Prior to the 2014 football season, in July that year, the Indiana Preps team picked Ben Davis as the preseason favorite to win the class 6A state championship. Led by senior quarterback Kyle Castner and a host of offensive weapons in running backs Chris Evans, Dorian Tate and wide receivers Stori Emerson, Brennan Gillis, Trew Smith and Rashawn Bond. The Giants could score at will in 2014 averaging around 42 points a game. A wrecking ball defense that took the ball away more than anybody that year, led by linebacker Asmar Bilal and defensive back Jaylin Harden, gave the Giants all the pieces to make a run in 2014.
During their 2014 campaign the Giants faced a ton of adversity. Numerous times, the Giants were down and had to fight and claw their way to victory. Their week 3 match-up against Pike, was an opportunity for Ben Davis to avenge their previous season’s loss, when the Red Devils knocked the Giants out of the playoffs. Ben Davis wasted no time, jumping on the Red Devils early. However a couple of quick scores by the Red Devils and the momentum totally shifted in Pike’s favor. Pike erased a 21 point deficit, to take the lead 50-46 with under 2 minutes left in the game. Quarterback Kyle Castner would lead the Giants on an 80 yard drive and sealed the victory, winning 53-50 in dramatic fashion.
With losses to conference foes Warren Central and Carmel, their conference championship hopes evaporated. Finishing the regular season 7-2, the Giants had an uphill battle to reach Lucas Oil Stadium. Familiar adversaries stood in the way of Ben Davis reaching their goal of winning a class 6A state championship. Starting with their rival Pike, another battle that went down to the wire but Ben Davis was able to return the favor knocking the Red Devils out of the playoffs. After a tough win over Avon, the Giants had their nemesis Warren Central standing in their way. It took another late fourth quarter drive led by quarterback Kyle Castner. The Giants marched 84 yards in 14 plays and upended the Warriors 40-36. In the semistate game, the Center Grove Trojans took a commanding lead, and the Giants chances seemed bleak, trailing 45-28 in the third quarter. Yet, another resilient effort, the Giants clawed their way back to win 49-45. Finally over the hump, the Giants were headed to the 6A state championship game to face another familiar foe in Carmel, who gave the Giants a 37-14 loss during week 7. In the title game, they found themselves down 17 points to Carmel. But like much of the season, the Giants stormed back and reeled off 42 consecutive points to beat the Greyhounds 42-24. And as we predicted, the Ben Davis Giants were crowned the 2014 6A state champions.
Their late game heroics in the face of adversity during the 2014 season campaign, was a testament to their will to win. Much like the 2014 season, this year’s Giants could avenge their regular season losses and reach the 6A title game for the second time in three years. Given a 13 point loss to Center Grove, a 1 point loss to Warren Central, capped by a 4 point loss to Carmel, this is an indication, the Giants are close. Close to replicating the 2014 season, if the will to win is still there. A possible Giant return.
INDIANA PREPS SPORTS NETWORK 