INDIANAPOLIS — Tri-Central’s football team made few mistakes in winning its first eight games of the season, but Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium with the Hoosier Heartland Conference title on the line, the Trojans’ few mistakes proved costly.
The Class A No. 10-ranked Trojans lost two fumbles deep in their own territory and Sheridan (5-4, 4-0 HHC) turned those mistakes into 14 points in a 22-14 victory.
“They did a really good job with what they do,” Tri-Central coach George Gilbert said of Sheridan. “Our kids didn’t do a good job of capitalizing on their mistakes and they did a good job of capitalizing on ours. That’s what’s disappointing.”
Playing on the biggest stage in the history of the school’s program, the Trojans in many ways outplayed a program that has won nine Class A state championships. The Blackhawks gained only 161 yards on the night, 69 of which came on an early fourth-quarter touchdown run by Austin Hoover that put them ahead 20-6.
“That was just a frustration play,” Gilbert said. “We had stopped that run all night long and he started to pound on us. That’s typical of the Sheridan offense. They let the defense do the work and then they’re going to run power right at you.”
Early on, it was Tri-Central (8-1, 3-1) that set the tone with its defense. The Trojans gave up only one first down in the first half, but it came after Sheridan recovered Trojan QB Cody Howell’s fumble at the TC 17 early in the second quarter. Six plays later Hoover scored from three yards to put the Blackhawks in front 7-0.
A good kick return gave the Trojans good field position at their own 45, and six plays later the Trojans got on the board. Howell made up for his fumble with a 14-yard keeper, but the extra point was missed, making it 7-6 Sheridan at halftime.
Tri-Central continued to be stout defensively in the second half, but another Howell fumble was recovered at their own 10-yard line. Four plays later Tyler Callahan scored on fourth and four to make it 14-6.
Tri-Central drove deep into Sheridan territory, but turned the ball over on downs at the seven-yard line with 12 seconds left in the third quarter. Just five plays after that Hoover broke his big run to make it 20-6.
Things then went from bad to worse as Tri-Central knocked the kickoff out of bounds at their own three, then committed a holding penalty in the end zone for a safety with 9:57 left. Once again, the Trojans’ defense went to work, forcing a turnover on downs after the free kick.
TC’s offense finally got to work with 8:04 left, moving 64 yards in seven plays and scoring when Howell found Austin Horn for a nine-yard TD pass. Jade Pickett caught the two-point conversion pass to make it a one possession game with 5:52 left.
Another defensive stop and a 37-yard run by Horn gave Tri-Central a final chance to tie from the Sheridan nine with less than two minutes left, but a critical quarterback sack led to a turnover on downs to end the game.
“We never got in any rhythm, but we have a young quarterback and he got better as the game went along,” said Gilbert. “We know we’re possibly getting another shot at these guys in three weeks and it will be an exciting sectional final.”
Horn finished with 128 yards rushing in addition to 29 yards receiving on two catches.
Tri-Central will open sectional play next week at home against Wes-Del, which the Trojans defeated last week 53-0.
Sports
Football: Tri-Central suffers first loss
Sheridan beats TC in battle for HHC football title
- Sports
-
-
Field is set for Indianapolis 500
After being bumped from the starting field while sitting on the qualifying line on pole day, Josef Newgarden turned the fastest time on bump day, assuring himself a spot in the Indianapolis 500.
The field of 33 cars will have one final opportunity to practice on Friday before next Sunday’s 97th running of the 500.
One year ago the Sarah Fisher Racing Team withdrew Newgarden’s entry on the first day of qualifying and had to qualify on bump day. This year the team decided not to make another qualifying run and got bumped. -
Athlete of the week
Cole led the small-school Comets to the Kokomo Sectional title, their first title since 1998.
-
Kats regain tennis throne
At 10:51 a.m. Saturday morning, the bulk of Kokomo’s girls tennis team sprinted from the viewing hill to the east entrance of the tennis courts to mob No. 1 singles player Morgan Mohr as she came off the court following her 1-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Eastern’s Courtney Clark.
The No. 3 singles match was still raging, but the team match was already won. The Wildkats had reconquered the throne from two-time defending champion Eastern and were once again champions of the Kokomo Sectional. -
Eastern boys track claims first sectional title since 1998
The boys track and field coach at Eastern High School from 1987 until last season, Paul Nicholson’s parting message to his team was simple: “Don’t deny the gift.”
That motto left such a lasting impression on the Comets’ returning athletes that they had it screen printed on their 2013 season T-shirts.
With Nicholson in attendance to celebrate with them, new coach Austin Roark and the Comets outlasted host Kokomo to win their first sectional title since 1998 Thursday night, topping the Wildkats by 3.5 points, 124.5-121.
-
Eastern, Kokomo favored in boys track sectional
Some of the names and faces have changed, but the plot remains much the same.
The Kokomo boys track and field sectional, much like last year, will likely be a two-horse race between the host and three-time defending champion Wildkats and Eastern, a team looking to break through and win its first sectional title since 1998. -
Cole to jump at Miami University
Eastern athlete Grant Cole has only been a long jumper for two seasons, but being turned on to the event late in his career has landed him a scholarship to Miami University.
-
Comets roar to sectional title
As the old adage goes, it’s harder stay on top than it is to reach the top.
Eastern’s girls track and field team entered the 2012 postseason hoping to put in a strong enough effort to claim the program’s first sectional title.
Having done so, the Comets entered Tuesday’s postseason opener — the Madison-Grant Sectional — with a much larger bull’s-eye on their backs than in previous years.
Eastern proved up to the challenge, scoring a landslide victory to repeat as sectional champions with 125 points. -
Dexter leaving Eastern
Eastern girls basketball coach Jeremy Dexter has stepped down from the Comet program after accepting the AD job at Churubusco last week. Churubusco is in Whitley County about 15 minutes west of Fort Wayne.
Dexter led the Comets to a Class 2A state runner-up finish this past season. -
Hunter edges Shrout in Thunder Car thriller
Two drivers who are no strangers to Victory Lane returned there Sunday night at the Kokomo Speedway. Meanwhile, a third driver scored just the second feature win of his career at the local oval to highlight the racing action.
Chris Hunter, the winningest Thunder Car driver in the history of the local oval, ground out a gritty win over defending track champion Jason Shrout to highlight the chilly night. -
Girls track sectional is tonight
Eastern’s girls track and field team is ready to chase some more championship hardware.
Two weeks ago, the Comets won their fourth straight Howard County meet. Last week, they won their fourth straight Mid-Indiana Conference meet. Now, the postseason is here, with the Madison-Grant Sectional tonight.
“We’re looking forward to taking the next step,” Eastern coach Michael Goodspeed said. - More Sports Headlines
-
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
