Heading into tonight’s annual Mudsock matchup, both Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) and Fishes started the season off 3-0 in fashion. Fishers was putting up 44 points per game and giving up their only points of the season to Noblesville, but going up against one of the better defenses in the state was bound to be a test for the talented offense.

As the game kicked off, both offenses were left stagnant through the first three drives until Jalen Alexander exploded through the line of scrimmage and went 96 yards for a touchdown. On the ensuing kick return Fishers would fumble the ball away, giving HSE great field position at the 28 yard line. However, three consecutive fourth down false starts would force the Royals to punt the ball and give up the field position. As the first quarter came to an end, Khobie Martin would start to get force fed carries for Fishers to get the ball moving. As they got inside the 20, Bennett Gorak would find Jon Anthony Hall on the crosser before tying it up with a quarterback sneak two plays later. With eight minutes left in the first half, junior quarterback Chandler Weston would call his own number for the Royals and take the read option 57 yards to the endzone to increase the lead 14-7. Led by senior linebacker Judah Parker, the Royal defense would quickly get off the field which led to Weston finding receiver Donovan Hamilton down the field for another huge touchdown after evading a sack in the pocket. Up 21-7, HSE would get the ball back again after Mason Alexander tipped Goraks pass in the air which landed in the hands of linebacker Brody Carlson. The Tigers would get the ball back with about a minute and a half left. Relying on the legs of Khobie Martin, they would execute a great two minute drill before getting inside the 10 yard line with one play left. Gorak would fine Hall on the drag route, but Donovan Hamilton would wrap him up and prevent the score going into halftime. 

After receiving the second half kick off, Fishers would continue to feed Martin as he opened the half with a long run to get the Tigers inside the 25. Not long after, Gorak would find tight end Joel Gates in the flats before sneaking it in for his second score of the night. Adding onto his 150 yard night, Jon Anthony Hall would once again be found across the middle by Gorak to get the drive kickstarted for the Tigers after forcing a HSE punt. With just eight minutes left in the game, Martin would find the endzone for the first time to tie the game up at 21. Right as linebacker Carter Imes was getting the momentum to the Tigers with two tackles for loss in a row, Jalen Alexander would do what he does best and find the endzone from 75 yards out to make it 28-21. Three minutes later, Gorak would find Hall across the middle once again before Martin would find the endzone for the second time. The Royals would have one last drive to seal the game, but would come up just short on the 48-yard field goal attempt to bring the game to overtime. 

The Tigers would start with the ball in overtime, easily scoring in two plays behind the legs of Khobie Martin for his third touchdown of the night. A gutsy two point conversion attempt would end up being the wrong decision for the Tigers as Judah Parker stuffed the run in the backfield. 

The Royals would take over and see Jalen Alexander punch it in from seven yards out to tie it up before kicker Hugo Belmonte would send the PAT through the uprights for the 35-34 win and the fifth straight mudsock championship for the Royals. 

Despite the cockiness that could come with five straight Mudsock victories, HSE running back Jalen Alexander realizes the importance of a quality win year-in-and-year-out. 

“It is always a good feeling,” Alexander said. “How personal it is leading up to the game, it is not just about us. It is about the community, the kids [and] the staff at both schools. Fishers is a tremendous program, Coach Funk coaches well, last year we won by one and this year we won by one. Both being overtime games, it is just a great competitive environment that we are prepared for.” 

HSE will take on Westfield next week as Fishers prepares for a Brownsburg. The HCC is a gauntlet and whether it be the front runners of Brownsburg, HSE, Westfield or Fishers winning the conference this year or a dark horse like Franklin Central, whoever takes home the conference championship will be right there next to Ben Davis and Center Grove for State Championship contention. 

HSE and Fishers will most likely see each other once again in the sectional championship, which is always just as fun as the regular season game. 

Game Awards

Player of The Game: Jalen Alexander. Pretty self explanatory here, 17 carries, 200 yards and 3 touchdowns. Not to mention the 94 yard and 75 yard scores he had. However, Khobie Martin deserves just as much credit for his 37/285/3 performance. 

“We never make predictions going into games,” said Alexander. “We will always remain humble, and like Coach Kelly says at the end of every game, ‘whos hungry for me?’” 

Impact Play of The Game: Judah Parker 2PT tackle for loss. Once again, hard to argue against the play that ended up winning the game in overtime. There were lots of huge plays for HSE and even another tackle by Donovan Hamilton at the end of the first half ended up saving the game in retrospect, but talk about a high-energy, high-stress moment that Parker delivered in. 

Unit of the Game: Both Offensive Lines. Just considering the lead backs alone, the big boys up front paved the way for nine yards per carry and eight total rushing touchdowns tonight for both teams combined. 

So, whos the real 24? I think we can just call it a tie and appreciate the greatness both of these athletes have displayed over the past two years.