INDIANAPOLIS — High school football begins Friday night across Indiana. Today we're focusing one team looking to defend their state title.
Our Dave Calabro went home, paying a visit to Ben Davis. He discovered the Giants are hungry for more.
The Giants open the season at home against Cathedral. Ben Davis won a thriller over the Irish in the regional championship last year. We asked head coach Russ Mann if they have to win another title to back that up.
"That would be the only way to back it up," said Mann. "We have enough pieces back from last year, and usually when you have success in a state championship, like we just saw Center Grove, you become a very difficult out the next year. The players get extra practice, the players realize how to win those close games, so it gives you some more experience."
The Giants are loaded with talent at all positions. They are led by senior Mark Zachary, who can do it all. He's headed to Notre Dame next year, but wants to win another state title first.
"I feel like we come out here every day trying to get back to that point," said Zachary. "I know what it takes. We lost a lot of leaders last year, so me having to step up into that role, I feel like I'm getting more comfortable with it and I love it. So I feel like everybody gets what we have to do with just taking it day by day just to get there."
The Giants have a tough schedule, including back-to-back weeks against Center Grove and Warren Central in September. The goal is to be playing their best by tournament time,
"Finding our new roles. There were a lot of juniors who had substantial roles for us last year, but learning their voices and leadership uh has been fun to watch this summer. So I'll identify our offensive identity and our defense identity early in the year and make sure we're ready by November. And the second time we play all these guys in the 6A South, hopefully we know who we are then," Mann said.
Can anyone stop the Giants from celebrating another state title? It's going to be fun to watch, and it begins Friday night on Operation Football.