Lawrence Central defeats Pike 49-21 in regional; Center Grove next
By CRAIG DRAGASH
ISL Correspondent
“This game would have been different if ____________”
Pike head coach Derek Moyers undoubtedly could have come up with many ways to fill in the blank, as his Red Devils committed six turnovers, dropped several passes and committed numerous penalties. Lawrence Central took advantage of those miscues to defeat Pike 49-21 for the regional title.
“That was the key, getting those turnovers”, said Lawrence Central head coach Jayson West.
After Pike’s Nick Hernandez put the opening kickoff into the end zone for a touchback, Lawrence Central’s Isaiah Townsend broke an 80-yard run for a touchdown on the Bears’ first play from scrimmage to give the Bears the early lead. Alex Rodriguez increased the lead to 14-0 on a 2-yard touchdown run. The drive was kept alive when Pike committed a personal foul penalty after holding Lawrence Central on third down.
Trey White added another score on a 70 yard punt return to give Lawrence Central a commanding 21-0 lead only 5:27 into the ball game. 
Pike answered on their next drive as Brent Lyles threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to junior running back Taylor Sanders to cut the lead to 21-7. But with 8:26 left in the second quarter, the Bears’ pass rush forced a fumble by Lyles that was recovered by LC at the Red Devils’ 27-yard line. Three plays later, senior quarterback Drake Christen, who ran for 129 yards and passed for 104, hit Rodriguez for a 20-yard score to give the Bears a 28-7 advantage, which they would take into the locker room at halftime.
On Pike’s first play from scrimmage in the second half at their own 35, senior linebacker Darrell Coleman intercepted Lyles and returned the ball to the Pike 34-yard line. LC this time failed to take advantage of the short field position, as a 36-yard field goal attempt by freshman kicker Nash Griffin was blocked and returned by Pike to their 48 yard line.
Lawrence Central junior linebacker Brandon Lee picked off Lyles and ran the ball 62 yards for the first of his two defensive touchdowns, and LC held a commanding 35-7 lead. Lee would later tack on a 56-yard fumble recovery for his second score.
“My coaches did a great job of putting me in the right spots”, said Lee. “The scout team gave us a great look.”
Pike would cut the lead to 35-14 on a eight yard scoring strike from Lyles to sophomore Jeremy Patton. Townsend later added another scoring run from the six yard line, and Pike capped off the scoring for the night when Sanders punched the ball into the end zone from the one yard line. Lyles would finish the night completing just 18 of 42 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns.
Townsend finished the night with 119 yards rushing on 12 carries. Class 5A #1 Lawrence Central advances to the semistate round next week, where they will travel to take on Center Grove, who was victorious over Castle 58-34.
“We know a lot about them because that’s where I started coaching”, said West. “Coach Moore’s my coaching hero…he gave me my start, he hired me…to play him will be cool.”
Pike finished the season with a 9-4 record which included impressive victories over Ben Davis, Zionsville, and Avon in sectional play.
