Center Grove football falls in season-opener to Ohio back-to-back champion St. Edward

Canton, Ohio – The nation’s 13th-ranked high school football team bears a striking resemblance to the Green Bay Packers from afar.

The jerseys and helmets of the St. Edward (Ohio) Eagles are a near-replica. About the only difference, once you get a little closer, is noting the “E” on the helmet is not a “G.” But the similarities don’t stop with the gear.

When the St. Edward offense breaks the huddle, the starting offensive line lines up like this (from left to right): 6-8, 320-pound Ben Roebuck (Michigan recruit); 6-3, 270-pound Sawyer Prementime; 6-2, 305-pound Archer Soltis; 6-5, 305-pound Devontae Armstrong (Ohio State); and 6-7, 295-pound Deontae Armstrong (Ohio State).

This was the mountain of a challenge facing three-time defending Class 6A state champion Center Grove Saturday afternoon at the 23,000-capacity Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

“They’re as big as the Green Bay Packers,” Center Grove coach Eric Moore said.

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Maybe the only difference between St. Edward and an NFL team is the Eagles left after their 27-10 victory over Center Grove in school buses instead of a charter plane to make the hour-plus trip back to Lakewood in suburban Cleveland. It wasn’t complete domination from St. Edward, the back-to-back Division I state champions of Ohio, but the Eagles controlled the game from start to finish in a four-game event billed as the "Northeast Ohio vs. America Showcase."

“We didn’t give up a bunch of big, free plays,” Moore said. “I’m very proud of that. We didn’t get embarrassed. But they are talented and very well-coached. They covered every detail. They get to spend more time on football than we do, which helps. But I’m going to tell our guys that I’m extremely proud of them.”

It was a different setting for a season opener for Center Grove, which will now go home the next four weeks to play out-of-state opponents, starting with Tennessee state champion Oakland next week. Center Grove’s defense was more bend than break against St. Edward, which converted a third-and-8 on its first drive on a 34-yard pass from Casey Bullock to speedster Kyan Moore and converted another third down on a scramble by Bullock.

Those third-down conversions paid off for St. Edward when Joshua Groudle trucked into the end zone on a 21-yard run for a 7-0 lead.

“We had the first third-and-eight on the third play of the game and didn’t get off the field,” Center Grove senior linebacker Owen Bright said. “It’s execution, but at the same time, their quarterback made a play off the script. Props to them. But yeah, those third downs are so demoralizing. You want to just get off the field and get the ball to your offense.”

Center Grove’s offense did have a chance on its first drive, too. But on fourth-and-1 from the St. Edward 7, the Trojans were stopped cold on a running play off the left side. St. Edward flipped the field with a 53-yard pass from Bullock to Zach Hackleman and scored a few plays later on a 2-yard run by Jacob Robinson to take a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

The Center Grove offense had a big opportunity later in the second quarter after St. Edward muffed a punt. The Trojans took over the Eagles’ 14-yard-line, but were unable to move the ball and settled for a 30-yard field goal by Kade Matthews to make it 14-3 with 5:31 left in the first half.

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It felt like a missed opportunity at the moment for Center Grove and even more after the game.

“It was tough,” Center Grove quarterback Tyler Cherry said. “After that, it kind of wore on us and stunk a little bit because they were eating up a lot of clock after that.”

St. Edward took a 14-3 lead into halftime. Center Grove received to start the second half but could do nothing with it on the first two drives of the half. Brandon White scored on a 4-yard run to cap a six-play, 35-yard drive and give St. Edward a 20-3 lead late in the third quarter.

“We just kept fighting,” Bright said. “Nobody ever laid down. The offense kept fighting and defense kept fighting. We just have to keep building. We’re not going to see anybody as good as this. It’s a great experience. Like (Moore) just said in our talk, ‘This will be the best game film you can learn from.’ It’s honestly one big, learning practice experience. I’m proud of the way we fought. Now we know that’s not going to be a question this year.”

The Trojans were able to put a touchdown on the board in the fourth quarter on a 23-yard run by Rylan Cook. The game was out of reach at that point, but there was still something on the line.

“We were telling ourselves it was for pride and grit,” Cherry said of the final drive. “It doesn’t matter what the score is, it’s the last drive of the first game and let’s go score. They are a great defense and there are other great defenses we’re going to see. But I think we can compete with anybody. We just have to take it play by play against a defense like that.”

Cherry finished 17-for-23 passing for 144 yards. Noah Coy caught eight passes for 86 yards and T.J. Williams had four receptions for 34 yards. The Trojans rushed for only 69 yards. Cook had 48 yards on nine carries.

Bullock was 10-for-16 passing for 130 yards, but was intercepted by Michael Soderdahl and Luke Barrett. Groudle had 70 rushing yards on 14 carries for St. Edward, which had 146 rushing yards total.

Moore said the weekend will be good for his team moving forward. Friday night, the team visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame next door to the stadium.

“Win, lose or draw, this helps our program for the next two or three years, I believe,” Moore said. “We feel privileged to represent Indiana and be in the Hall of Fame game and see the history of football.”

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA football: Center Grove loses opener to Ohio champion St. Edward