The first game of the 2019 Indiana high school football season turned into a big victory for Fishers on the biggest stage in the state.
The Tigers overwhelmed North Central 26-0 in the opening game of the Horseshoe Classic Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The victory was the first for Fishers over the Panthers since 2016 and also came over a North Central team that was ranked No. 7 in Class 6A.
The Tigers set up their first scoring drive after Jackson Dunn caught a Panthers pass for an interception. The drive culminated in a nine-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Roux to Jeffrey Simmons, getting Fishers on the board.
Grant Whetsel then collected another NC interception on the first play of the Panthers’ subsequent drive. The Tigers eventually settled for a field goal, a 19-yarder from Jack Phillips with 13 seconds left in the first quarter. Phillips also kicked the extra point for the Fishers’ touchdown.
In the second quarter, Collin Shelton grabbed a North Central interception, which set up a long scoring drive for the Tigers. The drive finished when Nick Leath corralled Roux’s second touchdown, this one from 17 yards, which Phillips followed up with another extra point kick. Phillips later kicked a 48-yard field goal, putting the Tigers up 20-0. On the next drive, Geoffrey Brown picked off a Panthers’ pass, and ran it in 20 yards for a touchdown.
All of the game’s scoring took place in the first half. The Panthers tried to put together a couple of fourth-quarter drives, but Fishers held them off. Whetsel made a second interception; Fishers picked off North Central six times in total.
Dylan Scally led the Tigers’ rushing with 58 yards. Roux finished the game completing 9 of 23 passes for 80 yards. Fishers earned its first shutout since 2017, and the Tigers became the first team to shut out the Panthers since 2015.
Fishers will travel to Pike next Friday.
FISHERS 26, NORTH CENTRAL 0
Score by Quarters
North Central 0 0 0 0 – 0
Fishers 10 16 0 0 – 26
Team Stats NC FHS
First Downs 8 14
By Rush 4 7
By Pass 3 6
By Penalty 1 1
Rushes-Yards 19-73 42-114
Yards Passing 57 92
Comp-Att-Int-TD 7-27-6-0 10-24-3-2
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards 3-34 4-40
Punts-Average 6-31.2 3-36.7
Fishers Scoring
First Quarter
2:32 – Jeffrey Simmons 9-yard pass from Marcus Roux (Jack Phillips kick)
0:13 – Phillips 19-yard field goal
Second Quarter
8:15 – Nick Leath 17-yard pass from Roux (Phillips kick)
3:21 – Phillips 48-yard field goal
3:08 – Geoffrey Brown 22-yard interception return (kick failed)
Fishers individual stats
Rushing: Dylan Scally 19-58, Roux 10-26, Phillips 1-13, Matt Noble 3-7, Shaun Kim 6-5, Josh Thompson 2-5, team 1-0.
Passing: Roux 9-23-80, Lucas Prewitt 1-1-12.
Receiving: Reece Boland 3-23, Caleb Gates 2-28, Leath 2-25, Simmons 2-12, Scally 1-4.
Fishers’ Geoffrey Brown (38) and Marcus Roux (12) had plenty to celebrate Friday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, as the Tigers beat North Central 26-0 in the opening game of the Horseshoe Classic. (Kirk Green)