By RICHIE HALL
FISHERS – For the second consecutive week, the Westfield football team joined the 40-plus club.
Points, that is. The Class 6A No. 2 Shamrocks had another solid week on offense, totaling over 500 yards combined rushing and passing as they beat Fishers 46-12 in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game at the Tigers’ Everwise Credit Union Field.
Westfield gained 352 yards on the ground, starting with a huge play just a minute and a half into the game. Junior Deacon King scored the Rocks’ first touchdown with a 77-yard run into the end zone. It would be the first of many highlights for the highly-recruited King during the game.
“It’s good to start fast,” said King. “Normally, we’ll start fast on defense and offense will take a little bit to go, but getting the score really helped us pick up momentum.”
Shamrocks coach Josh Miracle said that King’s run set the tone early.
“I just felt like our guys had two really good weeks back-to-back of practices,” said Miracle. “It was nice to see that carry over again.”
King took in Westfield’s second touchdown midway through the first quarter on a two-yard run. The Shamrocks ended the quarter with a TD through the air: Carsen Melvin found Parker Knott for an 18-yard score to put Westfield ahead 19-0.
Things slowed down a little bit in the second quarter, but the Shamrocks got six more points from Owen Wright. The kicker nailed two field goals, from 39 yards and 35 yards, helping Westfield to a 25-0 halftime lead.
Fishers got on the board to start the second half. Just 37 seconds into the third quarter, Ryan Thembulembu took off for a 36-yard run to the end zone.
“Our offensive coordinator, Coach (Blair) Schlicher does a phenomenal job,” said Miracle. We got the best running back coach in the state, Jeff Bennett does a phenomenal job with him and he’s growing. And then just credit to the offensive lin. Coach (Zane) Burtron, doing a fabulous job with those guys. That’s always the heartbeat of the team.”
But that was as close as the Rocks would let the Tigers get. King stepped up again, making a pair of seven-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter. Wright and Diego Herrera both made extra-point kicks, and Westfield enjoyed a 39-6 lead going into the fourth.
JonAnthony Hall took a five-yard pass from Thembulembu into the end zone midway through the fourth quarter. Westfield’s Karson Fitzpatrick completed the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run late in the period.
King totaled 207 yards for the game, with Melvin going 14-of-24 through the air for 144 yards. Gabe Aramboles led the Westfield receptions with six.
Thembulembu led Fishers with 73 yards rushing.
“They’re a good football team,” said Tigers coach Curt Funk. “We gave up some big plays, and then on us, it just took us a while to get our footing on offense and we can’t do that against a good team.”
Westfield is 5-1 in HCC play and 7-1 overall; the Shamrocks host Franklin Central next Friday to finish the regular season. Fishers is 3-3 in the conference and 4-4 overall and travel to Zionsville next Friday.
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