The Carmel Greyhounds were riding high and confident with a five-game winning streak heading into their matchup with the Warren Central Warriors.
It was a low-scoring game with each kicking two field goals to tie at halftime 6-6, but it was the host Warriors that were able to prevail late in a 20-13 win over the Greyhounds.
Midway through the first, Carmel put the first points on the board with a 26-yard field goal from Ben Sponsler for a 3-0 ‘Hounds lead.
The Warriors tied it early in the second with an Elijah Silbeck field goal from 27, 3-3.
The two traded field goals again in the second, Sponsler from 41 and Silbeck 34 yards out for a 6-6 halftime tie.
Warren Central was the first to find the end zone. The Warriors went 54 yards in eight plays, using just 2:55 off of the clock in the third. Chris Jordan, Jr. crossed the goal line from one yard out, to make it 13-7, Warriors.
The hosts had the ball in good shape at the Carmel 40. Then, Greyhound linebacker Tim Haas strip-sacked Warren quarterback Keith Jackson, returning it 45 yards to the Warrior one.
That set up a one-yard TD run by Carmel QB Jack Kazmierczak, knotting the game at 13-13.
Using home field to their advantage, Warren responded to the Greyhounds’ score, marching 84 yards in 11 plays to take the lead with 7:20 left. They managed to do so on a 20-yard TD pass by Keith Jackson to Devaon Holman for what became the final score of 20-13.
Warren Central moves to 4-4 ahead of their final regular season game. They head to St. Louis to face Christian Brothers (6-1). The Cadets dominated Vianney on Friday, 64-6.
Carmel drops to 5-3 on the season and hosts Lawrence Central (4-4) on Senior Night next week. The Bears lost at Ben Davis on Friday night, 29-28.
WARREN CENTRAL 20, CARMEL 13
Score by Quarters
Carmel 3 3 0 7 – 13
Warren Central 0 6 7 7 – 20
Team Stats CAR WC
First Downs 19 15
By Rush 11 9
By Pass 6 6
By Penalty 2 0
Rushes-Yards 32-149 38-185
Yards Passing 109 146
Comp-Att-Int-TD 15-25-1-0 12-17-0-1
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 2-2
Penalties-Yards 3-18 4-92
Punts-Average 2-34.5 1-36.0
Carmel Scoring
First Quarter
6:08 – Ben Sponsler 26-yard field goal
Second Quarter
5:33 – Sponsler 41-yard field goal
Fourth Quarter
11:40 – Jack Kazmierczak 1-yard run (Sponsler kick)
Carmel individual stats
Rushing: Alijah Alfayyad 19-124, Levell Stewart 5-18, Kazmierczak 6-6, Christian Peterson 1-3, Aidan McFall 1-minus 2.
Passing: Kazmierczak 15-25-109.
Receiving: Reece Bellin 8-56, Blake Matthews 3-3, Nathan Rodgers 2-25, Alfayyad 1-14, Cade Williams 1-11.