A fast start propelled Carmel to a big home win on Friday.
The Class 6A No. 6 Greyhounds cruised past Pike 34-14. Carmel scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and never looked back, and shut out the Red Devils in the first half to lead 24-0.
Winston Berglund got the first Greyhounds score, taking a punt return 87 yards for a touchdown. Reece Bellin got the next touchdown, on a 45-yard pass from Jack Kazmierczak.
Carmel was scoring in all different ways, and continued that variety late in the first quarter when Nicholas Beidl ran eight yards into the end zone. Ben Sponsler made all three extra-point kicks, and he got three more points when he opened the second quarter with a 23-yard field goal.
Sponsler kicked a 42-yard field goal during the early part of the third period. In the fourth quarter, Berglund picked off a Pike pass, and picked up another touchdown, making a 15-yard return into the end zone. Sponsler followed that with his fourth extra-point kick of the night.
Kazmierczak finished the game 12-of-15 for 127 yards, with Bellin making nine of those receptions.
Carmel is 2-2 and plays next Friday at Lawrence North.
CARMEL 34, PIKE 14
Score by Quarters
Pike 0 0 7 7 – 14
Guerin Catholic 21 3 3 7 – 34
Team Stats PIKE CAR
First Downs 20 10
By Rush 3 6
By Pass 15 4
By Penalty 2 0
Rushes-Yards 29-59 35-94
Yards Passing 242 131
Comp-Att-Int-TD 30-51-2-1 13-21-0-1
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 0-0
Penalties-Yards 5-32 8-48
Punts-Average 6-29.8 3-42.7
Carmel Scoring
First Quarter
9:40 – Winston Berglund 87-yard punt return (Ben Sponsler kick)
6:14 – Reece Bellin 45-yard pass from Jack Kazmierczak (Sponsler kick)
1:54 – Nicholas Beidl 8-yard run (Sponsler kick)
Second Quarter
11:56 – Sponsler 23-yard field goal
Third Quarter
8:27 – Sponsler 42-yard field goal
Fourth Quarter
8:09 – Berglund 15-yard interception return (Sponsler kick)
Carmel individual stats
Rushing: Beidl 13-54, Alijah Alfayyad 11-49, Aiden Alfayyad 3-8, Craig Kepler 2-3, Cam Carmichael 3-minus 8, Kazmierczak 3-minus 12.
Passing: Kazmierczak 12-15-127, Carmichael 1-6-4.
Receiving: Bellin 9-97, Blake Matthews 2-15, Aydrian Caldwell 1-15, Nathan Rodgers 1-4.