INDIANAPOLIS
Center Grove’s pattern of close games against Warren Central continued in dramatic fashion on Friday night.
Unfortunately for the Class 6A No. 2 Trojans, they came up short, losing their season opener 21-14.
Senior quarterback Cobe Moore connected with Eli Price, capping a 91-yard drive kept alive by a pair of questionable 15-yard penalties against the Center Grove defense. The first was a personal foul on the Trojans after it appeared they stopped the Warriors on third down deep in their own territory.
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Moore’s TD pass came with 2:50 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Afterward, Trojans coach Eric Moore chose to focus on how hard both teams played.
“The kids hustled hard tonight. Both teams played so hard. For it to come down to the ball not being able to be snapped, that’s tough for high school kids to swallow,” Moore said. “Credit Warren Central. Another great football game over here, and it always comes down to the end.”
Led by sophomore quarterback Tayven Jackson, Center Grove’s final offensive series started at its 25 with 56 seconds remaining. Jackson completed five consecutive passes and was aided by a personal foul on the Warriors.
A run by Jackson advanced it to the Warren 6, but the clock expired as Trojan players hustled to get back into position.
The final score marked the eighth time in the last dozen Center Grove-Warren Central games the final point differential was seven or fewer points. Warren Central holds a slim 7-5 series lead since the 2012 season despite the Trojans having more points (228-220).
The Trojans played without junior running back Carson Steele, who watched from the sideline in street clothes due to an injury. Picking up the slack were junior Connor Delp with 105 yards rushing, followed by sophomores Mitchell Evans (82) and Daniel Weems (74).
“Tonight, we had to put a bunch of young kids in there and tried to beat them with three or four sophomores,” Moore said. “We had turnovers, missed assignments and stuff like that happens. You have to grow up, and we’ll grow up and get better.”
Center Grove coughed up the football three times in the opening half, the last two preventing the Trojans from possibly opening up a sizable lead. Instead, the visitors clung to a 7-0 advantage at intermission despite rolling up 169 yards of offense compared to the Warriors’ 40.
The Trojans’ first miscue resulted in a touchdown, however, as senior receiver Harrison Luck pounced on the ball in the end zone after Evans fumbled surging for extra yardage at the Warren Central 1.
Luck’s score with nine seconds remaining in the first quarter capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive.
Center Grove fumbled away scoring opportunities in the second period at the Warriors’ 10- and 39-yard lines. The Trojans also had a drive stall at the Warren Central 43 prior to halftime.
Jackson’s debut at quarterback resulted in 10 of 18 passing for 106 yards.
