INDIANAPOLIS — Center Grove sophomore kicker Luke Eckert calmly kicked a career-long 50-yard field goal as time expired in regulation Friday night, tying the Class 6A state championship game at 13-all and forcing OT.
“It felt great to give my team another shot to win the game, but sadly it just didn’t turn out the way we wanted,” Eckert said.
Eckert actually made it twice. His first attempt hit the crossbar and bounced over, but Carmel coach John Hebert had called timeout. Eckert wasn’t bothered.
“I was focused. I was going to hit that thing,” Eckert said.
Russ Yeast had caught an 11-yard pass from Jack Kellams to put the ball on 33 and give Eckert a chance. The Trojans got the timeout — barely — with 1 second left.
“I thought my coach was going to give me a shot to hit that game-tying field goal,” Eckert said. “So I thought we had a chance.”
Eckert’s 50-yard field goal set the Class 6A record, breaking the record of 42 set by Chris Coghlan earlier in the game. This is the fourth year of six classes. The overall record for of 51 was set in 1998 by Cathedral’s Ben Allen.
The fact that Eckert is just a sophomore provides quite a silver lining for the Trojans.
“At least we’ll be able to kick the ball next year,” Moore said.
Tough ‘D’ lifts Greyhounds
Despite committing six turnovers, Carmel was able to stay in the game thanks to its defense, which kept in Center Grove in check much of the night. The Trojans were limited to 217 total yards.
“I can’t say enough about our defense,” Greyhounds coach John Hebert said. “So many guys made unbelievable plays based on effort, just great, great effort. I thought (my players) came in prepared. They really knew what the game plan was and they were ready to execute it. They didn’t give an inch.
“Whatever we gave up, Center Grove earned. We didn’t give up many big plays. They got us on a few.”
Center Grove won the first meeting 19-6, but that game was tied 6-6 until the Trojans scored the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
“We worked really hard all week and knew it was going to be a defensive battle,” said Greyhounds senior defensive lineman Britt Beery, an Indiana University commit. “The first game, we were playing them just as hard until the fourth quarter and we gave it up as a defense.
“We knew we would have to play all four quarters (Friday night). We didn’t want a repeat of what happened in Week 3.”
Key target
Kurt Rafdal, a 6-foot-7 tight end who has also committed to IU, was Carmel quarterback Jake McDonald’s prime target. Rafdal caught eight passes for 82 yards.
Two catches came on successful third downs on the Greyhounds’ lone TD drive in the fourth quarter.
“We just kept saying, ‘Believe, believe,’ ” Rafdal said. “We were in the same position against Ben Davis, down 16 at half. We kept chugging and we got it done.”
