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INDIANAPOLIS - It didn’t take long for Covenant Christian to show that a dozen years of frustration were going to be reversed at the Class 1A boys state finals.

After losses in the state title game in 2012, 2017 and 2018, perhaps its only fitting the fourth appearance ended in a 4-0 victory over Greenwood Christian to give the Cougars their first state championship.

On a cool Friday night at IU-Indy’s Carroll Stadium, the Warriors jumped on Greenwood Christian by scoring all four goals in the first half. The state title avenges a loss to Greenwood Christian in last season’s state tournament.

The No. 1-ranked Warriors (19-1-1) took the lead in the 13th minute on a Caleb McCrory goal, added three more before the intermission and outshot the fifth-ranked Cougars, 8-1, during that first half.

“We felt we could be here last year,” Covenant Christian Head Coach Josh Brown said as his team prepared to finally receive the championship hardware. “They knocked us out last year and we beat them first game this year (4-2 on Aug. 20), so we wanted to jump on them early and not give them any hope.”

“That was very important,” GC coach Kefil Tonouewa said of CC’s quick start. “I think the beginning was half-and-half, but they got that first goal and played very well as a team.”

William Doan made it 2-0 in the 19th minute after taking a nice pass from junior Nathan Afolayan. Although that was the only assist to his credit, Afolayan took up a position at the top of the penalty area for most of the first half and directed the offense almost surgically from there.

“He is our best playmaker,” Brown said of the junior forward, who led the team with 41 points this season. “He sees things, draws the defense, then makes a nice pass.”

“Coach gives me free ability to do what I can do,” Afolayan said. “We had to come out and set our minds right and start fast. We felt we had a chance to win last year, so we had to show them that we really are champions this time around.”

Sophomore Ephraim Brock put the game away, for all intents and purposes, with his 13th goal of the season in the 33rd minute with assists credited to Doan and Jordan Green.

“We’ve only given up 10 goals all season … in 21 games,” Brown said. “We told them before the game if we get three, it’s going to be very tough for them.”

The goal gave Brock 41 points, matching Afolayan’s team-leading total.

For good measure, the Warriors netted an own-goal in the 37th minute to close the scoring and that stellar defense and sophomore goalkeeper Owen Hitchcock did the rest. Hitchcock played the first 79 minutes, making two saves.

The victory completes a championship run that saw Covenant Christian win its first 13 games this season before falling to Class 3A entry Indianapolis Cathedral (a loss in penalty kicks), then finishing in a 1-1 deadlock with Park Tudor, which advanced all the way to the 2A semi-state.

Further, both teams should be contenders in the coming seasons as the Warriors lose only four seniors, while GC played only two seniors in the contest.

Also, next season, Greenwood Christian joins CC in the Indiana Crossroads Conference.

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Class 1A Boys Records 

Most Assists in a Half: 4 by Covenant Christian vs. Greenwood Christian 

Most Combined Assists in a Half: 4 by Covenant Christian (4) and Greenwood Christian (0)  

Most Assists: 4 by Covenant Christian vs. Greenwood Christian 

Most Combined Assists: 4 by Covenant Christian (4) and Greenwood Christian (0) 

Covenant Christian's Jackson earns Cato Mental Attitude Award

Following the match, Zachary Jackson of Covenant Christian High School was named the recipient of the C. Eugene Cato Mental Attitude Award.

Zachary ranks in the top 10 percent of his senior class, is a member of the National Honor Society, and a coaches association Academic All-State honoree in 2023 and 2024. He has served as one of the team captains for Covenant Christian this year.

The son of Jeff and Angie Jackson of Indianapolis, Indiana, Zachary is currently undecided on his college choice.

The award is annually presented to a senior, who is nominated by his principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability during his four years of high school. The award is named in honor of Mr. Cato, who served the IHSAA as its fifth commissioner from 1983 to 1995. During his tenure, boys and girls soccer became the 19th and 20th sports to be sponsored by the IHSAA.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, a proud corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to the general scholarship fund at Covenant Christian High School in the name of Zachary Jackson.