By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
NOBLESVILLE – Fall weather officially set in for Friday night’s sectional championship. That served up quite the atmosphere for the Shamrocks and Millers to battle it out for the Sectional 4 championship.
After a chess match in the first half kept the scoring to a minimum, Westfield found their ways to victory for a 24-12 sectional championship, its fourth in a row.
Trading field goals in the first half, eventually one of the two teams would find a way to crack the other.
The Millers got on the board first, using up just over half of the first quarter and grabbing an early 3-0 lead with 5:28 in the quarter on a 26-yard Jack Letourneau field goal.
Westfield tied it 3-3 on its ensuing possession with Brody Boehm sailing a 27-yard field goal through the uprights.
A couple series later, Letourneau matched Boehm’s previous and drilled a line-drive 27-yarder himself that gave Noblesville a 6-3 edge with just two seconds left in the half for a low-scoring, three-point halftime advantage.
“I wasn’t real surprised. There were five total possessions. That’s what happens when you play them. They got three and we got two. We had penalties that stopped us on one of ours and we got a field goal on the other,” Westfield head coach Jake Gilbert said.
“We stopped them one out of three and held them to field goals on the other. So, I honestly thought it was a decent first half. We did some good stuff. The penalties are what cost us,” Gilbert continued.
Each punted on their first drives of the second half and then Shamrock kicker Brody Boehm pushed a 28-yard field goal attempt wide left.
The Millers’ next series were forced to punt. The snap was off and at the feet of Letourneau and he had to scramble to his left. The senior punter was taken down deep at his own eight, putting Westfield in a prime spot.
“That was a great game. We had the bad breaks in the third quarter, but we did we ever respond and had a legitimate chance to win the game. Being down 11 and coming right back. We had a chance to win it with five minutes to go and we couldn’t convert,” said Noblesville head coach Dave Sharpe on his team’s resilience.
Just a few plays later, tailback Kendall Garnett ran in the game’s first touchdown from two-yards away, putting the ‘Rocks in front 10-6.
On the kickoff, Miller kick returner Blake Widget fumbled the ball deep and it was recovered by Westfield. Then, with 12 seconds left in the third, Garnett would score again on a one-yard drive. In just two short minutes, two scores later the Shamrocks were now leading 17-6.
“Clearly, special teams were the difference. They had two special teams turnovers, but then we also got a hand on that punt in the first half. And realistically, we scored on a fake field goal,” stated Gilbert on Westfield taking advantage of Noblesville’s special teams miscues.
Early in the fourth, the Millers put together a solid drive, ending with a one-yard touchdown run from Gage Gulley, cutting it back to a 17-12 deficit.
“It’s the resiliency of this group. We always fight back. We were down in many games and we always fought back and that’s how this senior group will stay in my heart forever. It’s going to be very sad to replace these seniors. They’re a great group,” Sharpe stated about his seniors and their impact on the program.
Westfield would pooch punt off of the foot of quarterback Jackson Gilbert, but after Noblesville quarterback Jacob Baker threw an interception, the ‘Rocks were back in business and in control with the clock on their side.
Key plays would get Westfield in position to put the game out of reach. Maximus Nosler had an 11-yard run with 3:45 left. Parker Knott converted a big second and six at the Miller 11 for 10 yards down to the one.
The Millers stood tall on defense for a couple plays, forcing a field goal attempt from Boehm again. With Jackson Gilbert as the holder, Westfield pulled out a trick play. Gilbert took the snap and pitched the ball to his left and Boehm ran in the fake field goal for a two-yard touchdown for what turned out to be the final score of 24-12.
“It worked. I had just decided yesterday. It was great for our special teams, which we are generally pretty strong in that area and we were excellent tonight,” stated Gilbert on the Shamrocks’ special teams play.
The Millers played well enough on both sides of the ball, but it came down to special teams play that helped the ‘Rocks prevail in the end.
“We did enough to beat a great team, but unfortunately we had a couple bad breaks,” continued Sharpe on his team’s play.
