INDIANAPOLIS
The only downside to having a shot at payback is waiting for it.
Center Grove had nearly 10 months to continue its slow boil over last season’s Class 6A semistate loss at Ben Davis in overtime, so on Friday night the Trojans did something about it.
With the offense, defense and special teams all getting into the act, the state’s sixth-ranked team in 6A rolled to a 42-19 victory.
“Coming into this game, we definitely wanted that revenge,” said CG senior receiver Tristan Baxter, who finished with four catches for 46 yards and a touchdown. “Ever since last year’s game, we’ve been working hard for this game.
“We just came out here and got the win not only for our teams, but our fans as well.”
In the game’s final minutes, those same fans could be seen holding signs carrying the No. 250, which served as a tribute to 26th-year Trojans coach Eric Moore and his 250-77 record at Center Grove.
Afterward, the coach was more about his team’s fast start than personal milestones.
“It’s special to win any game. To beat Ben Davis at Ben Davis is always hard,” Moore said. “Great-fought game. Two good football programs. A lot of kids on both sides made a lot of big plays tonight.
“I’m just blessed. I’m happy. This team really came out and played tonight. That was our goal, to get out and play really hard in the first quarter and make some plays.”
Center Grove jumped out to a 21-0 advantage in the opening period before the Giants, utilizing their athleticism, made enough plays to make things interesting — for a while.
The Trojans took a 28-13 lead into the locker room at halftime courtesy of Brevin Holubar’s special teams gem, a pair of Gabe McWilliams TD tosses and a 5-yard run up the middle by senior running back Austin Hennessy.
Center Grove, which at times appeared as though it do the unthinkable by forcing a running clock on the defending state champion, gave up a touchdown on the final play of the second quarter — a 22-yard slant pass from Joe Goss to a wide-open Alijah Price, the Giants’ top running back.
Prior to that, the Trojans proved efficient on both sides of the ball as well as in the return game.
Holubar took the game’s opening kickoff at his own 21, located daylight along the left side and was off to the races for a quick 7-0 lead only 12 seconds in.
Ben Davis was moving the football on the ensuing series, marching to the Trojans’ 25, before Vinny Hayes intercepted the ball on first down, returning it 21 yards to his team’s 42.
Seven plays later, McWilliams and Baxter hooked up for an 11-yard score and a quick 14-0 spread. After another CG defensive stop, McWilliams arched a perfect pass over the middle to sophomore Drake McClurg, who caught it in stride at the Giants’ 26 and dashed into the end zone for a 61-yard TD.
With eight seconds remaining in the first, Ben Davis scored on Anthony Stapleton’s 9-yard touchdown catch. The Trojans countered with a 70-yard drive in 10 plays capped by Hennessy’s score 7:12 before halftime.
Ben Davis closed to 28-19 in the third, but TD runs of 1 and 7 yards by McClurg sealed the victory.
McWilliams finished 13 of 21 through the air for 227 yards; Hennessy led the Trojans’ ground attack with 18 carries for 63 yards. Defensively, CG intercepted Goss on four occasions.
“We wanted to get started fast in the first quarter,” McWilliams said. “We knew they had great athletes, so they could come back, which we saw them do a few times. It feels great, just coming back here where we got our hearts broke and having a good game.”
Center Grove is back home in Week 5 against Trotwood-Madison (Ohio).
