ECI high school football rundown: Sectional semifinals stats, scores and recaps
MUNCIE, Ind. — The second week of section play for IHSAA football was another decent one for East Central Indiana teams.
Local squads picked up three wins across three total games, each coming with a narrow victory to advance to sectional championships.
Here are the recaps and available states from each contest:
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Delta 24, Yorktown 21
Delta defeated Yorktown for the second time this season as it advanced to its sectional championship. It marked the first time in over 30 seasons that the Eagles topped the Tigers in the postseason, previously going 0-3 since 1994.
The first quarter began with one of Yorktown's best drives of the season, a nearly a 10-minute affair that resulted in a 12-yard receiving touchdown by Ephraim Daugherty.
Delta was unable to get anything going on its first drive of the game and went three-and-out. However, the Eagles' offense exploded after Yorktown was unable to complete on what could have been a long touchdown pass to go up 14-0.
Kaiden Bond started the scoring for Delta’s strong second quarter as he found the end zone on a 4-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 7-7.
Delta’s defense stood strong as well during the second quarter and forced another Yorktown punt that put the Eagles deep into their own territory. That wouldn’t last for long as Bond set up a Chayse Ritchie rushing touchdown after going 71 yards.
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Yorktown failed to get anything going in the second quarter as Delta’s Braxton Russell sacked quarterback Mason Moulton to give the Eagles the ball back late in the second half.
Bond continued to have a big first half as he extended Delta’s lead to two touchdowns after rushing 56 yards for the score.
The second half ended in turnovers, made by both sides, after Landon Brooks forced a strip sack on Moulton and Sean Gibson picked off quarterback Bronson Edwards.
Yorktown started off the second half forcing Delta into a three-and-out and then scoring on a 42-yard touchdown pass to Daugherty on fourth down.
The second half then turned into a gritty one as the teams scrapped and clawed for minimal yardage after the Yorktown score as both squads combined for four straight three-and-outs.
The game came down to the wire late in the fourth quarter as the Eagles were driving, but after a fumble by Edwards, the Eagles settled for what would be the game-winning field goal as Brayden Stanley connected from 38 yards.
However, the Tigers didn’t stop fighting as Yorktown was able to march right down the field and score on a touchdown pass to Quinten Williams that brought the Tigers within three points, but Yorktown was unable to recover the onside kick as it was handled by Jonny Manor.
Delta’s offense was led by Edwards (8-for-12 passing, 55 yards, one interception), Bond (16 carries, 164 yards, two touchdowns) and Nolan Carpenter (12 carries, 62 yards).
Delta’s defense was led by Braxton Russell and Landon Brooks.
Yorktown’s offense was led by Moulton (15-for-39 passing, 199 yards, three touchdowns), Daugherty (three receptions, 82 yards, two touchdowns) and Cole Perdue (six receptions, 69 yards).
Yorktown’s defense was led by Jayce Key (10 total tackles, 2.0 TFL's), Landin Bradnick (eight total tackles, 1.0 TFL) and Cole Perdue (nine total tackles).
Delta will travel to Garrett to play for its sectional championship.
Delta is 7-4.
Yorktown finished 5-6.
Delta 0 21 0 3 — 24
Yorktown 7 0 7 7 — 21
Monroe Central 43, Wes-Del 34
Monroe Central defeated Wes-Del for the second time this season, this time to advance to its sectional championship.
Monroe Central jumped out in front first as Lane Wilson connected with Carter Duncan on an 8-yard touchdown pass.
However, Wes-Del struck back as Triton Blevins took quarterback keeper and scored on a 9-yard rushing touchdown, but the extra point was blocked, and the Golden Bears maintained the lead.
In a turn of events, the Warriors attempted an onside kick right after and recovered the ball. Wes-Del then took the lead three plays later as Blevins kept it again and scored from 16 yards out to take a 12-7 lead.
Blevins wasn’t the only mobile quarterback in this game as Monroe Central’s Wilson scored on a 1-yard rushing touchdown to regain the lead with a two-point conversion, 15-12.
Wes-Del had a solid drive brewing after the Warriors returned the kickoff to its own 43-yard line. However, after Wes-Del drove the ball into Golden Bear territory, the Warriors fumbled the ball on fourth down.
Monroe Central took advantage of Wes-Del’s turnover as Wilson continued to have a great half as he rushed into the end zone again on a 14-yard run.
The first half continued to be a quarterback battle as Blevins rushed in for his third touchdown of the half on a 27-yard run to cut the lead down 21-18.
Monroe Central didn’t go out quietly before the half as Wilson connected with Brylen Case on a 55-yard touchdown pass to take a 28-18 lead into halftime.
The Golden Bears continued where they left off at halftime as Wilson and Monroe Central marched down the field, which ended as Dion Sloss rushed in for the touchdown on a 2-yard run to extend Monroe Central’s lead 35-18.
Both offenses were quiet thereafter until the fourth quarter, where Wes-Del scored on a Brock Nauman rushing touchdown from 2 yards out with a two-point conversion to follow.
For the second time this game, the Warriors attempted and recovered an onside kick to help Wes-Del get back in the game.
After Wes-Del recovered the onside kick, the Warriors marched down the field, where Blevins connected with Abdullah Abdulameer, followed by a Nauman two-point conversion to cut the Golden Bear lead down to one, trailing 35-34.
Monroe Central scored one last time to put the game out of reach for the Warriors as Monroe Central’s Duncan rushed into the end zone from 16-yards out.
The Golden Bear offense was led by Lane Wilson (5-for-8 passing, 91 yards, two touchdowns, eight carries, 26 yards, two touchdowns), Ethan Hunt (17 carries, 128 yards) and Dion Sloss (11 carries, 49 yards, one touchdown).
The Golden Bear defense was led by Peyton Farmer (12 total tackles, 2.0 TFL's) and Elijah Goodspeed (five total tackles, two sacks).
Monroe Central advanced to play host to Sheridan for its sectional championship.
Monroe Central is 6-5.
Wes-Del finished 4-6.
Monroe Central 7 21 7 8 — 43
Wes-Del 12 6 0 16 — 34
Winchester 21, Heritage Christian 14
Winchester extended its winning streak as it defeated Heritage Christian to advance to its sectional championship.
The Falcons' defense led the way, holding Heritage Christian’s offense to 14 points. However, the offense led the comeback late in the fourth quarter on a rushing touchdown and later sealed the game with an interception.
The offense had two rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown overall.
Winchester will to travel to Eastern Hancock to play for its sectional championship.
Winchester is 8-2.
Winchester 7 0 7 7 — 21
Heritage Christian 0 7 7 0 — 14
Radlee-Michael Besser is a freelance sports reporter. Follow him on X (formerly known as Twitter) @_RadleeMichael.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: ECI high school football: Sectional semifinals stats, scores, recaps
