It was a slow start for both teams in a highly-touted Sectional Six championship game between Cathedral and Lawrence North.
Playing through injury, senior running back Jalen Bonds sparked Cathedral on their first drive with a few efficient runs. Junior quarterback Cameron Koers was accurate, spreading the ball across a variety of targets — until the Lawrence North defense woke up.
On the first fourth down of the night, senior defensive back Jerome Smith came off the edge and blocked his fourth field goal of the season.
“I tell our kids all the time, ‘Special teams have to be special,’” head coach Pat Mallory said. “We work really hard on special teams, and I think that helped us keep some field position [today].”
An impressive defense in its own right, the Irish held strong throughout the opening quarter.
Each time the Wildcats began to get an offensive drive going, quarterback Tanner Aspeslet found the defense’s hands — three times, to be exact.
Junior defensive back Zyon Hill was the first to pick off Aspeslet, followed by senior ATH Jack Lockhart on the ensuing drive.
After a few punts and big plays from sophomore running back Izayveon Moore and receiver Monshun Sales, a tipped ball landed in the hands of junior linebacker William Pugh for the third interception of the night.
Following the last of these interceptions, the Wildcats responded with a defensive play of their own. Junior linebacker Breck Mallory read Koers’ eyes, jumped the outbreaking route, and sprinted to the end zone for the first points of the night.
Up 7-0 going into halftime, with Koers out for the rest of the game after a big hit, the Wildcats had all the momentum despite a slim lead and three turnovers in the half.
In the first two minutes of the second half, Lawrence North all but wrapped up their championship effort.
Indiana football commit Davion Chandler set the tone with a big kick return that set up a 44-yard touchdown run by Moore. On the following drive, Mallory emerged from a scrum at the line of scrimmage to score his second defensive touchdown of the night.
“I think our defense just keeps getting better,” coach Mallory said. “We step up to the level of competition.”
With a 21-0 lead and 10 minutes left in the third quarter, Chandler converted two crucial third downs to set up a Colton Hughes 27-yard field goal with seconds remaining in the quarter.
As each team ran down the clock, Bonds had the final score of the night to cap off his senior season, which he had missed much of due to injury.
One final kneel-down by Aspeslet sealed a 24-7 victory for Lawrence North, giving the Wildcats as many wins as they had in the previous two seasons combined.
“This is only the fifth time in the history of the school [that we won sectionals],” Mallory said. “So, to get a second [championship] in the last four years, I think it all goes back to the kids believing in me and my method.”
Heading into his 12th year, Mallory has finally found success with the Wildcat program after winning a total of 10 games in his first four seasons.
“The definition of our 11-0 is just all the hard work we’ve put into this,” Mallory said. “Trying to build this [program] and get [it] turned around to be where we are now. It just means a lot; it really does.”
Lawrence North will play Brownsburg for the regional championship on Nov. 15.
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