2000 IHSAA FOOTBALL STATE FINALS

Class A

November 24, 2000

RCA Dome, Indianapolis

ADAMS CENTRAL FLYING HIGH WITH CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIP

Ignited by a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown in the game’s first two minutes, Adams Central led all the way and held off Attica’s second half rally for a 29-21victory in the Class A state championship game and its first IHSAA state title in any sport.

Senior quarterback Nicholas Houk threw for 149 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Flying Jets to their sixth consecutive victory.

After forcing Attica to punt on its opening possession, Adams Central’s Nick Foreman took the punt 55 yards for the first score of the game at the 10:39 mark. Foreman’s return was a Class A championship game record.

Adams Central (12-3), unranked in the final state coaches poll, led 29-6 at halftime on Houk’s three touchdown passes, two of which went to Curt Garwood. Garwood’s second touchdown reception, a 28-yarder came with 2:23 left before halftime.

Top-ranked Attica (14-1), which won its first sectional championship three weeks ago, staged a furious second half rally that fell short when the Red Ramblers were held on fourth and two at the Adams Central 3-yard line with 5:43 remaining in the game and trailing 29-21. Adams Central took over on downs and converted four first downs in the final minutes to salt the game away.

Attica pulled within 29-13 on senior running back Josh Smith’s second touchdown run of the day, a two-yarder that capped a 13-play, 53-yard drive. The Ramblers trimmed the deficit to 29-21 when Tim Powell ran in a 15-yard end around. Travis Childress caught the two-point conversion from Theron Schmid.

Smith finished with 230 yards on the ground in 42 carries to break the overall state finals record for most attempts in a game. The previous record was held by Rick Endsley of DeKalb, who carried 41 times in the 1986 Class 4A final. The previous Class A record was 40 by Tim Alspaugh of Tippecanoe Valley against Hamilton Southeastern in 1979.

Adams Central ran only seven plays in the first quarter compared to 30 for Attica. Following the punt return for a touchdown by Foreman, the Flying Jets took a 13-0 lead on their next possession when Houk connected with Garwood from 16 yards out. Adams Central maintained the lead the rest of the way.

 

Attica (14-1)

6

0

15

0

--

21

Adams Central (12-3)

13

16

0

0

--

29

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

Adams Central – Nick Foreman 55 punt return (Ked Hirschy kick), 10:39.

Adams Central – Curt Garwood 16 pass from Nicholas Houk (kick failed), 7:59.

Attica – Josh Smith 4 run (run failed), 3:56.

 

2nd Quarter

Adams Central – Ked Hirschy 39 pass from Nicholas Houk (Curt Garwood pass from Ked Hirschy), 7:05.

Adams Central – Curt Garwood 28 pass from Nicholas Houk (Brian Butcher run), 2:23.

 

3rd Quarter

Attica – Josh Smith 2 run (Josh Smith kick), 5:45.

Attica – Tim Powell 15 run (Travis Childress from Theron Schmid), 0:23.

 

4th Quarter

No scoring.

 

Time of Game – 2:40.

 

Team Statistics

Attica

 

Adams Central

17

First Downs

13

55-254

Rushes/Yards

32-165

45

Passing Yards

149

6-13-0

Passing Comp./Att./Int.

8-11-1

68-299

Plays/Total Net Yards

43-314

71

Return Yards

140

5/32.6

Punts/Avg.

4/35.5

7-52

Penalties/Yards

3-40

1-0

Fumbles/Lost

0-0

28:16

Time of Possession

19:44

Individual Statistics

Rushing

AtticaJosh Smith 42-230, Tim Powell 3-21, Travis Kirby 5-12, David Foster 1-9, Theron Schmid 3-(-)16.

Adams Central – Nick Foreman 11-73, Tim Kaminsky 10-60, Nicholas Houk 2-12, Brian Butcher 5-12, Ked Hirschy 1-9, Curt Garwood 1-2.

 

Passing

AtticaTheron Schmid 6-12-0-45, Josh Smith 0-0-0-0.

Adams Central – Nicholas Houk 8-11-1-149.

Receiving

AtticaRyan Francis 2-16, David Foster 2-10, Travis Childress 1-16, Josh Smith 1-3.

Adams Central – Curt Garwood 5-84, Ked Hirschy 3-65.

Tackles

AtticaDavid Foster 10, Theron Schmid 6, Josh Smith 6, Andy Dotson 3, Josh Jones 3, Nate Larson 3, Travis Kirby 3, Ryan Blankenship 3, Tyler Schurich, Jordan French 2, Tim Powell 2, Mark Mattern 2, David Serie 2, Tony Stultz 1.

Adams Central – Tim Kaminsky 15, Adam Harmon 11, Curt Garwood 10, Josh Foster 10, Nick Foreman 8, Nick Houk 7, Brian Butcher 6, Arron Foreman 6, Eric Fravel 5, Jesse Martin 4, Travis Foster 3, Ked Hirschy 2, Craig Fruechte 2, Derek Hamilton 1.

Sacks

AtticaNone.

Adams Central – Adam Harmon 1, Josh Foster 1, Ked Hirschy 1.

Interceptions

AtticaDavid Foster 1.

Adams CentralNone.

Fumble Recoveries

AtticaNone.

Adams CentralNone.

