Ellison scores 4 TDs in Crown Point shutout win over Penn
6A No. 2 Crown Point 35, No. 12 Penn 0
By Paul Honeycutt
MISHAWAKA — Larry Ellison isn’t a stat guy.
If he was, the Crown Point senior running back would realize that he has put up monstrous numbers over the last couple years.
Well, he was back at it again on Friday night in Class 6A No. 2 Crown Point’s 35-0 over No. 12 Penn, as the Bulldogs grabbed their 9th sectional title in program history, including the second straight.
“A big thing that (Crown Point) coach Buz has been pushing on us is not worrying about stats this year,” said Ellison, who rushed for 200 yards on 25 carries with 4 TDs. “If you’re a stats guy, you’re not for this team.”
Last year when these two played, the Bulldogs (11-0) were taken to the limit, edging the Kingsmen 34-33.
Penn (8-3) lost its quarterback and 10 of its 11 defensive starters from a year ago and it showed after allowing 376 yards of total offense on its way to a running clock late in the third quarter.
“We had to rebuild our whole offensive line this year and that is all we heard all offseason, but credit to Coach Cicero, he’s done a good job with that,” said Buzea.
Crown Point senior quarterback Noah Ehrlich is just 200 passing yards away from moving into 25th place in Indiana high school football history for career passing yards after his 154 yards on 13 of 16 passing.
He linked with junior TE Trevor Gibbs on a 9-yard TD in CP’s first drive that went four plays over 38 yards.
Gibbs finished with three catches for 27 yards while junior wide receiver Caydon Smith paced Crown Point with 43 receiving yards and Ehrlich connected with seven different receivers.
After that, it was all Ellison, who Buzea was asked about after the game on being arguably the best running back in the Region.
“First of all, I don’t know that it’s arguably, he is the best,” Buzea declared of Ellison, who is now at 23 touchdowns on the year. “He is a phenomenal player and a lot of these runs that you saw, he made some unblocked defenders miss.”
The Bulldogs forced Penn’s second straight three-and-out in as many drives and in Crown Point’s next possession, Ellison ran for a 66-yard score.
Crown Point navigated 97 yards on 14 plays in its next scoring drive, capped by a 1-yard Ellison touchdown run.
“From the linemen, they were making good holes and from the good gameplan that Coach Buzea made up, everything looked pretty good and I was just doing my thing,” said Ellison.
Penn journeyed into Bulldogs territory midway through the third quarter, but the drive was thwarted on Gibbs’ second interception of the season.
“This game is all about the defense,” said Buzea. “For those guys to do what they’ve done, come over here and shut those guys out? Phenomenal performance by those guys.”
Ellison added his fourth of the night on Crown Point’s next drive to end the scoring at the 2:42 mark of the third quarter.
The Bulldogs allowed just 144 total yards, including just 59 rushing yards.
Crown Point senior linebacker Lucas Szymborski commended the team’s preparation throughout the week.
“We came in to practice and worked hard every day, had a gameplan and executed it,” he said after his second-ever playoff win after transferring to CP this year. “We’re physical and gave them a zero.”
Crown Point will host No. 10 Carroll (9-2), who beat No. 12 Snider by a 21-10 final in next week’s 6A regional and it will be seeking its third regional title.
“I’d rather be home than away, but we travel pretty well,” said Buzea. “What a crowd we had here and I’d anticipate it’ll be a crazy atmosphere next week.”
Crown Point 35, Penn 0
Crown Point; 13 15 7 0 – 35
Penn; 0 0 0 0 – 0
CP – Trevor Gibbs 9 pass from Noah Ehrlich (Oliver Brewer kick), 9:57 1st
CP – Ellison 66 run (kick failed), 8:56 1st
CP – Ellison 2 run (Brewer kick), 11:56 2nd
CP – Ellison 1 run (Ehrlich run), 4:26 2nd
CP – Ellison 1 run (Brewer kick), 2:42 3rd
Crown Point;Penn
First Downs;18;9
Total Yards;376;144
Rushes-Yards;31-222;19-59
Passing;154;85
Comp.-Att.-Int.;13-16-0;10-21-1
Penalties-Yards;6-47;4-25
Fumbles-Lost;1-1;0-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – CROWN POINT, Larry Ellison 25-200, Noah Ehrlich 2-13, Jayden Rodriguez 3-9, Logan Urbaniak 1-0. PENN, Jaedon Parker 7-30, Malachi Evans 8-28, Brady Cashen 2-2, Tyler Stuk 1-0, Kellen Watson 1-(-1).
PASSING – CROWN POINT, Noah Ehrlich 13-16-154-1-0. PENN, Brady Cashen 10-19-85-0-1, Kellen Watson 0-2-0-0-0.
RECEIVING – CROWN POINT, Caydon Smith 3-43, Trevor Gibbs 3-27, Jacob Soley 3-25, Larry Ellison 1-23, Lucas Szymborski 1-17, Logan Urbaniak 1-11, Oscar Biasi 1-8. PENN, Tayshon Bardo 4-56, Kellen Watson 1-12, Cole Bennett 2-9, Jeremiah Mitchell 2-7, Malachi Evans 1-1.