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Ben Davis senior quarterback Reese Taylor finished his high school career with a 471 yard total offense and seven touchdown performance to lead Ben Davis to a 63-14 romp over Penn in the Class 6A state championship game.

Taylor threw for six touchdowns as he completed 18 of 22 passes for 340 yards. He opened the scoring in the game with a 76-yard run and finished with 131 yards rushing on 13 carries.

The victory for Mike Kirschner's Giants gives the school its ninth state title and second in Class 6A (2014). Penn, which had five titles of its own, finishes as runner-up for the seventh time in program history. The Kingsmen have lost their last four appearances in the state championship game since last winning in 2000.

The Giants (14-0) took care of this one early, breaking out to a 28-7 lead after one quarter and led, 49-7, at halftime. Taylor had four of his scoring passes in that first half, two to senior Broc Thompson and one each to seniors Johnny Adams and Jermaine Hoskins. He added a scoring throw to Thompson and Hoskins in the third quarter.

All told, Ben Davis finished with 564 yards in offense and the Giants defense held Penn to 204 total yards.

Sophomore quarterback Ryan Lynch threw for a touchdown pass and ran for a 19-yard score for coach Cory Yeoman's Kingsmen (12-2).

In the Class 6A record book, there were 16 individual and 11 team records set and five more tied.

Class 6A State Championship Game Records

Team

Most Points: 63 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Combined Points: 77 by Ben Davis (63) and Penn (14), 2017. 

Most Points in a Quarter: 28 by Ben Davis (1st quarter) vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Points in a Half: 49 by Ben Davis (1st half) vs. Penn, 2017.

Largest Margin of Victory: 49 by Ben Davis (63) vs. Penn (14), 2017.

Most Touchdowns 6A: 9 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most PAT Kicks: 7 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Passes Completed: 20 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Yards Passing: 365 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Passing Touchdowns: 6 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Total Offensive Yards: 564 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Total Offensive Yards by Both Teams: 768 by Ben Davis (564) and Penn (204), 2017.

Fewest Offensive Plays Allowed: 47 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Fewest First Downs Allowed: 11 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most First Downs by Passing: 12 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Highest Punting Average: 45.5 by Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Individual

Most PAT Kicks: 6 by Isaac Torres, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Longest Touchdown Run: 76 by Reese Taylor, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Passing Yards: 340 by Reese Taylor, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Passing Touchdowns: 6 by Reese Taylor, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Longest Pass Completion: 64 by Reese Taylor to Jermaine Hoskins, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Longest Touchdown Pass: 64 by Reese Taylor to Jermaine Hoskins, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Receiving Yards: 109 by Broc Thompson, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Touchdown Receptions: 3 by Broc Thompson, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Highest Punting Average: 45.5 by Tyrese Nibbs, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Longest Punt Return: 18 by KeSea Tunstill, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Longest Play from Scrimmage: 76 rush by Reese Taylor, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Points (Tie): 18 by Broc Thompson, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Touchdowns (Tie): 3 by Broc Thompson, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Passes Completed (Tie): 18 by Reese Taylor, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017.

Most Interceptions (Tie): 1 by Jontae Dobson, Ben Davis vs. Penn, 2017; 1 by Andrew Schneider, Penn vs. Ben Davis, 2017.

Ben Davis’s Tommy McDonald Wins Eskew Mental Attitude Award
At the conclusion of the state championship game, the IHSAA Executive Committee named Tommy McDonald of Ben Davis High School as the winner of the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award in Class 6A Football.

The starting offensive guard has been a significant contributor for the Giants 2017 championship team. McDonald also competes on the track and field team, throwing the shot put. In addition to his accomplishments as an athlete, Tommy has done tremendous work in the classroom, where he ranks first in his class of 1,044 students. He’s involved in the National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society and Ben Davis Political Action Organization. He is also active in the community, as an assistant football coach for the Ben Davis Cadet Football League and volunteers as a tutor and ambassador for the Project Lead the Way engineering program.

Tommy is the son of Jeffrey and Jennifer McDonald of Indianapolis.  He is undecided on his college choice and plans to study engineering after graduating from Ben Davis.

Each year the IHSAA Executive Committee selects a senior player who was nominated by his principal and coach and was determined to have best demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability. The award is named in honor of the IHSAA’s third commissioner from 1962-76.

The Indianapolis Colts presented a $1,000 scholarship to Ben Davis High School in the name of Tommy McDonald. The Colts have been the presenting sponsor of the entire football state tournament since 2009 and are sponsoring the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award.