Carmel nearly came all the way back from a big deficit Friday in the Class 6A Regional 3 championship at Ben Davis, but the Greyhounds were held off by the Giants, who won the regional title 27-21 to end Carmel’s season.
The Greyhounds got the first score of the game just a few seconds after the start. Baron Smith took a kickoff return 94 yards into the end zone, then Spencer Hanna’s kick made the score 7-0 with 11:46 to go in the first quarter.
But Carmel would have to wait a while to score again. Meanwhile, Ben Davis’ Devon Wiley got his team on the board with an 18-yard touchdown run, and the extra-point kick tied the game.
The 7-7 tie at the end of the first quarter became a 21-7 halftime lead for the Giants. Dillon Moore caught a 26-yard touchdown pass during the middle portion of the period, then Devon Wiley took a 14-yard pass into the end zone with just over a minute to go.
Ben Davis extended its lead to 24-7 with a field goal two minutes into the third quarter. That’s when the Greyhounds made their comeback: Zach White rushed in for a 22-yard touchdown run, then Luke Conley made a five-yard scoring run. Hanna kicked both extra points, and Carmel was within 24-21 going into the fourth period.
The ‘Hounds would get no closer. An early field goal got the Giants back up by six points, and their defense was able to keep Carmel off the scoreboard in the fourth quarter.
White led the Greyhounds’ offense with 157 yards rushing. Jaedon King had three receptions.
Carmel finished its season 9-3, but not before winning an eighth consecutive sectional championship.
BEN DAVIS 27, CARMEL 21
Score by Quarters
Carmel 7 0 14 0 – 21
Ben Davis 7 14 3 3 – 27
Team Stats CAR BD
First Downs 12 18
By Rush 8 7
By Pass 3 10
By Penalty 1 1
Rushes-Yards 40-191 28-162
Yards Passing 42 201
Comp-Att-Int-TD 4-11-0-0 15-25-1-2
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 6-52 6-45
Punts-Average 4-34.0 4-44.0
Carmel scoring
First Quarter
11:46 – Baron Smith 94-yard kickoff return (Spencer Hanna kick)
Third Quarter
5:25 – Zach White 22-yard run (Hanna kick)
2:24 – Luke Conley 5-yard run (Hanna kick)
Carmel individual stats
Rushing: White 18-157, Colton Parker 11-27, Conley 3-16, Leyton Lukowski 8-minus 9.
Passing: Lukowski 3-8-29, Parker 1-3-13.
Receiving: Jaedon King 3-31, Max Walters 1-11.