INDIANAPOLIS — They may have been wearing different uniforms than they are used to, but the three Hancock County representatives in Friday night’s 58th Annual Murat Shrine North/South Football All-Star Classic did just what they did most of last high school season – they won.
In dominant fashion, the South – including New Palestine running back Grayson Thomas, New Palestine assistant coach Nick Brickens, and Eastern Hancock punter Aaron Redmon – defeated the North 41-14 at Decatur Central High School’s Devere Fair Stadium.
“It all starts from the top down. [Westfield] Coach [Jake] Gilbert runs a first-class program. It was an honor to be able to coach with him,” Brickens said. “We put a lot of work in all winter picking the team. It’s a big process and there’s all these things that go on behind the scenes, so it’s awesome to see it all pay off on the field.”
While not directly responsible for any of the South’s 41 points, both Thomas and Redmon played key parts in the team’s victory.
Thomas, who split time in the backfield with two other running backs, was on the field for multiple plays on the South’s four opening half drives. On each drive, the South scored points.
On the opening drive he ran for three yards, he added 15 more on the second, six on the third and 18 yards on three carries on the fourth drive of the game.
The first three South drives ended in touchdowns, while the fourth ended in a field goal from Thomas’s future University of Dayton teammate, Trevor Henkle of Zionsville.
“It was a great experience and all I could ask for. They were rotating the backs a lot and I got a ton of carries, so it was a great night,” Thomas said. “I couldn’t really ask to go out in a better way.”
The four scoring drives were a response to a North touchdown on the third play of the game. After trailing 7-0 early, the South reeled off 41 unanswered points.
On the opening series, Penn’s Nolan McCullough connected with Hobart’s TJ Caldwell on an 80-yard touchdown pass.
The South defense turned things around quickly and was near perfect the rest of the night. Following the score, the South held the North scoreless for the remainder of the half.
That dominance carried over into the second half and was made easier by Redmon.
After being kept off the field in the opening half due to the South’s offensive success, Redmon made his game debut on the first drive of the second half.
“I was glad we were up,” Redmon said. “I was told at halftime that I had the next kickoff, so I knew I would get in the game at some point.”
After the South’s opening drive of the half stalled at midfield, Redmon and the punt team got their first action of the night. His punt traveled 43 yards and pinned the North at the 9-yard line.
“Yeah, that was pretty much as good as I hoped for,” Redmon said. “They were telling me all week to get it inside the 15 if you can.”
The punt flipped the field and after a quick defensive stop, it allowed the South offense to begin the following drive on the 27-yard line.
Thomas ran for nine yards before Westfield’s Jackson Gilbert connected with Brownsburg’s Cayden Olinger on an 11-yard touchdown strike.
Up 31-7 after the score, the South coasted to the 41-14 victory.
Thomas, in his final sendoff before starting his collegiate career at Dayton, finished with 19 carries for 60 yards.
“I think that I did alright. There were some more yards for me to get on a few runs. I’m definitely going to work hard over the next few weeks as I get ready to head to Dayton,” Thomas said. “Like I said earlier though, I just couldn’t ask for a better night to end my high school career.”
Thomas shared the backfield with the MVP of the game, Brownsburg’s Garrett Sherrell, who tied the record for the most points (18) and touchdowns (3) in the game’s history. He finished the night with 103 yards and three scores on nine carries. The pair, along with East Central’s Dylan Maxwell, combined for 190 rushing yards.
Coaching them all at the running back position this week was Brickens.
“It was fantastic. I was able to coach three really talented hard-nosed kids, one of them being Grayson. He’s been a big part of my coaching career, so I owe a lot to him. I’m going to have to try and make it out to Dayton for a game to see him play,” Brickens said.
“I was lucky enough to coach the MVP too. (Sherrell) was incredible. Very rarely do you get to coach a kid with that kind of ability. It makes my life super, super easy.”
For Redmon, the game served as the conclusion to his football career. He punted three times for a total of 111 yards, had the one punt inside the 10-yard line, and allowed only four return yards.
“It was really fun,” Redmon said. “It was a lot of work during the week, but it all paid off to have a great game and get a great win for my last high school game.”
