Josiah Smith booted a 38-yard field goal with :07 left to lift Western Boone to a thrilling, 36-35 win over Fort Wayne Bishop Luers in the Class 2A championship game Friday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The Stars (11-4) scored 10 points in the final 1:36 of the contest to overcome a 35-26 deficit and claim their third-straight state title and 18th consecutive tournament victory.
The back-and-forth contest featured plenty of offense as the teams combined for 795 yards and 43 first downs in addition to the 71 points.
Luers (8-7) held a 21-13 lead at halftime. Behind the passing of quarterback Carson Clark, the Knights were able to take advantage of two WEBO turnovers to build the nine-point lead after Clark connected for his second touchdown pass to Krashaun Menson (a 7-yarder) with 3:38 left.
Coach Justin Pelley’s Stars used a ball-control rushing attack to sustain their offense. Fullback Robby Taylor, who had a state-record 43 carries in the game, scored on a 1-yard run with 1:36 left to pull WEBO within 35-33.
A failed onside kick seemed to spell doom for the Stars, but the defense came up with a three-and-out and forced a punt. Western Boone benefitted from a kick-catch interference penalty to give it a first down at its 46 with :39 left. Five plays later, Luers was flagged for pass interference giving the Stars a first down at the Knights’ 21. Smith, the son of former Colts punter Hunter Smith, came on to boot the game-winner.
Taylor finished with 210 yards and two scores, while Clark completed 17-of-21 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns. Glenn Brody caught six of those passes for 171 yards and a 78-yard touchdown.
Western Boone’s Luke Marsh earns the Blake Ress Mental Attitude Award
During the awards ceremony, Luke Marsh of Western Boone High School was announced by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the recipient of the Blake Ress Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A Football.
The award is annually presented to a senior who is nominated by his principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability during his four years of high school.
He is the son of Kyle and Danette Marsh of Lebanon. He plans to attend either Marian, DePauw, or Indiana Wesleyan but is undecided on what he will study.
The award is named in honor of Commissioner Emeritus Blake Ress, who served as the IHSAA’s seventh commissioner from 2000-11.
The Indianapolis Colts, a corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Western Boone High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Luke Marsh.
Class A
Gage Coffey’s 34-yard touchdown run and subsequent extra-point kick by Jackson Brough provided the difference for Covenant Christian in a frantic 41-40 triumph over South Adams Saturday.
The teams combined for 1,019 yards of offense, including a record 480 yards passing for South Adams quarterback James Arnold.
Neither team had any state titles in any sport and the only meeting of the weekend featuring two undefeated teams. Covenant Christian finished 15-0. South Adams winds up 13-1.
Class 3A
The most-successful programs in state history added to its cache of championship trophies as Chatard rolled to a 42-14 win over Danville Saturday.
Using a balanced offense and a smothering defense, the Trojans claimed the school’s 15th state championship — two more than anyone else — in their 16th appearance all time. The appearances matches three other schools for the best in state history.
Chatard finished 13-1. Danville ended 11-1.
Class 4A
Roncalli quarterback Aiden Leffler threw five touchdown passes on his team’s first six drives to lead his team to a 49-7 win Friday over Hobart.
Leffler finished 12 of 16 passing for 200 yards and the five scores — which tied a 4A championship game record without being intercepted.
Roncalli finishes 13-1. Hobart ended 11-3.
Class 5A
A record-setting performance by quarterback Nathan McCahill lifted Cathedral to a 46-28 win over Zionsville Saturday night.
McCahill completed a Class 5A game-record 27 passes, attempting 35, and running up 322 yards and a 5A record-tying five touchdowns.
Cathedral was making its state-best-tying 16th appearance in the finals and the victory gives it the 13th championship in program history — second-best in the state behind Chatard’s 15 titles.
Cathedral finished 13-1. Zionsville wound up 7-6.
Class 6A
A year after falling a step short of the Class 6A championship, Center Grove completed its climb to the top with a convincing 38-14 win over Westfield Friday night.
Center Grove, which finished 14-0, roared to a 38-7 lead at halftime. Westfield ended 12-2.