The REPORTER
Fishers went toe-to-toe with Class 6A No. 2 Brownsburg Friday night at the Tigers’ Everwise Credit Union Field, as the two teams fought in a back-and-forth game.
And Fishers nearly pulled the upset in the rain-delayed Hoosier Crossroads Conference contest before the Bulldogs scored on a touchdown pass with 34 seconds left. An extra-point kick sent Brownsburg to a 31-30 victory, keeping the Bulldogs unbeaten at 5-0.
Brownsburg scored first on a 17-yard TD throw, but Brady Griffits quickly answered for the Tigers; running in for a four-yard touchdown. Jon Tangara kicked the extra point, and the first quarter finished with the score 7-7.
The Bulldogs got their second touchdown early in the second quarter when quarterback Iousa Stephens ran in from 10 yards. Not to be outdone, Fishers quarterback Gage Sturgill scrambled in from 36 yards, and Tangara kicked another extra point. A few minutes later, Tangara booted a 21-yard field goal and the Tigers led 17-14.
But Brownsburg scored on a one-yard run seconds before halftime and went into the break up 21-17. Tangara kicked a 29-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to get Fishers within 21-20, but the Bulldogs’ Will Orlando matched him with a 30-yard field goal 52 seconds left in the period.
Brownsburg entered the fourth quarter up 24-20. The Tigers came back: Sturgill found JonAnthony Hall for a 22-yard touchdown with 8:30 left. Tangara kicked the extra point – his third of the game – and later made a 37-yard field goal to put Fishers up 30-24. But the Bulldogs drove down the field, and made the last minute touchdown pass: Oscar Frye to Branden Sharpe for 17 yards. Orlando kicked the extra point to seal the win.
Sturgill was 17-of-29 through the air for 177 yards, with Hall catching eight of those throws for 141 yards. Nathan Ash and TJ Grace both made nine tackles, with Emmanuel Cowherd and Lincoln Bass both getting one sack.
Fishers is 2-1 in conference play and 3-2 overall. The Tigers play next Friday at Avon.
