The REPORTER
Here is the long and the short of it: The Westfield football team was a Week 8 winner.
The Shamrocks used a couple of long pass plays and a couple of short runs into the end zone to put together a 28-14 win over county and Hoosier Crossroads Conference opponent Fishers Friday night at Riverview Health Stadium. It was a good battle between two top 10 Class 6A teams, with Westfield rated No. 7 in the IFCA coaches poll and the Tigers ranked No. 8.
The ‘Rocks got on the board first with one of those long passes. Jackson Gilbert threw to Gabe Aramboles, and that turned into a 72-yard touchdown reception. Brody Boehm added the extra point, and Westfield led 7-0 after a quarter.
Mikeah Webster punched in the ball from the one-yard line in the second quarter to give the Shamrocks a 13-0 lead, but Fishers quickly answered with a seven-yard run from Khobie Martin. Jonathan Tangara kicked the extra point for the Tigers.
“He’s going to IU for a reason,” said Westfield coach Jake Gilbert about Martin. “I have so much respect for him and their offensive line, great run blockers. So I thought our defense played pretty darn well overall. We got the takeaway. We didn’t really give up the explosive long run like they’ve had sometimes, and so I feel pretty good about that.”
Neither team scored in the third quarter, with both sides making some nice defensive plays. Drew Law grabbed an interception for the Shamrocks, while Fishers’ Jev Hutton made a sack and teammate Brady Wolf blocked a punt.
Gilbert would step up again in the fourth quarter, and so would Maximus Nosler. Gilbert threw to Nosler, who took off and kept running all the way to the end zone.
“We were just hoping to get a first down at third-and-6,” said Westfield coach Jake Gilbert. “We wanted to get it to a guy who could break a tackle, and he broke a tackle and then some. It was fortuitous, but that’s what great players do.”
It was a 70-yard touchdown reception, and the duo teamed up again for a two-point conversion pass that put Westfield up 21-7.
The Tigers made a big play of their own later in the quarter. Gage Sturgill, filling in for quarterback Bennett Gorak, teamed with Millen McCartney for a 29-yard touchdown reception, and Tangara’s kick got Fishers within 21-14.
But the ‘Rocks would have the last word. They got the ball into the red zone, and Kendall Garnett made a big run to the one-yard line. On the next play, Garnett ran the ball in for the game’s final touchdown. Boehm added the extra-point kick.
“We struggled to finish some drives there in the game in the first and second half,” said Fishers coach Curt Funk. “But our kids showed good effort.”
Gilbert had a nice night, totaling 200 yards over the air on a 7-of-13 passing rate. Aramboles had the most catches with three. Garnett totaled 80 yards rushing. Webster led the defense with 11 tackles, including two for a loss, with Andrew Lieske making nine stops. Alex Aramboles had one sack.
Sturgill did well in his first quarterback start, going 13-for-27 and compiling in 122 yards.
“I thought Gage Sturgill, as a sophomore, did a great job stepping in for Bennett at quarterback,” said Funk. “You could never replace a senior quarterback, but I thought our sophomore quarterback did a great job. He had a week to get ready for this against a top-ranked Westfield team. He gave us chances to possibly win the game.”
Martin had 122 yards on the ground, with Ryan Thembulembu adding 25. JonAnthony Hall totaled five receptions. Carter Imes made seven tackles; both he and Hutton had one sack.
Westfield is 5-1 in conference play and 7-1 overall, and plays next Friday at Franklin Central. Fishers is 3-3 in the HCC and 5-3 overall, and hosts Zionsville next Friday.
WESTFIELD 28, FISHERS 14
Score by Quarters
Fishers 0 7 0 7 – 14
Westfield 7 6 0 15 – 28
Team Stats FISH WEFL
First Downs 19 9
By Rush 11 5
By Pass 7 4
By Penalty 1 0
Rushes-Yards 45-198 27-84
Yards Passing 122 200
Comp-Att-Int-TD 13-27-1-2 7-13-0-1
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-0
Penalties-Yards 5-55 1-5
Punts-Average 4-29.8 4-26.8
Scoring
First Quarter
W, 6:13 – Gabe Aramboles 72-yard pass from Jackson Gilbert (Brody Boehm kick)
Second Quarter
W, 2:20 – Mikeah Webster 1-yard run (kick failed)
F, 1:54 – Khobie Martin 7-yard run (Jonathan Tangara kick)
Fourth Quarter
W, 8:35 – Maximus Nosler 70-yard pass from Gilbert (Nosler pass from Gilbert)
F, 5:03 – Millen McCartney 29-yard pass from Gage Sturgill (Tangara kick)
W, 2:01 – Kendall Garnett 1-yard run (Boehm kick)
Fishers individual stats
Rushing: Khobie Martin 27-122, Ryan Thembulembu 12-75, Sturgill 3-2, JonAnthony Hall 1-1, Brady Griffits 2-minus 2.
Passing: Gage Sturgill 13-27-122.
Receiving: Hall 5-19, McCartney 3-56, Joel Gates 2-26, Noah McPeek 2-16, Martin 1-5.
Westfield individual stats
Rushing: Garnett 17-80, Gilbert 8-3, Webster 1-1, team 1-0.
Passing: Gilbert 7-13-200.
Receiving: Aramboles 3-91, Beau Braun 2-37, Nosler 1-70, Garnett 1-2.