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DeKalb Barons cap special season with Unified Flag Football title
WESTFIELD - At the beginning of the season, DeKalb Unified coach Carol Fike knew her Barons had the makings of being a special team.
With each passing game and victory, that belief continued to grow throughout the season.
On Saturday at the Grand Park Sports Event Center in Westfield, they capped off the special season with a state championship, defeating Warren Central 53-35 to claim the program’s second state title in Unified Flag Football.
“It’s just been a crazy and amazing season,” Fike said. “It’s been fun watching them come together and truly demonstrate what it means to be a unified sport. The kids pick each other up, they support each other and it’s an exciting way to end the year.”
DeKalb becomes the first school to capture two Unified Flag Football titles (it also won in 2021), which is in its eighth season as collaborative effort between the IHSAA and Special Olympics Indiana.
The Barons also reached the championship game in 2022 and 2023, but fell short of winning the title.
A couple of the seniors on this year’s team were members of those teams, and weren’t going to go 0-for-3 in title games.
“It’s amazing to win this,” senior Myles Dobson said. “I have been playing since my freshman year and I’ve wanted this more than anything. This was the year, I felt it. We had the best team we have had, and had some players come out that haven’t played before. This is the greatest moment of my life.”
Classmate Sam Campbell echoed those sentiments.
“It feels really good to be a state champion, it’s an exciting moment, especially since it’s my senior year,” Campbell said. “I knew once this year ends, I don’t have a chance to try and do it again. It’s just really big.”
The Barons were motivated from a loss in last year’s regional to eventual state champion Carroll (Fort Wayne), which ended a streak of three-straight championship game appearances.
They entered this year more determined to make this a memorable season.
Everyone was invested in helping one another and were encouraging and cheering on their teammates.
It created a strong team comradery that is needed to have success.
“We knew from the beginning of the year we had a strong team,” senior Colten Schooley said. “I was confident we were going to do well.”
They showed their talent and team spirit in the regular season, going 6-0 and winning every game by at least two scores.
They cruised to their fifth-straight sectional title, and then won their fourth regional title in five years.
“It was a special year,” sophomore Kylur Sliger said. “We were leaving our heart on the field every game and we would play as hard as we could and never give up.”
On Saturday, the Barons jumped out to a 14-0 lead, getting two touchdowns from Blake Smith.
Warren Central got on the board with a touchdown from Desmond Boyd, but touchdowns from Dobson and Smith gave the Barons a 26-7 lead heading into the half.
“We haven’t been down all season,” Dobson said of the quick start. “We are used to leading, we know how it feels and we were ready for it today.”
Dallas Williams scored early in the second half to bring Warren Central within 26-13, but touchdowns from Smith and Dobson made it 39-13 with 8:35 to go.
Boyd scored with 6:12 remaining to make it 39-19, but Smith scored his fifth touchdown of the game to make it 45-19 a minute later.
The teams traded touchdowns in the final minutes, with Demetrius Buntin and Jonathan Ocampo scoring for Warren, and Jo Townsend scoring for the Barons to help seal the win.
As they celebrated on the field after the game, the Baron players met with their family and friends, who came in droves down to Westfield to support the Barons.
Fike said she is proud to see how the program has grown over the years, and how much the athletes enjoy playing.
“The kids are amazing recruiters,” Fike said. “They tell their friends how much fun they’re having and it’s just amazing to see the amount of kids we have come out. The first day this year I looked at our roster and we had 25 kids, and I was wondering how we were going to make it work. But they really did work together and did an amazing job.”
And it could even continue to grow as the Barons continue to have success.
“It’s awesome and we are getting bigger each year,” junior Charlie Holbrook said. “I think coming back with a state championship can really grow the program a lot. We have a lot of support from our community. The city and mayor made sure we had a police escort coming down here and the community is really coming together and putting together that support and love for Unified Sports.”
And that support, from the community and each other, is what the Barons will remember the most from this special year.
“Everyone has a great heart and attitude to everything,” sophomore Greyson Parr said. “We were just having fun out there. It was a great year.”
DeKalb students win Bobby Cox Mental Attitude Awards
DeKalb's Carter Thompson and partner athlete Myles Dobson were named the recipients of the Bobby Cox Spirit of Unified Mental Attitude Award during the post-game awards festivities.
The award is presented annually to an athlete and partner competing in the state championship game.
Recipients of the award are nominated by their principal and coach, and must meet specific criteria to be considered. An athlete must excel in mental attitude, joy, courage, self-advocacy, and commitment during their time in high school. A partner athlete must excel in mental attitude, inclusive behavior, courage, advocacy, and commitment during their time in high school.
Old National Bank presented a $1,000 scholarship to DeKalb High School's general scholarship fund in the names of Carter Thompson and Myles Dobson.
Champions of Education Award
An individual from each school was recognized with the 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 and help them become the best versions of themselves. 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.
Carol Fike is a Special Education Teacher at DeKalb High School and also serves as Head Coach for DeKalb Unified Flag and Unified Track and Field! Carol is a passionate and dedicated educator who values providing equal opportunities and experiences for all students. She works tirelessly in many areas of the school and is a big contributor to DeKalb’s positive school culture!
Dena Condra is a Special Education Teacher at Warren Central High School and also serves as Head Coach for Unified Flag Football and Unified Track and Field at Warren Central! Dena is kindhearted, dedicated leader who goes above and beyond to serve Warren Central’s students in and out of the classroom. Her ability to connect with students is unmatched!
Thanks again to Ivy Tech Community College for sponsoring the IHSAA Champions of Education Awards!
