Unbreakable Rocks

The final Rock Report of the season is always a difficult one to write. I always try to do something a little less formulaic as a thank-you to the team and especially our seniors. The last game of the season is often bittersweet and emotional. On one hand, you have hopefully taken home some hardware (which we did). On the other, there is only one 5A team in the state that doesn't have to end their season with a loss (unfortunately, not us this season).

The Rocks traveled up to Kokomo hoping to secure a 5A regional championship, but they ran into a team that was hungrier for victory. The Wildkats are likely still celebrating their first ever 5A regional title, with a 21-19 win. Congratulations to them, and best of luck as their season continues. In defeat, we are reminded as to how fleeting championships can be. Celebrate every win, especially in the post-season, because it can easily and suddenly be your last. Which is exactly why we must always reflect on the positive when and where it occurs.

This senior class has earned 3 consecutive sectional titles. They have been a part of 3 winning seasons. To put that in perspective, in the last ten years, no other class (with the exception of last year's seniors) had been a part of even back-to-back winning seasons. Success on the football field has never been easy in Westfield, Indiana. And success is never given; it is always earned. This group of young men is one of the smaller groups in recent memory, but what they lack in numbers they have more than accounted for in heart and hard work. It is easy to be part of a crowd. It is much harder when you are one of a small few. It requires extra dedication, and their stewardship of the program should serve as inspiration for those that follow. To be a Rock is not always to win, but always to fight, always to work, always to persevere. To be a Rock is to be unbreakable. The unbroken dedication of this group of seniors translated into success for the program, both on and off the field. Thank you, Seniors. It has been a pleasure to row alongside you.

To the rest of the 2015 Rocks, continue to pack light and bring a workman's attitude. This is not the summit. There are yet peaks to see, if only you have the courage and fortitude to make the journey. For you, the offseason has already begun. The closing of one chapter can be the start of another. How will you honor the dedication of these seniors? How will you build upon what it means to be a Rock?

#GameDay Regional Championship - Kokomo

There are only 8 5A teams still playing football in the state of Indiana. Kokomo and your Rocks are two of them. They meet tonight on the Wildkats home field, just 30 short miles to the north.

Kokomo comes in with an unblemished 11-0 record. They've mastered an old school rugby scrum formation that has led to a highly productive run game. They are averaging 45 points per game with 468 yards per game (366 on the ground). They have a three pronged attack with RBs Jeron Gray (#1), Keenen Wheeler (#31), and Marcelle Kenner (#87). They've had several games where all three have gone for over 100 yards on the ground. Gray leads the way, averaging about 150 yard per game on the ground. Despite the heavy ground attack, QB Kyle Wade (#7) still finds a way to average 100 yards per game passing. WR Jordan Matthews (#12) is his favorite target. 

The Rock D will be tested in a different way this week. Last week it was speed and athleticism. This week it will be physical, pound-the-Rock style football with a sprinkling of deep strikes thrown in. The Offense will need to put up some points early against a stout Wildkat defense that is only allowing a paltry 14 points per game. If the Rocks can score, it will put pressure on the Kats to get out of their comfort zone and have to play from behind. 

It's a tall task, going into a unfriendly territory. The Rocks could use every voice. It should be a beautiful night for playoff football. There will only be 4 teams left after tonight. Make the short drive to support your Rocks! Need directions? We've got you covered. Kickoff is scheduled for 7PM.

#RockReport - Sectional Championship

Rocks Varsity Football hosted the Lafayette Jefferson Bronchos, earning a 45-27 victory and claiming the Sectional 11 Championship.

On offense, the Rocks were led by Ryan Pepiot. The O-line provided consistent protection throughout the night, allowing Pepiot to pick apart the Broncho defense. Evan Manley had the big reception of the night on a long TD strike.

The Rock D stifled Jeff’s offense, surrendering only one score until late in the game when things were already out of reach. Jackson Garrett led the way and Jared Bayha added consistent coverage. The big play was a forced fumble recovered by the Rocks deep in the Red Zone by the tandem of Griffin Lickfeldt and Bryan Skelton.

