Class 6A second-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral opened the 2022 high school football season Friday night with a 43-12 victory at Lafayette Jefferson. The Fighting Irish defense forced three turnovers and scored a safety in the first half as Cathedral jumped out to a 22-0 first quarter lead on the way to a fifth consecutive season-opening victory.
Cathedral’s Kyuss Gargett intercepted a Jeff pass on the first play of the game. Eight plays later, Brennan Wooten carried a Danny O’Neil push pass five yards into the end zone for a touchdown. The Irish started their next offensive possession at the Bronchos’ 4-yard line after a failed Jeff punt attempt. On the next snap, Wooten scored again on the same play from O’Neil.
Later in the opening quarter, Michael Jones' interception gave Cathedral the ball at the Jeff 22-yard line. Four plays later, O’Neil ran five yards for a touchdown. The Irish defense tackled the Jeff punter in the end zone for a safety on the next Bronchos' possession to make the score 22-0 heading to the second period.
The Bronchos scored midway through the second quarter, but Cathedral answered with a 65-yard scoring drive, which ended an O’Neil’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Samuel Bridges. O’Neil connected with Wooten for a third TD pass in the second half and Collin Ayers scored on a 9-yard run for the final margin.
O’Neil completed 15 of 25 passes for 160 yards. Wooten caught eight passes for 71 yards, giving him more than 1,000 career receiving yards in 39 games played. Jaron Tibbs had three receptions to become the fifth player in Cathedral history to catch 100 or more career passes. The Irish defense held Lafayette Jeff to just 104 yards of total offense, 48 yards rushing and 56 yards passing.
Cathedral is now 9-7 all-time against Lafayette Jeff in a series that began in 1922. The Fighting Irish travel to Brownsburg next Friday. The Bulldogs defeated Ben Davis on the road, 21-16, to open the season Friday night. Cathedral is 5-1 all-time against Brownsburg, defeating the Bulldogs, 20-7, a year ago.