Lafayette Jeff football to open season against Cathedral at Lucas Oil Stadium
INDIANAPOLIS − Lafayette Jeff's goal is to end the football season playing in Lucas Oil Stadium.
First, however, the Bronchos will start the season in the home of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.
Lafayette Jeff and Cathedral will open the 2023 football season at 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"When our kids heard the news, there was a lot of excitement," Bronchos coach Pat Shanley said. "Cathedral is a powerhouse program. Regardless of where we're playing them, we're excited about that caliber of competition and what it can do for us throughout the course of the season.
"For our kids to have the opportunity to play at Lucas Oil, the goal has always been to play our last game there each and every season, hopefully our kids earn the right to get back there at some point."
Cathedral opened the season last year with a 43-12 win over the Bronchos at Lafayette Jeff's Scheumann Stadium.
After the game concluded, initial talks began between Cathedral athletic director Rick Streiff, who coached Cathedral to six state championships, and Lafayette Jeff AD Justin Gardiner, a former head football coach at Twin Lakes and Clinton Central, about playing at Lucas Oil Stadium to open the 2023 season.
"I give a lot of credit to him for making it happen," Gardiner said. "It is going to be a really awesome experience for our kids and our community.
"Coach Shanley and the coaching staff and all the players put in tons of work and they've built a consistent successful program. You don't get these kinds of opportunities without doing all that work and building as great program. Obviously Cathedral is one of the best programs in the state, so it'll be great to see a couple of programs like that go at it on a big stage."
Lafayette Jeff went 9-3 last season, winning its first sectional championship since 2002 before losing to eventual Class 6A runner-up Fort Wayne Carroll 21-20 in the regional championship.
After winning a Class 5A state championship in 2021, Cathedral went 10-2 last season, losing to eventual Class 6A state champion Center Grove at semistate.
Lafayette Jeff is 60-16 in seven seasons under Shanley.
"When we set out eight years ago, we wanted to build Lafayette Jeff into a state powerhouse and be in the discussion among the state's elite," Shanley said. "The fact we're playing in this game maybe provides some sort of assurance to the players and coaches who have busted their butt to build this program into what it is today."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette Jeff to open season against Cathedral at Lucas Oil Stadium
