Brown's versatility has Triton Central one win from outright conference championship

Tim Able has yet to find something Braden Brown cannot do on the football field. Just for clarification, the Hall of Fame coach is not trying to find out just how deep Brown's skill set goes, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Such as playing Triton Central's All-State running back at quarterback Friday against a state-ranked opponent in Indian Creek with the inaugural Hoosier Legends Conference title at stake.

"It's a blast out there. Calling the plays is pretty fun," said Brown Wednesday morning after a fall break practice at Mendenhall Field. "It's a big responsibility for sure. Even one slip up can cost you yardage or even a whole drive. It's a big responsibility but so far it's been pretty good."

With starting quarterback Matthew Wilkins out with a shoulder injury and backup quarterback Bo West out with a concussion, Brown became his team's best option.

The senior carried the ball 28 times for 104 yards -- not unexpected as a "wildcat" quarterback where he was taking the direct snap -- but he also threw three times, completed two, and collected his first touchdown pass.

"The first one (that was incomplete) was probably on me," said Brown. "He was not very open.

"The second one, Henry (Kemper) can get open so I trusted him and threw it downfield, and it ended up being a great pass (for 34 yards)."

Two plays later, Brown found Conner McClure (photo) in the end zone for a touchdown just before halftime.

"(Conner) ran a really good route and I happened to see him on the run," said Brown.

An offense with Brown at the helm was a "new look" for Indian Creek. Able and the Tigers know Beech Grove, this week's opponent, will be prepared for a run-heavy offense.

"We won't practice that many pass plays," said Able. "(Braden) knows the routes because he is a receiver too. We just practice what we can and see what looks good."

Brown is comfortable making decisions while carrying the ball and when to attack a ball carrier or quarterback when he is playing linebacker but making decisions on the fly when and where to throw the ball is a new challenge he is embracing.

"I've been practicing running back and other positions for years, so learning the playbook was pretty easy," said Brown. "I knew every run play and every pass play. It was really just adapting to it and reading the play."

Brown has been instrumental in the Tigers' two biggest wins this season -- he had a 93-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that sparked a 17-14 win at Tri-West in the very first HLC game and then helped his team clinch no worse than a share of the conference championship in a 17-14 win over Indian Creek.

Triton Central just keeps winning with stellar defense and special teams units that thrive in the fourth quarter.

"We are playing as a team. We have a strong bond with each other," said Brown. "If we keep playing together and getting through these games, we will keep winning. We just have to keep leaning on each other and see where it brings us."

This Friday, it brings Triton Central to Beech Grove for its final HLC game of the season. The Tigers are at Indianapolis Scecina on Oct. 17 for its final regular season game,

The Hornets (2-5, 1-2 HLC) are a dangerous opponent that started the season 3-0 but were forced to forfeit those wins because of the use of ineligible players. With back-to-back wins at Edgewood (12-0) and Speedway (46-13), Beech Grove is primed to spoil the Tigers' celebration as outright conference champions.

"They know it would be a feather in their cap to knock us off as solo champions," said Able. "It's at their place and it's like we are backyard brawling neighbors."

Sophomore quarterback Bishop Moore (photo) is a big target in the backfield for the Triton Central defense, which is allowing 13.7 points per game this season. The six-foot, six-inch signal caller threw for 140 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman last season at Mendenhall Field. In seven games this season, he has completed 57% of his pass attempts for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Moore's top targets are Indianapolis Scecina transfer Tenauri Woods (38 receptions, 474 yards), Kordell Martin (12 receptions, 250 yards) and Zane Ream (10 receptions, 186 yards). The trio have combined for eight touchdowns.

"(Moore) is more of a thrower, he doesn't want to run," said Able. "It's kind of like Tri-West (with quarterback Jack Sorgi), we have to be physical with him and keep pressure on him."

The Hornets have found success running the ball this season with Lawrence Central transfer Caron Parks. The senior has carried the ball 116 times for 873 yards and 10 touchdowns. He totaled nearly 1,300 yards rushing and four touchdowns in his sophomore and junior seasons in Lawrence.

"He' got great speed," said Able. "We've got to get him pinned in. He is strong for his size (5-8, 160 pounds), but not a big guy. Our gang tackling has to be like last week, like at Tri-West, we have to come and bring it."

The special teams unit continues to keep the opposing teams' offenses away from the end zone. Senior Nick Tormoehlen is averaging 33 yards per punt and has put nine of his 22 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

And if the Tigers need a game-winning kick, Tormoehlen is 3-for-3 this season in the game's final minutes to seal wins at Batesville and Tri-West and last week against Indian Creek.

CLASS 2A, NO. 9 TRITON CENTRAL (6-1) AT BEECH GROVE (2-5)

SITE: The Pit at Beech Grove High School.

GAME TIME: 7 p.m.

COACHES: Tim Able, 116-41 in 13th year at Triton Central, 241-139 in 32nd year overall; Rajshawn Mosley, 6-11 in second year at Beech Grove, 9-17 in third year overall.

SAGARIN RATINGS: Triton Central, 66.03, 75th overall, seventh in Class 2A; Beech Grove, 59.42, 110th overall, 25th in Class 4A. Triton Central is a 4-point favorite.

LAST MEETING: Triton Central defeated Beech Grove, 56-26, on Oct. 11, 2024.

AROUND THE HLC: Class 4A, No. 1 Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (6-1) at Class 3A, No. 8 Tri-West (6-1); Monrovia (3-4) at Bedford North Lawrence (5-2); Speedway (0-7, 0-4 HLC) at Indian Creek (4-3, 1-2 HLC).

CLASS 2A, SETIONAL 38: Northeastern (6-1), No. 3 Lapel (7-0), No. 9 Triton Central (6-1), Winchester (6-1), Centerville (5-2), Shenandoah (5-2), No. 14 Eastern Hancock (4-3) and Union County (1-6).