ZIONSVILLE – The Eagles shined under the lights Friday night, knocking off a Top 25 opponent in Hamilton Southeastern with a statement 35-29 win. From the opening drive, Zionsville seized control and never looked back.
Senior running back Sam Manna set the tone early, slicing through the defense for an 8-yard score to put the Eagles up 7-0. The defense quickly followed with a three-and-out, and quarterback Eli Showalter wasted no time connecting with Theo Schott for a touchdown to extend the lead to 14-0.
Hamilton Southeastern, without their starting quarterback and relying on freshman Deaken Johnson, struggled to find rhythm early. But the Royals defense flipped momentum with an interception, setting up Johnson to deliver a strike to Kendrick Pennybaker, trimming the lead to 14-7 late in the first.
The Royals opened the second quarter with a field goal, but Zionsville answered in electric fashion. Showalter found Nic Hoggs on a screen pass, and Hoggs raced 65 yards to the end zone to make it 21-10. HSE’s Luke Marchionni then stole the show with a booming 54-yard field goal, a kick that teammates say he routinely nails from 60 in practice. The Eagles carried a 21-13 lead into halftime.
The third quarter turned into a defensive stalemate, but the fireworks returned in the fourth. Zionsville capitalized on a controversial penalty to set up Schott’s second touchdown of the night, pushing the lead to 28-13. The Royals roared back, though—Johnson launched a 71-yard rocket to Pennybaker for his second score, cutting it to 28-20.
Moments later, HSE’s Carter Reed powered in from the red zone to pull the Royals within two, but the crucial two-point attempt failed. With under two minutes to play, the Eagles slammed the door shut—Manna broke free for a 63-yard touchdown dash, sealing the win despite a late HSE field goal.
It was a hard-fought battle on both sides, and this matchup lived up to the hype. For Zionsville, the victory is a defining moment in their season, while the young Royals showed grit and flashes of their bright future.