Shamrock Special Teams had a solid night as well, led by Will Harrison. The PAT/Field Goal team added consistency, making good on all their attempts. The punt team was heard from as well, with a terrific pin of the Broncho offense inside the 1 yard line.

Special mention should be given to Eli Ross, Clint Hostler, Allen Bako, and Jake Miner. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

The Rocks will travel up 31 to take on the Kokomo Wildkats for the Regional Championship. Kickoff is scheduled at 7pm.

#GameDay Sectional 11 Championship - Lafayette Jeff

The representative of Sectional 11 in the state tournament will be decided tonight at Riverview Health Stadium in Westfield. Your Rocks face the Lafayette Jefferson Bronchos in a showdown of old conference foes. The Rocks haven't played Jeff in a couple years since the restructuring of the conference, but used to see them every year. Jeff typically brings a lot of athleticism to the table, and that looks to be consistent with this season's team.

The Bronchos come in with an 8-2 record. They average 37 points per game on 450 yards per game (270 passing). They are a team that will try to beat you with speed, and quick strikes, whether those be long runs or long passes. RB Latrell Brown (#22) averages 88 yards per game on the ground, while QB Devon Colonis (#4) throws for 266 yards per game. The only common opponent from the teams is Harrison. Jeff won their contest against Harrison 54-50.

The Rocks will need to stop the Broncho high-octane scoring attack to take home the hardware. Come out and lend your voice to the team tonight. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

#RockReport Sectional Round 1 - Harrison

Rocks Varsity Football hosted the Harrison Raiders on Friday for the opening round of their Sectional, earning a 42-22 victory.

On offense, the Rocks were led by Touchdown Juggernaut Johnny Swidan, who found the gold paint several times over the course of the night. He couldn’t have done it without the consistent, physical presence of Milo Beam’s downfield blocking. The big play of the night was when Pepiot hooked up with Swidan for one of his long scores.

The Rock D surrendered points early, putting the team down at the half 14-15, but held firm in the second half, allowing only one additional score. They were led by Lucas Schultz snagging a pair of interceptions out of the air, stopping the Raider momentum and providing the Rock O with additional possessions. Bryan Skelton tacked on consistent frontline play in harassing the Harrison QB all night, no doubt contributing to some of those errant throws.

Shamrock Special Teams held firm throughout the night, clearly winning this phase of the game. Noah Smith led the way, while Lucas Schultz and Caleb Sanburn tacked on consistent coverage. Those three combined with the rest of the Special Rocks to prevent the Raiders from gaining any momentum via the kicking game.

Special mention should be given to Tanner Nichols, Dylan Simpson, Matthew Noyes, and Dorian Henson. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

The Rocks will host the Lafayette Jefferson Bronchos this Friday for the Sectional 11 Championship. Kickoff is scheduled at 7pm.

#GameDay Sectional I - Harrison

For most 5A teams across the state of Indiana, today is the opening day of the playoffs. Your Rocks will be taking on the Harrison Raiders in a rematch of the first game of the season. The Rocks won that one 38-21.

Harrison finished up the regular season with a win over Marion, 56-14. They logged a 4-5 overall record, while scoring 31.1 points per game. RB Dawson Dahnke (#35) comes in averaging just over 100 ground yards per game, while QB J. Dan Sturgeon (#8) has thrown for 16 TDs and 1025 yards. His favorite target is WR Adam Strugeon (#82) who has 5 of those TDs and 363 yards.

The Rocks look to have the advantage on paper in this one, but will need to come out swinging as the playoffs are a chance for everyone in the state to start fresh. Both teams are now 0-0, and it will be up to Westfield to start their playoff journey with an urgent and firm first step.

Chilly weather means playoff time in Indiana, so bundle up and head on out to Riverview Health Stadium for tonight's contest. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

#RockReport Brebeuf

Rocks Varsity Football traveled to face the Brebeuf Braves on Friday night, earning a thrilling 24-21 come-from-behind victory.

