Roncalli’s physical play gave Brebeuf a high-octane offense and a victory in the sectional semifinals

Roncalli’s student section and cheerleaders dressed as construction workers during Friday night’s Class 4A Section 22 semifinals at Brebeuf Jesuit. A sign on the fence declared the field a “Royal Work Zone”.

In that situation, Roncalli played like a team on a mission, rushing for 371 yards in a 55-27 victory over No. 7 Brebeuf. The Royals (6-4) will face Bishop Chatard (8-2) for the section title next week.

IHSAA football results: The most interesting moments and statistics from the section semi-finals

“The guys prepared hard all week and wanted to achieve this.” Roncalli coach Sam Otley he said. “They wanted to play a physical game of football and play the offensive line with a chip on their shoulder that they developed every week.”

Here’s how Roncalli won:

Turning point: Brebeuf’s first drive of the game was 15 plays and 82 yards but resulted in no points. The Braves scored first on the Roncalli 3 on a 7-yard run by C.J. Harris. After Harris first went 2 yards, the Royals forced an incompletion and stopped Harris at the goal line twice. Roncalli then turned around and drove 99 yards in 18 plays – helped by a sharp signal from a player – and lost over 10 minutes. Collin Ash finished the drive with a 5-yard run to give Roncalli a 7-0 lead. The Royals never lost.

Game player: Collin Ash and Zach Dozier said they would give Roncalli’s offensive team donuts on Saturday morning. Hold ’em, guys. But Dozier and Ash also did more than their share. Dozier rushed for 172 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, and Ash added 159 yards and three rushing TDs on 19 carries. These two were decisive finishers throughout the evening, pushing the Brebeuf defenders back. Brebeuf quarterback Maverick Geske finished his high school career going 23 of 38 for 289 yards and four TDs. He can throw it.

Gameplay: A little tip of the hat, perhaps a hidden play by Rudy Schoettle late in the first half. Sometimes special teams in high school football can be a little inconsistent. However, Schoettle, who Roncalli was returning a punt, made a smart catch and returned it 34 yards to the Brebeuf 28 with 4 seconds left in the half. On the next play, Gavin Louthain scored a 45-yard field goal to send Roncalli into halftime with a 24-13 lead. Brebeuf never came closer the rest of the way.

This article originally appeared in the Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school football: Roncalli defeats Brebeuf Jesuit