INDIANAPOLIS — Most, if not all, of the football players taking the field Friday night weren’t born the last time Edinburgh and Indiana Deaf met in the postseason.
Unlike that first go-round, it was the Deaf Hoosiers coming out on top.
Led by the running of hard-charging junior Maurice Mitchell, Indiana Deaf downed the Lancers 42-28 in the opening round of Class A’s sectional 46. Indiana Deaf (4-3) prepares to play Park Tudor, while Edinburgh finishes with a 1-9 record.
The Lancers led 6-0 early, only to watch the hosts rattle off 28 consecutive points to close the opening half. Two Edinburgh scores in the second half pulled the Lancers close, but Indiana Deaf responded to put the game away.
“In the first half, they just thought they were good to go after they scored. Took them a little lightly and the other team came out and was ready to play,” first-year coach Tyler DeSpain said. “I still saw chances for us until the end. Our kids fight all the way through. They have a lot of heart.
“The season was not what we would like. Obviously, we thought we should’ve had a better record, and I think some of our games have shown that our kids are here to play.”
Friday’s matchup was the first meeting between the programs since a 20-point Lancers’ victory at Indiana Deaf in Week 7 of the 2011 season. The only other postseason matchup between the programs resulted in an Edinburgh win in 2001. Indiana Deaf and the Lancers entered Friday’s game with a combined postseason record of 11-62 dating back to 1985.
The 28-point barrage by the Deaf Hoosiers gave the hosts a 28-6 lead at halftime as junior quarterback Jerrell Edwards threw two touchdown passes, as well as two interceptions.
The Lancers struck first, taking the opening kickoff and marching 74 yards in 11 plays, with back Austin Streeval taking it the final 12 yards on a carry around left end. Indiana Deaf’s ensuing drive of 42 yards was capped by freshman Sabu Middlebrooks’ 11-yard run.
Edinburgh’s next four offensive possessions resulted in either a punt or interception. Meanwhile, the Deaf Hoosiers were making the most of their opportunities, starting with a run by Mitchell covering 32 yards and including bouncing off at least two would-be tacklers.
At 8:55 of the second period, Edwards found freshman Tyler Wascher for a 4-yard touchdown pass. The score was set up by a swing pass in the left flat from Edwards to DeJavier Goodner covering 50 yards down to the Lancers 15. Edwards found Wascher again from 34 yards late in the second to account for the halftime score.
Edinburgh scored on the first play of the third period when defensive lineman Anthony Noe scooped up an Edwards fumble and rumbled 36 yards for a touchdown. The Lancers’ next offensive series produced a 49-yard pass from Riley Palmeter to Streeval to cut the gap to 28-22.
The Deaf Hoosiers responded with a 66-yard drive on the next series to go ahead, 36-22. Edinburgh countered with Palmeter’s 4-yard touchdown run, but it was close as the Lancers could get.