It was a tale of two halves, with the Rocks struggling on both sides of the ball early. In the second half, the D stiffened and the O began cashing in late in the 3rd quarter, scoring 24 unanswered points. Johnathan Swidan led the way on the ground with Bryce Sears adding steady hands. The big play of the night was when Ryan Pepiot hooked up with Swidan for a Rock TD.

The Rock D pitched a shutout in the second half, providing the window through which the Rocks stole this victory away. Austin Ward led the way with Koby Hauser tacking on consistently physical play. One of the turning points was when Johnathan Mendoza forced a fumble that was recovered by Josh Tuffnell.

The victory wouldn’t have been possible without key contributions on Special Teams. Frey and Johnathan Swidan added consistent play on top of some key highlights. Lucas Schultz forced a fumble on a kickoff, and the FG block team came up big with the game on the line, stopping the Braves late attempt to tie the score.

Special mention should be given to Austin Ward, Joe Marra, and Matthew Meyer. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

The Rocks have a bye this week, but next Friday, your #unbreakable Rocks will host the Harrison Raiders for the opening round of their Sectional. Kickoff is scheduled at 7pm.

#GameDay Brebeuf

The last game of the regular season finds your #unbreakable Rocks traveling down to Brebeuf to take on the Braves. Brebeuf is 5-3 averaging 255 yards per game (155 passing) and 19 points per game. They bring a two-pronged rushing attack, with QB Luke Iffert (#3) often out-rushing starting RB Jett Mcgowan (#41). Both are averaging around 40 yards per game. Their top two receivers are Sam Snyder (#6) and Max Kucer (#8), with targets evenly split between the two. On defense, Will Roberts (#10) and Gerard Carthy (#51) lead the team in tackles for loss, and will look to put pressure on our front line.

The Rocks are currently sitting at 4-4, and would love to finish out above .500. They will have to fight for each other tonight against a non-conference opponent that they have not seen before. As always on the road, friendly voices in the stands are wholly appreciated. Need directions? We've got you covered below. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

#RockReport Freshmen Fishers

Just a quick update on the freshmen...

The freshman Rocks fought valiantly against a strong Fishers program on Monday, but lost 32-7. The young men never stopped fighting, and are ready to cap off their season with a high note, this Saturday against Brebeuf at 10:00 a.m.

#RockReport JV Fishers

On Saturday, the JV Rocks suffered their first defeat of the season, 42-21 to an undefeated Fishers team. The Rocks are now 7-1 on the season (good for 2nd in the HCC).

The Rocks found themselves in a very familiar position when they fell behind late in the first half 35-7.  As is their custom, they fought back and won the second half 14-7.  Despite the fact that the JV Rocks team had made a habit of fighting back and overcoming adversity in the second half, the inevitable happened and they met a deficit they were unable to surmount.

The JV Rocks play their final game of the season this Monday at New Palestine High School. Kick of is scheduled for 6:00pm.

#RockReport Fishers

Rocks Varsity Football hosted Fishers Friday night, falling 28-42 to the Tigers.

The Rocks struggled for most of this one. The offense scored early and then only kicked into high gear when things were getting desperate later. The Rock D couldn’t seem to come up with a big stop all night. It was a very frustrating night, but the Rocks continued to fight, mounting a furious comeback late in the game, but running ultimately running out of steam.

Special mention should be given to Mitch Alderink, Josh Tuffnell, and Tanner Nichols. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

Next Friday, your #unbreakable Rocks will travel to take on the Brebeuf Jesuit Braves. Kickoff is scheduled at 7pm.

#GameDay Fishers

Your Rocks will be squaring off against the Fishers Tigers tonight at beautiful Riverview Health Stadium. The Tigers come in with an identical 4-3 record (2-2 HCC). They are 3-0 on the road this season, but are on a 2 game losing streak. Both teams will be looking to get back in the win column tonight and improve their conference standing.

The Tigers are lead by RB #22 Jeremy Chinn's 8 Touchdowns. He's notched 6 rushing TDs (54.1 YPG), adding a punt return and a pick six. He'll play on both sides of the ball for them, and the Rocks will be challenged to limit his effectiveness. QB #10 Zach Eaton helms the offense. His 1189 passing yards are good for 5th in the conference, and spreads the ball effectively to several receiving targets. On defense, the Tiger D-line has notched 18 team sacks, with several linemen ranking in the conference.

