INDIANAPOLIS — Andrean running back Brady Stovall was not going to be denied.
After several near-misses for both teams in a defense-dominated slugfest, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound junior finally delivered the breakthrough for the 59ers in the Class 2A state championship game against Brownstown Central on Saturday.
“The mindset was just bulldoze through,” Stovall said. “I’m going to get that touchdown no matter what. I’m just going to get it.
“Right when I saw that blue opening on the field, I knew I could score a touchdown and celebrate with my teammates. To get that energy flowing in a 0-0 game, it was amazing.”
Andrean rode that energy of the game’s only touchdown to celebrate a 7-0 victory over the Braves at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The 59ers (13-1), who were playing in their third championship game in five seasons, won their fourth state title and first since 2021. Brownstown Central (14-1) was making its first trip in coach Reed May’s 33rd season.
“As soon as the game ended, I just broke down in tears,” Andrean senior quarterback/cornerback Brady Elish said. “That was the main goal from day one, and we finally got it done.
“I can’t believe it. Really emotional. Our whole team was emotional. It was great. It was awesome. I love it.”
Entering the game, Stovall led the 59ers’ diverse offense with 617 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 127 carries. Although Stovall had just 11 yards on six carries against Brownstown Central, Elish wasn’t surprised when “the other Brady,” as he put it, scored from 2 yards out on a third-down play with 5:00 left in the game. Elish finished with 120 yards on 21 carries.
“It felt great,” Elish said. “I was just like, ‘Finally.’ I knew whoever was scoring first that game was going to win because it was such a dogfight. Two great defenses going at it. I knew our defense was going to hold up.
“He’s been my best friend for I don’t even know how long, since we were little kids. We were in wrestling together when we were 8 years old. He’s like a brother to me. Everyone on this team is like a brother to me. When he scored that touchdown, we just erupted. After the game, he ran up to me and gave me a hug. It was great, emotional.”
Andrean senior wide receiver/cornerback Gavin Jones, who had four catches for 110 yards, also praised Stovall.
“He’s amazing,” Jones said. “He’s a leader. He’s a great player. He’s everything I could ask for. Especially as a junior, doing all of that, it’s amazing. I love him as a brother.”
Before Stovall’s touchdown, Andrean missed one field goal, and Brownstown Central missed two. The 59ers also had a 67-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Dylan Gore to sophomore wide receiver Tyler Vo negated by a holding penalty.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Andrean was stopped on a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Down near the goal line again, Stovall came through in the clutch.
“At that point, it’s probably more about will and determination than anything on both sides,” Andrean coach Chris Skinner said. “They got the best of us on that one goal-line stand.
“If you keep knocking on the door enough times, you’re going to knock it down.”
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Senior linebacker Christian Gavin helped set up the touchdown by blocking a punt, giving Andrean possession at Brownstown Central’s 38-yard line with 7:36 left.
“I saw the formation lined up a million times,” Gavin said. “I watched a lot of film on it. I was like, ‘Hold on. This can either be a fake or a quick punt.’ When I saw the quarterback didn’t step back for the punt, I saw it was going to be a quick punt. I really just got off my block and got my hand up. I was in the perfect spot in the perfect moment.”
The 59ers remarkably made the lone score stand up.
“Determination, fight and physicality got it done for us,” Elish said.
The Braves entered the game averaging a state-high 54.8 points and hadn’t scored fewer than 31 points in a game this season.
“It’s unreal,” Gavin said. “Just watching it is hard if you don’t know what you’re reading. You have to always read your keys and be in the right spot. That’s clearly what we did. We held them to zero points and clearly got it done.
“Don’t watch the eye candy. Just read your keys and how you play it. That’s how we got it done.”
Skinner will savor it any way Andrean got it done.
“We’ll take it 7-0 or 77-76,” he said. “We’ll take it however at this point.
“It did help that we’ve played wing-T teams for basically four straight weeks, different kinds of varieties and looks that you’re going to get. While there are different looks against all of those opponents, a lot of the reads, whether it be linebackers or safeties or corners, a lot of that was similar, just maybe out of different alignments. So that helps.”
Indeed, Skinner believes the 59ers were ready on multiple levels. They won 13 straight games after a season-opening loss to Class 5A state runner-up Merrillville.
“I do think our schedule prepares us for this,” Skinner said. “Merrillville, you saw (Friday) night. Everybody in our conference is two classes above us. We saw some wing-T varieties throughout the playoffs. I never would’ve predicted 7-0, but I actually liked the matchup.
“Just with the quality and strength of schedule, it has to mean something. We saw (Class 3A state runner-up Fort Wayne Bishop) Luers in Week 2. We were battle-tested in a way that was helpful.”
Skinner, a 2006 Andrean graduate, shared in his players’ emotion.
“It takes a village,” he said. “I’m proud to be part of the Andrean football family.”