Phone: 317-846-6601
Fax: 317-575-4244 Website:
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November 25, 2005
SHERIDAN WINS SEVENTH CLASS A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Freshman quarterback Nick
Zachery’s second touchdown run of the game – a three-yarder – with :51 seconds
remaining put the game out of reach.
It was the seventh state
title overall for the school in eight appearances in the championship game and
its first since 1998. Each title has come in Class A and with coach Larry “Bud”
Wright at the helm. Wright’s seven state titles ranks second in state football
history.
Zachery got the Blackhawks on
the board first on a 49-yard run at the 8:54 mark of the first quarter.
Knightstown senior tailback Matt Cox helped even the game late in the first
quarter on a one-yard carry. That score was set up on the previous play by a
70-yard completion from Eric Freeman to Michael Guinn down to the one yard
line.
Scott Taylor added a
six-yard score with 3:29 left in the first half to put
Knightstown suffered its
first loss of the year after 14 straight victories and finished as state
runner-up for the second time in as many visits to the championship game
(1997). It also was the last game for head coach Don Willard who announced his
intention to retire prior to the season. Willard spent 39 years directing the
Knightstown program ending with a 216-180-3 record.
KNIGHTSTOWN’S MATT COX HONORED WITH ESKEW MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD
Knightstown
senior running back/outside linebacker Matt Cox is the 2005 recipient of the
Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award for Class A Football presented by the IHSAA
Executive Committee. The award is
presented to a senior nominated by his principal and coach who excels in mental
attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. The award is named in honor of Mr. Eskew, who
served as the IHSAA’s third commissioner from 1962-76. Under Eskew’s leadership, the IHSAA football
state tournament was initiated in 1973.
Cox helped
Knightstown to its second state finals berth and first since 1997. Cox led the state in scoring (228) and he ranked
sixth in rushing touchdowns (31) and eighth in rushing yards (2,050).
Cox ranks 11th
in his senior class, serving as a delegate to Hoosier Boys’ State. The National Honor Society student and
student council president has volunteered for Special Olympics and Riley
Children’s Hospital.
“Matt is a very
dedicated individual who sets high goals for himself and possesses the
attributes of perseverance, unselfishness and courage in order to achieve those
goals,” said Knightstown principal James Diagostino. “Matt persevered through two ACL surgeries
during his sophomore and junior years to come back and lead the team through
this memorable year.”
Cox, who plans
to attend the Naval Academy or Purdue, is the son of Rodney Cox and Kara
Peggs. Cox became the first Knightstown
player to win the Eskew award in football.
Indiana Farm
Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, presented a scholarship check
for $1,000 to Knightstown High School in the name of Matt Cox.
VSN MEANS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY
Visit our friends at Visual Sports Network, the IHSAA’s official
photographer for all state championship events and one of the leading action
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STATE FINALS PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
Couldn’t be in there for the
state finals? You can still purchase a copy of the official souvenir program
while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in person at the IHSAA
Office (
Quotes on the Class A Game
“I really felt this was
going to be a higher scoring game. We
knew their linebackers were good and their two inside guys were awful big. Their defensive ends were tough. They (defensive ends) really shut us down at
times and stopped us from getting some big plays. They just played outstanding. They controlled us pretty good but we just
kept pounding away.”
“We made a couple of
adjustments but they countered pretty good and it was just back-and-forth in
that second half there for a while. They
kept widening out to stop the option on the outside, so we had to come back
inside.”
(On Freshman Quarterback
Nick Zachery (#7)) “He’s been around the program since he was just knee high,
he has been a ball boy for six or seven years and he has just grown up with the
program with his whole family. He has
done an excellent job for us. He is a
heck of a football player, actually he is a heck of an athlete. He participates in track, football,
basketball… he can do it all. He is just
a great athlete.”
(On the seven years since
last state title) “We got down and had a couple of bad years, I knew I had a
good group coming (last years senior class) and I was not sure if I wanted to
go through a 4-year cycle with them. I
decided to go through that cycle with them.
I credit last year’s seniors with bringing this program back where it
belongs. This is very, very
special. We really thought we would be
here last year…this year a lot of people said we are a year late and a year
early. It really doesn’t make a
difference because we won it. It feels
very good!”
(On the possibility of
Warren Central head coach and son Kevin Wright winning tomorrow) “That would be
really great! All we have to do is get
#7 Nick Zachery
“I play a big role and I
know I have a lot to do, but I have coach Wright and a great coaching staff
that helps me and I want to thank them.
It was great tonight! Our
offensive line opened up some great holes tonight and they play so well all the
time. We couldn’t do anything without
them. I never thought I would be able to
do this, this year. I thought maybe next
year but certainly not this season.”
Knightstown Coach Don Willard
“They got up first, but we
were able to come back with a long pass to Michael Guinn. After Matt Cox got
the touchdown, I thought we were in pretty good shape.”
“I think the key was when
they had us deep in our own territory and came back and scored late in the
first half. Our play especially in the second quarter hurt us more than
anything.”
“We couldn’t get much
offense going most of the game. Every time we started to get something going,
it seemed we would have a penalty or make a mistake and
(On the season) “It was a
fantastic season. We didn’t think we would win 14 games. We started out
thinking we’d be pretty good and then we got going and we were finding ways to
win. We just came up one game short.”
(On retiring after 39 years
at Knightstown) “Right now it seems like another game. But next week when I
think about it, it will be more than just that. I’ve had 39 great years at Knightstown
High School.”
(On play in the fourth
quarter) “We still felt we could score. We just didn’t play like we did the
last three weeks. We needed to stop them and score quickly and we just couldn’t
do it.”
(On Mental Attitude Award
winner Matt Cox) “He’s a great kid and a good leader. He’s trying to get in one
of the military academies.”