INDIANAPOLIS — Center Grove spotted Fort Wayne Carroll the first points of the game, then dominated the rest of the way to win their third-straight Class 6A state championship with a 35-9 win.
The title is the Trojans' fifth in nine appearances in the state championship game.
Micah Coyle and Jalen Thomeson each ran for over 100 yards, gaining 132 and 128 yards, respectively, as the Trojans rolled up 302 yards on the ground in the win. Tyler Cherry completed 6-of-9 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score.
The Trojans' defense recorded five sacks in the game, including three by Nate Johnson.
Carroll opened the scoring with a 30-yard field goal off the foot of Sebastian Lopez for a 3-0 Chargers lead.
Four plays later, Cherry threw a short pass to Thomeson, who took it 64 yards to the end zone for a Center Grove touchdown. The first quarter ended with the Trojans' leading 7-3.
After forcing a punt early in the second quarter, Center Grove marched 63 yards in six plays, increasing their lead with a 1-yard touchdown run by Coyle. The Trojans forced a three-and-out on Carroll's ensuing possession and put together a 54-yard scoring drive, capped off by a 1-yard run by Owen Bright and a 21-3 lead at halftime.
The Trojans got the ball to start the second half and added to their lead with another 1-yard touchdown run as Cherry kept the ball for the score.
Down 28-3, Carroll drove to the Center Grove 35-yard line, but the Trojan defense stood strong, forcing a turnover on downs when they stuffed Chargers quarterback Jimmy Sullivan, who fumbled on the play.
Center Grove added another score before the end of the third quarter on an Eli Hohlt touchdown run from six yards out, increasing the lead to 35-3 after three quarters.
Carroll scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to make the final score 35-9.
