By CRAIG ADKINS
It doesn’t matter what the teams’ records are each time they meet, because it simply doesn’t matter. When Noblesville and Westfield meet on the football field, all else is put aside and it’s a battle for the ages.
That’s exactly what we were given at Riverview Health Stadium on Friday night in a topsy turvy, back and forth affair that eventually turned into a victory for the IFCA 6A No. 10 (AP No. 12) Westfield Shamrocks, 30-26.
The ‘Rocks won the coin toss and chose to kickoff and defer to the second half and put Noblesville’s offense to the test right away.
Nick Rusie fielded the opening kick and returned it to the 35, which would’ve been great field position, but he fumbled the ball and it was picked up by Westfield kicker Alex Bales.
Westfield had prime real estate at the Miller 42, but Bales missed a 47-yard field goal attempt, giving the ball back to Noblesville.
The Millers caught a break and kept the crazy train rolling in the early goings of the first quarter. On the fifth play of the drive, they added a litter trickery. Receiver Zach Gruver jogged in motion from right to left and took the handoff from Gremel. Next, he found a wide open Jaden Barrett for a 51-yard touchdown pass to give Noblesville the first score of the game to lead 7-0.
After forcing the Shamrocks to punt after three plays, the Millers got back to work on offense.
This time with a shorter field at Westfield’s 45, Gremel called his own number and sprinted 26-yards into the end zone. A false start penalty backed the kick attempt back five yards and Jack Knight missed the PAT, but that still jumped Noblesville out to a 13-0 lead with 2:02 left in the first quarter.
“We were a different ball club, because our quarterback play was different. That’s where it started for us,” Noblesville head coach Jason Simmons pleased with the play of junior signal caller Grant Gremel.
“It felt like Grant accepted the challenge that was given to him this week. He really stepped up his level of play and made some big plays and we needed that to have a chance to compete,” Simmons continued on Gremel’s play.
The Shamrocks were able to put together a solid drive that lasted six plays and 80-yards, resulting in a Nate Froelich seven-yard TD run. Now, Westfield trailed 13-7.
Noblesville pulled off a great fake punt on their next series, as personal protector Eddie Dziennik carried the ball eight yards, but the drive wouldn’t get too much further as the Millers were forced to punt.
Westfield wasted no time at all taking the lead on their next possession. Quarterback Cam Nance took advantage of blown coverage in the Miller secondary and tossed a 72-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Dan Wheeler, giving the Shamrocks their first lead of the game at 14-13.
Trading three and out series and each having to punt, Noblesville had the ball back starting at their own 12. A penalty backed them up to the five yard line. The Millers were able to methodically make their way down the field to the Westfield 24. That set up shop for Gremel to call his own number for the second time in the half, finding his way to the end zone this time from 24-yards out and getting his Millers a 20-14 lead.
Junior Dorian Henson returned Knight’s kickoff 35-yards to the Noblesville 40. The Shamrocks would get down far enough into Miller territory and Alex Bales nailed a 38-yard field goal to cut the lead to 20-17 at the half.
With as tight as this HCC game was, you would think that the third quarter might be when one of these two would break the game wide open. But, that didn’t happen.
Neither would put any points on the board in the third, as they would waste the third frame with running the ball and trading punts.
On Westfield’s second series of the fourth quarter, they had great field position at their own 46. This drive belonged to Cam Nance. He danced his way 21 yards to a TD to put the ‘Rocks back in front 24-20 with 5:36 left.
The Millers put together a drive that would define their night offensively.
Starting at their own 24, Noblesville knew they had to not only score a touchdown, but mainly had to eat up as much clock as they could in the process.
They ate up 4:12 off of the clock and took a 26-24 lead with 1:39 left on a Luke Blevins two-yard TD run. Knight’s kick was again no good, leaving the Millers up just two.
“I don’t know. We always play that way. I think it’s immaturity,” Westfield head coach Jake Gilbert when asked why his Shamrocks get a slow start in the first half, but manage to still come out on top.
“We just have to grow up and start better,” Gilbert continued on his team’s slow start offensively.
Noblesville had given Westfield too much time to put together one last drive.
The Shamrocks finessed their way down the field and before they knew it, they were staring at paydirt. Froelich ran up the gut for an 18-yard touchdown run with 0:19 left, putting Westfield up 30-26.
The game would be iced on Noblesville’s last possession. Gremel dropped back and Owen McGraw intercepted his pass at the 46-yard line.
“We’ve been a great second half team all year, but we’re confident coming out at halftime; we always are,” Gilbert on his team’s second half (mainly fourth quarter) surge.
Noblesville got some answers that they couldn’t find during their first three weeks. Westfield once again figured out how to overcome their opponent for the fourth week in a row.
Noblesville (0-4, 0-2 HCC) heads home in Week 5 for Homecoming vs. Zionsville (2-2, 0-1 HCC), who came back to win at Brebeuf Jesuit, 21-18.
Westfield (4-0, 2-0 HCC) will continue its unbeaten ways, as they head to Hamilton Southeastern (1-3, 0-2 HCC). The Royals lost the Mudsock game at Fishers, 20-14. The Shamrocks have won 12 games in a row overall, dating back to last season.
Westfield’s Nate Froelich runs the ball in to score during the Shamrocks’ game with Noblesville Friday at Riverview Health Stadium. Westfield won 30-26. (Kent Graham)
Noblesville’s Luke Blevins looks to dodge a tackle. (Kent Graham)
Football, on 09, 08, 2017