Noblesville headed to sectional championship for first time since 2001
By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
NOBLESVILLE – On Friday night, there was a lot at stake for the Noblesville Millers football team and they knew it would be a tall task as they faced yet another Hoosier Crossroads Conference opponent in the state tournament.
The Millers used a dominant rushing attack in the first half and swarming defense throughout the game en route to a Class 6A Sectional 4 semifinal win over Zionsville, 35-10.
Noblesville football had lost its previous nine sectional openers. Prior to last night, the Millers’ last sectional win was in 2012. Those streaks are now over and they will be playing for a sectional championship next week.
They wasted very little time on the opening drive of the game. Noblesville marched down the field, going 81 yards on nine plays for their first score. Gage Gulley finished it off, breaking free from an Eagle defender for a 13-yard score to start it off 7-0.
“This game was different from the last game, because we had first down success. That’s really what the game came down to on offense and defense,” said Noblesville head coach Dave Sharpe on one of the biggest keys to the Millers’ win.
The Millers got off to a great defensive start that propelled them to play full throttle all game long. They forced Zionsville to punt after four plays on their first set of downs.
And, it only took Noblesville four plays on its next possession to get their next score. Logan Shoffner found a hole and bounced outside the tackles, sprinting 66 yards to the end zone for the touchdown, putting the Millers up 14-0.
Zionsville started its next series at its own 41 and started putting together a drive that made it look like the Eagles were going to cut the Millers’ lead in half. They got all the way down to the Noblesville 11. And, with a fourth down and six, the Eagles turned the ball over on downs at the 11.
The Millers put together another great drive, this time going 89 yards, capping it off with Blake Widget diving up the middle for a three-score lead at 21-0, completely puzzling the Eagles.
The Eagles had another opportunity in the middle of the second quarter to get something going offensively, but that would be put to a stop pretty quick.
Quarterback Christian Abney was trying to get the ball to speedy receiver Wrigley Bumgardner all evening. On this possession, one pass that Abney would like to have back was intercepted by Noblesville linebacker Trey Speek.
“They played a full 48 and some of those deep balls were right on the money and at the last second, guys like Christ Degni and Trey Speek just swatting down,” stated Sharpe on his defense playing their best game of the season and at the right time.
“We’ve been talking about it being a game of inches. Our struggles this year, we’re in the right spot and an inch away on both offense and defense. It’s been a frustrating year. But, it’s not how you start, but how you finish,” continued Sharpe on how close the Millers have been and the better team they are for it.
Logan Shoffner showed again why he is one of the best running backs in the state. Again, he busted off another big touchdown run, this time for 49 yards and a dominating 28-0 score.
The Eagles drove down the field again, but would be limited to a field goal for their first points. Trevor Henkle sailed a 23-yard field goal to make it 28-3 at halftime.
During the second half, it was a big uphill climb for Zionsville. They were in a position they had not been with a deficit like this since losing 50-3 to Brownsburg four weeks ago. It forced them to have more of a sense of urgency and in turn resulted in another turnover.
Already having a great game in pass coverage, Christ Degni put the icing on his great defensive night by intercepting an Abney pass at the Millers’ 2-yard line.
“He’s a great player and he’s the fastest Miller that we have. He stepped up, it’s his senior year and I’m very happy for him,” said Sharpe on senior Christ Degni’s defensive performance with an INT and some pass deflections.
The Millers weren’t done with their offensive show. Fullback Gabe Bellan made his presence known in the third quarter to pretty much close the door on any possible Zionsville comeback. The junior was able to find room up the middle and got past the Eagles’ defense and ran 52 yards to the end zone to extend the score to 35-3 in the middle of the third.
The Eagles were able to get a touchdown on the board late in the game when backup quarterback Lauer Cawi broke free and ran down the Noblesville sideline untouched for a 72-yard touchdown that would account for the final score of 35-10.
Zionsville ends its season at 4-6, dropping its final five contests by an average of 25 points.
Christian Abney carried nine times for 62 yards and also had a tough night throwing the ball, going 6-for-20 for just 49 yards and two interceptions.
The Millers amassed 426 yards rushing on 55 carries for a stout 7.7 yards per rush and 18 first downs on the ground.
Logan Shoffner led the way with 149 yards on 10 rushes and two touchdowns. Gabe Bellan had 95 yards on 10 carries, while Gage Gulley added 75 yards on just seven runs with a touchdown and Blake Widget had 31 yards and a TD.
Noblesville (4-6) will be playing for just its first sectional championship since 2001. The Millers and Shamrocks will play for the 6A Sectional 4 championship at No. 9 Westfield (7-3) next Friday at 7 p.m. The Shamrocks took down No. 6 Carmel on the road Friday, 28-9.
NOBLESVILLE 35, ZIONSVILLE 10
Score by Quarters
Zionsville 0 3 0 7 – 10
Noblesville 14 14 7 0 – 35
Team Stats ZION NOB
First Downs 11 18
By Rush 7 18
By Pass 2 0
By Penalty 2 0
Rushes-Yards 21-174 55-426
Yards Passing 56 38
Comp-Att-Int-TD 7-23-0-3 1-1-0-0
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1
Penalties-Yards 4-35 6-50
Punts-Average 3-46.7 2-29.0
Noblesville Scoring
First Quarter
7:25 – Gage Gulley 13-yard run (Jack Letourneau kick)
3:06 – Logan Shoffner 66-yard run (Letourneau kick)
Second Quarter
2:19 – Blake Widget 4-yard run (Letourneau kick)
1:26 – Shoffner 49-yard run (Letourneau kick)
Third Quarter
0:43 – Gabe Bellan 52-yard run (Letourneau kick)
Noblesville individual stats
Rushing: Shoffner 10-149, Bellan 10-95, Gulley 7-75, B. Widget 10-31, Landon Hughes 4-29, Brody Gump 1-26, Mesfin Lynas 3-13, Aden Widget 4-7, Jacob Baker 2-4, Jon York 3-minus 1, Shepard Coyne 1-minus 2.
Passing: Hughes 1-1-38.
Receiving: Shoffner 1-38.