Fort Wayne Concordia beats Lawrenceburg for Class 3A title
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Fort Wayne Concordia senior quarterback Peter Morrison torched Lawrenceburg's defense Saturday in the Class 3A state title game, etching his name into the Indiana prep football record books.
Morrison broke former NFL quarterback Rex Grossman's state record for most touchdowns in a title game, as he threw for 376 yards and six touchdowns to lead the No. 13 Cadets to a 56-14 win over No. 7 Lawrenceburg in the Class 3A state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Morrison also set a Class 3A title game record for most passing yards.
His record-setting day helped Concordia (13-2) win its first state football crown.
"I don't know if it's set in yet. Rex Grossman was a really great player," Morrison said. "Just to be in that category with him is huge."
So was Morrison's day. He was efficient, accurate and, at times, creative.
Several times Morrison was forced to use his mobility to keep plays alive. His fourth touchdown, a 38-yarder to Mark Mallers, was the result of shedding a tackle that would have led to a sack, escaping the pressure by rolling to his left and throwing across his body back to the middle of the field. Mallers did the rest, sprinting 20 yards after the catch for the score.
By halftime, Concordia led 35-0. Morrison had already tied Grossman for most touchdowns in a title game. He set the record one minute into the fourth quarter on a 10-yard strike to Mallers.
"Man, they have a heck of an air show," Lawrenceburg coach Ryan Knigga said.
Kamari Anderson-Drew outmaneuvered Lawrenceburg defenders to give Morrison his first two scores through the air.
Anderson-Drew outleaped two defenders to nab his first touchdown of the day. Then he stopped his route at the goal line to catch his second score. One defender overran the play, and Anderson-Drew overpowered the other defender for possession of the ball.
On its way to victory, Concordia kept the bruising running attack of Lawrenceburg in check.
Senior tailback Austin Bowling entered the championship game with 3,003 yards and 52 touchdowns for Lawrenceburg. On 29 carries, Bowling ran for 154 yards - 75 below his average - and did not score.
"(Stopping the run) was a focal point coming in," Concordia coach Tim Mannigel said. "We felt if we were able to stop the run, we would be in good shape."
Hunter Privett scored for Lawrenceburg on a 3-yard run with 8:10 left in the game. Jonah Rolfes caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Reid Strobl with 2:50 left for the final margin.