By JAMES SEAY
For The Reporter
In a heart-pounding Hoosier Crossroads Conference clash between two of Hamilton County’s top high school football teams, the Class 6A No. 5 Westfield Shamrocks managed to secure an exhilarating 30-28 win against the 6A No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern Royals on Friday night. It was a back-and-forth battle that kept both student sections rowdy, with the Shamrocks ultimately delivering a stunning walk-off touchdown pass from senior Jackson Gilbert to junior Kendall Garnett III. For both schools, it was a second consecutive contest that came down to the wire.
The evening began slowly, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm in the first half. The Royals received the opening kickoff but were quickly intercepted by senior Jake Good, leading to an early field goal by senior Brody Boehm, which gave the Shamrocks a narrow lead in the first quarter.
On the following drive, HSE found success moving the ball on the ground, primarily through the efforts of senior Jalen Alexander and junior AZ Wallace. However, the drive seemed to stall as the Shamrocks’ defense forced a fourth down. Coach Michael Kelly had an ace up his sleeve, though, as he dialed up a fake punt run, executed brilliantly by Junior Braeden Totten for a 10-yard conversion. Wallace capped off the drive with a rushing touchdown, giving Hamilton Southeastern a 7-3 lead near the end of the first quarter.
Both teams then traded short drives, but Westfield managed to respond and extend their lead to 10-7 shortly before halftime, thanks to an impressive drive that ended with junior Mikeah Webster finding the end zone. The Shamrocks’ defense stepped up again, intercepting a pass in the red zone, this time by junior Mason Alexander. The Royals returned the favor with an interception of their own, thrown to Jake Good for his second interception of the night as the teams headed into halftime.
The second half saw both teams kick into a higher gear, with six lead changes, including two in the final minute. senior Jackson Gilbert (Westfield) and junior Chandler Weston (HSE) delivered two touchdown passes each, setting the scoreboard on fire. Gilbert also added a rushing touchdown for the Shamrocks, while Alexander did the same for the Royals. Coach Gilbert even mixed in a fake punt run, which senior Brody Boehm successfully converted after a 30-yard gain.
The final four minutes of the game were a whirlwind of excitement. In a masterful drive, the Royals not only moved the ball but also expertly drained the clock, seemingly sealing the game away. With just 39 seconds left on the clock, Hamilton Southeastern took the lead, 28-24, after an electrifying 40-yard pass from Weston to junior Donovan Hamilton.
The Royals’ Donovan Hamilton scored a third-quarter touchdown on a 22-yard pass from Chandler Weston. (Julie Brown)
However, the Shamrocks had one more trick up their sleeves. Starting from their own 30-yard line, they executed a spectacular “hook and ladder” pass play, advancing the ball 53 yards to the HSE 17-yard line. In the blink of an eye, a quick 15-yard pass brought them to the two-yard line, where they were ultimately stopped. With just three seconds remaining, Gilbert found Garnett for the game-winning touchdown pass as time expired.
Coach Gilbert, reflecting on the thrilling play, shared, “We have practiced that play all the time, and it hasn’t worked too well in practice. We tell our kids not to celebrate early or quit early. This is our fourth game that has come down to the wire. Our kids are great at believing and executing.”
Students and fans flooded the field after the catch as refs signaled the touchdown. One thing is for certain, this game will surely be remembered as a classic as both teams left their all on the field.
The Shamrocks’ win advances their record to an impressive 5-0, while the Royals fall to 4-1. Next week, Westfield will host the No. 1 Brownsburg team, while the Royals will travel to Zionsville.
WESTFIELD 30, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 28
Score by Quarters
Westfield 3 7 7 13 – 30
Hamilton Southeastern 7 0 14 7 – 28
Team stats
HSE WHS
First downs 20 18
Rushes-Yards 39-180 40-158
Passing Yards 157 264
Comp-Att-Int-TD 11-21-2-2 17-27-1-2
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 5-35 8-72
Scoring
First Quarter
9:18 – (WHS) Brody Boehm 43-yard field goal
0:45 – (HSE) AZ Wallace 6-yard run (Hugo Belmonte kick)
Second Quarter
8:56 – (WHS) Mikeah Webster 1-yard run (Boehm kick)
Third Quarter
8:07 – (HSE) Callen Okerson 6-yard pass from Chandler Weston (Belmonte kick)
5:35 – (WHS) Maximus Nosler 48-yard pass from Jackson Gilbert (Boehm kick)
1:38 – (HSE) Donovan Hamilton 22-yard pass from Weston (Belmonte kick)
Fourth Quarter
3:48 – (WHS) Gilbert 1-yard run (Boehm kick)
0:39 – (HSE) Jalen Alexander 2-yard run (Belmonte kick)
0:00 – (WHS) Kendall Garnett 2-yard pass from Gilbert (no attempt)
Westfield individual stats
Rushing: Kendall Garnett 20-96, Brody Boehm 1-30, Maximus Nosler 2-14, Mikeah Webster 4-9, Gabe Aramboles 2-8, Jackson Gilbert 11-1.
Passing: Jackson Gilbert 11-21-157, Carsen Melvin 2-3-19, team 0-1-0.
Receiving: Maximus Nosler 5-112, Beau Braun 4-82, Brock Parker 2-31, Gabe Aramboles 4-22, Parker Knott 2-13, Kendall Garnett 2-4.
Southeastern individual stats
Rushing: Jalen Alexander 24-109, AZ Wallace 9-33, Chandler Weston 3-29, Braeden Totten 1-10, Brennan Baker 2-1.
Passing: Chandler Weston 17-27-245.
Receiving: Donovan Hamilton 7-145, Jewel Jagoe 3-6, Callen Okerson 1-6.