in our area, and he showed that again tonight.”
Bowman never overlapped with his brother, who played through the 2021 season – Brady’s freshman year was 2023 – but the two have always been there to support one another.
“There’s no person who would want me to break his (record) more than him,” Bowman said. “He’s always been there for me and always supported me, no matter what.”
Nearly the last decade of Shelby football has been defined by the brothers Bowman. It hasn’t just been the numbers, either, but the team-wide success.
“(Blaine and I are) five years apart, so I’d always look up to him, and I just wanted to be like him,” Bowman said. “He’s always helped me with film, making my routes better, everything.”
Shelby improves to 2-0 on the year, in no small part to Bowman.
Brady Bowman may not have any more records to break when his time in the Whippets uniform is over, but with at least 10 more games to play, chances are he’ll hold those records for a while.
(Photos by Justice Wheeler)
