(LEFT) Fishers quarterback Gage Sturgill has thrown for 2,298 yards and 24 touchdowns this season. (RIGHT) Westfield tight end Caiden Snow has 33 receptions, including four for TDs. (Joshua Herd)
By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
No. 9 Fishers Tigers (8-3) at No. 5 Westfield Shamrocks (9-2)
The Tigers and Shamrocks just can’t get enough of playing each other. Tonight is the 25th meeting between the two Hoosier Crossroads Conference rivals. Fishers holds a tight 13-11 edge in the series, but Westfield has a 3-1 mark in the playoffs.
The Rocks won the regular season matchup (14-7) at home five weeks ago on Oct. 10, as well as last year’s regional meeting at Fishers (42-28).
Head coach Curt Funk is in his sixth season at Fishers, owning a 38-28 mark and is 116-64 in 16 seasons overall, 77-36 at Mississinewa from 2010-19.
After a dominating sectional semifinal win at Noblesville (41-13), the Tigers knocked out Hamilton Southeastern last week in a “Mudsock Revisited” Sectional 4 championship, 28-20.
Fishers got 174 yards on 32 carries from running back Ryan Thembulembu in the title tilt with HSE. That puts Thembulembu at 898 yards on 135 carries to go along with 14 touchdowns rushing. He also has 222 yards receiving on 15 catches and two receiving scores.
Gage Sturgill is 20th in the state, fourth in 6A, with 2,298 passing yards. He’s a 58 percent passer (145 for 249) and has 24 passing touchdowns and just four interceptions. Sturgill is a dual threat quarterback with 481 rushing yards on 88 rushes (5.5 yards per carry) and three TDs.
Sturgill’s top target is fellow senior Vincent Rozzi, who’s atop the 6A leaders and fourth overall with 1,257 yards on 57 receptions and has scored 16 touchdowns.
Atticus Finley and Emmanuel Cowherd are tied with 74 tackles each. Tyler Maynard is right behind with 68 tackles and three sacks. Finley also is tied for the team lead with two interceptions, along with Kayden Myers and Jayden Bogan, and also has five caused fumbles.
Kicker Micah Hillen is 33 for 35 on extra-point attempts and a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals, with a long of 42.
Josh Miracle is 21-4 in his second year as head coach at Westfield. What’s been a tremendous help is that Miracle was an assistant coach the 11 years prior under former coach Jake Gilbert.
The Shamrocks rolled against Zionsville in the sectional semifinal (48-20) two weeks ago. Last week’s Sectional 3 championship was one for the ages on the road at Carmel.
Leading 17-7, the Greyhounds were able to come back and tie it 17-17 to force overtime. When Carmel got the ball first in the extra period and had to settle for a field goal on fourth down to go up 20-17, Westfield had to get strategic.
Facing a fourth down and goal from the Carmel four, it all came down to the final play.
Aiden Grabowski found Conner all alone and tossed a jump pass to the junior for the game-winner, 23-20.
Reporter Sports Editor Richie Hall talked to tight end Baylor Conner and head coach Josh Miracle following Westfield’s sixth consecutive sectional title at Carmel last week.
“I just saw defenders go in,” said Conner. “I knew I was the only one [in the end zone]. I saw him jump up, throw it. It doesn’t feel real right now, but it was just an awesome moment once you see everything open up.”
“It was gutsy on a play, but that’s the preparation,” said Westfield coach Josh Miracle. “Our offensive staff and our defensive guys got the stop there at the end.”
Grabowski and sophomore Cooper Melvin platoon at quarterback, combining for 1,623 yards and 11 touchdown passes. Grabowski (456 yards, 11 TDs) and Conner (346, two TDs) have been pivotal in the run game in recent games.
Sophomore Andrew Noble leads in receiving with 477 yards and freshman Caiden Snow at 391 (33 catches), each with four touchdowns.
Olumide Fapetu tops the defense with 90 tackles and an interception. Alex Aramboles has 12 sacks, Logan Loring six interceptions and Jadeon Smith three fumble recoveries.
Kicker Diego Herrera is fifth in the state, third in 6A, with nine field goals made. He’s 30 of 34 on PATs and 9-for-11 field goals, his longest being 39 yards.
