1999 IHSAA FOOTBALL STATE FINALS

Class 3A

November 27, 1999

RCA Dome, Indianapolis

RONCALLI RALLIES FOR CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Quarterback Mike Hyde hit Tommy Schembra for a 63-yard fourth quarter touchdown to springboard Roncalli to a 24-14 victory over Norwell and the Class 3A state championship on Saturday at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.

Trailing 14-10 with just under nine minutes remaining, Hyde found Schembra in one-on-one coverage along the left side of the field as Schembra broke a tackle after the catch and ran it in for the go-ahead score.

After forcing a Norwell punt on the ensuing possession, Roncalli kept the ball on the ground for a 9-play, 73-yard drive that culminated with a 7-yard run by Schembra with 2:42 remaining in the game that sealed the victory for the Rebels. It was Schembra's third score of the day.

Schembra finished with 175 yards on 26 carries as well as 4 pass receptions for 67 yards.

After Roncalli went up 7-0 to start the game, Norwell immediately answered with a touchdown and added another in the second quarter and took a 14-7 lead into the lockerroom at halftime.

Norwell's twin brothers Brad and Brent Schortgen scored both of the Knights' touchdowns on short runs in the first half. Roncalli's Mike O'Keefe booted a 37 yard field goal with 0:54 remaining in the third quarter to pull Roncalli within 14-10.

It was the fifth state championship in football for Roncalli and its third under head coach Bruce Scifres, who also guided the Rebels to titles in 1993 and 1994. Roncalli has also won the championship in 1985 and 1988. All five have come in Class 3A. The Rebels also join Carmel for second place for the most football state titles. Sheridan's six championships is the state-best.

The top-ranked Rebels finished 15-0, while fourth-ranked Norwell finished 13-2. The Knights, making their first trip to the state finals, were coached by Gary Scott, who is retiring from coaching after 21 years at Norwell.

Nicholas Worden, a senior linebacker and fullback at Norwell, was selected by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the 1999 recipient of the Phil N. Eskew Award for Mental Attitude in Class 3A football. Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship in Worden's name to Norwell High School.

 

Norwell (13-2)

7

7

0

0

--

14

Roncalli (15-0)

7

0

3

14

--

24

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

Roncalli -- T. Schembra 4 run (O'Keefe kick), 7:18.

Scoring Drive -- 9 plays, 65 yards, 4:42.

Norwell -- Bra. Schortgen 1 run (Huddlestone kick), 3:29.

Scoring Drive -- 10 plays, 74 yards, 3:49.

2nd Quarter

Norwell -- Bre. Schortgen 5 run (Huddlestone kick), 5:59.

Scoring Drive -- 14 plays, 70 yards, 6:31.

3rd Quarter

Roncalli -- O'Keefe 37 Field Goal, 0:54.

Scoring Drive -- 10 plays, 19 yards, 5:15.

4th Quarter

Roncalli -- Schembra 63 pass from Hyde (O'Keefe kick), 8:44.

Scoring Drive -- 4 plays, 91 yards, 0:57.

Roncalli -- Schembra 7 run (O'Keefe kick), 2:42.

Scoring Drive -- 9 plays, 73 yards, 3:34.

Team Statistics

Norwell

 

Roncalli

16

First Downs

13

43/158

Rushes/Yards

40/234

106

Passing Yards

105

8/16/1

Passing Comp./Att./Int.

8/12/0

59/264

Plays/Total Net Yards

52/339

89

Return Yards

73

4/37.0

Punts/Avg.

3/50.7

2/16

Penalties/Yards

8/74

3/1

Fumbles/Lost

0/0

24:57

Time of Possession

23:03

Individual Statistics

Rushing

Norwell -- Bra. Schortgen 16-77; Bre. Schortgen 12-37; Hanselman 10-31; Nagel 4-11; Neuenschwander 1-2.

Roncalli -- Schembra 26-175; Hammans 5-62; Heise 2-8; M. Nalley 2-5; R. Nalley 3-3; Hyde 2-minus 19.

Passing

Norwell -- Hanselman 8-16-106-0-1.

Roncalli -- Hyde 8-12-105-1-0.

Receiving

Norwell -- Beste 4-55; Bre. Schortgen 1-24; Bra. Schortgen 2-20; Nagel 1-7.

Roncalli -- Schembra 4-67; Hammans 2-36; Lawrie 1-12; Thompson 1-minus 10.

