Lawrence North vs Lawrence Central (IN)

The Battle for the Bell kicked off the high school football season with a legendary showdown. Both defenses came out strong, forcing multiple punts on each offense’s opening possessions.. A huge special teams play ignited the Lawrence North offense, following a blocked punt that set them up with great field position. #3 Zay Moore punched in his first touchdown of the game to make it 7-0. The Wildcats struck again on their next drive, extending the lead to 13-0 as the game approached halftime.

Then, led by sophomore quarterback Santana Allen, the Bears charged down the field and got on the board just before the break, cutting the deficit to 13-7. The Bears kept the momentum going and scored on their opening drive of the second half to tie the game at 13-13. But Zay Moore struck again, finding the end zone for his second touchdown of the night to put the Wildcats back in front.

Once again, Santana Allen responded, leading the Bears down the field and tying the score. With just under 7 minutes remaining, the Wildcats’ offense put together a clutch drive. Quarterback Darian Prather found Bereck Mallory in the end zone to give Lawrence North a 26-20 lead with 3:17 to play.

But the Bears weren’t done. Santana Allen and the Bears’ offense marched back once more. Allen connected with Al Gooden for a touchdown that tied the game yet again, this time with under a minute left.

Just when it looked like overtime was on the horizon, the number one player in Indiana made his presence felt. Lawrence North quarterback Darian Prather gave 6-foot-5, 4-star receiver Monshun Sales a chance to make a play — and he delivered. Sales beat his man off the line and hauled in a deep pass, putting the Wildcats at the goal line with just 30 seconds remaining.

Zay Moore capped off the wild night by scoring his third touchdown of the game, sealing a thrilling victory for the Wildcats!

Alcoa vs Maryville (TN)

With a heated start, Maryville struck quickly, scoring a touchdown right off the bat. Transfer QB Thomas Manu took the field for the Tornadoes and made an immediate impact, energizing the offense. The game stayed close throughout, with never more than a touchdown separating the teams. The Rebels entered the 4th quarter down by seven but fought back to tie it with just minutes remaining. Maryville answered with a late scoring drive, leaving the Rebels only a minute to respond. Despite a flurry of passes into the end zone, the Tornadoes’ defense held strong, sealing a hard-fought home win—their first over the Rebels on their own field since 2009.