Indian Creek football steamrolls Crispus Attucks

<p>INDIANAPOLIS</p><p>In a game that started in a steady rain and included slippery conditions all night, Indian Creek’s football team took full advantage Friday, and Crispus Attucks struggled to adapt to the elements.</p><p>The visiting Braves scored three defensive touchdowns and added another score one play after a fumble recovery, which was more than enough to eliminate the host Tigers and cruise to a 51-12 Class 3A sectional first-round victory at Arsenal Tech.</p><p>The win advances Indian Creek (6-4) to next Friday’s semifinal, where it will host Indianapolis Manual (4-4). Attucks’ season ended at 6-4.</p><p>Bryce Smith, Reid Crowell and Vinny Greene all scored defensive touchdowns. Smith’s 20-yard interception return with 4:09 remaining in the first quarter gave the Braves a 16-0 lead. Crowell’s 80-yard fumble return extended the lead to 22-0 with 1:24 left in the first period, and Greene’s 12-yard fumble return on the second play from scrimmage in the second half built the Braves’ lead to 37-6.</p><p>Indian Creek scored another touchdown indirectly off a turnover. Brett Barger’s fumble recovery late in the third quarter set up Crowell’s 17-yard touchdown pass from Isaiah Lacey to round out the Braves’ scoring and give them a 51-6 lead with 2:04 remaining in the quarter.</p><p>“Our defense was in the backfield and showed up in the right spots,” Indian Creek coach Brett Cooper said. “We weren’t on the field offensively at all (figuratively speaking) in the first half. (Crispus Attucks) has shifty kids and speed all over the field.”</p><p>Crispus Attucks actually outgained Indian Creek in yardage, 305-297, but the four turnovers that led to touchdowns made yardage stats completely irrelevant. An Ashley Otis 80-yard touchdown run for Crispus Attucks with 9:28 to play after the game went to a running clock also skewed those numbers a bit.</p><p>“We haven’t seen speed like that in a couple of weeks,” Cooper said of the Tigers. “It was kind of a shock for our kids at first, but then we settled in and played.”</p><p>When Indian Creek’s offense did have the ball, it moved downfield just fine. Lacey ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more, accounting for all of the Braves’ offensive touchdowns. He finished with 107 passing yards, completing 5 of 8 passes, and he ran for 97 yards on just 10 carries.</p><p>Crowell and Aaron Hart were the recipients of Lacey’s touchdown passes. Hart’s reception was a beautiful 22-yard fade in the right corner of the end zone that built Indian Creek’s lead to 44-6 with 3:10 remaining in the third quarter.</p>