Still improving Shelbyville hosts Class 4A, No. 13 Yorktown for Homecoming

Shelbyville aggressively chased its first win over Greenfield-Central since 2018 – and failed. A missed two-point conversion Friday in overtime left the Golden Bears with a 28-27 defeat.

“We decided right away we wanted to put it in our hands and go for it,” said Shelbyville head coach Scott Fitzgerald of the decision following Gavin Reed’s 3-yard touchdown reception in overtime. “When you go back and watch it on film, the play was there. We just didn’t quite get across.”

The Golden Bears put the ball in Grantland Fitzgerald’s hands but the junior was swallowed up before he could get started.

“It didn’t work so, in hindsight, it’s easy to say,” said Fitzgerald of the play call. “When you watch it on film, it’s there. We just didn’t get across the face where we needed to get to – and they did. We just didn’t have a lane to get to.”

The loss came after Shelbyville built a 14-3 halftime advantage, got outscored 15-0 in the third quarter, then responded with a Grantland Fitzgerald touchdown run in the fourth quarter on a drive sustained by a pair of fourth down conversions.

“We allowed them to get back into it (in the third quarter) but we stayed within ourselves and continued to play hard,” said coach Fitzgerald (photo). “In times in the past, as soon as things started going wrong we may have put our head down and thought, ‘Oh no, here it goes again.’

“This group didn’t do that. They really battled and continued to say, ‘Let’s go and get it turned around.’ It just took a play or two to make something happen and we got back on that drive.”

The Cougars kicked the game-tying field goal in the final minute of regulation then scored on fourth down on its overtime possession to take a 28-21 lead.

“More than anything, I told the kids I was disappointed, but I wasn’t disappointed in any player. I wasn’t disappointed in any coach. I was disappointed in any effort. I was just disappointed in the outcome,” said Fitzgerald. “We put a lot of time and effort, all the kids did, we just didn’t get the outcome we wanted.”

There is no time to dwell on a loss with Class 4A, No. 13 Yorktown (4-1) coming to McKeand Stadium Friday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

The Golden Bears (3-2) have not beaten Yorktown since 2017 and have scored a total of 28 points over the last seven meetings. The Tigers’ only loss this season came at Class 5A, No. 1 New Palestine, 35-10. In their four wins, they have allowed just 25 points.

“They have a lot of athletes, especially when you watch them defensively,” said Fitzgerald. “It almost feels like they have 10 linebackers on the field with the way they play their defense. It’s a chaos defense. They run a 3-3 (3 defensive linemen, 3 linebackers) but there are times when nobody has a hand on the ground.

“Then they are moving constantly. It gives you some difficulties trying to know who to get to, who to double. We have to make some adjustments with what we are doing this week.”

In its two more recent games, Yorktown’s offense racked up 89 points in wins at Delta (45-7) and over New Castle (44-6). The Tigers opened the season with a 55-0 win at Anderson.

Quarterback Sam Tokar (graphic), a junior, has completed 68% of his pass attempts for 751 yards and eight touchdowns. He verbally committed this week to play baseball at Indiana University.

On the ground, senior Nate Luzadder (57 rushes, 431 yards, 7 TDs) and sophomore Nathan Spangler (50 rushes, 169 yards) are the leading ball carriers. Junior Kaden Crumes (17 catches, 203 yards, 2 TDs) and senior Cole Perdue (14 catches, 215 yards, 2 TDs) are Tokar’s favorite targets.

“They do a lot of the same things, but they do it out of a lot of different motions,” said Fitzgerald. “Their backs run hard. There are two different guys they will put back there. Their quarterback is a good player. He is a big kid who can sling it. And he has some good receivers to throw it to.”

Shelbyville is above .500 through five weeks of the regular season for the second time since 2017. That success has been celebrated by the student body and the community as it prepares for Friday night’s Homecoming festivities.

“It’s what high school football is all about. The community coming out and supporting us,” said Fitzgerald. “We hope to have another good student section. They have done a fantastic job for us this year. Shout out to the cheerleaders too. They have done a great job for us this year.”

Homecoming week always alters the normal routine of a football season. The community celebrated with a parade Wednesday. The school will hold a pep rally Friday during school hours before kickoff finally takes center stage.

“There is a lot of excitement around Homecoming, knowing you’ve got an opportunity to play a great opponent,” said Fitzgerald. “We told the kids our No. 1 job is the game Friday night. We have to stay focused on that.”

Shelbyville has just one more home game on the regular season schedule after Friday. Mt. Vernon (0-5) visits McKeand Stadium on Oct. 10.

The Golden Bears are at New Palestine (5-0) on Oct. 3 and finish the regular season at Pendleton Heights (4-1) on Oct. 17.

CLASS 4A, NO. 13 YORKTOWN (4-1) AT SHELBYVILLE (3-2)

SITE: McKeand Stadium in Shelbyville.

GAME TIME: 7:30 p.m.

BROADCAST: GIANT fm (96.5 fm, 1520 am, 106.3 fm, or online at giant.fm) will air the game live from McKeand Stadium. The pre-game show with Johnny McCrory and Jeff Brown begins at 6:30 p.m.

COACHES: Mike Wilhelm, 116-108 in 21^st year at Yorktown; Scott Fitzgerald, 7-18 in third year at Shelbyville.

SAGARIN RATINGS: Yorktown, 79.11, 30^th overall, sixth in Class 4A; Shelbyville, 56.46, 146th overall, 33rd in Class 4A. Yorktown is a 26-point favorite.

LAST MEETING: Yorktown defeated the Golden Bears, 33-0, on Sept. 27, 2024, in the remnants of Hurricane Helene. Strong winds and rainfall altered both team’s offensive game plans. Wilson Webster was able to rush for 139 yards and two touchdowns. The two quarterbacks combined for five pass attempts.

SERIES ALL-TIME: Each program has won 13 times in the series that started in 1999. The Tigers have won seven straight.

AROUND THE HHC: New Castle (1-4, 0-3) at Delta (2-3, 2-1); Class 5A, No. 1 New Palestine (5-0, 3-0) at Greenfield-Central (3-2, 2-1); and Class 4A, No. 8 Pendleton Heights (4-1, 2-1) at Mt. Vernon (0-5, 0-3).

CLASS 4A, SECTIONAL 23: Bedford North Lawrence (4-1), Charlestown (4-1), Connersville (3-2), Shelbyville (3-2), Martinsville (2-3), Jennings County (2-3), Silver Creek (1-4) and Greenwood (1-4).

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