Last Friday proved to be a celebratory night for the fans in Ligonier as West Noble dominated the Lakeland Lakers 34-7 to improve to 6-1 on the season. In that win, the Chargers claimed their 17th NECC championship and their second Big School divisional title in three years. For Monte Mawhorter-the winningest head coach in West Noble and NECC football history at 133 wins and counting-this is his eighth conference championship as their head coach.
Early on, both teams had quality chances to strike in the first and early portions of the second quarter. West Noble’s first drive was halted on 4th and Goal from the 1-yard line in the first quarter, while Lakeland’s first drive was stopped on 4th down and short in West Noble territory. West Noble responded their next drive on Trey Shisler’s 5-yard QB keeper to give West Noble a 7-0 lead with 5:47 left in the second quarter.
Lakeland had an opportunity to respond as they were marching the ball with success just past midfield. However, Ethan Yates picked off the Brayden Holbrook pass, and on the very next play, Shisler connected with Brayden Limerick for a 46-yard TD reception-extending West Noble’s lead to 14-0 with 1:27 left in the second quarter. They would take that lead into intermission.
Lakeland would respond just 3 minutes and 44 seconds into the second half on Dylan Bateman’s 15-yard run to cap off a 75-yard Lakeland drive and cutting West Noble’s lead in half. However, West Noble continued to respond in key moments as the Chargers would go to running back Xy’mire Barnes-Bridges. Bridges’ first touchdown came on a 20-yard run just 2 minutes and 6 seconds after Lakeland’s score to regain their two-score lead. Barnes-Bridges would add another touchdown-this time from five yards out-with 8.1 seconds left in the third quarter to take a commanding 28-7 lead.
West Noble would hold onto that lead until there was 1:44 left on the clock when Xavier Yates picked off Holbrook’s pass for a 65-interception return for a pick 6. West Noble held the talented Lakeland quarterback to 13-22 passing for 128 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions on 59.1% completion. Bateman had 12 carries for 87 yards and the lone touchdown. Levi Cook had eight catches for 87 yards.
For West Noble, Shisler was 6-12 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown pass, and seven carries for 36 yards and another score. Barnes-Bridges had 10 carries for 72 carries and two touchdowns, while Brogan Parks had 15 carries for 90 yards. Parks also led the way with 12 tackles and 2 sacks on defense. Xavier and Ethan Yates-who now post a career win-loss record of 26-4 since playing in high school together-combined for 18 tackles, 1 TFL, and 2 interceptions.
West Noble travels South on Highway 33 to take on NECC Small School Division champion Churubusco in Turtle Town.