Stumbo’s FG in OT gives No. 1 Carmel 10-7 win over Warren Central
By CRAIG DRAGASH
ISL Correspondent
Carmel’s John Lampe might see Warren Central linebacker Tim Kimbrough in his sleep.
Kimbrough, a Georgia recruit, was in the Carmel quarterback’s face for much of Saturday night.
Carmel managed only 126 yards of total offense, yet somehow, the 5A No. 1 Greyhounds escaped with a 10-7 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium. Billy Stumbo made a 29-yard field goal in overtime and Greyhound linebacker Loukas Sinnis intercepted a pass from Anthony Cooper-Taylor to seal the win.
All of the scoring in regulation came in the first half. Warren Central blocked a punt and recovered it deep in Greyhound territory. Two plays later, Cooper-Taylor ran the ball into the end zone from the 1-yard line to give the Warriors a 7-0 lead. Carmel had shut out its previous three opponents.
Race Johnson ran a Warren Central punt back to the Warriors’ 28-yard line, and with 3:53 left in the second quarter, Lampe ran the ball in from the one himself to tie the game at seven.
From there, much of the game involved Carmel getting the ball deep in its own territory, punting either without a first down or after one first down, and giving Warren great field position; often in Greyhounds territory. But Warren missed several opportunities to capitalize on the favorable field position, including three missed field goals in the game; two by Max Hernandez, and one that was blocked off of the foot of Jamaal Bridges, which was run back by Carmel linebacker Ryan Sondles to the Warren 41-yard line; easily their best field position of the second half.
Carmel went on offense first in overtime and settled for Stumbo’s field goal to take a 10-7 lead. Warren then had its possession. On the Warriors’ second play, Cooper-Taylor appeared to have completed a touchdown pass, but the officials ruled it incomplete. On the next play, a Cooper-Taylor pass went through the hands of Zach Gegner and into Sinnis’ arms.
Both teams had used a two-quarterback system in previous games, but each team used just their starters in this one. Jeffrey George Jr. didn’t see the field for Warren, and Brandon Lugar stayed on the sidelines for Carmel. Cooper-Taylor finished with 54 yards rushing with a touchdown, and was 11 for 22 passing for 105 yards and two interceptions. The Warriors were held to 240 total yards, well under their season average.
Lampe was 10 for 20 for 88 yards for Carmel.
Carmel improved to 7-0, and 5-0 in MIC conference play. Warren falls to 3-4 and 2-3 in MIC play. The Greyhounds are now alone in 1st place in the MIC conference after Ben Davis fell to Center Grove on Friday. They travel to Terre Haute North on Friday, while Warren Central hosts Terre Haute South.
Follow Craig Dragash on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Greyhound32.