The Rocks will need to protect QB Ryan Pepiot tonight and open holes for Brandon Karsnick in order to assert their offensive will. LB Jackson Garrett will lead a Rock D that needs to generate some takeaways this week and bottle up the Tiger run game. Look for fireworks in this conference finale as both teams would really like the positive momentum with the postseason looming.

It's the last regular season home game, so we will be celebrating our seniors tonight. Come out tonight and show them your appreciation while cheering your Rocks on to victory! Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

#RockReport JV Avon

The Westfield Junior Varsity football team continued their trend of second half come backs.  The JV Rocks team played Avon in very inclement weather this Saturday.  The Rocks showed an indomitable spirit as they found themselves down by a season high 24 points, but still clawed back for the victory.

The Rocks started the game with a fumble recovery by junior linebacker Dillon Simpson.  This turnover lead to a quick scoring drive capped off by sophomore running back Nate Froelich.  The Rocks special teams also delivered two huge plays in the first half.  The first was a 42 yard field goal by freshman kicker Alex Bales.  The second was a blocked punt by junior safety Caleb Sanburn.  This blocked kick set up Froelich’s second score of the day.  Unfortunately, Avon had an abundance of big plays in the first half and the Rocks found themselves down 34-17 for the second week in a row.

The Rocks were unable to score on their first drive of the second half, and the Orioles were able to capitalize and pushed their lead to a daunting 24 point lead, 41-17.  The Rocks JV team found itself in a familiar but seemingly insurmountable situation.  They needed a spark, something to get them back into the game.  That spark came on the very next play from junior wide receiver Drew Neustifter.  Neustifter took the ensuing kick-off and returned in 90 yards for a touchdown to breathe new life into the Rocks.  The score was now 41-24 at the start of the 4th quarter, when sophomore quarterback and Offensive Player of the Game Cam Nance took the ball 60+ yards for a score on the first play of the 4th quarter.

The Rocks found themselves down only 10 points, 41-31, and needed their defense to make a few huge plays.  Sophomore linebacker Matthew Noyes stepped up to the challenge and produced several sacks and an interception on the Orioles next three possessions, giving the ball back to the offense and earning himself Defensive Player of the Game and Defensive Big Play  honors.  Nance and the offense marched down the field two more times, each culminating in short Froelich touchdowns (4 on the day).  The last of Froelich’s touchdowns coming on 4th down with around a minute to go in the game from the 4 yard line.  The Rocks scored 28 unanswered points lead by Cam “the comeback kid” Nance and riding the shoulders of a determined offensive line and running back crew.

The JV Rocks football team was able to remain unbreakable with a record of 7-0.  They will play for the HCC JV championship on Saturday October 10th, away against Fishers High School at 10 a.m.  Fishers is also undefeated at 7-0.

#RockReport Avon

Rocks Varsity Football traveled to Avon Friday night, falling 20-35 to the Orioles.
Take away the first few minutes of the game, and the Rocks stood strong against a very tough and talented conference opponent. The opening minutes, however, saw several Rock errors that essentially spotted the Orioles a 21 point lead. After that, the Rocks evidenced inner strength and pride, clawing their way back into the game. With around 8 minutes left to play, the Rocks were only 8 points down and had their chances to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It was, sadly, not to be.

Special mention should be given to Devin McGinnis, Tanner Nichols, Josue Gonzalez, and Miles Klinkenbeard. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

Next Friday, your #unbreakable Rocks will host the Fishers Tigers. Kickoff is scheduled at 7pm.

#GameDay Avon

Tonight the Rocks will travel to Avon to take on the Orioles. Avon comes in with an identical 4-2 record (2-1 HCC, having played an additional non-conference game). Like Brownsburg, they are averaging nearly 40 points per game and can put up points in a hurry. They've averaged 422 yards per game of total offence (271 through the air), and their QB #18 Brandon Peters is a nationally ranked recruit that leads the conference with 1351 passing yards. Top WR #15 Andrew Griffin is his favorite target, as he too leads the conference with 582 receiving yards. On the defensive side, #90 AJ Elcock is leading the HCC in sacks with 8.

