Center Grove football loses regular-season finale

INDIANAPOLIS

Football teams with two of the state’s most difficult regular-season schedules played Friday night at Arsenal Tech.

Cathedral, ranked third in Class 5A, defeated Center Grove, 14-9. But with sectional play right around the corner, both teams will benefit.

The game was dominated by penalty flags, a total of 20 thrown for a total of 227 yards. Cathedral was whistled for an almost unfathomable eight personal-foul penalties. Nonetheless, Trojans coach Eric Moore felt playing another quality opponent is always a positive with the tournament 13 days away.

“Cathedral did a really good job on defense, and in a lot of ways that helps you on offense to figure things out,” Moore said. “We didn’t quit tonight. They took a lot of things away from us physically, and we’ve got to get better.

“Our defense is what really got better tonight. We just give up a couple plays there, and it breaks my heart for those guys. They played so hard. That’s part of high school football and we’ll get better from this. You always get better from your losses if you look at it the right way.”

Center Grove (4-5), which scored on three field goals by junior Austin Watson, opens Class 6A sectional play on Nov. 1 at Columbus East.

Watson’s last make, a 39-yarder at 5:27 of the third quarter, put Center Grove on top, 9-7. On the next play from scrimmage, Irish running back Daylen Hall appeared to be stalled behind the line of scrimmage deep in his team’s own territory.

Instead, the senior busted loose down the left sideline, cutting back and diving into the end zone for what amounted to a dazzling 94-yard touchdown run.

Hall finished with 18 carries for 175 yards. The Trojans’ offense was led by sophomore quarterback Tayven Jackson, who completed 8 of 20 passes for 156 yards. Junior split end Trent Veith made six receptions for 129 yards, while soph Daniel Weems carried 19 times for 52 yards.

The first half ended with the Trojans ahead, 3-0, after Watson converted a 30-yard field goal from the right hash mark with 8:31 left in the second quarter.

Center Grove’s scoring drive started at the Irish 45 after Cathedral was whistled for the second of its three first-half personal fouls. The big play came on first down as Jackson connected with Veith for 33 yards.

The Trojans made it as far as the Cathedral 8, but a holding penalty on third down forced the visitors to settle for three. Neither squad mustered much offense in the first half, with Center Grove holding a 90-73 upper hand in total yards.

Not surprisingly, the teams combined for seven first-half punts.

“No one wants to lose, and our kids didn’t deserve to lose tonight,” Moore said. “But it happened, and now we will put our thoughts and minds in Columbus East.”

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Mike Beas
Mike Beas is the Daily Journal's veteran sports reporter. He has been to more than 200 Indiana high schools, including 1990s visits to Zionsville to profile current Boston Celtics GM Brad Stevens, Gary Roosevelt to play eventual Purdue All-American Glenn Robinson in HORSE (didn’t end well) and Seeger to visit the old gym in which Stephanie White, later the coach of the Indiana Fever, honed her skills in pickup games involving her dad and his friends. He can be reached at [email protected].