CLASS A GAME NOTES

SMITH FINISHES SECOND IN SEASON, CAREER SCORING – Attica senior running back Josh Smith scored two touchdowns and kicked an extra point for 13 points against Adams Central. He finished the season with 449 points. Smith moved his career total to 811. Both totals rank second to Sheridan’s Brett Law on the all-time Indiana chart. Law scored a national-record 453 points in 1988 when Sheridan finished 12-2 and won the Class A state title. Law finished his career in 1989 with another state title and 952 career points, also a national record.

SMITH FINISHES FOURTH IN SEASON RUSHING, CAREER RUSHING – Attica senior running back Josh Smith rushed for 270 yards on a state finals-record 42 carries to finish the 2000 season with 3,004 yards. He’s the fourth Indiana running back to rush for 3,000 yards in a season. The others are Otis Shannon of Indianapolis Cathedral (3,252 in 1999), Mike Bohn of Roncalli (3,165 in 1993) and Alex Smith of Franklin County (3,024 in 1992). On the Indiana career rushing list, Smith ranks sixth with 6,392 yards. Two of the players ahead of Smith also were seniors this season – Otis Shannon of Indianapolis Cathedral (No. 1 with 7,560 yards) and Chris Spillmann (No. 5 with 6,465).

60 FOOTBALL STATE TITLEISTS – With its Class A state championship, Adams Central became the 60th different school to celebrate an IHSAA football state championship. The IHSAA state tournament series debuted in 1973. The current five-class tournament format was adopted in 1985.

NO. 1 FOR ADAMS CENTRAL – The 2000 Class A football state title is the first for Adams Central, a 51-year-old consolidation of Kirkland, Monroe and Pleasant Mills located at Monroe in Adams County. The Flying Jets were coached by Rick Minnich, who has compiled a 171-102 record in 24 seasons at his alma mater.

THREE TOUCHDOWN PASSES TIES CLASS A RECORD – Senior quarterback Nicholas Houk threw three touchdown passes, all in the first half, to tie the Class A state championship record. Houk is the fifth quarterback to throw three touchdown passes in a Class A state championship game. The most recent came by Eric Anthrop of Lafayette Central Catholic against Perry Central in 1999.

 

ATTICA’S SMITH NAMED CLASS A MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD RECIPIENT

Josh Smith, a senior at Attica High School, was selected by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the 2000 recipient of the Phil N. Eskew Award for Mental Attitude in Class A football.

Smith rushed for 230 yards on a record 42 carries in the Class A state championship game to finish with 3,004 this season.

A four-year letterman in football, Smith also has been a three-year letterman in basketball and track. He also lettered one season in baseball.

Smith ranks 15th in his senior class of 65 students. He is a member of the National Honor Society and serves as president of the school’s student council. He also been elected president of his class all four years.

Smith has yet to make a college selection, but intends to pursue a pre-medicine curriculum.

Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 check to Attica High School in Smith’s name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLASS A QUOTES

Adams Central Coach Rick Minnich

"Two good teams had a battle. We had a great first half, they had a great second half and there were a lot of big plays."

(On giving the ball up on fourth and one play in the third quarter) "Would I go for it on fourth down again and the answer is ‘yes’." These guys are why. We’ve gone through fourth downs in the last four weeks that we’ve had to have. They thought they could get it and so did I."

"It’s been a great season and the kids deserve a lot of credit. Attica is an outstanding football team. And they have a lot to be proud of."

"I think we were quicker in the backfield and we had more backs to run than just one and that was obvious right away."

(On quarterback Nick Houk) "By far this was Nicholas’ best passing night of his career…this is a night he’ll always remember, to have the best night of his career in the state championship game."

(On winning title after losing three regular season games) "We were very fortunate to be here. We were struggling at one point this year. We were also playing some good teams."

(On winning Adams Central’s first IHSAA state title) "We have needs for a new trophy case. I’ll be accused of ordering one for the football trophy. But actually I ordered it three weeks ago."

I made the mistake of looking up in the stands before the game. I saw a lot of old players wearing their old jerseys. We also heard from a lot of old players this week. It was so exciting to see that kind of support…this championship was for all the kids that have been part of our program through the years."

(On Attica’s Josh Smith) "Forty-two carries? That’s a durable back. We thought we had him banged up a couple of times but he kept coming back."

Adams Central’s Curt Garwood

(On winning Adams Central’s first state title) "There were a lot of good teams down through the years that could have done this. But I’m proud that I was on the team that finally won Adams Central’s first title."

Attica Coach David McDonald

"Unfortunately we had just a little too big a hill to climb. In the second half, I thought our kids played outstanding. They never quit, they never gave up. They’ve got the heart of a bunch of lions."

(On giving up first punt return) "We missed a tackle, they took it 60 yards and we just never recovered from it.

We moved the ball consistently. We hurt ourselves with penalties. It wasn’t like they could shut us down completely."

(On trailing 29-6 at halftime) "It’s tough to come back against a good team but we got three (touchdowns) and we were knocking on the door for the fourth.

(On Attica’s Josh Smith) "He’s a champion in every sense of the word. He comes in a 6 o’clock in the morning in the weight room, he runs extra after practice. He’s done everything to build up our team and his teammates."

Attica’s Josh Smith

(On trailing 13-0) "It’s a big change because the whole year we were never behind. We had a couple of kids in there hanging their heads and we picked them back up. Our line was giving me some holes and they weren’t stopping us behind the line of scrimmage. We were always getting positive gains."