Brownsburg Bulldogs win first state championship since 1985
By RICHIE HALL
INDIANAPOLIS – Westfield’s bid to win the first ever all Hoosier Crossroads Conference state football championship game fell short on Friday night.
The Shamrocks took on Brownsburg at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Class 6A state title, the first time two HCC teams were playing for a 6A trophy. Westfield jumped out to an early lead before the Bulldogs took over in the second half for a 22-17 victory. It’s the first time Brownsburg has won any football state title since 1985.
Deacon King rushed for two touchdowns during the Class 6A state championship
game. (Mike Navarro)
“Kudos to Brownsburg,” said Westfield coach Josh Miracle. “That’s an excellent-coached team and they made a few more plays than us down the stretch and that’s just kind of how it went. Two good teams that hopefully showcased the HCC tonight.”
Westfield got the ball to start the game, and both teams’ first possession finished in punts. The Shamrocks made a long drive to get on the board first.
Two fourth-down conversions kept Westfield’s drive going. Parker Knott made a 21-yard run to get the ‘Rocks into Bulldogs territory, then Carsen Melvin made a 10-yard pass to Deacon King on fourth-and-9.
King did most of the work on that drive with short runs. He finished things up with a five-yard run into the end zone on third and goal with 30 seconds left in the first quarter. Owen Wright kicked the extra point.
Westfield held Brownsburg to a quick three-and-out for its next possession. The Shamrocks were stalled in their next drive at the Bulldogs’ 28, but Wright was there to save the day: he blasted a 45-yard field goal midway through the second to gave Westfield a 10-0 lead.
Brownsburg responded with its first score. On third and 19, Kovon Sumpter-Bay broke loose from a couple Shamrock tackles and turned a short pass into a 71-yard touchdown reception. Will Orlando made the extra point kick, and that would be the last score of the half.
Westfield began the second half ahead 10-7, but Brownsburg tied it the game after Orlando made a 25-yard field goal. That would be the only score of the third quarter, but the Bulldogs were driving as they went into the fourth.
Cameron Echard made a quarterback sack during the third quarter. (Mike Navarro)
Brownsburg finished the drive at the 9:40 mark of the quarter, with Iosua Stephens throwing to Branden Sharpe on fourth and 3. Sharpe caught the ball in the far left corner of the end zone and held on to it, resulting in a 20-yard touchdown reception. The extra-point kick was no good, so the Bulldogs held a 16-10 lead.
But Brownsburg scored again minutes later. Jamere Pendleton blocked a Westfield punt, then returned it 11 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bulldogs a 22-10 lead.
The ‘Rocks answered with a quick 75-yard drive. Melvin threw a 30-yard pass to Beau Braun, then sent another throw to Parker Knott, a 17-yarder to the Brownsburg nine. Westfield had first and goal, and only needed one play: King bulldozed his way into the end zone for the touchdown. Wright made the extra-point kick.
Brownsburg then began a long drive that got it down to the 24 with two minutes left. Westfield had to start taking its timeouts, and the Bulldogs had fourth and 1 at the Shamrocks’ 15.
But Westfield’s defense stepped up, pushing Sumpter-Bey back nine yards and giving the Shamrocks’ offense one more chance. Melvin made a couple of first-down passes and Westfield got as far as the Brownsburg 36, but the Bulldogs intercepted a fourth and 10 pass close to the end zone with no time left.
“We could have easily packed it in at that point,” said Miracle. But Westfield kept fighting, which Miracle called “a testament to our kids’ character. Rally back and we had a chance there.”
Melvin finished the game 13-of-25 for 156 yards, with Braun, Knott and Nick Fero all making three catches. Deacon King totaled 72 yards rushing.
Westfield finished its season 12-2, with those only two losses to Brownsburg. The Shamrocks were making their first appearance in the state finals since 2021, but it was their fifth time playing in a state title game since 2013.
