Indianapolis Cathedral defeated Center Grove in a penalty-filled high school football game Friday night, 14-9, at Arsenal Tech’s Howard Longshore Stadium. The Fighting Irish conclude the regular season with a record of 7-2, while the Trojans fall to 4-5 overall. The all-time series between the two schools is now tied 4-4.
The only score in the first half was a 30-yard second-quarter field goal by Center Grove’s Austin Watson. Watson kicked a 24-yarder in the third quarter to conclude an eight-play, 43-yard drive and improve the Trojans’ lead to 6-0. Irish penalties accounted for 37 of the 43 yards.
Cathedral’s Jake Langdon returned the ensuing kickoff 42 yards to the Center Grove 30-yard line, but an illegal block on the return moved the ball back to the Trojan 45-yard line. On the next play, David Perry made an amazing fingertip catch of an Orin Edwards’ pass and raced into the end zone to give the Irish a 7-6 lead.
Center Grove’s Brandon Wheat returned the Cathedral kickoff 49 yards to the Irish 30-yard line. Four plays later, Watson’s 39-yard field goal put the Trojans ahead 9-7. Another illegal block penalty on the kickoff that followed forced Cathedral to start at its own 7-yard line. Daylen Hall’s electrifying 93-yard run on the next play made the score 14-9.
Watson missed a 32–yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter. Neither team made a serious scoring bid in the fourth quarter. The two teams combined were whistled for 20 penalties that resulted in 227 yards being assessed. The Irish had 12 of those penalties, which included seven personal fouls, totaling 146 yards. Another seven penalties called against the two teams were declined or offset.
Center Grove entered Friday averaging 231 yards rushing per game this season, but the Cathedral defense held the Trojans to just 50 yards on the ground. Hall finished the game with 168 yards on 18 carries. Edwards completed 13 of 26 passes for 139 yards. In doing so, he became the school’s al-time career leader for most completions with 320, moving past Max Bortenschlager who completed 311 passes from 2013 to 2015.
Cathedral has a week off before beginning play in the 47th Indiana High School Athletic Association Football State Tournament. The Fighting Irish will host Terre Haute South in Class 5-A Sectional 13 November 1 at Arsenal Tech. The Braves enter the tournament with a 5-4 record having lost their last three games. Cathedral has not played South since 1996. The Irish have a 9-1 all-time record against the Braves, losing only in 1988.