Tackles

Norwell -- Carr 8; Beste 7; Hanselman 6; Nelson 4; Costello 4; Hoopingarner 3; Hartup 3; Heyerly 2; Mapes 2; Gerbers 1; Bra. Schortgen 1; Bre. Schortgen 1; Worden 1.

Roncalli -- G. Armbruster 7; Mahin 6; J. Stahley 5; Agresta 5; Lawrie 4; Brizendine 3; Conover 3; Hammans 3; Harrington 3; Harris 3; Moore 3; M. Williams 3; Rojas 1; Schembra 1.

Sacks

Norwell -- Hartup 2.

Roncalli -- Brizendine 1.

Interceptions

Norwell -- None.

Roncalli -- M. Williams 1.

Fumble Recoveries

Norwell -- Hanselman 2.

Roncalli -- Harrington 1.

 

CLASS 3A GAME NOTES

RONCALLI'S FIFTH FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

It was the fifth state championship in football for Roncalli and its third under head coach Bruce Scifres, who also guided the Rebels to titles in 1993 and 1994. Roncalli has also won the championship in 1985 and 1988. All five have come in Class 3A. The Rebels also join Carmel for second place for the most football state titles. Sheridan's six championships is the state-best.

A PERFECT 15-0

Roncalli became the first Class 3A school to finish 15-0 and joins Class 5A champ Ben Davis as schools that accomplished the feat in the 1999 state finals. This is the third year that teams have been able to schedule nine regular season games and also play the six-week tournament. Previously, the only schools to have finished 15-0 were Pioneer (Class A) in 1997, and Jimtown (Class 2A) in 1997 and 1998.

RONCALLI'S WILLIAMS EQUALS 3A RECORD PUNT

Roncalli punter Mike Williams equaled the 3A state championship game record for longest punt with a 69-yarder with 0:44 remaining in the first half. Williams equaled that of Columbus East's Blair Kiel in the 1979 game against Hobart. Williams' effort came a day after Danville's Matt Scott nailed a record 57-yarder in the Class 2A game against Fort Wayne Luers.

RECORD INTERCEPTION RETURN

Roncalli's Mike Williams returned a 50-yard interception with just over a minute to go in the game to set a new Class 3A game record, his second of the day. His return bettered the 20-year old record of 37 yards previously set by Ken Davis of Columbus East in the 1979 game vs. Hobart.

NORWELL'S WORDEN NAMED CLASS 3A MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD RECIPIENT

Nicholas Worden, a senior linebacker and fullback at Norwell, was selected by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the 1999 recipient of the Phil N. Eskew Award for Mental Attitude in Class 3A football.

Worden was a three-year starter in football for the Knights and also competes in track and field. Academically, he ranks in the top 20 percent of his senior class and is a member of the National Honor Society. Worden plans to attend Ball State University and major in architecture. Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship in Worden's name to Norwell High School.

 

 

CLASS 3A QUOTES

Roncalli Coach Bruce Scifres

"They had all the physical tools than any team we've ever had at Roncalli. The big concern was to come together as a team. The chemistry they brought makes this one of the best teams ever."

"We really kind of shot ourselves in the foot with penalties and mistakes in the first half. At halftime, we knew we'd have to buckle down. This group, and even though we had not been down very often, had demonstrated the ability to come back."

"In the first half, they hurt us with their linebackers. We were able to pick them up in the second half."

Roncalli's Tommy Schembra

"In the first half we were executing our plays. At halftime, we made some corrections and adjustments and the holes were a lot bigger."

Roncalli's Greg Armbruster

"At halftime, the defense had to play with heart. Our defense stepped it up in the second half."

Norwell Coach Gary Scott

"We played a great first half and in the second half they (Roncalli) took over the line of scrimmage. We had an obvious pass interference call in the second half. You can't get that back. But Roncalli really took it to us and we didn't handle it at the end of the game. Roncalli came to play and win the state championship. This was our first time and we might not have been as focused."

"(Norwell's fumble) was big for us. But we had some other opportunities to erase that. When it was 14-10, we still felt pretty good. At 17-14, they had the momentum."

Norwell's Matt Hanselman

"The first half was good for us. The second half was a totally different story."

(On Rocalli's Tommy Schembra) "In the first half, we did a good job containing him. The second half, they were patient. He found alleys and cut backs against our defense and went for big gains. On offense we had no continuity in the second half."

Norwell's Dan Costello

"They've been here before. This was our first time and we had trouble focusing."