Page 38 - 2017-18 Football State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review

After 106 Years, Linton-Stockton Celebrates Another State Championship

A year after walking off the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Linton-Stockton took a 6-0 lead midway through the first
the wrong end of a 34-7 score, Linton-Stockton walked off quarter when Cody Corbin’s blocked punt, recovered by
as champs this time. teammate Garrett Mason at the Pioneer 13, set up Meurer’s
1-yard TD. A missed extra point made the score 6-0.
The second-ranked Miners, who lost to Lafayette Central
Catholic in the 2015 Class A Pioneer came back to tie the game at 6
final, downed No. 3 Pioneer 34- early in the second quarter on Kiser’s 8-yard
20, riding the legs and arm of touchdown pass to Nate Johnson. The Pan-
senior quarterback Tyler Meurer thers drove 65 yards in 10 plays, converting
to the win. Accounting for all two third downs in the process.
five of his teams touchdowns,
Meurer led the Miners (15-0) But the Miners would strike back late in
on back-to-back scoring drives the half to take the lead. Meurer hit William
after Pioneer (14-1) had taken Smith on a short sideline pass that Smith
a 20-19 lead with 11:45 left in was able to turn into a 53-yard score,
the game on quarterback Jack spinning around one defender to get into
Kiser’s 1-yard run. the clear and outrun the rest of the Panther
defense. Luke Wilson’s extra point gave the
Meurer ran for 158 yards and Miners a 13-6 advantage. The teams would
four scores, and threw for 95 exchange third-quarter touchdowns before
yards and a touchdown. His Pioneer took its first lead of the game early
5-yard run, and two-point con- in the fourth quarter on Kiser’s score.
version, with 6:41 left capped
a 59-yard drive and gave the Kiser finished the game with 153 yards
Miners a 27-20 lead. The passing and 102 rushing, accounting for
Miners then forced a fumble at three touchdowns. His 76-yard completion to
the Pioneer 31, and eight plays Nick Barkas early in the fourth quarter broke
later Meurer went in from a yard the Class A finals record for longest pass
out to clinch the win. It was the play and longest play from scrimmage.
first football state title for the
Miners and Head Coach Brian Pioneer, coached by first-year leader Adam
Oliver. Berry, was trying for its first football title
since 1997.
Ritter Raiders claim 5th State Championship Trophy
Cardinal Ritter’s first appearance at Lucas Oil Stadium this with 34 seconds left to fall to Monrovia 18-17. But back in
season was a far cry from the Raiders’ return 14 games downtown Indianapolis the day after Thanksgiving, Ritter
later. (11-4) jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and
went on to down Eastbrook 28-6 in the Class 2A final. It
In their season opener, the Raiders gave up a touchdown was the Raiders’ fifth football state title and first since 2013,
and gave Ritter a 12-game win streak to end the season.
It was the third title for the Raiders under 11th year coach
Ty Hunt.
Wide receiver Brad Bacon, on his first carry of the season,
went around the left side for a 72-yard scoring run just 19
seconds into the game. His 55-yard catch and run in the
second quarter set up Raider quarterback Diomoni Small’s
4-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Price that gave Ritter a 21-0
lead at the half.
In between those two scores, Small hooked up with Trevor
Browder on a 14-yard touchdown pass with 2:49 left in the
first quarter. Small finished with 203 yards passing and
another 45 rushing, helping the Raiders amass 411 yards
of total offense.
Eastbrook closed within 21-6 on a 60-yard touchdown pass
from Jackson Liddick to Andrew Barajas with 8:16 left in the
game. But the Raider defense came up with an interception
and a fourth-down stop the rest of the way – the second
setting up a 24-yard touchdown run from Avery Hall with
1:07 remaining. Hall finished with 86 yards on the ground to
end the season with 2,009.
Eastbrook, which took home a runner-up appearance in 2A
in 2004, finished 13-2 under head coach Jeff Adamson. The
Panthers tied a Class 2A record with seven punts.
38 45th Annual IHSAA State Football Tournament is proudly presented by the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS.