Phone:
317-846-6601��� Fax: 317-575-4244��� Website: www.ihsaa.org
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ADVISORY������������������������������������������������������� ��
BISHOP
CHATARD DOMINATES IN THREE-PEAT EFFORT
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard running back Dray Mason and his Trojan teammates
were simply dominating at the RCA Dome winning their third consecutive IHSAA
Class 3A state championship in a 49-0 victory over NorthWood.
Mason ran for 205 yards and five
touchdowns while backfield partner Bart Early scored twice as the Trojans
completed a 14-1 season for first year coach Vince Lorenzano.
Chatard won 10 straight after suffering its only loss
during the fourth week of the season to Cincinnati Elder. During its three-year
run, the Trojans own a 40-5 mark, including a perfect 15-0 season a year ago. The
title moved Bishop Chatard into a tie for most
football state championships with seven sharing the mark with Ben Davis. The
Trojans have also been perfect in state championship football games winning all
seven times � 1983, 1984, 1997, 1998 and the last three years. With the
exception of 2A titles in 1983 and 1984, the rest have come in Class 3A.
After a scoreless first
quarter, the dam burst wide open in the second quarter as Bishop Chatard scored a state finals record 35 points for a 35-0
halftime lead.
Mason, the state�s leading
scorer, scored three touchdowns and backfield mate Bart Early scored twice in
the 12 minute span. Mason got the Trojans on the board running it in from nine
yards out to finish a drive that began in the first quarter but ended at the
Things didn�t get any easier
for NorthWood in the second half as Mason scored
twice more in short order. He ran 80 yards on the first play from scrimmage and
followed up that Class 3A championship game mark with another class record, a
77 yard punt return for a score.
NorthWood, under coach Rich Dodson,
completed its season 11-4. The Panthers were making their fifth appearance in a
state championship game, each time coming away as the runner-up.
Josh Sabo of NorthWood named 3A Eskew Mental
Attitude Award Winner
Josh Sabo of
Class 3A state runner-up
At the
conclusion of each state championship game, the IHSAA Executive Committee
presents the award to an outstanding senior participant in the football state
tournament.� The recipient of the award,
who was nominated by his principal and coach, must excel in mental attitude,
scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. The award is named in honor of
the third commissioner of the IHSAA who served from 1962 to 1976 and oversaw
the beginning of the state football tournament.
Josh ranks 40th
in his senior class of 165 with a GPA of 3.678, while taking the most rigorous
course load that is offered.� He will
receive an Academic Honors Diploma, and has earned a spot on the Principal�s
Honor Roll each of his four years at NorthWood.� In addition, he has garnered Scholar Athlete
and Student Athlete of the Week awards.�
He plans to attend either
He has been
active in the school�s Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is a member of the
Praise Band, with volunteer activities which include involvement with the
In addition to
his contributions on the gridiron, Josh has been a member of the basketball and
track teams for the Panthers each year.�
He will earn two letters on the hardwood and four on the track.
Josh in the son
of Jean and Joe Sabo of Nappanee.
Farm Bureau
Insurance, the IHSAA corporate partner, presented a $1,000.00 scholarship to
Game Notes
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard Ties For
With the state championship,
Bishop Chatard moves into a tie with Ben Davis and Roncalli for most football championships in state history.
Team�������������������������������������� Total��� Years
Ben Davis��������������������������������� 7��������� 1987 (5A), 1988 (5A), 1990 (5A), 1991
(5A), 1999 (5A), 2001 (5A), 2002 (5A)
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard�� 7��������� 1983
(2A), 1984 (2A), 1997 (3A), 1998 (3A), 2001 (3A), 2002 (3A), 2003 (3A)
Roncalli������������������������������������ 7��������� 1985 (3A), 1988 (3A), 1993 (3A), 1994
(3A), 1999 (3A), 2002 (4A), 2003 (4A)
Fort Wayne Bishop Luers���������� 6��������� 1985
(2A), 1989 (2A), 1992 (2A), 1999 (2A), 2001 (2A), 2002 (2A)
Second Chatard Championship Shutout in Three Years
Bishop Chatard
also bettered Andrean, 3-0, in the 2001 3A title
contest, the lowest scoring championship game in state finals history.
