INDIANAPOLIS
Center Grove’s offense ran 23 fewer plays than host Lawrence North on Friday. When you average 10 yards a play, though, things have a way of balancing out.
The Trojans were a picture of efficiency, defeating the host Wildcats, 38-17. The win improved Center Grove to 5-2 in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference and extend its win streak in the series to 13 games.
Lawrence North, coached by former Trojans assistant Patrick Mallory, dropped to 2-6 overall and 0-6 in the MIC.
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“I think we’ve improved this season. We’re still battling injuries, and we have to put ourselves back together with that,” Center Grove coach Eric Moore said. “We met competition tonight. This is a good football team. Pike last week was a good football team.
“All these teams we’re playing are good football teams. We’re just finding a way to win now with big plays and trying not to give them more big plays than we make.”
The Trojans rushed for 370 yards, led by sophomore Carson Steele’s 249 on only 18 carries. Senior Charlie Ogega carried eight times for 75 yards and Gavin Matheson five times for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Senior defensive tackle Brian Gaffney played the best game of his career, with three sacks and a first-half touchdown on a 5-yard run.
“I really think it’s our intensity in practice. The past few weeks it’s really increased and it’s just the fun we’re having overall,” Gaffney said. “For me, everything was feeling good, especially in the second half. All my moves were working and coach D (defensive coordinator Chad Daniels) was calling some good pressures.
“It all came together well.”
The Wildcats ran 71 offensive plays to Center Grove’s 48. However, the Trojans’ defense mostly kept Lawrence North between the 20-yard lines all evening.
“I thought in the second half our defense came out and said, ‘OK, we got kicked in the lip. Let’s get it back,’” Moore said. “Our defense in the second half was amazing.”
Center Grove finished the first half with 231 total yards on only 18 snaps from scrimmage, an average of 12.8 yards per play.
The Trojans’ first offensive series covered 52 yards in seven plays — Steele runs accounting for all but eight yards — with Gaffney crashing into the end zone from 5 yards out for a 7-0 lead.
Lawrence North got a 24-yard field goal from senior Connor Benson with just under a minute remaining in the first period.
Up 21-10 at the half, Center Grove pitched a shutout in the second half, scoring touchdowns on a 52-yard Steele run and Matheson’s 13-yarder at 7:01 of the fourth period. Senior P.J. Buck finished the scoring with a 20-yard field goal late.
The Trojans are back home Friday to celebrate Senior Night against Cathedral.