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The last time Fort Wayne Snider took the field in the Class 5A state championship game (2015), coach Kurt Tippmann’s squad made history.
The Panthers locked horns with New Palestine that year and the two teams turned in the ultimate example of a shootout. Snider won that game, 64-61, with the teams combining for over 1,300 yards in offense. Both the points and yards totals are still state finals records.
This time, Tippmann isn’t expecting an offensive explosion of that magnitude, but there should be plenty of firepower on the field.
Tippmann’s second-ranked Panthers (12-1) will meet No. 7 and 11-2 Decatur Central in a matchup featuring two very similar teams.
“Snider is a mirror image of us,” DC mentor Kyle Enright said. “They want to run the ball, like we do. They run the quarterback, like we do. They play physical and try to force turnovers, just like us.
“It’s going to be a smashmouth style game.”
“Our philosophy, offensively, is always to run the ball,” Tippmann said, “and they want to run the ball, too. (Decatur Central) is unique from other teams we’ve played in that they have four guys who run the ball well. Their three running backs and quarterback are all capable.”
The Class 5A State Championship featuring Fort Wayne Snider (12-1) and Decatur Central (11-2) will stream via PPV on IHSAAtv.org this Friday at 7 pm ET / 6 CT!
Quarterback Bo Polston keys the Hawks offense as he has combined for 1,998 yards rushing and passing along with 25 touchdowns (19 passing). N’Po Dodo is the leading rusher with 1,130 yards and a 7.8 average per carry, while K.C. Berry has added 991 yards and an impressive 9.5 yards per carry.
Snider quarterback Keron Billingsley has similar stats to his DC counterpart. The senior has rushed for 526 yards and thrown for 1,219. Senior running back Uriah Buchanan, however, has been the biggest weapon in the Snider arsenal as he has rushed for 1,763 yards and a whopping 26 touchdowns.
“Buchanan shared time last year and he was asked to shoulder more of the load for us this year,” Tippmann said. “He has done a great job. He is a tireless worker, a team captain, and a great leader.”
Decatur Central comes into the contest riding a nine-game winning streak, which began after two straight losses in weeks three and four. The Hawks combined for eight turnovers in those two losses. Enright believes those two losses actually helped his squad.
“Sometimes an early loss can shake your focus and get the kids to look in the mirror and understand what we need to fix,” Enright said. “Those losses were lessons for us, and we got better and grew from them.”
Conversely, Tippmann believes a win in his team’s season opener – a 42-20 triumph over Warren Central -- gave his team a major boost.
“We entered the season with a lot of questions,” Tippmann said. “We had a three-year starter at quarterback to replace, as well as a lot of skill people, but we got a lot of those questions answered at Warren Central. We were excited with what we saw right from the start.”
Snider lost only to Class 6A entry Homestead and has won seven straight since. The Panthers escaped the regional round with a 19-18 win over Mishawaka, then turned a 7-0 lead after three quarters into a 28-0 victory over Merrillville in the semi-state. A victory Saturday would give the program its third state title in eight championship game appearances.
“We’ve been able to improve each week,” Tippmann said, “and now we’re in a position to win a state title.”
Decatur Central, meanwhile, is making its second appearance in the title game after falling to New Palestine in 2018.
“Snider is a well-coached, northern powerhouse that has been here more times than we have,” Enright said. “I think this is going to be a 12-round fight and, hopefully, we can throw the last punch.”
If the Hawks are successful, Enright would join his father, Dave, as a state-champion coach. Dave Enright guided Hamilton Southeastern to the 1A championship in 1981. Only three other father-son combos – Bud and Kevin Wright, John and Vince Lidy and John and Nick Hart – have won state titles.
