Page 38 - 2016-17 Football State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review

Lafayette Central Catholic’s Defense Helps Deliver State Championship

Lafayette Central Catholic’s offense entered the Class A a 7-0 lead. Denhart and Fusiek hooked again in the second
state championship game averaging 53.4 points per game, quarter on a 36-yard pass that set up Yeagy’s 3-yard scor-
but it was the top-ranked Knights’ defense that made the ing run.
biggest statement in a 34-7 win against No. 3 Linton- Sam Milazzo added a 25-yard field goal midway
Stockton. The win was LCC’s through the second quarter that gave the
seventh football state title. Knights a 17-0 lead. But Linton put together
LCC shut down a Miners’ a 13-play, 90-yard drive just before the
offense averaging 524 yards end of the first half – aided by 35 yards in
and more than 54 points a LCC penalties – to close the gap to 17-7.
game. Linton managed just 168 Tyler Meurer capped the drive with a 7-yard
total yards – 114 on the ground, scoring toss to Jacob Clothier with just 13
324 below its season average. seconds left in the half.
Offensively, the Knights Milazzo added a 23-yard field in
finished with 375 yards. the third quarter, and the Knights put the
Brandon Yeagy ran for three game away with an eight-play, 48-yard drive
touchdowns, quarterback Avery capped by Yeagy’s 1-yard score with 7:40
Denhart threw for 193 yards – to go in the game. Yeagy would tack on
hitting Luke Fusiek four times another score with 3:05 remaining following
for 130 – and Jackson Anthrop an LCC interception inside Linton territory.
ran for 149 yards. Meurer threw for 54 yards, ran
Denhart hit a wide-open for 33 more and was in on five tackles. The
Fusiek for a 63-yard scoring Miners were making their first state finals
pass on the Knights’ fifth play appearance.
from scrimmage that gave LCC

Monrovia Earns First State Championship in any Sport

The No. 3 Bulldogs used a punishing running game and and 407.7 yards per game but managed just 236 yards
a staunch defense to pull away from No. 5 Whiting 33-6. against the Bulldogs. On five second-half possessions,
Monrovia ran for 373 yards and shut down Whiting’s high- Whiting gained just 83 yards and turned the ball over three
octane offense. times.
The Oilers came into the finals averaging 37.9 points Dalton Smith got the Bulldogs started quickly, taking
a handoff on the second offensive play of the game and
racing 76 yards for a touchdown. Smith finished with a
game-high 167 rushing yards.
Whiting countered with its own 52-yard scoring
drive, but the Oilers missed the extra-point try. Monrovia
answered, driving 64 yards on 11 plays and finishing with
Jaden Rhea’s 8-yard scamper into the end zone.
With 1:39 left in the first half, Whiting quarterback Stu-
art Glasgow drove the Oilers down the field, but on fourth
down at the Monrovia 24, Glasgow’s pass fell incomplete to
end the threat.
On the first offensive play of the third quarter, Monro-
via’s Jeremiah Welty forced and then recovered a fumble at
the Whiting 41. Eight plays later, Smith dashed into the end
zone from two yards out to push the lead to 21-6.
Rhea, who rushed for 122 yards, added an 18-yard
touchdown in the fourth quarter after the Bulldogs stopped
Whiting on downs. Monrovia quarterback John Williams
closed out the scoring with a 3-yard run following teammate
Clay Starnes’ 51-yard interception return midway through
the fourth.
Glasgow threw for 137 yards and ran for 63 for Whiting.
Monrovia finished with 0 passing yards in the game, the
eighth time that has happened in a state championship

38 44th Annual IHSAA State Football Tournament is proudly presented by the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS.