By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – The Carmel football tradition added yet another chapter to its already large book on Friday.
The Greyhounds won their seventh consecutive sectional, beating Westfield 35-7 at Carmel Stadium for the Class 6A Sectional 4 championship. The victory also extends the Greyhounds’ record of total sectional titles to 31, and sends them up to next week’s Regional 2 championship at Homestead.
“I don’t want to ever take it for granted,” said Carmel coach John Hebert. “I don’t feel like the kids are. You win them and you take a couple hours and then you start thinking about the next week. But after the season’s over we’ll reflect back on it, sure.”
The Greyhounds scored two touchdowns in each of the first two quarters. In their first possession, Carmel quarterback Christian Williams got into Shamrock territory with a 44-yard pass to Dylan Downing. Another pass to Colton Parker moved the ‘Hounds into the red zone, and Downing was soon in the end zone, scoring on a 10-yard run.
Williams finished the quarter by connecting with Parker again for 36 yards, and that pass resulted in Carmel’s second touchdown of the period. It was the first of two TD receptions for Parker in the game.
“The first one was contested, he had to turn himself around and caught that ball with a guy hanging on him,” said Hebert. “But he’s an excellent player.”
Early in the second quarter, Williams tossed a 34-yard throw to Downing, who got it down to the one-yard line. Williams then punched the ball in on the next play.
The Greyhounds’ fourth touchdown of the game came from Zach White, who ran 35 yards into the end zone. Spencer Hanna made all four extra-point kicks in the first half, which finished with Carmel ahead 28-0.
Williams had one more touchdown pass to throw, and Parker had one more to catch. That came with 8:43 left in the third quarter, with the two connecting on a 32-yard scoring pass play. Hanna made the extra point, giving him a perfect mark of 5-for-5 for the game.
Also perfect was Williams, who completed all nine of his passes in the game. Williams totaled 193 yards through the air – not bad for someone who started the season as a receiver and was initially supposed to be a backup quarterback.
“We had some injuries a couple games in and we started getting him in and preparing him to be a backup in case we needed him,” said Hebert. “He just kept proving to us that there was something really special about him and that’s what we’re seeing. And he’s a natural leader. He’s a 4.2-point grade point average and a 1400 SAT scorer. He’s almost too good to be true and a great athlete, too.”
Parker totaled 78 yards receiving in his three catches, while Downing had two receptions for 76 yards. White was the leading rusher with 45 yards.
Westfield scored its touchdown in the fourth quarter. Bryson Hoover blocked a Carmel punt, then scooped it up near the 20-yard line and ran it into the end zone. Sean Sullivan kicked the Shamrocks’ extra point.
Quarterback Camden Simons had a solid night, completing 12 of 21 attempts for 102 yards. Mason Piening led the receptions with four, and Eli Patchett had 36 yards rushing. Micah Hauser had 11 tackles.
“I’m just proud, mainly, of the kind of kids that they are,” said Westfield coach Jake Gilbert. “They’re great kids, they’re great people. We care about each other deeply. We’re a very close group. I know we didn’t play well enough tonight. All credit goes to Carmel, they were awesome tonight.”
Westfield finished its season 6-5, while the Greyhounds improved to 8-3.
CARMEL 35, WESTFIELD 7
Score by Quarters
Westfield 0 0 0 7 – 7
Carmel 14 14 7 0 – 35
Team Stats WHS CHS
First Downs 12 13
By Rush 4 5
By Pass 6 8
By Penalty 2 0
Rushes-Yards 25-48 29-123
Yards Passing 102 210
Comp-Att-Int-TD 12-21-1-0 10-11-0-2
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 3-22 5-42
Punts-Average 3-33.3 1-0.0
Scoring
First Quarter
C, 4:00 – Dylan Downing 10-yard run (Spencer Hanna kick)
C, 0:28 – Colton Parker 34-yard pass from Christian Williams (Hanna kick)
Second Quarter
C, 9:23 – Williams 1-yard run (Hanna kick)
C, 2:28 – Zach White 35-yard run (Hanna kick)
Third Quarter
C, 8:43 – Parker 32-yard pass from Williams (Hanna kick)
Fourth Quarter
W, 9:30 – Bryson Hoover 20-
yard blocked punt return (Sean Sullivan kick)
Westfield individual stats
Rushing: Eli Patchett 9-36, Jack Pfeiffer 4-14, Micah Hauser 3-8, Camden Simons 9-minus 10.
Passing: Simons 12-21-102.
Receiving: Mason Piening 4-31, Dane Wheeler 2-19, Jacob Riddle 2-18, Levi Kaster 1-16, Hauser 1-8, Jackson Wasserstrom 1-7, Pfeiffer 1-3.
Carmel individual stats
Rushing: White 4-45, Williams 8-33, Downing 3-15, Zyavonta Blackburn 2-14, Gabe Quigley 5-8, John Rogers 4-7, Erik Allen 1-1.
Passing: Williams 9-9-193, Quigley 1-2-17.
Receiving: Parker 3-78, Downing 2-76, White 2-31, Rogers 2-8, Aiden Ellison 1-17.
Carmel’s senior captains show off the Sectional 4 trophy after the Greyhounds beat Westfield 35-7 Friday to win their seventh consecutive sectional title. Pictured are Zach Gish (11), Aidan Ellison (84), Ty Wise (37) and Cole Brevard (90). (Richie Hall)
Westfield’s Micah Hauser makes a return. (Kent Graham)