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MEDIA
ADVISORY
TRI-WEST
HENDRICKS HOLDS OFF HARDING IN OFFENSIVE SHOOTOUT
Tri-West Hendricks won a
wild offensive fireworks display holding off a determined Harding team for a
41-36 victory in the IHSAA Class 2A state championship game at the RCA Dome.
The game came down to two
key punt plays that benefited Tri-West. First, after Harding fought back to
within 35-29 on a Reginald Smith to Dwight Coleman touchdown pass
with
The second key play that
went the Bruins way came with just over two minutes remaining. Following a
quick Harding drive that lasted just over a minute when Smith ran it in from
nine yards out to bring the Hawks back to within 41-36, Tri-West was forced to
punt once again. However, the Hawks were called for roughing the kicker on the
play and the ball went back to Tri-West with an automatic first down. From
there the Bruins successfully converted another first down and ran out the
remaining seconds on the clock.
It was the second football
state title for Tri-West Hendricks, a school of 444 students located in
Harding, under coach Sherwood Haydock, completed
a 13-2 season and was making its first trip to the football state finals.
Tri-West Hendricks scored on
its first two possessions of the game to take an early 14-0 first quarter lead.
Siple snuck in from one yard out at the 7:26 mark
and, after holding the Harding offense to a three and out, the Bruins scored
again with 1:19 to go on a 24 yard pass to Justin Rutherford from Siple to cap a 12 play, 81 yard drive.
Harding answered on its next
possession when Coleman caught a 22 yard pass from Smith on the first play of
the second quarter. The extra point attempt was blocked. Smith threw for 235
yards on 15 of 29 attempts and three touchdowns and one interception. He also
crushed a 65 yard punt in the first half, a Class 2A championship game record.
Tri-West took a 21-6 lead
when Rutherford, turning his defender around, got loose and caught a 22 yard
pass on the left side and took it into the endzone with
8:41 left in the second quarter. The Hawks pulled within a touchdown just over
two minutes later when Marquez Thornton, a 6-2, 250 pound fullback, bulled in
from two yards out. Smith then hit Chris Palomo in
the endzone for the two-point conversion.
Harding threatened again but
Smith’s pass on 4th and 13 from the 24 yard line was tipped and
picked off by Evan Schenck at the 1 and returned to
the 39 yard line. The Bruins took advantage of the opportunity six plays later
as Siple found Chris Jinkins
for a 40 yard strike and a 28-14 lead with
On the first possession of
the second half, Smith scrambled on 3rd and 21 play
from his own 14 yard line, avoided a sack in the endzone
and found Selwyn Lymon, who made a leaping grab in
traffic and raced 86 yards to the endzone to again,
pull within a touchdown at 28-21. Lymon finished with
137 yards on five receptions.
Siple then connected on his record-breaking touchdown pass
when Chris Rutherford pulled in a 24-yarder with
T.J. Siple
Named Eskew Mental Attitude Award Winner
Thomas J. Siple of Class 2A state champion Tri-West Hendricks was
named winner of the 2003 Class 2A Football Phil N. Eskew
Mental Attitude Award.
At the
conclusion of each state championship game, the IHSAA Executive Committee
presents the award to an outstanding senior participant in the football state
tournament. The recipient of the award,
who was nominated by his principal and coach, must excel in mental attitude,
scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. The award is named in honor of
the third commissioner of the IHSAA who served from 1962 to 1976 and oversaw
the beginning of the state football tournament.
T.J. was the
state leader in passing yardage for the 2003 season, with 3,357 yards heading
into the championship game. He set
school records for passing yardage and touchdowns and is a finalist for Mr.
Football. He is also a member of the
Bruins’ baseball team.
Academically, he ranks 13th in his class of 106 and is a member
of the National Honor Society. He plans
to attend
He has been an
active participant in the local Youth 4-Youth and Youth Day of Caring
activities each year throughout his high school career. He also has held leadership roles in the
Renaissance Committee, an organization responsible for recognizing staff and
student successes at Tri-West, and the Bruin Council, a student leadership
organization.
He becomes the
third Tri-West Hendricks football player to capture the coveted Mental Attitude
Award, along with Rori Chaney in 1989 (Class 2A) and
James Hanlin in 1995 (Class A).
T.J. is the son
of Dee Dee and Tom Siple of
Pittsboro.
Farm Bureau
Insurance, the IHSAA corporate partner, presented a $1,000.00 scholarship to
Game Notes
Class 2A Championship
Game Records
Longest punt: 65 yards by
Reginald Smith of Harding (previous record was 57 yards by Matt Scott of
Most TD Passes: 4 TD passes
by T.J. Siple of Tri-West Hendricks (previous record
was three by several players)
Most TD Receptions: 2 by
Justin Rutherford of Tri-West Hendricks (tied mark held by several players)
New IHSAA Book, Play On,
Recaps 100 Years Of High School Sports in
Looking for
holiday gift ideas? The exciting new book, Play On, celebrating 100 years of
high school sports in
Team Posters And
Individual Action Photographs Available
Visit 20-20 Photographic, the IHSAA’s photographer and the
For t-shirts and other
merchandise commemorating this year’s tournament or for any of our events,
visit our friends at Morris,
Inc.
State Finals Programs Available
Couldn’t be there for the
football state finals? You can still purchase a copy of the official state
finals program while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in
person at the IHSAA Office (
Quotes
Tri-West Hendricks Coach
Mark Haste
“I told the kids before the
game that we hadn’t played our best game yet. I think we did tonight. We talk
all the time about linemen determining the outcome of a game and I think our
linemen did that tonight. It all starts up front and we were able to protect
our quarterback and give him time to find his receivers. T.J. Siple played a heck of a game. He’s a great kid and he’s
truly a mental attitude award winner.”
(On roughing the kicker
penalty) “No, I didn’t really want to see their offense get back on the field.
They have some tremendous athletes. Things went our way and I just feel pretty
lucky right now.”
(On winning the football
state title for the second time) “I can’t imagine it ever feeling bad.”
Tri-West Hendricks
Quarterback T.J. Siple
Winning the mental attitude
was great. It was just icing on the cake. I was just one of many who was
deserving of this award.”
Harding Coach Sherwood Haydock
“When you get two stops on
defense and make them punt the ball, it hurts when the ball hits a player and
you get a roughing call. But the calls on the punts didn’t get us beat. That
just put us in a situations where we just couldn’t
win.”
“We dug ourselves a hole
early but we kept on making comebacks. Tri-West beat us at our own game. We
also like to throw the ball. We had a couple of opportunities at the end and
the way we were playing we just needed one more possession. Reggie Smith had
been a big playmaker for us all year.”
“They beat us on getting
their guys open. Our defense didn’t play very well. Tri-West is a good team, they deserve to win a state championship.”