November 29, 2013
Cathedral continues Winning Tradition with Class 5A title over Westfield
The Cathedral Fighting Irish started the season in a new class, but they finished it in a distinctly familiar position -- in the winners' circle for another state football championship.
Cathedral, playing in its fourth consecutive state title game but first in Class 5A, toppled the Westfield Shamrocks, 42-18.
The Irish continued to add their name to lofty places in the IHSAA football record book. Most prominently, Cathedral won its 11th state title, tying for the second-most in Indiana history. The Irish, who have won 24 consecutive state tournament games dating to 2010, became only the fourth team to capture four straight state crowns. Cathedral also became the first school to win a state championship in three different classes.
Cathedral coach Rick Streiff tied Matt Lindsay of Fort Wayne Bishop Luers and Bud Wright of Sheridan with nine football championships, the most in Indiana history.
The game turned into the Terry McLaurin show for the Irish. McLaurin rushed three times for 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He caught six passes for 91 yards and another score.
Cathedral quarterback Collin Barthel completed 13-of-17 passes for 177 yards and a TD. Running back Caleb Cross scored twice while rushing for 80 yards.
Westfield quarterback Nick Ferrer hit 18-of-31 passes for 201 yards and rushed for 35 yards and a score. Elvin Caldwell ran 23 times for the Shamrocks and gained 114 yards and a TD.
Cathedral, ranked No. 2 in the state coaches poll and No. 5 by the Associated Press, finished 10-5.
The Shamrocks, top-ranked in both polls, completed their season 12-1. Westfield was making its second trip to the football finals and the first since its 1992 Class 2A runner-up season.
Listen: Cathedral coach Rick Streiff comments | Westfield coach Jake Gilbert's comments
Westfield’s Mitch Turley receives Eskew Mental Attitude Award
At the conclusion of the championship game, the IHSAA Executive Committee named Mitch Turley of Westfield High School as the winner of the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award in Class 5A football.
Turley ranks first in his senior class of 461 students. He has been a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Leadership Team, the Principal’s Advisory Council and National Honor Society president.
As a 2 ½ year starter at inside linebacker, Mitch has been selected All-Hoosier Crossroads Conference and was a Colts Academic All-Star. He is also a member of the school’s lacrosse team and played basketball during his first two years of high school.
He is the son of Pat and Stacy Turley of Westfield and plans to study biochemical engineering at MIT.
Each year the IHSAA Executive Committee selects a senior player who was nominated by his principal and coach and was determined to have best demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. The award is named in honor of the IHSAA’s third commissioner from 1962-76.
The Indianapolis Colts presented a $1,000 scholarship to Westfield High School in the name of Mitch Turley. The Colts have been the presenting sponsor of the entire football state tournament since 2009 and are sponsoring the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award for the first year.