Noblesville ends its season at 4-7 and says goodbye to a great senior class that leaves its mark in many ways. The Millers won a sectional football game two seasons in a row for the first time since 2001.
They also were able to celebrate Logan Shoffner breaking Paul Height’s all-time rushing record, which stood since 1983 and kept adding to it all season long. Shoffner leaves his Miller career with 4,177 yards rushing on 540 attempts for an astounding 7.7 yards per carry, scoring 27 touchdowns. He also caught 41 passes for 562 yards.
“There might be some debate, but I think Logan Shoffner is the best Miller of all-time. He’s one of my favorite kids and definitely the best overall football player that I’ve coached,” Sharpe said, praising Shoffner.
Noblesville’s Logan Shoffner rushed for 123 yards in Friday’s sectional game with Westfield. Shoffner graduates as the Millers’ all-time leading rusher. (Mike Navarro)
“With his work ethic, his size, brain. For him to show a whole town what can be accomplished when you put your heart and soul into something, I hope it has a long-lasting effect on our community. The same with Gage Gulley,” Sharpe continued on both Shoffner and Gulley.
Gulley is another one of those hard-nosed, gritty players that did what it took for the good of the team.
“The same with Gage Gulley. What an absolute warrior, tremendous football player,” said a grateful Sharpe.
“Those two guys, they were our identity and it’s a special duo,” Sharpe stated on how special Shoffner and Gulley have been as backfield mates.
Westfield (10-1) advances on to the regional championship next Friday and will host Hamilton Southeastern (9-2).
Shoffner led the Millers with 30 carries and 123 yards in his final game. Kendall Garnett had 141 yards on 23 attempts and two touchdowns to lead Westfield.
“Kendall’s coming along. I think the o-line is gelling and all of that’s been really good,” Gilbert stated.
I just want to point out how proud I am of our seniors. We’re 10-1. We’ve won four sectionals in a row and eight sectionals in 11 years. There are only six teams that can say that,” continued Gilbert.
“These seniors have never lost to our neighbors Carmel, Zionsville and Noblesville. These guys were in kindergarten when we came here (13 years ago) and they bought into what we were selling,” said an elated Jake Gilbert.
WESTFIELD 24, NOBLESVILLE 12
Score by Quarters
Westfield 3 0 14 7 – 24
Noblesville 3 3 0 6 – 12
Team stats WFLD NOB
First Downs 14 12
By Rush 7 8
By Pass 6 4
By Penalty 1 0
Rushes-Yards 35-174 40-139
Passing Yards 115 101
Comp-Att-Int-TD 12-18-0-0 5-13-2-0
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 2-1
Penalties-Yards 9-75 3-15
Punts-Average 2-35.5 2-29.5
Scoring
First Quarter
N, 5:28 – Jack Letourneau 26-yard field goal
W, 1:19 – Brody Bohem 27-yard field goal
Second Quarter
N, 0:01 – Letourneau 27-yard field goal
Third Quarter
W, 2:23 – Kendall Garnett 2-yard run (Boehm kick)
W, 0:28 – Garnett 1-yard run (Boehm kick)
Fourth Quarter
N, 7:51 – Gage Gulley 1-yard run (run failed)
W, 1:53 – Boehm 2-yard run (Boehm kick)
Westfield individual stats
Rushing: Garnett 23-141, Jackson Gilbert 5-16, Maximus Nosler 2-11, Parker Knott 1-6, Boehm, 1-2, Mikeah Webster 1-minus, team 2-0.
Passing: Gilbert 12-18-115.
Receiving: Nosler 3-39, Knott 3-22, Garnett 2-19, Broc Parker 2-10, Beau Braun 1-19, Aiden Grabowski 1-6.
Noblesville individual stats
Rushing: Shoffner 29-123, Gabe Belland 5-13, Gulley 3-11, Jake Baker 2-5, Letourneau 1-minus 13.
Passing: Baker 5-13-101.
Receiving: Gulley 2-53, Aiden Brewer 2-44, Max Miller 1-4.