Thirty seasons of postgame speeches didn’t suitably prepare Eric Moore for the one he delivered Saturday afternoon.
Normally not one to be emotionally stonewalled by personal milestones, the Center Grove coach continued to get choked up while addressing his team after its 27-18 victory over visiting Lawrence Central.
It marked the 300th career win for Moore, a successful coach in Florida for five years before moving north to take the Trojans’ post in 1999.
Five state championships, three runner-up finishes and 18 sectional titles later, Moore’s program is viewed as one of the state’s unquestioned bluebloods from the varsity down to Center Grove’s bantam league.
And yet despite so much success, eye contact with his players didn’t come easy Saturday for the coach who is now 300-82 in his two stints combined.
“Yeah, this is tough,” said Moore, wiping away tears. “Three hundred is a football coach’s goal. If you get to 300 wins, you’ve accomplished something, probably. That included my kids from Florida, which was such a big part.
“This week has been terrible because everybody wants to talk about it. It’s like a championship game … it’s okay to have a party if you win. This is just the combination of so many kids who have sacrificed.”
Ranked fifth in Class 6A, the Trojans (5-1) struggled to shake the Bears (2-4) throughout much of the game.
Center Grove clung to a 17-12 halftime lead after the defense stuffed LC junior running back Al Gooden for no gain at the Trojans’ 2 as time expired. The potential go-ahead sequence was set up by a targeting call on the Trojans with 0:06 showing on the clock after junior quarterback Terry Walker III threw a 28-yard completion over the middle to receiver Dalen Lewis, who managed to hang onto the football despite the hard hit.
Center Grove scored first on quarterback Gabe McWilliams’ 33-yard touchdown pass to Brevin Holubar, a perfect drop in the bucket at 8:51 of the opening period as Holubar was being shadowed every step downfield by a Bears defender.
Lawrence Central cut it to 7-6 at 3:55 of the second on Walker’s 14-yard strike to senior wideout Hezekiah Williams. The Trojans immediately struck back on the ensuing play, an 88-yarder from McWilliams to Holubar — a play aided by an LC defender falling down.
With 18.3 seconds left before intermission, CG kicker Dallas Cornpropst split the uprights on a 28-yard field goal attempt from the left hash mark for the five-point cushion.
A 24-yarder by Cornpropst at 2:27 of the third proved to be the lone points of that period. The Bears responded with a touchdown on Walker’s 20-yard pass to a wide-open Lewis early in the fourth to trim the lead to 20-18.
Center Grove immediately responded, covering 66 yards in only four plays. McWilliams’ touchdown throw to junior tight end Dominick Barry with 9:31 remaining concluded the scoring.
From there, it was a matter of the defense making plays.
Senior defensive back Conner Riley intercepted Walker on the ensuing series; senior tackle Donte Robinson sacked Walker for a 7-yard loss on first down during what proved to be LC’s final possession.
Shortly thereafter, Moore was handed the game ball.
“It was important for us because he’s pretty much our dad. We spend so much time with him,” said the sure-handed Holubar, who had five catches for 141 yards and the two scores. “It’s important for us. It’s important to him.”
Since the Bears knocked off Center Grove in a 2012 semistate on their way to their lone state title, the Trojans have won 11 of 12 meetings by a combined score of 486-178.
“We know how much hard work (Moore) puts into all of us on this team,” said sophomore receiver Drake McClurg, who made three catches for 81 yards in Saturday’s win. “It’s good to be on the team to see him reach this milestone. It’s good to see him get congratulated for all that he does. He’s been here forever. He’s changed this program around. It’s a blessing to have him on our side.”
Center Grove travels to Marian University in Week 7 to face 6A No. 7 Cathedral.
