By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – Fishers spread the wealth during the first half, and that helped get the Tigers into the Class 6A Sectional 3 championship game.
Fishers beat Noblesville 31-21 in a Friday semifinal game at the Millers’ Beaver Stadium. The Tigers, now 6-4 for the season, will go back on the road next Friday to play for the Sectional 3 title, traveling to Hamilton Southeastern.
The first half was all Fishers, as four different Tigers players scored a touchdown. Ryan Thembulembu went first, taking a seven-yard run into the end zone. Minutes later, Vincent Rozzi caught a 17-yard TD pass from Caden Hill. Jon Tangara made both extra-point kicks, and Fishers enjoyed a 14-0 lead after one quarter.
JonAnthony Hall provided some excitement halfway through the second quarter, catching a Hill pass and taking it 80 yards for a touchdown. Denkota Fletcher finished the Tigers’ scoring with a three-yard TD run with 18 seconds left in the half. Tangara also kicked both extra points, the finishing touches on a 28-0 Fishers halftime lead.
“I told our kids, that was probably the best first half of football we played all year,” said Tigers coach Curt Funk.
Noblesville, to its credit, fought back in the second half. The Millers got the only points of the third quarter, with Ty Holmes punching the ball in from the one-yard line. A Caden Lydle extra-point kick kept Noblesville within 28-7 going into the fourth quarter.
The game was only three seconds into the fourth when Max Miller ran in from two yards to score, and Lydle’s kick brought the Millers to within 28-14. Fishers made a long drive into the red zone, with Tangara finishing it up by kicking a 35-yard field goal.
Noblesville’s Max Miller made a two-yard touchdown run and threw a long touchdown pass to keep the Millers in the game. (Joshua Herd)
Noblesville had one more touchdown to score and it came from a big play. Miller connected with Aiden Brewer for a 38-yard score. Lydle kicked in his third extra point to keep Noblesville close. But Fishers was able to hold on in the final four minutes.
“We finished the game and we were able to beat a good Noblesville team tonight,” said Funk.
Hill finished the game 12-of-18 for 265 yards, with Hall catching five of those throws for 136 yards. Thembulembu totaled 102 yards rushing. TJ Grace led the Fishers defense with eight tackles.
“They can make such explosive plays on both sides of the ball,” said Millers coach Dave Sharpe. “But I knew we’d come back and I’m very proud of our comeback, literally having a fighting chance there down to the wire.”
Miller went 8-for-13 as quarterback, totaling 146 yards; Brewer had five catches for 91 yards. Brody Gump’s 69 yards led the rushing for Noblesville, which finished 2-8, although six of those losses were by seven points or less.
“I’m really proud of the senior class,” said Sharpe. “It would’ve been really easy to just pack it in after four or five close losses, but they kept fighting and grinding.”
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