On the line for the Rocks is a return to the win column, plus if they deal Avon its second conference defeat, there will be a many-way tie for second place. HSE would hold the top spot and Zionsville brings up the rear, but everyone else could be sitting in the middle with 2 losses.

Needless to say, facing such a talented opponent, on the road, with conference standing on the line... we need all the friendly voices we can get. Hopefully you'll make the trip over to Avon and support your Rocks. Need directions (tip: the HWY 267 route may be preferable this week)? We've got you covered below. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm. Hope to see you there!

#RockReport Freshmen Brownsburg

On Monday, the freshman Rocks lost 28-13 to Brownsburg. Missing a number of players, the young Rocks delivered a gutsy performance, with many players stepping up on both sides of the ball. Kyle Pepiot led the charge at QB, taking snaps for the first time in over a year. He performed admirably and led the Rocks to two great offensive touchdowns. Defensively, the front seven constantly bottled up Brownsburg's running attack, forcing the Dogs to change their plan of attack multiple times. On special teams, Dorian Henson and Kyle Pepiot gave the squad great field position on their kick returns. Alex Bales added special teams consistency in the form of touchbacks.

The freshman Rocks will play next at Avon on Monday, October 5th.

Pints for Sophie

Coach Zimmer caught wind of a community Blood Drive happening at nearby Carey Ridge Elementary School in honor of Sophie Collier and had this to say:

Please pass this on to anyone you know that will be near CRES on October 7th. There isn't a person that has walked into this middle school building that has more of a positive influence on those around them than this young girl. I know we've already done a blood drive but maybe our 100+ guys can just tell their families/community about this one.

We're suckers for service opportunities, so we wanted to pass along the full details...

The Indiana Blood Center along with our PTO is sponsoring a blood drive on Wednesday, October 7 from 2:00-7:00 p.m. We are honoring, former CRES student, Sophie Collier, with this blood drive. Sophie is having heart surgery in October and we are hoping our blood drive brings in lots of "pints for Sophie." Please see below for more information.

Carey Ridge Elementary School Blood Drive

Wednesday, October 7, 2015 

2:00PM - 7:00PM

Multi-Purpose

Click here to sign up!

Eligibility: The donation process takes less than an hour.  It is recommended that donors have a light snack before donating.  Most people are eligible to donate.  There are very few causes for deferral and very few medications that are not acceptable.  Not sure if you are eligible to donate?  Email Eligibility.  Indiana Blood Center must see 550 individuals each and every day in order to meet the patient needs at the 60+ hospitals it supplies.

More questions?  Feel free to contact: Courtney Howay (choway@indianablood.org).

#RockReport JV Brownsburg

The Westfield Junior Varsity football team put forth an incredible effort against Brownsburg High School pulling off a victory in a battle which resonated with the excitement and feel of a heavy weight boxing prize fight, where they were trading punches and standing toe-to-toe daring the other to flinch first.

The game started off fast for the Rocks with a surgically precise drive by Player of the Game junior quarterback Andy Sweet, leading the team down the field and culminating with a 2 yard touchdown run.  The Bulldogs answered shortly after a Rocks turnover to tie the game at 7-7.  Sweet and the Rocks scored on the ensuing possession with a quick strike to junior receiver Drew Neustifter, giving the Rocks a 14-7 lead.  The Bulldogs answered again with a touchdown of their own tying the game at 14-14.  Bales hit a 37 yard field goal for the Rocks, but the Bulldogs were able to put up an additional 20 points going into halftime with a 34-17 lead.

