ihsaa.org
11/29/2008
Following the game, the IHSAA Executive Committee named Luke Swift of Center Grove as the winner of the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award in Class 5A football.
Swift played running back and returned kicks for the Trojans. He is a member of the track and field team and specializes in the hurdle and relay events. He placed sixth in the 110 hurdles and anchored the school’s 4x400 relay at the 2008 state finals. Swift earned All-Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, All-Metro South, and All-County honors culminating from the 2008 season.
Swift has volunteered his time with the Lord’s Pantry, Gleenor’s Food Kitchen, Day of Caring, and numerous church functions. He also was selected to represent Center Grove in the IHSAA Role Model poster program.
Academically, Swift maintains a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. He is undecided on his college choice but would like to pursue a career in sports medicine.
Swift is the son of Mike and Lin Swift of Greenwood.
The award is presented annually to a senior participant in the state finals who was nominated by his principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. It is named in honor of the IHSAA’s third commissioner who served the association from 1962-76 and who helped initiate the state tournament in 1973.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance presented a $1,000 scholarship to Center Grove High School in the name of Luke Swift.
Class 5A Game Quotes
Center Grove Head Coach Eric Moore
“Man, we were bad for a while, but when we got good, we were good. My seniors believed they could do this when they were in the fourth grade.”
“Our attitude changed (in the fourth quarter). We were letting them push and shove us around and we were not physical. Finally we got physical and our conditioning was awesome.”
“I love my boys and they played with great character and valor tonight. They never said die. How about two in a row (on-side kick recoveries). It was a great special teams effort.”
“(In the fourth quarter) I said we’ve got to start believing in ourselves and play Trojan football. Even though we’re not a passing machine maybe we saved it for when we needed it.”
“First (state title) is forever. There can never be another first for another team.”
“I told these guys at the start of the second half that I didn’t know them in the first half. I didn’t recognize them. I just wanted the guys who usually play to show up and they did.”
“We didn’t get first downs early and Carmel did a great job defensively and we didn’t adjust to it. That’s why we got so far behind.”
“For me (state title), it means something I’d wanted to do my whole life. This is the top of the ladder for sports.”
Carmel Head Coach Mo Moriarity
“We had the game won and obviously we didn’t get it. We couldn’t finish it. We couldn’t get ‘em stopped at the end and up until that last series we only had the ball for three plays the entire fourth quarter. Just didn’t get it.”
(Following two consecutive lost on-side kicks) “Well … those things happen. Football is a crazy game and those things happen and tonight they happened to us. We have got to field the onside kick. We work on that in practice, every week. That’s our hands team and we have to make the plays. There at the end, they made plays and we didn’t. It’s just that simple.”
“They kept 12 (Carmel QB Morgan Newton) off the field and they hadn’t had an answer for him all night. He’s the best player in the state, no doubt, but credit them for keeping him off the field. We actually thought when we got ahead that forcing them to pass might be to our advantage, but you have to make stops and we didn’t.”
“Our kids played hard, they always do, and that’s a tough loss, for sure. When you have one won like that and lose … it’s tough.”
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