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  • Bulldogs wide receiver Major Ricke dives for a tipped pass from QB Michael Diehl at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday. Castle beat New Albany 45-0 in the game. Photo by Mike Ricke

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  • New Albany's Terrence Jones (3) leads Cameron Smith (17) on a kick off return. Photo by Mike Ricke

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  • New Albany's Marquil Hastings dives to make a tackle against Castle on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Photo by Mike Ricke

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August 27, 2011

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: New Albany has rough road trip

Bulldogs get blanked by Castle in Indy, 45-0

BY JON REITER sports@newsandtribune.com

INDIANAPOLIS — It didn’t matter where the game was held, the New Albany Bulldogs were going to have their hands full with the Class 5A No. 10 Castle football team Saturday night.

But under the bright lights of Lucas Oil Stadium, the Knights put all their weapons on display, pounding New Albany 45-0 in the annual Horseshoe Classic at the home of the Indianapolis Colts.

“We knew they were going to be good coming up here, that they’re one of the better teams in Southern Indiana,” New Albany coach Charlie Fields said. “I think early on, we had a bit of a deer in the headlights look. I think we sort of settled down a little bit later, but it was too late.”

Castle quarterback Mitch Gilles was deadly all evening, completing 15-of-18 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. On their first offensive possession, the Knights (2-0) drove all the way down to the New Albany 6-yard line, but Castle kicker Cameron Steenberg pushed the 23-yard field goal attempt wide right.

That would turn out to be the only time the Bulldogs (0-2) stopped the Castle juggernaut in the first half. The Knights’ DeAndre Andrews, a 5-foot-6, 142-pound running back, did the damage on the ground with two touchdowns, and Gilles hooked up with Cameron Parus and Jon Marc Anderson for touchdown passes as the Knights led at intermission, 31-0.

Meanwhile, the New Albany attack stalled early. Quarterback Michael Diehl stumbled in handoff exchanges with tailback Scootie Middleton as the Bulldogs went three-and-out in their first possession. The Bulldogs managed to only cross into Castle territory once in the first half.

New Albany was more successful at moving the ball in the second half despite the fact it failed to find the end zone. Twice, the Bulldogs failed to convert fourth-down opportunities deep in Castle territory.

Middleton lashed the Castle defense for 114 yards on 12 carries and Diehl gained 69 yards on 12 rushes.

New Albany did give up two late touchdown runs to backup Castle running back Andrew Finch. But Fields said he was encouraged by his squad’s play in the second half.

The Bulldogs lost 28 seniors from last year’s squad that defeated Castle 31-22 in Week 2, and Fields said he knew his team’s lack of experience would give the Knights an edge.

“We started showing a little more confidence there in the second half, and our kids started to believe they could play with Castle,” he said. “I was proud of our effort. We’re not where we need to be as a program yet. But one thing these kids do is work hard and they didn’t quit.”

Andrews finished with 129 yards on 18 carries, but suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter. Diehl completed 2-of-4 passes for 29 yards.

Defensively, the Bulldogs’ Tuwan Payton picked off a pass from Gilles intended for Alec Baker as the Knights were inside the New Albany 10 for the their lone turnover late in the third quarter.

New Albany will host Jennings County Friday night in their Hoosier Hills Conference opener.



CASTLE    14 17 0 14—45

NEW ALBANY     0  0 0  0— 0

1st quarter

C — Parus 36 pass from Gilles (Steenberg kick), 6:50.

C — Andrews 1 run (Steenberg kick), :52.

2nd quarter

C — Andrews 6 run (Steenberg kick), 7:44.

C — Anderson 18 pass from Gilles (Steenberg kick), 3:45.

C — Steenberg 26 FG, :00.

4th quarter

C — Finch 1 run (Steenberg kick), 7:53.

C — Finch 4 run (Steenberg kick), 3:24.

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