Mt. Vernon quarterback Luke Ertel looks to throw during last year’s season opener at Noblesville.
Stacy Muffler | For The Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE — Two seasons after its state championship, the Mt. Vernon football team is making its return to Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Marauders are one of four teams competing in the annual Horseshoe Classic on August 18. The doubleheader featuring Mt. Vernon, Noblesville, Cathedral, and Lafayette Jefferson is set to kick off the high school football season.
In game No. 1, Cathedral will take on Lafayette Jefferson, while Mt. Vernon and Noblesville will follow. Game one is scheduled for 6 p.m., with game two to follow at 8:30 p.m.
“It’s a great marquee, and either you earn the right to play there at the end of the year or the IHSAA, and the (Indianapolis) Colts offer you the opportunity,” Mt. Vernon head coach Vince Lidy said. “Either way, you’ve done something in the body of work of your program to get a chance to play there.”
The return to Lucas Oil Stadium comes nearly two years after the Marauders defeated Northridge 45-14 to win their first state title.
“Some of these kids were on the roster in 2021, so it’ll be neat. I’ve been trying to think about how we’re going to get all our kids from grades 9-12 down there on the field in uniforms of the same style, but that’s something I’d love to be able to do. It’ll give them a great experience,” Lidy said. “The number one goal as a high school player in Indiana is to play at Lucas Oil, and only 12 teams get to play there at the end of the season. I don’t want it to be taken for granted because it’s an experience that a lot of high school kids won’t get.”
This time around, they won’t be playing for a state title, but rather to avenge a season-opening loss from last season.
This will be the fourth straight season the Marauders and Millers have met in the season opener.
In 2020, Mt. Vernon won 42-17 but have since dropped the last two. In the 2021 state championship-winning season, Mt. Vernon lost 48-30 at home before running the table the remaining 14 games, and last season they were defeated 43-35 at Noblesville.
Mt. Vernon is coming off a 6-4 season, while Noblesville finished last year at 4-8.
The game was originally scheduled to be a home game for Mt. Vernon, but when the opportunity to play at Lucas Oil Stadium arose, Lidy and the rest of the staff jumped at the opportunity.
“In mid-June, I got a text from our athletic director and was asked if I’d be open to a game at Lucas Oil, and I thought ‘yes’ right away, and it was the same way with some of our other coaches. We didn’t even have to think about it. It was pretty simple to have the chance to play at Lucas Oil for game one,” Lidy said. “What the Colts have done for high school football in the state of Indiana over the last 20 years is second to none. When you talk about what they do and what they sponsor, there’s nobody like it. We’re just grateful for the opportunity and to get out there and play.”
Tickets can be purchased online for $10 with the presale code MOUNTV, or at the gate the day of the game for $13.
