Bloomington South secured a 38-14 victory over Castle in the IHSAA Class 5A regional championship game on Friday, November 13.
The matchup began as a competitive contest, with the teams tied 17-14 at halftime, according to Yahoo Sports.
Castle initially took the lead behind a touchdown reception by Ben Quach, but the Panthers responded throughout the first half with rushing scores from quarterback Duncan Combs.
The second half proved decisive as Bloomington South scored on three consecutive possessions to pull away from the Knights.
The Panthers’ scoring surge included a passing touchdown to Jonathan Winstead and two receiving scores from Mayson Lewis, as reported by the Evansville Courier & Press.
Castle struggled to move the ball offensively during the final two quarters, failing to gain significant yardage while the Panthers’ defense overwhelmed them.
Despite the season-ending loss, Castle head coach Doug Hurt expressed pride in his team’s growth and the cultural shift within the program.
Hurt described the team’s development as “one of the biggest turnarounds I’ve ever had,” as noted by the Yahoo Sports report.
The coach specifically credited the senior class for their leadership and commitment to team-first values over individual statistics.
Following the game, Bloomington South coach Gabe Johnson praised the effort and attitude displayed by the Castle squad.
The two coaches share a history as former teammates at Indiana State, according to the Evansville Courier & Press.
With this victory, the third-ranked Panthers now advance to play at top-ranked Cathedral for the semi-state title on November 20.
Hurt stated that he hopes his underclassmen will view the final stretch of the season as a standard for the future of Castle football.