Indianapolis Cathedral won its first high school football game in 1919. Friday night, in its 103rd season, the school with the most wins in the state of Indiana notched its 750th victory, a dominating 37-0 defeat of Penn at Arlington. The Class 5A top-rated, and undefeated, Fighting Irish scored on five of their six possessions, while the Irish defense limited the Kingsmen to 115 total yards and just seven first downs.
Cathedral took the opening kickoff and marched 74 yards in six plays. Quarterback Danny O’Neil finished the drive with an 8-yard rushing touchdown. Penn’s first drive ended with a failed punt attempt, giving the Irish the ball, first and goal, at the 8-yard line. Cathedral turned the ball over for the first time this season on the next play, losing a fumble at the 2-yard-line. One play later, Michael Greene tackled Penn running back Zachary Lane in the end zone for a safety.
Carson Johnson’s 4-yard rushing touchdown later in the opening quarter extended Cathedral’s lead to 16-0. O’Neil took to the air in the second quarter, completing an 11-yard touchdown pass the Jaron Tibbs, an end-around push pass to Tazz Garrett for a 2-yard score, and a 54-yard scoring strike to Tibbs.
With the Irish leading 37-0 at halftime, the second half was played under a running clock per the IHSAA’s Mercy Rule. Cathedral played its reserves for the final 24 minutes and neither team challenged to change the score in the last two quarters.
O’Neil completed 20 of 22 passes in the first half for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Tibbs caught nine passes for 148 yards and two scores, giving him 100 or more yards receiving in each of the first three games this season.
The Fighting Irish will host rival Bishop Chatard at Arlington Middle School next Friday. The Trojans are still looking for their first win this season after losses to Brebeuf Jesuit, Warren Central, and Roncalli. Cathedral has won 14 of the last 16 meetings between the two schools including a 39-20 win last season at Chatard.