Futures Football | Five key starters were missing. The South still beat Bishop Dwenger, pushed Brownsburg for a half, and lost to Zionsville by two.
The Futures Football series continues with Team Indiana 8th Grade South, and opening weekend was a mix of challenges and bright spots.
The South played without five key starters from the Gibson Southern pipeline.
It didn’t slow them down much.
The bracket featured teams representing Warren Central, Brownsburg, Zionsville, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger and Columbus North/East, plus Team Indiana North. The shorthanded South still worked its way into the third-place game.
Game 1: A gutsy win over Bishop Dwenger
Team Indiana 8th Grade South opened in the win column with a 14-12 victory over a talented Bishop Dwenger team.
It was a two-point game that the South found a way to finish.
Running back and linebacker Owen Nossett was named player of the game by his coaches. The game officials gave him the sportsmanship award.
The win earned the South a matchup with top-ranked Brownsburg.
Game 2: One half with the champions
The Bulldogs steamrolled opponents on their way to the championship.
For one half, the South didn’t let that happen.
Team Indiana South trailed only 8-0 at halftime against the best team in the bracket.
Brownsburg pulled away after the break, scoring 26 unanswered points in the second half to secure the win.
The final score doesn’t reflect the first 24 minutes, and those 24 minutes were the closest anyone came to Brownsburg all weekend.
Jarret Papenhaus received the sportsmanship honor from the officials.
Third-place game: Two points short
The South came up short against Zionsville, losing 24-22.
The result stung. The effort didn’t need defending.
Missing five starters, the South went toe to toe with Zionsville and lost by a single two-point margin.
Nossett was again named player of the game by the coaches, and the officials gave him the sportsmanship award for the second time that weekend.
That’s two player-of-the-game awards and two sportsmanship awards in three games.
Up next: The Casey Ochs Memorial Tournament
Team Indiana 8th Grade South is back on the field today, Nov. 14, at the seventh annual Casey Ochs Memorial Tournament at Noblesville High School.
The South faces Iowa Gridiron Elite at 2 p.m. in the stadium.
Indy Crossroads Players of the Week
Wide receiver: Nehemiah Hopson
Running back: Owen Nossett
Quarterback: Cristian Luce-Madrigal
Offensive line: Ryker Neidig
Defensive line: Colton Abel
Linebacker: Asher Holbrook
Defensive back: Nasir Davis
Special Teams: Jarret Papenhaus
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