Coming out of halftime, the Bulldogs received the ball and drove down the field, but the Rocks defense tightened up with the help of junior safety Caleb Sanburn, forcing the Bulldogs into a turnover on downs.  Sweet was able to quickly drive the Rocks offense down the field on two consecutive big plays, one to junior receiver Tanner Nichols and one to sophomore receiver Caleb Pettijohn.  The drive was topped off with a 10 yard rumble by junior running back Mike Brown.  The Rocks now trailed 34-24 and the defense was able to force the Bulldogs to punt on the next possession.  Sweet and the Rocks wasted no time scoring again with a 10 yard run by Sweet for a touchdown.  The Rocks now led 34-31 and recovered another fumble by the Bulldogs on the ensuing kick-off.  Sweet hit Neustifter for the second touchdown on the very next play.  The Rocks now led 38-34.

The Rocks and the Bull dogs traded touchdowns for the remainder of the game, sophomore quarterbacks Cam Nance and Clint Hostler led the Rocks down the field in the 4th quarter.  Nance ran the ball in to give the Rocks the lead again at 45-41.  The Bulldogs scored again to make the score 48-45, and were able to force a turnover on downs against the Rocks and had the opportunity to run the clock out.  The Rocks defense stood strong when it needed to.  Jacob Crabtree and Dillon Simpson combined for the defensive big play on a crucial 3rd down by Brownsburg.  The two Rocks defenders stuffed the Bulldog runner for a loss of yards and forced a punt with just over a minute remaining in the game.  Nance was able to drive the Rocks offense down the field eventually scoring the game winning touchdown with only 9 seconds remaining in the game.  The Rocks won the game 52-48 in an incredible battle and come from behind victory.

The JV Rocks football team was able to remain #unbreakable with a record of 6-0.  They will attempt to continue their streak on Saturday October 10th, at home against Avon High School at 10 a.m.

Actually, We Won

It didn't feel like it, but we still won on Friday. While the football game score was unpleasant for us, a more important score was being kept that should be much more heart-warming. We, as a community, raised $2500 for the IWIN charity! Not only that, but for a smaller, local charity, the exposure was worth more than money can count.

Our football family has been heavily touched by this and other cancer-related diseases, and we absolutely consider it a victory when we can make a difference like this. I already shared the channel 13 special report via Facebook, but it bears linking here again if you haven't seen it.

Proud to be a Shamrock. #RocksMakeADifference

P.S. - Thanks to any Avon Orioles that may have made a donation. We truly appreciate any help that you provided. At the end of the game, we're all Hoosiers that have likely been touched by cancer. "Love your neighbor..."

#RockReport Brownsburg

Rocks Varsity Football came home to host the Brownsburg Bulldogs, losing 59-30.

Offensively, the Shamrocks had another difficult week, while the Rock Defense gave up numerous deep pass plays. The result was a lopsided score, not in a good way. Special Teams generated the lone highlight of the night when Alex Bales showed some impressive leg strength and hit a 51 yard field goal to end the first half.

Special mention should be given to Cameron Nance, Bryan Skelton, and Chad Welch. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

Your #unbreakable Rocks will regroup for next Friday, when Westfield travels to take on the Avon Orioles. Kickoff is scheduled at 7pm.

#Gameday Brownsburg

Tonight, your Rocks come home and look to bounce back against the Brownsburg Bulldogs. Westfield comes in with a 4-1 (2-1 HCC) record, while the Dogs are 1-4 (0-2 HCC). Brownsburg's two conference losses were against Fishers and Avon, so we've yet to face a common opponent.

Brownsburg's record may not indicate it, but they have a fantastic core of talent that can score a lot of points. They come in with a 38 PPG average and 485 YPG of offense. WR Tyler Kirtz (#17) leads the conference with 520 receiving yards and has accounted for 52 of the team's points (3rd HCC). They combine their significant air threat with a comparable ground threat in RB Toks Akinribade (#24), who averages 117 YPG on the ground. Like Hercules of Greek legend, the Rocks will need to club Brownsburg's Orthrus tonight, while capitalizing on every scoring opportunity.

