Center Grove led visiting Lawrence North 14-13 at halftime, but the Trojans were fortunate to own that edge, given the Wildcats’ yardage advantage and a missed field goal just before the half ended.
In the third quarter, Center Grove re-asserted itself with a long touchdown drive and a defensive stop, and the Trojans controlled the game from there.
A 15-play, 71-yard drive ate up more than half of the third quarter. Then, Center Grove’s defense authored a three-and-out. The Trojans scored touchdowns on their next two possessions and cruised from there to a 35-21 Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference victory.
“We wanted to take care of the ball, no matter how long it takes, be simple, be pure, be powerful, get a score and eat some clock,” Center Grove coach Eric Moore said of the second half’s opening drive. “We wanted to put the pressure on them. It was vital in the game, because when you get in that space, coaches tend to get either way too conservative or way too crazy. It’s a great situation for you in a high school football game.”
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryThe second half-opening drive was vintage Center Grove football, and perfect for a raw, wet, blustery night. None of the Trojans’ 15 plays on the drive went for longer than 12 yards, and all 15 were runs.
Center Grove didn’t attempt a pass all night. Thanks in large part to Daniel Weems and the Trojans’ offensive line, they didn’t have to.
Weems rushed for 241 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries. His longest run, a 56-yard jaunt up the middle with 1:31 remaining in the third quarter, extended Center Grove’s lead to 28-13 and came three plays after the Trojans’ defense forced its first three-and-out of the game.
“Our running backs are a little smaller and a little lighter with Carson (Steele) out, so it’s a little harder to get those 10-, 20-yard runs, but Daniel Weems has really come on and (Brandon) Wheat (71 yards on eight carries with a touchdown) came in the game and broke off some good speed,” Moore said. “We’ve got a good little counter change-up going on right now, and we’re happy we have that.”
It was a different story in the first half. Lawrence North (2-6, 0-6) outgained Center Grove 245-140 yards on the ground, but still trailed by one at the half. The Trojans (4-4, 4-3) forced the Wildcats to settle for two field goals after each of their first two drives stalled inside the 10-yard line. LN also missed a field goal just before halftime that would have given the Wildcats the lead.
Lawrence North’s Bishr Jones rushed for 122 yards on just 11 carries in the first quarter, but managed just six yards the rest of the game. Center Grove outgained the Wildcats 241-106 yards in the second half.
In addition to Weems and Wheat, Connor Delp added 70 yards on just 10 carries. Defensively, Austin Booker had two of the Trojans’ three sacks.
After an 0-3 start, during which Center Grove lost to Class 6A No. 4 Warren Central, Class 5A No. 1 New Palestine and Carmel, the Trojans have now won three straight and four of their last five.
“If you can win three in a row with our schedule, it’s outstanding, especially with this young a team and a team that’s been decimated by injuries,” Moore said.
Center Grove ends regular season play next Friday against Class 5A No. 3 Cathedral.
