By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor
INDIANAPOLIS – The final numbers weren’t overwhelming, but the annual small-school showdown between Class 2A top-ranked Speedway and 2A No. 5 host Indianapolis Ritter sure kept the brand-new scoreboard whirring Sept. 11 at Marian University during their annual clash for the Westside Super Bowl Trophy.
After a dizzying 50-point first half that saw Ritter (3-1), the defending 1A state champion making a step up in class this year, holding a 36-14 lead, a mere five touchdowns were scored in the second half of the Raiders’ convincing 57-29 victory.
Coming off a dismal 23-yard effort on the ground in last week’s 25-7 loss at this same Field Turf stadium to then-3A No. 9 Brebeuf, Ritter welcomed back lead-dog running backs Michael Timko and Khary Ferguson. The junior duo combined for 135 yards on 23 carries, with the 5’11” Timko (14 carries, 109 yards) battering the Sparkplugs with four rushing touchdowns.
Then there was Ritter quarterback Ross Hendrickson. A Mr. Football candidate after throwing for more than 3,000 yards last year in leading the Raiders to the 1A championship that was capped by a thrilling victory over three-time defending champion Sheridan – Hendrickson was 23 of 33 for 338 yards and three touchdowns in the first half of the 34-27 classic – the 6-foot senior did a little bit of everything on this night in leading the Raiders to their fourth straight series win.
An efficient 13-of-19 passing effort for 142 yards and two TDs? Check. Four rushes for 58 yards on the ground, including a dazzling 47-yard TD run in the second quarter? Check. A key interception and lengthy return to the Speedway 21 that preceded Ritter’s taking the lead for good late in the first quarter just three plays after suffering his lone pick of the night?
Yeah. Hendrickson did that, too.
It wasn’t as if Speedway was having zero success in putting points on the board.
After Ritter went 65 yards in nine plays to take an initial 7-0 lead on a Timko one-yard run, the Sparkplugs answered with a six-play drive covering 64 yards that was culminated by a 34-yard run off right end just past the halfway point of the opening quarter by senior running back Jake Dunn (11 carries, 66 yards).
Ritter pulled out to a 22-7 lead on the last play of the first period when senior outside linebacker Nick Maled’s 66-yard interception return for a touchdown followed a four-yard scoring run by Timko. But Speedway responded with a 49-yard punt return for a TD by senior J.T. Bouwman to cut the deficit to 22-14 with 9:21 left in the half.
But Hendrickson ripped off that 47-yard run around right end for the score just four plays later. And after a Speedway fumble was recovered by the Raiders at the Sparkplugs’ 35, Hendrickson hit Maled, his 6’2” tight end, for a seven-yard touchdown strike to make it 36-14.
Somewhat amazingly, no more points were scored over the final 4:33 of the opening half. But the damage had been done.
Speedway pulled within 36-22 on Dunn’s second score, a 10-yard pass from senior QB Jonny West (22 of 35 for 189 yards with three INTs), just six plays into the third quarter. But Ritter took a relative eternity in chewing up 5:15 and going 65 yards in 10 plays, the final one coming on a seven-yard TD run by Timko, to make it 43-22 with just under four minutes left in the period.
Speedway was able to make it a two-possession game again on a seven-play, 62-yard drive that was capped on a three-yard TD run by senior RB Michael Hubbard. That made it 43-22 heading to the fourth, but Ritter would slam the door with scores on its next two possessions – Hendrickson’s beautifully lofted 20-yard strike to senior wide receiver Matt Hession, and a 43-yard run off right tackle by Timko.
Next up for Ritter is a Sept. 18 home contest against 0-4 Guerin Catholic, a 58-3 Week 4 loser to 1A top-ranked Lafayette Central Catholic. Speedway (3-1 overall, 2-0 in West Central Conference play) hits the road again next Friday for a WCC clash with upstart Monrovia (4-0, 3-0), a 46-0 Week 4 winner at Union (Dugger) and a team that has outscored its first four opponents by a combined 201-0.
Speedway 7 7 15 0 – 29
Indianapolis Ritter 22 14 7 14 – 57
IR – Michael Timko 1 run (Andrew Cairns kick)
S – Jake Dunn 38 run (Courtney Walton kick)
IR – Timko 4 run (Cairns kick)
IR – Nick Maled 66 interception return (Jake Sulkoske pass from Ross Hendrickson)
S – J.T. Bouwman 56 punt return (Kevin Eggert kick)
IR – Hendrickson 47 run (Cairns kick)
IR – Maled 7 pass from Hendrickson (Cairns kick)
S – Dunn 10 pass from Jonny West (Eggert run)
IR – Timko 7 run (Cairns kick)
S – Michael Hubbard 3 run (Walton kick)
IR – Matt Hession 24 pass from Hendrickson (Cairns kick)
IR – Timko 43 run (Cairns kick)
S IR
First Downs 15 19
Rushes-Yards 21-98 37-215
Passing Yards 189 142
Comp-Att-Int 22-37-3 13-19-1
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-0
Penalties-Yards 5-56 5-38
Punts-Avg 1-52.0 1-38.0
Rushing
Speedway: Dunn 11-66, Hubbard 4-31, Jake Slusher 1-8, Evan Rosner 1-2, #41 (not on roster) 1-3, Michael Maloian 1-2, Marcus Owens 1-(-1), West 1-(-13),
Ritter: Timko 14-109, Hendrickson 4-58, Ferguson 9-26, Angelo Guerra 2-18, Matt Swintz 2-5, deLuna 1-3, Adam Metallic 3-0, Team 2-(-4)
Passing
Speedway: West 22-35-3 189, Austin Angela 0-2-0 0
Ritter: Hendrickson 13-19-1 142
Receiving
Speedway: Bouwman 7-75, Hubbard 8-54, Wes Shambaugh 2-37, Dunn 3-31, Tyler Shaw 1-9, Michael Maloian 1-5
Ritter: Lee 3-37, Hession 2-37, Eddie Cmehil 2-26, Timko 2-23, Maled 2-13, Ferguson 1-7, Swintz 1-(-1)
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