Friday Night Football: 5A top-ranked Warren Central throws 28-zip shutout at 5A No. 3 Carmel

By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor

INDIANAPOLIS â�?��?? â�?��?All we heard all week was how great their offense was, and that really pumped our defense up.â�?�

Um, slightly.

Warren Central, Class 5Aâ�?��?�s top-ranked team and the big schoolsâ�?��?�
three-time defending state champion, made assistant coach Dave
Enrightâ�?��?�s words ring true Sept. 29 with a dominating 28-0 victory over
5A No. 3 Carmel in a huge Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference
showdown at Warren Stadium.

Sure, the usual suspects were in place for the Warriors. Senior
running back Darren Evans carried 31 times for 207 yards. Senior
quarterback Matt Upshaw ran five times for 64 yards and a pair of
touchdowns on option keepers. And senior defensive back Jerimy Finch
turned in a highlight-reel punt return 59 yards for a touchdown.

But this game was ALLLLLL about the defense.

Warren Central sent standout Carmel
running back Aaron King â�?��?? the stateâ�?��?�s third-leading rusher coming in at
193.5 yards per game â�?��?? back into last week, holding the junior to just
34 yards on 17 carries. That included a meager three yards on five
second-half carries.

Carmel
â�?��?? remember, the Greyhounds had put 49, 42, 56, and 38 points on the
board in their first four MIC games â�?��?? managed a whole two first downs
for the game â�?�¦ one in each half.

Then there was the goal-line stand. Trailing 7-0 to start the second
quarter, Carmelâ�?��?�s Kevin Haverstock intercepted a Durell Martin pass at
the Warren 29 and raced toward paydirt. But the senior was forced out
of bounds at the 1-yard line, setting the stage for some serious
defensive heroics.

After a King dive up the middle lost a yard, Warren Central was called for offsides, setting up a 2^nd and 1. A sneak by backup quarterback Morgan Newton was stuffed, making it 3^rd and 1. A pitch right to King lost another yard, making it 4^th and 2.

The call was the right one â�?��?? a fake dive up the middle and rollout
pass by Newton. But the sophomore did not see senior tight end Ryan
Murray wide open in the right corner of the end zone, choosing instead
to fire at Haverstock at the goal line. The pass was short, and
Carmelâ�?��?�s golden opportunity was gone.

â�?��?That goal-line stand is what itâ�?��?�s all about,â�?� said Warren Central
first-year coach Steve Tutsie. â�?��?In my 15 years, Iâ�?��?�ve never seen a
better one.

â�?��?We got a dang-good defense â�?��?? thereâ�?��?�s no doubt they won the game for
us. Our coaches work harder than anybody, and this week the defensive
coaches â�?��?? Marques Clayton, Emil Ekiyor, Chris Price, Justin Dixson, and
Scott Marsh â�?��?? just did a tremendous job.â�?�

MORE TO COME â�?�¦

So what do you think? Share your thoughts in our Football forum.