Still Perfect in
Championship Contests
Bishop Chatard
has won the state championship in all seven games it has appeared in over the
years � 1983 (2A), 1984 (2A), 1997 (3A), 1998 (3A), 2001-2003 (3A), including a
2-0 mark over NorthWood in those games. Chatard claimed a 23-6 win over NorthWood
in the 1998 3A title game as well.
Three-Peat in Class 3A
The Trojans became the first
school in Class 3A and just the third school in state finals football history
to claim three consecutive state championships. They join Franklin Central in
2A (1980-82) and Penn in 5A (1995-97) as other teams to win three straight.
State Championship
Records
Team Records
Most Points In A Quarter: (Set
Overall and 3A) 35 in the second quarter.
Most Points In A Half: (Set 3A)
35 in first half.
Largest Margin of Victory: (Set
3A) 49 points.
Most Rushing Yards: (Tied
3A) 349 by Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Most Rushing Touchdowns: (Set
3A) 5 by Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Total Offensive Yards: (Set 3A)
432 by Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Most Punt Return Yards: (Set
3A) 80 by Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Most Interceptions: (Tied
3A) 4 by Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Individual Records
Most
Rushing TDs (Tied 3A) 4 by Dray Mason, Indianapolis
Bishop Chatard.
Most Points Scored: (Set 3A)
30 by Dray Mason, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Most Touchdowns: (Set 3A) 5
by Dray Mason, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Most PATs:
(Set 3A) 7 by Kevin Ball, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Longest TD Run: (Set 3A) 80
yards by Dray Mason, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Longest Punt Return (Set 3A)
77 yards by Dray Mason, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
Longest Play From Scrimmage (Set 3A) 80 yard run by Dray Mason,
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.
New IHSAA Book, Play On,
Recaps 100 Years Of High School Sports in
Looking for
holiday gift ideas? The exciting new book, Play On, celebrating 100 years of
high school sports in
Team Posters And
Individual Action Photographs Available
Visit 20-20 Photographic, the IHSAA�s photographer and the
For t-shirts and other
merchandise commemorating this year�s tournament or for any of our events,
visit our friends at Morris,
Inc.
State Finals Programs Available
Couldn�t be there for the
football state finals? You can still purchase a copy of the official state
finals program while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in
person at the IHSAA Office (
Quotes
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard Coach Vince Lorenzano
�Our three state
championships in a row are definitely a tribute to a great group of kids we
have. These kids are experienced warriors and the bottom line is they get it
done. I�m just happy to be on the sidelines guiding such a talented group. The
success of this program goes back to the early 1980s. I feel very fortunate and
very lucky to be a part of all of this.�
(On 35 point second quarter)
�We�ve scored in bunches all year. I was especially happy with our production
because we stuck to the original game plan. The points really added up fast as
a result of our continuous attacking on offense.�
(On the Chatard
offense) �We use over 40 formations, tonight we found a couple of those they
didn�t adjust to very well. We simply put more people at the point of attack
and were successful doing that.�
(On Dray Mason) �He has
really come up with big games like this all season. The hard thing to believe
is that he carried this team today despite a mild hamstring injury. He�s done a
tremendous job in the state tournament and really helped us
get to this game. Above all, he�s a great football player, but more
importantly, a great kid.�
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard Player Dray Mason
�The offensive line we have
is fantastic. They allow me to do what I do. This team is full of a lot of hard
workers who are great teammates. I thought we really came out, played hard and
left it all on the field. We really wanted to dedicate this game to our
seniors. This team has communicated well with one another the entire season and
regardless of the situation we have learned to never give up.�
NorthWood Coach Rich Dodson
�When we got through that
first quarter with no score, I really thought we had the ability to play with
them. We had some turnovers and after that things just got out of hand.�
�Obviously, they have some
really good, talented individuals. Our inability to move the football in the
second quarter hurt us. They got their momentum going and the second quarter
snowballed on us.�
�We had an opportunity to
score first on a team like Chatard. It might have
painted a little doubt in their mind. But I doubt if they would have panicked.
It would have been nice to at least said we led this
ballgame.