No team has lost to Center Grove more times than Lawrence North, and Friday night proved to repeat history as the Trojans outlasted the Wildcats 38-35 in a thrilling 6A showdown.
Sophomore quarterback Oscar Sloan got things started, finding Wake Forest commit Dominick Barry in the flat and watching him do the rest as he sprinted 40 yards into the endzone for the game’s first score.
With penalties and punts being exchanged throughout the first quarter, the Wildcats answered early in the second quarter with an Izayveon Moore goal-line plunge — his first of three touchdowns on the night to pair with his 152 rushing yards.
Trojans quickly responded; however, as sophomore running back Jayden Biggerstaff broke off a 35-yard run up the gut in response.
A big run up the middle was no anomaly for Biggerstaff on Friday night, as the sophomore running back tripled his season rushing total nearly exclusively off of inside zones, rushing for 270 yards and a score on the night.
“The O-Line up front, man, it was great blocking,” Biggerstaff said. “It kept working because our O-Line was working hard as ever. (Also), Dom Barry was a great lead (blocker) up the middle, taking on one-on-one blocks to give me open holes for the breakaway runs.”
In addition to Moore’s three touchdowns, Darian Prather was able to find Monshun Sales for an 80-yard bomb to start the second half and Amari Moore on a 48-yard toss early in the fourth quarter.
However, when it was time to stand tall, the Trojan defense was able to make just enough plays to win the game. Picking off Prather in the second quarter for a pick-six and sealing the game with an interception in the waning seconds.
The loss moves Lawrence North to 6-2 on the season as they host Pike next week to cap off their regular season.
For Center Grove, as they move to 7-1 on the season, it was clear the offensive versatility and camaraderie this team has. With four touchdowns from four different scorers and a defensive touchdown, the Trojans can beat you in multiple ways. Even bringing on linebacker Logan Bright for the go-ahead score with just over 13 seconds left on the clock to cap off a game-winning drive led by Sloan.
“Sloan leading our offense down the field, I told him I trust him, and he did everything he could to get us down there,” Biggerstaff said. “We got the score and got the win, that’s all we need.”
As the playoffs near, this Trojan bunch is as confident as anyone in the state despite the week seven loss to Cathedral.
“We’re going all the way, for sure,” Biggerstaff said. “The confidence that this team has is crazy. I love it. Oscar, the O-Line, receivers, this team overall, I just love it.”