By CRAIG ADKINS
NOBLESVILLE – Senior Night at Beaver Materials Field became extra special for the Noblesville community as a whole on Friday night. While they honored their 23 senior football players prior to the game versus Brownsburg, the Millers also took time to honor and thank Public Address Announcer Bob Tremain for his 25 years as the “voice of the Millers.”
Tremain will be stepping away from the microphone as the PA voice of numerous Miller sports over the years. During his time behind the mic, Tremain has announced every Noblesville sport and will always be known in Miller lore as “Bobby T.”
It was a cool, rainy night that had a sparse crowd see the visiting Brownsburg Bulldogs take down the Noblesville Millers, 27-7.
As the rain steadily fell throughout the game, Noblesville’s first series resulted in a punt. That allowed the fifth-ranked Bulldogs to get to work right away.
Junior quarterback Ben Easters was able to let his tailback guide the offense down the field. Donny Marcus started off solid and found yards through and around the Miller defense that wound up leading to Easters sneaking it in for a one-yard touchdown to get Brownsburg up quick, 7-0.
Noblesville’s second possession put a little spark into an offense that was looking for something good to happen. They had a 4th down and four and were lined up to punt. It didn’t appear like it would be immediately, but Grayden Addison wound up pulling off a fake punt, rushing nine yards to the home sideline for a first down to move the chains. But, three plays later the Millers punted again.
It stayed a steady diet of Donny Marcus continuing to run the ball at will on the Miller defense, which he would do to the tune of 96 yards on 12 carries in just the first quarter alone. He would cap off his stellar first period with a three-yard burst up the middle and into the end zone for a 14-0 Bulldog advantage.
“What they did schematically, we prepared for it. We knew. The kids knew. They’re so strong and so physical that we couldn’t simulate that look in practice and we were able to, unfortunately a little too late, make some adjustments that kind of helped us, not stop them, but at least give us a chance to not get gashed,” said Noblesville head coach Justin Roden on his team’s preparation and how they adjusted in the second half.
Following another Addison punt, Brownsburg wasted very little time at all to notch their third score of the first half and it was early in the second.
Marcus had a 65-yard carry on first down to get the Bulldogs in business at the Miller one. Then it was Easters again scoring from one-yard for his second rushing TD. The extra point snap was botched, forcing the holder to run for the conversion, getting stopped short of the end zone for a 20-0 score.
The Millers had a couple bright spots before halftime. Blaine McNabb picked off an Easters pass, but that still turned into another punt.
McNabb would recover a muffed punt return at Brownsburg’s 18, but Addison was unable to convert a 39-yard field goal that sailed just left.
Noblesville kicked off to start the third. What would appear to be a fumble on the onside kick that was recovered by the Millers’ Camden Nagel, was called back to be kicked again. An official blew his whistle inadvertently.
They would try it again, but that only gave Brownsburg the ball at the 44. That helped the Bulldogs drive down to the 13, but Easters put the ball on the turf, which got recovered by Noblesville’s Sam Steinhofer.
The Bulldogs next time down the field didn’t pan out like they hoped either. With 4th down and six at the Miller 28, Easters’ pass went incomplete, turning the ball over on downs.
Senior Elijah Butler carried three times in a row for 23 yards, but this Miller drive came to a quick stop when Jayden Barrett tossed an interception on an end around pass, right into the hands of CJ Tanner.
Brownsburg was aiming to make it a four-score game, but turned the ball over on downs at the Miller three on 4th and goal.
On the ensuing play, quarterback Alex Zavac fumbled in the end zone. The loose ball was recovered in the end zone for a defensive touchdown by Mani Jackson to make it a 27-0 game.
Noblesville put together its best drive in quite a while. It was a 13-play drive that amassed 80 yards of offense, consisting of a handful of solid carries out of Zavac and Butler and a big third down catch and run by Shomari Rogers-Walton for 17 yards. But, the most important play of the series was a fourth and nine at Brownsburg’s 30 that was a 13-yard catch for a first down by Butler.
“Elijah played really well in the second half, too. He made some good runs,” stated Roden on senior tailback Elijah Butler’s great plays that were key to Noblesville’s score.
Butler capped off the drive with a five-yard touchdown run, his second of the season, that would make it 27-7.
Brownsburg would drive down the field again, but they tried to go to the air, but senior cornerback Camden Nagel picked off Easters’ pass, just his fourth on the year.
“It was one of those deals where all I could do was smile and laugh about it a little bit and let the young guys play and just keep getting better and they did,” Roden continued on his team’s play in the second half when the Millers kept improving.
Brownsburg improves to 6-2 overall and 5-1 in HCC play. The Bulldogs host Hamilton Southeastern (4-4, 3-3) next week to finish the regular season.
Donny Marcus led the Brownsburg with 246 rushing yards on 26 carries and a touchdown. Devin Jones backed him up with 10 rushes for 44 yards and Brandon Burks had 66 on nine runs. That helped them run for 19 first downs on the ground.
Noblesville fell to 1-7 on the season, 1-5 in the HCC. The Millers will hit the road next Friday to cap off their regular season facing top-ranked Avon (8-0, 6-0).
The Millers were led by Elijah Butler’s 36 yards and a TD, followed by Zavac’s 31 yards rushing.
BROWNSBURG 27, NOBLESVILLE 7
Score by Quarters
Brownsburg 14 6 7 0 – 27
Noblesville 0 0 0 7 – 7
Team Stats BHS NHS
First Downs 21 8
By Rush 19 4
By Pass 2 4
By Penalty 0 0
Rushes-Yards 50-346 31-81
Yards Passing 20 58
Comp-Att-Int-TD 3-11-1-0 5-17-0-0
Noblesville scoring
Fourth Quarter
7:43 – Elijah Butler 5-yard run (Grayden Addison kick)
Noblesville individual stats
Rushing: Butler 12-36, Alex Zavac 13-31, Addison 1-9, Jayden Barrett 2-6, Shawn Kinslow 3-minus 1.
Passing: Zavac 5-17-58.
Receiving: Ian Montarsi 2-17, Shomari Rogers-Walton 1-17, Butler 1-13, Barrett 1-11.
Noblesville punter Grayden Addison runs on fourth and long, getting a first down from a fake punt during the Millers’ Friday night game with Brownsburg. (Kent Graham)