No directions needed for this one. Make your way to the beautiful Riverview Health Stadium to partake in the homecoming festivities. Remember to bring some cash if you'd like to contribute to the IWIN charity drive. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

#RockReport JV HSE

The Westfield Junior Varsity football team found itself in dire straits, on the ropes, between a rock and a hard place (and not the good kind of Rock), down….but DEFINITELY not out.  The Rocks extended their season and HCC unbreakable streak to 5-0 with an amazing overtime victory over the Royals of HSE, 23-20.

The JV Rocks defense played an incredible game which included causing 6 total turn overs, two by junior corner back Christopher Zolto, and two by junior defensive end Elisha Lennon.  With the leadership and outstanding effort of these two players, the Rocks held the Royals scoreless in the first half.  The shut-out in the first half was even more amazing because it included two goal line stands, one aided by a big tackle by Lennon, and the other at the final play of the half as Zolto broke up a pass in the end zone as the clock ran out.  The Rocks stood strong in the second half led by the consistent play of Junior Zack Jankowski, but did allow two touchdowns and a field goal.

The JV Rocks offense was able to move the ball around during most of the game, but found that it was only able to score 3 points for well over 3 and a half quarters of play.  Six turnovers by the Rocks buried many promising drives.  Late in the 4th quarter with only 3 minutes left in the game, the Rocks found themselves down 17-3 with the ball after the defense caused yet another turnover.  The resolve, grit, and unbreakable spirit of the Rocks JV team shone through during the most exciting 3 minutes of the season.  The Rocks were able to drive the ball down the field with the help of sophomore quarterback Cam Nance and junior running back Mike Brown.  Tackles Matt Robinson and Chad Reeh provided room for Brown to barrel down the field and set up the eventual first touchdown from Nance to junior wide receiver Josué Gonzalez.  The point after failed, but the Rocks still had life, down by 8 points with around a minute remaining and the fate of their undefeated season resting on the big toe of freshman kicker Alex Bales.  Bales did not disappoint, kicking a “selfie” (onside kick to himself) and recovering with a minute left in the game.  The Rocks responded to driving 50 yards and scoring on a Brown diving run from 10 yards out.  Needing a two point conversion to tie the game, the Rocks again called upon Brown and Robinson to lead the way for a sweep by Nance.  Nance squeaked in by the skin of his teeth and the game once seemingly beaten Rocks had clawed their way back even with the Royals.

During overtime both teams have an opportunity to possess the ball, and the Rocks defense was up first.  They limited the Royals to only a field goal and giving the entire home sidelines a huge shot of confidence and energy.  The offense took the field for their shot at overtime with a swagger and confidence that made it appear that the game was already decided in their favor.  On the first play of the overtime for the Rocks Offense, Nance handed off to Brown who ran towards Robinson’s side of the line.  Brown was engulfed by multiple Royal defenders but miraculously powered through their tackle attempts and scored a 10 yard touchdown, winning the game for the Rocks.  The sidelines erupted with hugs and chest bumps and a confidence that this team could accomplish anything.

The JV Rocks football team with attempt to continue their streak on Saturday September 26th, at Brownsburg High School at 10 a.m.

With IWIN, We Win.

Rocks, Parents, and Supporters,

This year our football team is supporting Indiana Women In Need (I.W.I.N.) foundation which provides financial grants to women statewide currently receiving treatment for breast cancer. I.W.I.N serves approximately 500 women each year. Sixty percent (60%) of the foundation’s recipients earn $30,000 or less annually and 61% are single or widowed, so these financial grants make a direct and big impact on the lives of Indiana women undergoing breast cancer treatment. Most recipients use their financial grants for essential expenses, such as groceries, gas cards, and childcare costs.

As you may know, our football family has had a number of families impacted by breast cancer over the last few years, so this is a cause that touches our football family directly. At Friday night’s football game, I.W.I.N. will be raising awareness and funds for the foundation. WTHR Channel 13 will be broadcasting live from 5-6:30 at Riverview Stadium to bring attention to our support of I.W.I.N.  Please let your friends and family know that Indiana Women In Need is there to help them if they are enduring breast cancer treatment, and please consider donating to the foundation at Friday’s game.

