INDIANAPOLIS — Cathedral senior kicker Van Krisiloff delivered a game-winning, career-long, 46-yard field goal from the left hash to lift the 5A fourth-ranked Irish to a 23-20 victory over top-ranked Bishop Chatard at Butler’s Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl.
The Irish (2-2) stormed back from a 13-point deficit Friday night, riding a gritty second-half surge on all three phases to knock off Class 4A No. 1 Bishop Chatard in an epic classic to hoist the Northside Knights of Columbus trophy.
The Eastern Michigan commit mentioned the only thing on his mind before the decisive kick was just to “expect a good snap” and make the field goal with just 12 seconds left on the game clock. The biggest aspect of kicking that has improved over the course of Krisiloff’s career at Cathedral was his efficiency and consistency of making direct contact on kicks.
Costly personal fouls from Cathedral kept Chatard’s first two drives alive, including a late shove out of bounds on an uncatchable deep shot, then a roughing the kicker penalty facing fourth-and-15 during the next possession. The Trojans (3-1) leaned on junior running back Danny Adams on their bruising 12-play opening drive, which was capped off by a 3-yard rushing touchdown from Adams to take an early lead. Chatard capitalized to increase its lead to 13-0 after junior quarterback Harrison Odom orchestrated the run-pass-option and hit junior receiver Brooks Hines on a slant for an explosive 45-yard passing touchdown.
Krisiloff, a 2024 IFCA Junior All-State selection, added a pair of field goals to keep the Irish in the fight, including a 34-yarder and a chip shot from 20-yards out as the first half clock expired to cut the deficit to 13-6.
“Those two mistakes spotted them 13 points, but we came down in the last four minutes of the first half to get a field goal,” Cathedral head coach Bill Peebles said. “We started to control things and get some big momentum that carried into the second half.”
Chatard missed a massive opportunity to extend the lead midway through the third quarter by deciding to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the Irish 4-yard-line. Odom had Adams wide open in the flat, but his pass bounced off the tips of Adams’ fingers and fell incomplete for a turnover on downs.
Cathedral’s critical goal line stand motivated its offense to engineer a 16-play, 96-yard scoring drive to reach the end zone for the first time in three weeks since its first opening drive of the 2025 season. Set up in the pistol formation, senior running back Jimmy Pappas broke through tacklers, pinballed through the Trojans defense and extended the football past the goal line for a 25-yard touchdown run to tie it even at 13-13 late in the third quarter. The Fighting Irish scored 20 straight points to take their first lead in the fourth quarter after senior running back Xavier Dangerfield plunged into the end zone from 5-yards out.
The pendulum continued to swing as Adams matched Pappas with a 25-yard rushing score of his own to draw another deadlock at 20-20 with just four minutes left to play. Both teams traded punts trying to flip the field, but Cathedral’s punt block unit was ready to seize the moment for a chance to win late. Chatard’s punter Patrick Belby dropped the low snap and tried to drop kick his fumble, but the punt instantly deflected off the facemask of Cathedral senior Lazarus Tipton, then bounced out of bounds at the Trojans’ own 38-yard-line with just one minute left to play. It was the first drive either team started in opposing territory, which ultimately set up the eventual winner from Krisiloff.
“We know that if we get to the 30-yard line, we can score points and that is a huge deal for us,” Peebles said.
Chatard’s last-second Hail Mary was terminated after Cathedral senior Michael Pugh II secured a game-sealing sack as time expired. The Irish cemented a firm case as 5A state title contenders by claiming the 51st edition of the rivalry between Indiana’s two most dominant programs in the state tournament. Cathedral visits Southport next Friday, while Bishop Chatard hosts Brebeuf Jesuit for a Circle City Conference matchup.