Hard work doesn’t always pay off.
For Floyd Central’s football team, an offseason of painstaking labor did pay off on Friday in its first sectional championship since 1998.
Floyd topped Jennings County and New Albany to get to the final game, then defeated Castle 42-32 last Friday to earn its pay day.
“We worked really hard for it,” Highlander senior lineman Aaron Blair said. “We put in a lot of time in the offseason and it paid off. We were happy to get our pay check on Friday.”
“It felt great to win (the sectional). It was our goal from the beginning of the year,” said senior running back Aaron Sparks, who rushed for 146 yards and a score in the title game triumph. “Everyone put a lot of hard work in and we got it done.”
Although work may have been the No. 1 factor, the Highlanders also benefited from being healthy and from protecting the football during their three-game run to the sectional crown.
“We’re in a groove now, we’re healthy and we’re taking care of the ball,” Floyd coach Brian Glesing said. “When you’re healthy and you take care of the ball, that goes a long way.”
Now, the Highlanders turn their attention to an even larger task. Their reward for winning the sectional is a date with Center Grove — Class 5A’s defending state champion.
The Trojans earned their second straight sectional crown with a 48-7 win over Bloomington North last Friday.
“We have to go out there and play our game and do the things that we can control — attitude, effort and enthusiasm,” Glesing said.
“If we come out ready and have the right attitude, we can win,” Blair added. “We know they’re a good team, but we’re a good team, too.”
Senior quarterback Max Guenther said he’s looking forward to the challenge.
“They’re a great team, obviously. They have a lot of talent and a lot of size,” he said. “We’re looking forward to the chance to take them on and see how we stack up against them.”
“It’s going to be a tough task,” Sparks said. “They’re a very good team. Hopefully, we can give them a run for their money, keep it close and come out on top in the end.”
Glesing said the Center Grove program is one that any program would love to emulate.
“They’ve got a great program, from the top down, youth league, middle school, high school. Everyone’s on board with what’s going on and that’s why they’re as good as they are,” Glesing said. “They don’t have any better kids than us, they’re just fundamentally sound and do things the right way. We’re going to be on top of our game.”
The consensus among the Highlanders is that Floyd will have to establish its running game, which produced 376 yards in last week’s win, to have a chance against the No. 11 Trojans.
“We need to be able to run the football, for sure,” Sparks surmised. “That’s what our team is oriented around. If we’re able to do that, we should be able to have a pretty good shot.”
Guenther said the Highlanders may have a few surprises for a Center Grove defense that surrenders just 12 points per game.
“I don’t think they’ve seen an offense like ours, how we run the ball and use play-action fake,” he said. “I’m excited to see how we stack up against their defense. They’re really strong.”
Floyd County Sports
PAID OFF
Floyd Central's hard work results in first sectional title since 1998
- Floyd County Sports
-
-
SWEET PAYBACK: Bulldogs avenge loss to Seymour with 52-44 win in 4A sectional semi
More than two weeks after losing to Seymour at the Doghouse 55-47, New Albany turned the tables on Friday with a 52-44 victory over the host Owls (17-5).
-
GIRLS' HOOPS: Providence falls to Paoli, 55-39 GIRLS' HOOPS: Providence falls to Paoli in Class 2A Sectional
After falling behind early, the Providence Pioneers scrapped and clawed their way back. Unfortunately that was required on one occasion too many, and the Pioneers fell to Paoli 55-39 in the semifinals of the Class 2A Pekin Sectional.
-
HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING: Manger places in the top 16 at state
New Albany’s Hannah Manger will get one more chance to compete this season after making the top 16 in two events at the preliminary round of the IHSAA State Swimming Championship Meet.
- SPORTS IN BRIEF: Feb. 11, 2012
-
CLARK-FLOYD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Parkview wins eighth-grade title game; Highland Hills takes seventh-grade crown
Highland Hills’ seventh-grade boys and Parkview’s eighth-graders each won Clark-Floyd Tournament championships Thursday at Silver Creek Middle School.
The Highland Hills’ seventh-graders outscored Parkview 12-3 in the final 2:42 for a 34-31 victory. Parkview’s eighth-graders also earned a come-from-behind triumph with a 21-5 fourth quarter to avenge their only loss of the season, 63-50 over Silver Creek. -
HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP: Jeff claims a share of HHC title at Jennings, 57-55
The Jeffersonville boys’ basketball team captured a piece of its first Hoosier Hills Conference championship since the 2005-06 season on Thursday night, winning at Jennings County 57-55.
-
POOLSIDE: Local accomplishment the focus at state
The likelihood of a local girl bringing home a state championship at the IHSAA State Swimming Championship meet in Indianapolis this Friday and Saturday is incredibly slim.
-
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL: Highlanders lose in double OT to Seymour; Jeff falls to BNL
It was a heartbreaking night for the Clark-Floyd area in the first round of the Class 4A Seymour Sectional.
-
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL: Providence guts out win over Henryville, 40-31
The Providence girls’ basketball squad advanced to the Class 2A Eastern Sectional semifinal against Paoli with a gritty, 40-31 win over Henryville Tuesday.
-
CLASS A SECTIONAL: Borden cruises through first round
Defending Class A Sectional champion Borden rode a fast start and stellar defense to a first-round, 47-21 sectional win over Christian Academy of Indiana Tuesday night.
- More Floyd County Sports Headlines
-
