There are worse places to break the seal on a head coaching career than Faught Stadium on the campus of Franklin College.
Worse outcomes, too.
The much-anticipated Casey Gillin era at Indian Creek began Friday night with the Braves scoring a 37-25 victory over visiting Batesville.
Gillin, a 2003 Indian Creek graduate who quarterbacked what were perhaps two of the most high-powered offenses in school history, couldn’t have been happier for those wearing red, white and blue.
“You know what? I’m just happy for Indian Creek and our community,” Gillin said. “Our guys have been working together, and I’m out here with all my buddies. It’s fun to win, that’s what I know.”
The game was originally scheduled to take place at Indian Creek. However, a delay in the installation of new field turf forced athletic director Derek Perry to seek a new location. Franklin College stepped up, and the Braves proceeded to make themselves at home.
The new playing surface is expected to be ready when Indian Creek plays its next home game Sept. 9 against Brown County, according to Perry.
Gillin’s squad led at halftime, 13-6, with both touchdowns scored by running back Jalen Sauer. The junior’s 2-yard TD run 61 seconds into the game was set up by sophomore Malachi Mink’s 44-yard kickoff return and a 41-yard pass from quarterback Arjun Lothe to freshman Jaxon Ramey.
Mink’s return was the perfect kick-start.
“Huge,” Gillin said. “We knew we had a shot, just because I’ve known in the past that it’s worked over the years. And I know our two guys back there, Gerson (Coroa) and Malachi Mink can roll. And our guys up front gave them a set spot to run, and it was out the gate.”
Batesville responded by marching 62 yards in nine plays to tie the score at 6-6. Sophomore quarterback Will Jaisle handled the honors with a 2-yard run of his own at 5:58 of the first quarter.
Another excellent Mink return, this one covering 48 yards, put Indian Creek in prime real estate once again at the Batesville 40. Three plays is all it took for Lothe to find Sauer in the right flat for what amounted to a 21-yard score.
The game was tied 13-13 early in the third stanza when the Braves shoehorned a whole lot into 17 seconds of clock.
Lothe’s 1-yard sneak gave Indian Creek a 19-13 advantage, followed by the Braves recovering an onside kick. On the very next play, Lothe threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Ramey to basically put the game away.
The left-handed Lothe completed 16 of 25 pass attempts for 231 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for two scores.
“He’s good. He’s an offer kid somewhere,” Gillin said of Lothe. “I hope somebody realizes it for him. Arj had a special day, and we’ve got some things to fix. He knows it, but he was calm all day.”
The Braves look to end a seven-game losing skid to county rival Greenwood when they play there on Friday.
Senior right guard Daniel Foster is among the many Indian Creek players who can’t wait to see what’s in store the rest of this season.
“It’s great to give back to the community,” Foster said. “These last two years have been rough for countless reasons. Going 3-8 last season and having the first losing season in a long time … it hurt. But we’re coming back. The Creek is rising.
“Like coach said, it’s fun to win. It’s fun to be here, it’s fun to go to practice, and I look forward to it every day.”
