Noblesville fought until the end up in Lafayette Friday night.
The Millers traveled north to face the Jefferson Bronchos in a Class 6A Sectional 4 semi-final game, and kept close with the Bronchos until they pulled away late for a 35-24 win. Lafayette Jeff will host Carmel in next week’s championship game, while Noblesville finished the season 4-6.
The Millers got the first score of the game, with Jayden Barrett catching a 16-yard pass from Grant Gremel for an early touchdown. Barrett set up the TD by returning the opening kickoff 65 yards. The Bronchos answered when freshman quarterback Maximus Grimes sent a 40-yard TD pass to Brian Jenkins.
Jeff added two touchdowns in the second quarter, both courtesy Grimes: He ran it in from one yard in the first minute of the period, then sent a 10-yard pass to Jenkins late in the quarter, putting the Bronchos up 21-7 at halftime.
Noblesville turned a big defensive play into a touchdown early in the third quarter. The Millers tackled the Jefferson punter at the nine-yard line after a botched snap, then Gremel sent a third-down pass to Zach Gruver for a touchdown. Grimes struck again with an 18-yard pass to Zion Austin, but Gruver and Gremel answered by teaming up for another TD, this one a 12-yard pass. That kept Noblesville within 28-21 after three quarters.
Jack Knight booted a 40-yard field goal with 7:40 left in the fourth period, cutting the Bronchos’ lead to 28-24. The Millers then had Jeff in a third-and-11 situation deep in its own territory, but Grimes and Jenkins got out of that with an 84-yard touchdown pass with 2:23 left. The Bronchos held on from there.
The senior Gremel finished the game by completing 10 of 20 passes for 108 yards, including three touchdowns. Wyatt Blades had four of those catches for 48 yards, with Gruver making three catches for 42 yards. Luke Blevins was the Millers’ leading rusher, with 51 yards in 13 carries.
