Indiana Preps | On The Line — Girls Flag Football Regional Results

Penn is going back to state.

The defending champion did not leave much doubt about it.

The Kingsmen beat Valparaiso 42-7 in Saturday’s regional semifinal, then followed with a 48-12 win over Lake Central to secure another trip to the state finals at Grand Park.

Penn is 16-0.

Quinn Driscoll was at the center of nearly everything in the regional championship. The senior quarterback threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns, then added 136 rushing yards and three more scores on eight carries. Six touchdowns. 436 yards of offense. Another championship-round performance from a quarterback who has spent the last two seasons making Penn the standard in Indiana girls flag football.

Alexis Werner gave Driscoll another major weapon, finishing with 112 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Lake Central.

That is what continues to make Penn difficult to solve. Take away one part of the offense and another appears. Driscoll can win from the pocket. She can extend plays. She can become the run game herself when the defense gives her space. Penn has enough around her to punish teams that devote too much attention to any one answer.

Lake Central found that out Saturday.

The larger number now is 16.

Penn has won every game this season after going unbeaten on the way to the inaugural state championship last fall. The Kingsmen’s winning streak has reached 29 games across the two seasons.

That makes the next trip to Grand Park different.

Last year, Penn was trying to become the first. Now everyone knows what the Kingsmen look like. They have a championship on film. They have Driscoll’s résumé on film. They have 16 games from this season on film.

It still has not been enough.

The regional round was supposed to compress the field and create pressure. Penn responded by scoring 90 points across two games.

There are tougher questions coming at state. That is the point now.

Penn is no longer being measured by whether it can make a run. The Kingsmen are being measured by whether anyone in Indiana can stop one.

Driscoll gave the field another reminder Saturday.

Six touchdowns. Sixteen wins. Penn is back where everybody expected to find it — playing for another state championship.