News
Carroll Unified team's late TD scores state championship
WESTFIELD - If the Carroll Chargers were going to win their first IHSAA Unified Football title on Saturday afternoon at the Grand Park Sports Event Center, they were going to need one more big play.
After leading most of the game, the Chargers found themselves trailing defending state champion Carmel 40-37 with just over a minute remaining in the game.
But when they needed a big play, they got it, with senior Micah Livingston connecting with senior Isaac Chapman for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:13 remaining to give the Chargers a 44-40 win to capture the program’s first state championship.
“It’s unbelievable, these kids are unbelievable,” Carroll coach Tim Hoot said. “Of course we weren’t happy with them coming back, but one of our sayings this year has been ‘next play,’ and every kid on the sidelines was saying that and fortunately we made that next play.”
Runners-up in 2020, and in Unified Track in the spring, the title was the first in Unified sports for Carroll.
Senior Vincent Bane said that the title was the culmination of a lot of hard work.
“It’s something you can’t take for granted,” he said. “You have to be super thankful because it’s something that doesn’t happen for everyone. This is something we can hold on to forever. We have a lot of different people coming from different places and it really is unified – it’s what it’s all about.”
The Chargers fell one game short of the State Finals each of the last two seasons, falling in the regional championship game.
Those losses served as motivation for this year’s group, who wanted to do something special this year.
“For us seniors, who knew what it was like to lose a couple times, we had as much motivation as you possibly could have,” Livingston said. “We knew what it was like to fight and give everything you have, and just come a little short. This was our last chance as seniors and everyone really wanted it this year.”
It wasn’t always easy for the Chargers.
They overcame a 12-point deficit in the final six minutes to Homestead in the sectional final.
That experience was beneficial for the team, who believed they could overcome any obstacle in their path.
“That comeback prepared us for today,” Bane said. “It didn’t faze us when we went behind, we just kept our heads down and kept getting after it. We had been there before and knew that even if we were down we could come back.”
Early on, it didn’t look like late heroics would be needed.
Carroll jumped out to an 18-0 lead, getting touchdowns from Bane, Chapman and Max Mabey in the first half.
“That was a little unexpected,” Bane said of the early lead. “We weren’t expecting to be leading like that early, but at halftime we just said we had to keep our heads down and keep working.”
Carmel started inching closer later in the first half, with touchdowns from Charlie Harter and Stone Stephenson on either side of a second Mabey touchdown to make it 24-16 at the half.
The teams traded touchdowns early in the second half and when Chapman scored with 11:38 left in the game to make it 37-22, it looked like the Chargers were on their way.
But the Greyhounds refused to go away, scoring on their next three possessions and holding the Chargers twice in a row to take a 40-37 lead with 2:30 to play on a score from Josh Ott.
After three plays produced nothing for the Chargers, they faced a fourth down with their season on the line.
Livingston lofted a perfect pass to Chapman down the left sideline for the score and after the defense held the Greyhounds one more time – the title was theirs.
“All five guys on the field knew we had to make a move,” Livingston said. “We knew we had to do and we did. We really wanted this and did everything we possibly could and it worked the one time we needed it to.”
After Carmel’s final fourth-down pass fell incomplete all the Chargers had to do was run out the clock.
It gave them a chance to begin the celebrations a little early, knowing all their hard work paid off.
In the end, it was the perfect ending to a special season.
“This means everything to these kids,” Hoot said. “They work so hard, they are great kids and they never quit. They all became great friends and it means everything to see these kids get to celebrate.”
Carmel duo wins Mental Attitude Awards
Carmel’s Joe Gasta and partner athlete Hannah Pettee were named the recipients of the Bobby Cox Spirit of Unified Mental Attitude Award.
The award is given annually to an athlete and partner competing in the state championship game.
Recipients of the award are nominated by their principal and coach, and must meet specific criteria to be considered. An athlete must excel in mental attitude, joy, courage, self-advocacy, and commitment during their time in high school. A partner athlete must excel in mental attitude, inclusive behavior, courage, advocacy, and commitment during their time in high school.
