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Class 4A Recap: Bishop Dwenger outlasts Roncalli in a down-to-the-wire thriller
INDIANAPOLIS – They call it the “Assassin Special.”
On Saturday night inside Lucas Oil Stadium, the Class 4A Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger Saints used the play to effectively call game.
Tied with Roncalli, 29-29, in the fourth quarter during the IHSAA Class 4A football state championship, the eighth-ranked Saints faced a fourth-and-6 at the Royals’ 37-yard line.
Initially, the Saints lined up for a 54-yard field goal, but once Roncalli called a timeout with 9 minutes, 28 seconds remaining, Dwenger opted for a fake, which placekicker Lucas Nguyen converted for a go-ahead 37-yard touchdown pass to AJ Shefferly.
Nine minutes later, the Saints’ third-ranked defense slammed the door in the final seconds during a potential game-tying, Roncalli two-minute drill with an interception in the end zone, securing Dwenger’s sixth state championship all time, 36-29.
IHSAA Class 4A State Championship
Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 36, Roncalli 29
The back-and-forth affair marked the programs’ third meeting in the state finals with Dwenger winning, 22-21, in 1983 for the 3A state title and Roncalli claiming the 4A title in 2002 with a 24-21 victory.
Both teams met approximately 99 days ago to open the regular season at Roncalli (11-4) when the Royals won 3-0 on Aug. 22.
The rematch in downtown Indianapolis required more finesse, as both teams clashed through seven lead changes, leading to a gutsy call on fourth down by the Saints (13-2).
“Oh my gosh, that was awesome,” Dwenger senior quarterback Henry Jordan said. “Our special teams coach came over and said, ‘Watch this, guys.’ They showed us, and we didn’t know if we were going to pull out with it, but we did it.”
After missing a 52-yard field goal before the end of the first half, Nguyen, a senior, was brought in to break the deadlock, but he already knew the fake field goal was in the cards and so did Shefferly.
“We just put it in two weeks ago, so we practiced it a few times, but I think we just saw that we had it,” Shefferly said. “It was on. Tommy Coffman did a great job. We left it up to him to check into it if he saw it.”
Coffman, a senior, had the final say on the call as the placeholder, but the play-call credit and origin story elusively swirled around even after Nguyen rolled to his left enough to draw the defender off Shefferly to complete his first-career pass, let alone for a touchdown.
“Our special teams coaches made the call. They said, we’re going to run the assassin special,” Nguyen said. “We were able to call an audible, if they were prepared for a fake, but they didn’t prepare well enough, so we just ran it. My first intent was to run it, but then I saw the guy kind of drifting, and then he finally tried to come towards me, so I saw AJ wide open and just tossed it out to him.”
Shefferly touchdown grab with 9:19 remaining, put Dwenger ahead 35-29 before Nguyen converted the extra point to push the Saints’ margin to seven points.
“We’ve always considered three facets such a vital part of the game. They’ve been practicing it since the summer. It’s called ‘Assassin,’ and we always talked about a moment like that where we’re threatening a field goal because he can hit from there,” Dwenger coach Jason Garrett said. “We were both on the headsets, and coach (Todd) Ellinger said it’s there. I said, ‘Let’s go win it.’ And they executed it. It was awesome.”
The Dwenger defense, which ranks first in 4A (8.14 points allowed), made the final stand, forcing the Royals to punt and turn the ball over on downs after the Saints pulled ahead.
Dwenger had a chance to go for it on fourth-and-2 from their own 45 near the game’s two-minute mark, but opted to punt, which provided Roncalli with a two-minute drill opportunity.
The Royals marched down the field, beginning from their own 8-yard line, and with the benefit of several penalties, reached Dwenger’s 5 with one second remaining.
Roncalli senior quarterback Collin Ash, who completed 10 of 18 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 52 yards and two scores, dropped back and tried to manifest a deadlock.
Ash’s pass intended for junior Luke Roeder was tipped by junior George Hackman and picked by junior Carter Zent as time expired.
“That last drive was a statement of what Dwenger football was. We were getting hit with penalty after penalty and just to stand strong there, I think that means a lot,” Shefferly said.
“We knew that we were a better team after that first game. It was just small mistakes, especially on the offensive side. Shout out to Henry Jordan. He’s done a great job of getting the offense back on track. He had an insane game.”
Jordan completed 15 of 26 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. He rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown. His first touchdown pass, measuring 22 yards, went to his brother, junior Max Jordan, in the first quarter to give Dwenger a 10-7 lead.
Roncalli fired out to a 7-0 and 14-10 lead, but no margin was safe until the fourth quarter.
Senior Zach Dozier led the Royals with 110 rushing yards and 22 yards receiving, while junior Alex Jarvis had 69 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Dwenger senior Gus Tippmann ran in the game-tying touchdown from 3 yards out early in the fourth quarter, which deadlocked the game, 29-29.
“They hit us on the first play for (79 yards), and it was like, ‘Oh, man, it’s on.’ Then it just became a heavyweight fight, and we got the fake field goal, and that was the difference. These games come down to that,” Garrett said.
The Saints’ state championship marks their sixth in program history, first since 2018 and first since coach Garrett, a 1988 Dwenger alum, led the team in his inaugural year at the helm.
“I don’t think we slowed them down. We just stopped them on the last play. What a great program and a great team. We’re blessed. Only God writes a story like this,” Garrett said.
Class 4A State Championship Records
None
Roncalli’s Collin Ash named Eskew Mental Attitude Award winner
During the awards ceremony, Collin Ash of Roncalli High School was announced by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the recipient of the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award in Class 4A Football.
The award is annually presented to a senior who is nominated by his principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability during his four years of high school.
Collin ranks in the top five of his senior class and serves on Roncalli’s Student-Athlete Leadership Council, the Catholic Youth Organization Council and is involved in the school’s Champions Together program.
Last season, Collin was honored as the Circle City Conference Player of the Year. He’s also been a four-year starter for the Royals baseball team and served as team captain. He was named All-Conference, All-County, and received MVP honors in both football and baseball in 2024.
He is the son of Chad and Katie Ash of Indianapolis, IN will attend Valparaiso University to study education and play baseball.
The award is named in honor of Commissioner Phil N. Eskew, who served as the IHSAA’s third commissioner from 1962-76. Under his leadership, the IHSAA football state tournament was initiated in 1973.
The Indianapolis Colts, the presenting sponsor of the state tournament, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Roncalli High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Collin Ash.
IHSAA’s Champion of Education Award, presented by Ivy Tech Community College
This award recognizes teachers and faculty who go above and beyond to challenge students to reach their full potential. As an organization that emphasizes keeping education at the forefront of high school athletics, the IHSAA is proud to shine a light on two honorees in this year’s class. On behalf of Ivy Tech Community College, presenting sponsors of the IHSAA Champion of Education Award, the IHSAA will award $250 to the classroom of each recipient.
Jacob Rorick teaches Social Studies at Bishop Dwenger High School. Mr. Rorick brings history to life through relevant stories, comparisons to current issues, and lively, engaging lessons filled with visuals, film clips, and meaningful discussion. He fosters active learning through collaborative projects that challenge students to think critically and apply historical concepts to the present day. Jacob is deeply committed to his students’ success, building strong relationships, advocating for struggling learners, and showing up for his students’ extracurricular events!
Pat Crosley serves as the “Voice of Roncalli Football” while also teaching Social Studies at Roncalli High School. Mr. Crosley has spent time teaching, mentoring, coaching, and volunteering over the course of his 27 years as an educator. He is always available to do whatever he can to support Roncalli's high school community!
