The 38th Annual IHSAA Football State Finals presented by the ...

CLASS A
State Finalist Team Notes
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC
� Ranked #1 in both Associated Press and State Coaches polls.
� One of three unbeaten teams in this year's state fi nals (North Putnam, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger).
� One of three teams to return from 2009 state fi nals (Fountain Central, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers).
� Knights att empting to repeat as Class A state champions and win fourth title overall in rematch with Fountain Central.
� Central Catholic riding a 29-game winning streak and att empting to complete back-to-back 15-0 seasons.
� With a win, Knights would become fourth consecutive unbeaten Class A champ and third repeat winner (Sheridan twice).
� School att empting to win second state championship in span of 20 days (girls volleyball team won Class A crown on Nov. 6).
� Knights shutout eight of their 14 opponents this season.
� Beat #2 Pioneer, 40-12, in the sectional championship game and #5 Churubusco, 42-14, in semi-state game.
� Scored 42 or more points in 11 of 14 games this season.
� Central Catholic leads the state in points allowed (4.7) ranks second in margin of victory (44.1) and is fourth in points per game (48.9).
� Knights own state’s third-best record over the last four seasons at 46-3 (.939).
� Holding a 14-8 halftime lead vs. Churubusco on Friday, CC scored three third quarter TDs to pull away; Knights have outscored
opponents 215-7 in third quarter this year.
� Champions of the Hoosier Heartland Conference.
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL
� Ranked #4 by Associated Press; #6 in Coaches poll.
� Fountain Central playing for its second state championship (1983) and appearing in fourth title game overall.
� One of three teams to return from 2009 state fi nals (Lafayett e Central Catholic, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers).
� Mustangs won second consecutive semi-state championship last Friday to set up a rematch of last year’s Class A title game with
Lafayett e Central Catholic.
� In two previous Class A title game rematches, team that lost the fi rst year returned to win the second year (Tri-West Hendricks beat
Carroll (Flora) in 1996; Seeger beat Cardinal Ritt er in 2004).
� Fountain Central suff ered their only defeat to 3A Southmont in the season opener and have reeled off 13 straight wins.
� Mustangs rallied from a 20-0 defi cit, scoring 16 points in the fi nal 3:57 of the game to beat Guerin Catholic, 22-20, in Friday’s semistate
game. Quarterback Andrew Mitchell tied the game on a 1-yard-run with 1:01 remaining and then hit Michael Duane for the
2-point conversion. Their defense allowed only 56 yards in the second half.
� Central Catholic and Fountain Central rank 1-2 in Class A in points per game (48.9, 41.6) and margin of victory (44.1, 30.3).
� Champions of the Wabash River Conference.
CLASS 2A
FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS
� Ranked #1 in Coaches poll, #2 by Associated Press.
� One of three teams to return from 2009 state fi nals (Lafayett e Central Catholic, Fountain Central).
� Bishop Luers looking to repeat as Class 2A state champions.
� Knights att empting to win a record-tying ninth state title in football (Indianapolis Bishop Chatard and Sheridan also have nine).
� Bishop Luers playing in state record 13th state championship game and sixth since 2000.
� A victory on Friday would be the eighth state championship for Coach Matt Lindsay and tie him with Dick Dullaghan for second in
state history (Sheridan’s Bud Wright won nine). Lindsay is 213-96 in 24 years at Luers.
� Knights only loss this season came at the hands of 4A fi nalist Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger in the last game of the regular season with
the Summit Athletic Conference championship on the line.
� Eliminated #2 Rensselaer Central for the second straight year in Saturday’s semi-state round.
NORTH PUTNAM
� Ranked #3 by Associated Press; #4 in Coaches poll.
� One of three unbeaten teams in this year’s state fi nals (Lafayett e Central Catholic, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger).
� North Putnam will play for the school’s fi rst state championship in any sport after winning its fi rst football semi-state championship.
� First North Putnam team to appear in a state championship game in any sport.
� Defeated #7 Speedway, 25-14, for the regional championship and #3 Evansville Mater Dei, 6-0, in the semi-state game.
� With just under three minutes remaining in the third quarter of Friday’s semi-state game, RB Travis Franklin passed to Caleb
Vondersaar from 25 yards out for the game’s only score. Aaron Vondersaar had intercepted a Mater Dei pass one play earlier.
� Cougars rank sixth in the state in points allowed this season (9.2) and ninth in margin of victory (29.6).
� Champions of the West Central Conference.
� First Putnam County school to play in state championship game since South Putnam fi nished as 2002 Class A runner-up.
CLASS 3A
SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH’S
� Unranked in both coaches and Associated Press polls.
� St. Joseph’s advances to 3A state championship for second time in four years and third time overall (1995).
� Indians fi nished as the runner-up to Bishop Chatard in 2007 championship game.
� St. Joe’s began season 0-3 and was 2-5 before winning fi nal two regular season games. The team enters the state championship game
having won seven straight contests.
� Indians have defeated three consecutive top six teams -- #5 Jimtown in the sectional fi nal, #6 Andrean in the regional and #4 Leo in
the semi-state.
� St. Joseph's defense registered six sacks and QB Max Matt hews and RB Pete Gillis each scored a pair of rushing TDs in the 28-7 semistate
win over Leo.
� Ben Downey is in his fi rst year as St. Joe's head coach and was a senior WR/OLB on St. Joe’s 1995 3A state championship team.
Pure Spirit. Pure Sport. Pure Indiana.