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Chatard goes back-to-back with state record-extending 17th title
INDIANAPOLIS - With a 35-7 victory on Friday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indianapolis Bishop Chatard Trojans extended their reign as the winningest team in IHSAA state football championship history behind record-tying performances by seniors Colin Guy on defense and Riley Kinnett on offense.
The Trojans, who defeated the Heritage Hills Patriots in the IHSAA 3A state championship game for the second time in five years, lead the state with 17 football titles in 18 trips to the top contest. It is the team’s second consecutive championship and fourth in the past five seasons under head coach Rob Doyle.
“We’ve got a great group of seniors and they set this goal from the beginning: To be undefeated number one, which is no easy task with our schedule, and number two, to get this far and win this game,” Doyle said. “They’ve had a proud tradition. They’ve been working hard together… I’m just so happy for them because they deserve this. They’ve worked really hard to get here.”
The Trojans began the game with an opening-drive rushing touchdown by Kinnett, the senior’s first of an IHSAA 3A state championship-record tying four in the game (last: Dray Mason of Bishop Chatard in 2003). The running back averaged 143.2 yards per game during the season and erupted for an outstanding performance in the campaign’s final contest, running for 158 yards on 25 attempts.
When the offense wasn’t on the field, Guy consistently stood out in turning the ball over. The cornerback ended the day with three interceptions, tying the overall state championship record set by Zionsville’s Wes Kendall in 1996. All three interceptions resulted in touchdowns for the Trojans, with an 11-yard pass from quarterback Aiden Artega to Jack Weybright bringing home the fifth score of the game.
“Those are both special kids,” Doyle said. “You don’t have a lot of Riley Kinnetts. Riley missed a lot of the year with a broken wrist, but we got him to 1,000 yards today, that’s something really special.
“Colin’s a two-way guy, it’s really hard to be a starter on our team, let alone play both ways. He missed a ball in the endzone, and we were messing with him a little bit, and so he got that first pick and it’s like, ‘Well, you got it on defense, so we’ll let it slide.’”
Class 3A State Championship
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 35, Heritage Hills 7
Box Score
The Trojans stayed balanced on offense – one of their key focuses entering the championship contest – with 241 passing yards and 207 rushing yards. The team collected 25 first downs, just four shy of tying the IHSAA 3A state championship record.
Artega went 18-for-26 on pass attempts, completing at least one pass to six different receivers. Hunter Forestal led the team with 77 yards on five catches, 66 yards of which came on the ground after the catch. Guy followed closely behind with 66 yards on six catches.
Another focus of their matchup with Heritage Hills was on defense. Bishop Chatard excelled in stifling a dynamic offense led by quick sophomore Jett Goldsberry at quarterback. Goldsberry ended the game 8-for-15 with 106 passing yards – 23 of which came in the first half – and 50 yards on the ground. The Patriots collected 230 total yards, with their lone score coming on a 16-yard pass to Tyler Ruxer with just over a minute remaining in the contest.
Both sides of the Trojans’ game were led by seniors. Artega, Guy and Kinnett – the game’s leading performers – each entered their high school careers in the midst of COVID and helped lead the program to a trio of championships.
“I think when you have senior leadership, senior leadership runs the ship,” Doyle said. “Coaches can only say so much before it just becomes stale, and those things have to come from within. One of the things we talked about with our guys this year is decisions [they] make. Decide to be the best man you can be and you’re going to be a great football player. There were times this year when I saw those guys make that decision, honor it and they played that way. It was fun to watch.”
Game Records
Individual
4 rushing touchdowns by Indianapolis Bishop Chatard’s Riley Kinnett vs. Heritage Hills, tying 2 others: Mike Wishnevski of Portage vs. Evansville Reitz in 1977 and Dray Mason of Indianapolis Bishop Chatard vs. NorthWood in 2003.
3 interceptions by Indianapolis Bishop Chatard’s Colin Guy vs. Heritage Hills, tying the IHSAA overall state championship record set by Wes Kendall of Zionsville vs. Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (3A) in 1996.
Heritage Hills’ Braxton Schaefer named Ress Mental Attitude Award recipient
During the awards ceremony, Braxton Schaefer of Heritage Hills High School was announced by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the recipient of the Blake Ress Mental Attitude Award in Class 3A Football.
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 only returning lineman from last year’s team, Schaefer is a two-way lineman for the Patriots earning all-conference honors. He is also a four-year letterwinner in wrestling, advancing to last year’s semi-state round and won the Pocket Athletic Conference championship in his weight class.
Schaefer ranks first in his senior class academically, is involved his school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Beta Club and captained the school’s Math Academic Bowl Team.
He is the son of Brock and Michelle Schaefer of Tennyson, IN. He is currently undecided on his college choice but is interested in studying Mechanical Engineering.
The award is named in honor of Commissioner Emeritus Blake Ress, who served as the IHSAA’s seventh commissioner from 2000-11.
The Indianapolis Colts, the presenting sponsor of the state tournament, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Heritage Hills High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Braxton Schaefer.
