Scecina Memorial Falls Short of Football State Title

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By Damani Dickerson

For VYPE Magazine

Indianapolis Scecina Memorial High School fell one victory short in its run for its first state football title since 1991.

Throughout the tournament the Crusaders (11-4) were dominant, averaging 37.6 points per game while only allowing 7.6 points per game, until they ran into two-time defending state champions Lafayette Central Catholic (15-0). 

The No.1 Knights defeated the No.10 Crusaders 38-7 in the Class A state championship game Friday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“It’s been a great year and there’s no embarrassment getting beat by this team. We’re one of two teams that got here and we’re very proud of that,” Scecina head coach Ott Hurrle said following the game. “We got here and we hadn’t been here for 20 years, so that’s an honor.”

In order to win Scecina knew they would have to find an answer for Lafayette Catholic Central leading rusher and receiver, star running back Danny Anthrop. The Purdue-bound Anthrop made it very apparent early on that the Crusaders didn’t have one.

“Danny got off to a great start. He’s obviously a great football player,” Lafayette Catholic Central head coach Kevin O’Shea said. “The ability for us to run the ball was the difference; our kids up front did a great job.”

After forcing Scecina to a three-and-out on their initial possession, Lafayette Central Catholic took over on their own 20. On the Knights fourth play from scrimmage Anthrop took senior quarterback Austin Munn’s pitch 68 yards to score his first touchdown of the game.

Early in the second quarter, Anthrop scored his second touchdown of the game on a one-yard plunge that capped a 16-play, 99-yard drive by the Knights that put them ahead 14-0.

"We put some hits on him, but couldn't get him down,” junior defensive back Thomas Allgood said. “He runs hard and breaks a lot of tackles. Once he made that long run, we got our heads down and they kept coming at us, play after play.”

A few minutes later on first-and-10 Munn hit junior receiver Timmy Mills on a 40-yard play-action touchdown pass.

To end the half junior running back Brad Schrader finished a six-play, 63-yard scoring drive with a five-yard touchdown run to put his team ahead 28-0 with 13 seconds left in the second quarter. Lafayette Central Catholic scored on all four of its first-half possessions. 

Anthrop’s final score of the evening came on a 41-yard touchdown run with 7:40 left in the third. He finished with 256 yards on 23 carries.

“That’s why I’ve been calling him anthrax all week long, he’s good. We thought we had a good game plan of keeping him in.” said Hurrle, who is in his 20^th season at Scecina. “His feet never stopped. He made things happen when things weren’t really there initially for him.”

The Crusaders only score of the evening came on junior quarterback Robert Rennick’s 33-yard pass to senior receiver Matt Deering with under a minute left to play in regulation.

The win marked the 45th straight victory for Lafayette Central Catholic and gave the Knights their third consecutive undefeated season and state title. The Knights made history becoming the first team to accomplish the feat since the introduction of the state tournament in 1973.

“It will sink in here eventually. You don’t think about that kind of stuff three years ago.” O’Shea said when asked about the significance of making history. “I think this is going to be something five or ten years down the road when these kids come back to visit. It will be something no one can take away from them.”

 

                                                  1st   2nd   3rd   4^th   FINAL

Lafayette Central Catholic              7      21      7      3   -   38 

Scecina Memorial                           0       0      0      7   -    7

 

First Quarter

LCC -- Danny Anthrop 68 run (Matt Bouggy kick)

Second Quarter

LCC -- Anthrop 1 run (Bouggy kick)

LCC -- Timmy Mills 40 pass from Austin Munn (Bouggy kick)

LCC -- Brad Schrader 5 run (Bouggy kick)

Third Quarter

LCC -- Anthrop 41 run (Bouggy kick)

Fourth Quarter

LCC -- FG Bouggy 30

S -- Matt Deering 3 pass from Robert Rennick (Ryan Frain kick)