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The Class 6A State Championship featuring #5 Westfield (11-2) and #1 Brownsburg (13-0) will stream via PPV on IHSAAtv.org this Saturday at 7 pm ET / 6 CT!

INDIANAPOLIS - If it seems as though the Class 6A championship game is something that’s been seen before, you’d be right.

For the second-straight season, top-ranked Brownsburg and No. 6 Westfield (members of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference) will meet for the 6A title. A year ago, Brownsburg captured its fourth title in school history with a thrilling, 22-17 win over the Shamrocks.

In fact, this matchup will be the fourth time in the last two seasons these teams have met – with the Bulldogs (13-0) winning the previous three.

“Let’s hope this familiarity is an advantage for us,” Westfield coach Josh Miracle said. "We’re due. We hope we’ve learned from the mistakes and errors we’ve made.”

Actually, the Shamrocks haven’t made too many mistakes since the three previous meetings have been decided by a total of 13 points – including this season’s clash, a 14-10 Brownsburg victory Sept. 26.

“I don’t know if we’re the two best teams in 6A,” Brownsburg coach John Hart said, “but we are the two best teams in this tournament because we’ve both found a way to compete and win. There is a lot more in common with the two of us than there are differences.

“Whichever team walks off the field with the win, it won’t be because we’ve played each other a lot.”

The Shamrocks (11-2) hope to turn the tables, in part, by taking a page out of Brownsburg’s book from last year. Westfield uses a two-quarterback system, like the Bulldogs did a year ago.

Sophomore Cooper Melvin and senior Aiden Grabowski have split time at the position and have led a balanced and potent attack. Melvin has the better passing stats, having thrown for 1,073 yards and seven scores, while Grabowski has 730 yards passing and 616 yards rushing and has run for 13 touchdowns.

“Both are the whole package,” Miracle said of his quarterbacks. “Cooper is a dynamic athlete  and shows a lot of poise and maturity as a sophomore. Aiden is what you expect from a senior leader. He’s a winner.”

“Their quarterbacks are running more since we played last time,” Hart noted. “They are really good at what they do, and it forces us to defend 11 players in the running game instead of 10.”

Speaking of defense, Westfield has excelled there by allowing just 13.4 points per game. The 14 points it allowed Brownsburg in the earlier meeting is the only time the Bulldogs failed to score at least 29 this year.

Defensive end Alex Aramboles leads that unit as he has recorded 28.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks this season. Linebacker Olumide Fapetu leads the team with 105 tackles.

“I don’t know if we can hold them to 14 points again,” Miracle said, “They are very explosive and it’s like going against a team that’s the full package.”

The Bulldogs use three prolific rushers as Aiden Jobe has returned this season to roll up 1,483 yards and 20 touchdowns. Jobe missed last season with a dislocated ankle. Brady Lewis has added 709 yards rushing and Shakovon Sumpter-Bey 622.

Quarterback Oscar Frye had thrown for 2,327 yards and 28 touchdowns against only two interceptions. His favorite target is junior Brandon Sharpe, who has caught 55 passes for 992 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Defensively, Brownsburg has allowed just 14.4 points a game and has a plus-16 turnover margin. Senior linebacker Alex Fisher is the leading tackler with 82 -- 7.5 for loss.

Brownsburg is making its sixth state finals appearance and also repeated as champions back in 1984 and 1985.

Hart is 3-0 in state championship games, also guiding Warren Central to a championship in 5A in 2009 and Evansville Reitz to a 4A title in 2007.

Miracle is in his second season leading the Shamrocks and sports a 23-4 record. Three of those losses have come to Brownsburg.

Westfield is making its seventh appearance in the finals and fourth in the last six seasons. The Shamrocks’ only title game in Class 5A in 2016.

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