Reigning Class 5-A state champion Indianapolis Cathedral opened the 49th annual IHSAA football state tournament Friday night with a 56-0 win over Terre Haute North at Arlington Middle School. The Irish jumped out to a 42-0 halftime lead, triggering the Mercy Rule so that the second half was played under a running clock.
After Ben Gomez kicked two field goals in the first five minutes of the game, Danny O’Neil completed a 34-yard scoring pass to Michael Page, which gave the Irish a 13-0 lead halfway through the first quarter. Rushing touchdowns of 30 yards by O’Neil and 49 yards by Seth Mencer made the score 27-0 late in the first period.
On the first play of the second quarter, O’Neil tossed a 22-yard scoring pass to Jaron Tibbs. Daniel Hughes caught a 28-yard TD pass from O’Neil to conclude the first-half scoring. In the second half, Patrick Mazur threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Samuel Bridges before scoring himself on a 6-yard run.
O’Neil completed 7 of 13 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns. He is now the 8th player in school history to pass for more than 2,000 yards (2,058) in a single season. The Irish defense held the Patriots to 20 total yards and just two first downs, while creating three turnovers. It’s the fourth game this season that Cathedral kept the opponent scoreless.
Cathedral (9-1) will host Plainfield (4-5) next Friday at the University of Indianapolis in a Class 5-A Sectional 13 semifinal game. The Fighting Irish have a 7-1 all-time record against the Quakers in sectional play.