By JAMES SEAY
For The Reporter
FISHERS – In Friday night’s Hoosier Crossroads Conference battle, the Fishers Tigers managed to secure a 29-23 victory over the Franklin Central Flashes. Although the Tigers had a commanding 26-point lead late in the third quarter, the Flashes mounted a remarkable comeback, scoring 20 unanswered points before the Tigers’ defense sealed the game with a crucial turnover on downs.
The game began slowly, as both defenses prevented any scoring in the early stages. Despite Fishers’ early interception, their defense remained strong throughout the first quarter. After a scoreless opening period, senior Brady Wolf, a Ball State commit, recorded a safety for FHS, putting them on the scoreboard.
Wolf credited his game preparation for the sack that led to the first score, saying, “Our defense provided a great opportunity by pushing Franklin back to the one-yard line. We knew their quarterback would attempt a lot of rollouts, and we capitalized on that.”
The safety ignited the FHS offense, which capitalized on big runs from Khobie Martin and JonAnthony Hall. Eventually, senior Bennett Gorak connected with Millen McCartney, extending the Tigers’ lead to 8-0.
Martin had a standout performance, amassing 170 rushing yards. The Indiana University commit and Mr. Football hopeful explained the challenging game: “We executed well despite some mental mistakes. We stayed strong and played at the level we’re capable of.”
Franklin Central managed to drive down the field and score their first points with a field goal. They then forced the Tigers into a quick three-and-out and capitalized on two interceptions returned for touchdowns within ten seconds, courtesy of seniors Jake Pruitt and Carter Imes. This flurry of points brought the score to 22-3 before halftime.
Coach Curt Funk praised the defense: “Our defense performed exceptionally well and made crucial plays. I was proud to see them flying around the field and making big stops when needed.”
The second half began with the Tigers’ defense again stopping the Flashes on a fourth-and-one, resulting in a turnover on downs. This set the stage for junior JonAnthony Hall to receive a 17-yard pass from Gorak, his second touchdown of the game.
Hall finished with 107 yards receiving and 36 rushing, providing an additional boost to the offense. He modestly stated, “Our defense stepped up big-time. I aim to do my best, whether catching passes or running jet sweeps.”
With a 26-point lead established, the tide quickly turned when sophomore Gage Sturgill had to step in for Gorak, who left the game due to an injury. Funk commented, “Gage was thrust into action against one of the best defenses in the state, but he responded admirably.” The coach was unsure of the severity of the injury by his starting quarterback but explained he was not eligible to return.
A dramatic comeback by FCHS followed, including 20 points that narrowed the gap to a single score late in the fourth quarter. However, after being forced to punt with 1:57 remaining, the Tiger defense again rose to the occasion, thwarting the Flashes’ comeback attempt by forcing a turnover on downs.
Hall expressed confidence in the defense, saying, “I had faith in our defense. It’s nerve-wracking when your starting quarterback is injured, but our defense responded amazingly.”
Martin concluded, “We’ll stay vigilant and ensure no opportunities slip away. We look forward to continuing to play with determination and pursuing our goal of a state championship.”
Fishers will travel to Westfield next week for a highly anticipated Class 6A matchup between the Hamilton County rivals. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. in Riverview Health Stadium.
FISHERS 29, FRANKLIN CENTRAL 23
Score by Quarters
FCHS 0 3 6 14 – 23
FHS 0 22 7 0 – 29
Team Stats FHS FCHS
First Downs 17 12
By Rush 11 2
By Pass 6 9
By Penalty 0 1
Rushes-Yards 44-217 27-62
Yards Passing 150 175
Comp-Att-Int-TD 14-27-2-2 11-22-2-2
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 3-1
Penalties-Yards 5-40 6-44
Punts-Average 3-36.7 4-30.3
Scoring
First Quarter
Second Quarter
11:19 – (FHS) Brady Wolf sack. Safety
10:30 – (FHS) Bennett Gorak to Millen McCartney 25-yard pass (kick no good)
7:12 – (FCHS) Zach Naessens 33-yard Field Goal
2:29 – (FHS) Nevan Tutterow pass intercepted by Jake Prewitt 12-yard return (Jonathan Tangara kick)
2:22 – (FHS) Nevan Tutterow pass intercepted by Carter Imes 16-yard return (Jonathan Tangara kick)
Third Quarter
3:17 – (FHS) Bennett Gorak to JonAnthony Hall 18-yard pass (Jonathan Tangara kick)
2:29 – (FCHS) Nevan Tutterow to Braylen Gillard 2-yard pass (2-point attempt no good)
Fourth Quarter
9:37 – (FCHS) Gage Sturgill pass intercepted by Jayon Harvey 70-yard return (Zach Naessens kick)
3:53 – (FCHS) Nevan Tutterow to Damir Swanigan 12-yard pass (Zach Naessens kick)
Fishers individual stats
Rushing: Khobie Martin 27-170, JonAnthony Hall 6-36, Bennett Gorak 5-11, Ryan Thembulembu 2-0, Gage Sturgill 1-0, team 3-0.
Passing: Bennett Gorak 11-20-150, Gage Sturgill 0-1-0.
Receiving: JonAnthony Hall 7-104, Millen McCartney 2-29, Khobie Martin 1-9, Noah McPeek 1-8.