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Running back Pete Harley and the Indianapolis Bishop Chatard offense gained traction, piecing together timely drives. The Trojans’ defense did its part, making sure the Hamilton Heights Huskies were held at bay.

The result was a 30-13 victory for Class 3A Bishop Chatard, which added to its Indiana record with a 12th state championship. Big games seem to agree with the Trojans, who are 12-1 in state finals matchups. The victory was their 18th in a row in playoff games and produced their third consecutive state title.

Coach Vince Lorenzano’s team cut a swath through the first five games of the postseason, outscoring  opponents by a 234-43 margin. However, the Hamilton Heights defense made things difficult for Bishop Chatard after the latter opened a 16-0 lead early in the second quarter.

But Bishop Chatard helped its cause with a touchdown with 10:21 left in the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-1 at the Huskies 9-yard line, quarterback Sam Neighbours found tight end Henry Hill wide open on the right side against a stacked defense. The scoring completion lifted Bishop Chatard to a 23-6 lead.

The Trojans put the game away when Stan Jackson sacked Huskies quarterback Corey Beck and recovered his fumble for a touchdown with 1:22 left in the fourth quarter.

Bishop Chatard’s Harley ran for 172 yards and a touchdown. Neighbours completed 8-of-12 passes for 159 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Trojans’ defense, led by Jackson and Rob Dury with nine tackles apiece, held the Huskies to 218 total yards, including just 21 on the ground.

The Trojans, ranked second in the state coaches poll, finished the season at 13-2. Hamilton Heights, No. 4 in the state coaches poll, was also 13-2.

For coach Mitch Street’s Huskies, Beck completed 19-of-43 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Grant Weatherford had eight receptions for 59 yards.

Class 3A State Championship Game Records
Fewest Rushing Attempts: 16 by Hamilton Heights vs. Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 2012.
Most Passing Attempts: 43 by Hamilton Heights vs. Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 2012.
Most Passing Attempts: 43 by Corey Beck, Hamilton Heights vs. Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 2012.

Hamilton Heights’ Corey Beck named Eskew Mental Attitude Award Winner
Corey Beck of Hamilton Heights High School was selected by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee as this year’s winner of the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award in Class 3A Football.

The award, named in honor of the IHSAA’s third commissioner from 1962-76, is presented annually to a senior in each classification who best demonstrates excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability.

Beck ranks third in his senior class of 186 students, is a member of the National Honor Society, SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The senior also began a fundraiser for orphaned children in Zambia, Africa by asking people to pledge a certain amount of money for each touchdown pass he threw this season. All profits went to the orphanage. He entered today’s game with 25 touchdown passes this year.

The quarterback serves as team captain, has two straight years of 2,000+ yards passing and is a two-time All-Mid-Indiana Conference player. He also has played basketball and baseball for the Huskies.

Beck is undecided on his college choice at this time but is interested in business, sports management or economics.

Corey is the son of Scott and Shantel Beck of Atlanta, Ind. and is the first Hamilton Heights student athlete to receive an IHSAA mental attitude award in any sport.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, presented a scholarship check for $1,000.00 to Hamilton Heights High School in the name of Beck.  Since 1989, more than $745,000 in college scholarships have been presented by Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance to deserving high school students in Indiana.

Indianapolis Bishop Chatard Coach Vince Lorenzano
“It was a tough game. The score doesn’t indicate the kind of game it was – it was a slugfest. Hamilton Heights had a lot of skilled players and were well-coached.”

“Hamilton Heights gave us a lot of trouble up front. But our defensive coaches did a great job in preparing our players – it was a great team win.”

“The objective at Chatard it to always give your best, to end on a high note, to reach your potential, and to play as hard as possible.”

“Our defense has played well all season, except for one game. We had a nice, long drive of 90 yards in the second half and that was the difference maker.”

(On the 16-0 lead in first 13 minutes of the game) “We got out of the gate pretty quick – we don’t normally do that. In fact, that might have hurt us because normally we’re a slow-starting team and then we come on. We had a couple of good runs and a big pass and scored some points early.”

“We were a senior-based team this year. One, they invest; two, they care; and three, they love their brothers on the football team. They are faith-driven players.”

Hamilton Heights Coach Mitch Street
“Our kids kept battlin’.  I think they might have been a little shell-shocked early because of the physicality of the game, but we came out the second half and kept battlin’.  Chatard has a great team and tradition. They’ve been here and done that, and I think that showed early in the game.  More power to them.  But at halftime we told the kids that we had played one of our worst halves of football all year, survived that, and were only down 16-0 to the top-ranked team in the state, and we would have the ball first. These kids deserved to be here and they came out and showed that in the second half.”

(About Corey Beck, Mental Attitude Winner) “He’s just a great kid, great attitude for football and a natural leader.  He loves playing football, loves being the quarterback, and has a quarterback mind.  God hasn’t necessarily blessed him with a (NCAA) Division 1 body, but he works and works and works.  College is still up in the air for him but whatever he does in life he’ll do well.”

(Building going forward) “Our seniors bought into what it would take to get here, and now I think that we have been here, the kids coming along will have an understanding of what it takes to get here and win. It takes work and if we can continue to do that we can come back here some day and maybe be on the flip side of this.”

NOTE – Street’s wife gave birth to twin girls on Wednesday and was scheduled to be released from the hospital to go home this evening, after the game.  Mother and daughters doing well.