INDIANAPOLIS — For the tenth time in program history and for the first time since 2017, the Ben Davis Giants are IHSAA football state champions.
The Giants earned the title as arguably one of the best football teams in the state. All season, Ben Davis had been ranked either No. 1 or in the top-three of the Associated Press poll. Their only loss of the season came to Florida powerhouse IMG Academy in week four.
Crown Point, on the other hand, entered with an undefeated season on the line and fresh off a double overtime victory in the semi-state championship against Westfield.
Ben Davis controlled the game from the start. Quarterback Thomas Gotkowski found Zane Skibinski in the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown pass to put the Giants up 7-0 late in the first quarter.
Crown Point and Ben Davis traded field goals during the second quarter to give the Giants a 10-3 lead at halftime.
The Giants came out of the halftime break red-hot, dropping 21 unanswered points in the third quarter alone. Alijah Price scored 49-yard and 2-yard touchdown runs respectively while Mark Zackery caught his only touchdown pass of the game to push the lead to 31-3 going into the fourth quarter.
Gotkowski again found Skibinski in the end zone for the Giants final touchdown of the game. With two minutes to play in the game, Noah Ehrlich scored Crown Point's first and only touchdown all evening with a one-yard rush.
Ben Davis finished the regular season ranked third overall in the Associated Press media poll and 35th nationally, according to MaxPreps.