The Merrillville-Pirates won their first Semi-State championship in school history with a 41-14 victory over Concord High School. The Pirates will face New Palestine at 7 p.m. ET at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the Class 5A State title.
Despite falling behind 7-0 in the first quarter, the Pirates put up several big plays to secure the win.
Junior running back Cameron Jordan fumbled the ball leading to the Concord score. He got his revenge with an 80-year touchdown run for the Pirates first score. His score came after Senior Warren Brown forced a fumble in the end zone for the touchback.
“You know you just faced adversity,” Jordan said. “You just think about the next play and not the fumble.”
The next big play came from Senior Safety Greg Hughes who intercepted a pass midway through the second quarter to end a Concord threat. It was Hughes’ third interception for the season. He said the team came equipped for anything.
“We’d been preparing for the game, watching film, getting extra work in, even in harsh weather. Making sure we’re ready,” Hughes said.
Junior Defensive End Josiah Horton also came up big in the second quarter, when he stripped the ball from Concord quarterback to again turn momentum the Pirates way.
“After it happened, I was too excited,” Horton said. “I didn’t know what to do, it felt amazing. But overall, it was a good moment. After that play, it changed the whole momentum of the game. After that, I don’t think they felt like they could handle the team anymore.”
The Pirates poured on two more rushing scores before halftime, as Jac’Quarious Johnson exploded for touchdown runs of 60 and 19 yards, pushing Merrillville to a 20-7 advantage at the break.
As the rain poured off and on, Jordan finished with 209 total yards, four touchdowns, and Johnson finished with 212 yards and two touchdowns.
The defense will face another tough task against No. 1 New Palestine.
“[We just need] to finish the job,” Hughes said. “We’ve been preaching more on the defense.
It’s a trip 48 years in the making.
“It’s a great feeling,” Horton said. “We haven’t been since 1976, so it’s just like wow. It really didn’t hit me until Sunday. Dang! We’re really going to State. But it’s an amazing feeling. We’re making history right here.”
