The 2021 Class 6A football state championship game will have the same two participants as the 2020 game: Westfield and Center Grove.
The Shamrocks and the Trojans will meet at Lucas Oil Stadium Saturday evening for the second year in a row to decide who is this year’s 6A state champion, with kickoff at 7 p.m. There are quite a few similarities between this year’s game and last year’s game, such as the records and the participants. Westfield enters the state game at 12-1, while Center Grove is 13-0 and will be going for a second consecutive unbeaten season.
“We have to remain steadfast regardless of the results of any one play,” said Westfield coach Jake Gilbert. “Center Grove is a great team so they will win some battles. It’s a big stage. We have to keep our poise and refocus every play. We also have to play aggressively. We can’t just act like we’re happy to be there. If we don’t play like we expect to win, we won’t.”
The Trojans have rampaged through this season, with only one close game. In the regular season, Center Grove took care of Warren Central 38-14, Decatur Central 56-7, Carmel 41-14, Ben Davis 45-21, North Central 53-7, Lawrence Central 48-0, Pike 49-6, Lawrence North 43-19 and Cathedral 21-6. The Trojans also repeated as unbeaten Metropolitan Conference champions.
In the post-season, Center Grove easily won Sectional 8 over Franklin Central 35-7 and Columbus North 41-7. The Trojans then got a tough battle from Lawrence North 29-19 for the Regional 4 crown, their closest game of the season. Center Grove then beat Ben Davis 45-6 to win the south semi-state title.
Senior quarterback Tayven Jackson, who has committed to the University of Tennessee and threw for two touchdowns in Center Grove’s 2020 state championship win, is having another solid season. Jackson has completed 112 of 173 pass attempts for 1,685 yards and 20 touchdowns. Senior Harrison Stomps is the Trojans’ top receiver with 27 catches, including two touchdowns. Three Center Grove receivers, seniors Daniel Weems, Brandon Wheat and Shane Bennett, all have caught three touchdown passes.
Junior Drew Wheat leads the Trojans’ rushing with 987 yards and 13 scores, followed by Weems with 666 yards and junior Micah Coyle wtih 557 yards; both have nine touchdowns. Senior Caden Curry has 60 tackles, but 24 of them have been for a loss. Senior James Schott has 11 tackles for a loss.
The Shamrocks dropped their opening game to Cathedral 14-0, and have won every game since then. Westfield beat Harrison 33-11, then completed an unbeaten Hoosier Crossroads Conference season with victories over Zionsville 42-21, Noblesville 42-15, Hamilton Southeastern 34-21, Brownsburg 24-21, Avon 45-24, Fishers 34-14 and Franklin Central 42-28.
The ‘Rocks defended their Sectional 4 title by beating Noblesville 49-6 in the semi-finals, then scored a comeback win over Southeastern 24-22 in the championship game. Westfield won the Regional 2 title at Fort Wayne Carroll 37-14, then hosted Merrillville to win the north semi-state 48-19.
Gilbert said that after last year’s game, the Shamrocks “learned that we have to win the field position battle. We gave Center Grove the short field repeatedly last year and they took advantage. We have to play them even without giving them any charity.”
Those lessons are important because Westfield will have many of the same personnel playing in this year’s 6A game as it did last year’s contest. That includes senior quarterback Maximus Webster, the Ball State recruit who passed for and ran for one touchdown each in last year’s 6A championship game.
This season, Webster has gone 132-of-186 through the air, totaling 2,123 yards and 16 touchdowns. Freshman Gabe Aramboles is the top receier with 38 catches, including four TDs. Seniors Ian Bruch (24 overall catches) and Jackson Wasserstromg (23 overall) also have four touchdown receptions.
Another senior, Micah Hauser, leads the rushing with 1,215 yards and 23 touchdowns, while senior Trevon Hatchett has 528 yards and 10 touchdowns. Webster has scored seven rushing TDs. On defense, junior Tyler Dikos leads the tackles with 128 stops, while the two-way Hauser has 116 tackles. Senior Popeye Williams has 18 tackles for a loss, with Dikos making 10 tackles for a loss.
This will be the fourth time in the past nine years that Westfield will play in a state championship game. The Shamrocks played in two Class 5A games, falling to Cathedral in 2013 and beating Columbus East in 2016, in addition to the two 6A games.
“To God be the glory,” said Gilbert. “So many people have been a part of this. Administration. Coaches. Parents. Players. What an honor to build something special and lasting! I am really proud of our program on and off the field and am extremely grateful for all who have built it.”