By Anna Kayser, Special to IHSAA.org
INDIANAPOLIS – Following a balanced first-half battle, it took just one minute and 35 seconds for the South Putnam Eagles to take a two-score lead against the Pioneer Panthers after halftime en route to a 55-29 victory and their first state championship in 39 years in the 1A IHSAA Football State Finals game on Friday morning at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“I think [it will sink in] as soon as they put that medal around my neck,” South Putnam head coach Chuck Sorrell said. “As soon as I look at that trophy and try to hold it up in the air. They’re going to put up a banner that says 2025, so this class will never be forgotten.”
With the game knotted at 14-14 coming out of halftime, South Putnam utilized five consecutive runs by standout running back Ty Benton – the first coming for 39 yards, his longest carry of the day – to take a one-score lead.
While the first half was a story of traded touchdowns, the second quickly proved to be different. The next Pioneer drive highlighted the quarter of dominance for the South Putnam. At the Panthers 37-yard line, a recovered fumble by defensive end Kahlil Jefferson was taken back for the second Eagles touchdown in less than two minutes.
The third quarter, which ended with South Putnam outscoring Pioneer 20-0 following another touchdown on their second offensive drive, marked a second half that was dominated both offensively and defensively. In six minutes of possession for each team, the Eagles racked up 146 yards of possession – 100 on the ground – compared to 28 by the Pioneers.
“If you look through or games, out of these 15 games we’ve won 13 or 14…third quarters especially,” Sorrell said. “It’s about getting the ball in Ty’s hands and letting our offensive line go to work. We looked up and we had 32 yards rushing the first half. We weren’t going to win. We had to get Ty the ball.
“Hats off to our coaching staff. We saw the little things we needed to tweak, we made the tweaks, our players adjusted to them, and we did enough to score 55 points.”
After being held without a first down throughout most of the third quarter, Pioneer ran the ball in for its first touchdown since the second quarter to open a high-scoring fourth. In total, 36 points were scored in the final 12 minutes of the game, with South Putnam continuing its momentum for touchdowns in three consecutive possessions. At the end, seven different South Putnam players scored touchdowns.
Eagles quarterback Drew Cline, who went 8-for-9 on passing attempts with 189 yards and a pair of touchdowns, ran back an interception for 47 yards at cornerback in the fourth to lead to South Putnam’s final score. In total, the Eagles put up 14 points on three Panther turnovers.
“We made a couple adjustments [after the first half. That’s what we’ve been doing all year, we’ve been adjusting to what we see,” Sorrell said. “Pioneer is a good football team. We had to make sure we stayed in our gaps, control the gap we’re supposed to be in and tackle who we’re supposed to tackle. Once we figure it out and we get our offense on the field, our offense is pretty good.”
The Panthers dominated the first quarter of the game, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive while racking up over 10 minutes of possession, 125 total yards and six first downs compared to South Putnam’s one. Defensively, they held the Eagles to just three rushing yards.
Both teams traded touchdowns in each of the first two quarters, with Pioneer continuing to own the clock and the rushing game in the second. The passing game, has played a small part in the Panthers offensive scheme all season, became a factor in the second quarter as well with quarterback Micah Rans going 2-for-3 with 35 passing yards and a long 26-yard pass. Rans ended 2-for-7 in passing attempts.
“It took getting one more lineman in [to] stop the run and make them throw the ball,” Sorrell said. “Once they started throwing the ball, they were throwing it up for grabs and gave us a chance to go get it. Hats off to our players and our coaches. That’s what it’s all about, we kept coaching to the end and we’re the 1A state champs now.”
While Sorrell came to South Putnam as an outsider from Brownsburg who made coaching stops at six other schools before his career brought him to the Eagles program in 2019, the community and roster is made up of proud alumni.
In 1986, the Eagles won their first state title. They didn’t return until 2002, when they finished runner-up.
“I’ve got coach on my staff and a couple players’ dads that look back on 2002 and all they talk about was what could have been. They were up 14-0 going into the second half. It was 14-14 here in our second half,” Sorrell said. “That’s some of the will we had. We weren’t going to lose the second half, I wasn’t going to allow that. [I wanted to] get this community what they’ve been begging for, that they’ve been working so hard for when they drop their kids off to me.
“After every break, after every practice, we say ‘state champs.’ We’ve been doing it for seven years, and at halftime we made a state champs break. It paid off.”
Class 1A State Championship Records
None.
Pioneer’s Micah Rans earns Blake Ress Mental Attitude Award
During the awards ceremony, Micah Rans of Pioneer High School was announced by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the recipient of the Blake Ress Mental Attitude Award in Class 1A Football.
The award is annually presented to a senior who is nominated by his principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability during his four years of high school.
Micah ranks 9th currently in his senior class, and has been a member of the Pioneer Athletic Council, Student Council, and Pep Club. He also spends his time volunteering at Big Creek Missions in Eastern Kentucky as well as serves as a youth league flag football coach.
Micah also participates in basketball and golf. He was named Hoosier North Conference Most Valuable Player in football this season and was an All-Conference Honorable Mention selection in boys basketball last year.
He is the son of Kyle and Stacy Rans of Logansport, IN. He plans to attend Purdue University in West Lafayette with aspirations to obtain a degree in finance.
The award is named in honor of Commissioner Emeritus Blake Ress, who served as the IHSAA’s seventh commissioner from 2000-11.
The Indianapolis Colts, the presenting sponsor of the state tournament, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Pioneer High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Micah Rans.
IHSAA’s Champion of Education Award, presented by Ivy Tech Community College
This award recognizes teachers and faculty who go above and beyond to challenge students to reach their full potential. As an organization that emphasizes keeping education at the forefront of high school athletics, the IHSAA is proud to shine a light on two honorees in this year’s class. On behalf of Ivy Tech Community College, presenting sponsors of the IHSAA Champion of Education Award, the IHSAA will award $250 to the classroom of each recipient.
Bret Shambaugh teaches English at Pioneer Jr-Sr High School. Mr. Shambaugh encourages curiosity and questioning free from judgment and keeps students engaged by understanding their interests and makes his subject matter more relevant to real-life scenarios. His empathetic instruction provides support so his students may have the opportunity to succeed academically and emotionally!
Lyssa McKee teaches Science and Math at South Putnam. Mrs. McKee brings lessons to life with her creative teaching style, turning even ordinary days into something exciting and memorable. Her dedication goes far beyond the classroom. Whether she’s teaching after-school activities, or simply cheering on her students at their games, she’s always there. Her kindness, passion, and genuine love for teaching make her an unforgettable teacher and valued role model!