Look for a Freshman football player holding a donation jar outside of the stadium entrance gates. Checks can be made out to the I.W.I.N. Foundation. You can learn more about I.W.I.N. at iwinfoundation.org, and you can follow them on facebook and twitter.

Thank you for your support. Let's make a difference!

Coach Gilbert

#RockReport Hamilton Southeastern

Rocks Varsity Football traveled down to Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday for a neutral field contest against the Hamilton Southeaster Royals, losing 34-18.

Offensively, the Shamrocks struggled against a stout Royal defense. They started to find some rhythm late, and were within a 3 point striking distance late in the game, but failed to cash in.

The Rock Defense had a frustrating night as well. They held enough to give the offense a chance, but didn’t create as many takeaways or get the big stops when needed. Explosive passing plays ruined the night and opened up the lead late in the game.

Shamrock Special Teams was a mostly bright spot on the night. The Rocks blocked two Royal punts, setting the offense up for some points. All in all, it was a night of ups and downs, with a lot of good effort, but ultimately not the outcomes desired.

Special mention should be given to Joe Marra, Devin McGinnis, and Jake Miner. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

Come see your #unbreakable Rocks next Friday, when Westfield comes home to host the Brownsburg Bulldogs. Kickoff is scheduled at 7pm.

#Gameday HSE

Lucas Oil Stadium sits patiently downtown, awaiting the arrival of your #unbreakable Rocks. What a great opportunity to play in such a nice arena!

Hamilton Southeastern will be meeting us there. The Royals bring in a 3-1 record (3-0 in the HCC). They are riding a 3 game win streak, with some dramatic victories against their last two opponents. They average 27 points with 124 rushing yards and 226 passing yards per game. #23, Aaron Matio is the player to watch in this one. He accounts for 120 YPG of the Royal offense and has 4 touchdowns for them on the season. Their QB, Carter Poiry, has racked up 883 yards which is good for 4th in the conference.

The Royals have a big front line and will come out looking to push the Rocks around and have their way on the ground. They'll mix in an explosive play action passing game to keep the Rock D honest. The Rocks will need to hold their ground and answer with their own 1-2 rush/pass punch. The Royals have been a come-from-behind team, so the Rocks will certainly have to finish in this one.

Need directions to Lucas Oil? We've got you covered. See you at the game! Kickoff will follow 25 minutes after the conclusion of the previous game, and is tentatively scheduled for 8:30pm.

A Royal Prediction

Well, the IndyStar isn't picking us to win. Can't say it's too surprising as we've been the underdog in our conference for a good many years. Also interesting that we're both ranked #5 in our respective class categories. It's shaping up to be a good one down at Lucas Oil Stadium tomorrow.

#RockReport Freshmen Noblesville

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young once stated his drive behind his Super Bowl winning career and fighting through rough patches, saying: “The principle [behind football] is competing against yourself. It’s about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before.”

With this mantra guiding them, The Freshman Rocks of Westfield returned from a tough loss at Zionsville the prior week to the confines WHS Riverview Health Stadium taking on the rival Millers of Noblesville. The Rocks displayed pride, poise, and resolve throughout the football game, although falling short in the final count, 29-7. Offensively, the Rocks aimed to control the football running the football and utilizing the short passing game. Quarterbacks Patrick Beam and Cameron Fry rotated the entire game bringing their unique talents to each drive. Beam, his efforts earning him the weekly offensive Mr. Consistency award, delivered the ball to Owen McGraw and Dorian Henson for some crucial completions in the game. He also called his own number to rush the ball successfully throughout the game. Fry stepped up in the pocket and found Kyle Pepiot deep downfield in the fourth quarter, connecting for the game’s only Rock touchdown and biggest play of the game.

Defensively, the Rocks looked came out aggressive and ready to wreak havoc. Cornerback Owen McGraw stepped up as the Millers drove deep into the Rock red zone and muscled away an interception from the intended receiver. Cameron Fry also rose to the challenge as the Millers were about to score, stripping the ball away from the running back just before he was to cross the goal line. Middle linebacker Luke Metallic once again entered the mix, stuffing countless runs before they even left the backfield.

Kicker Alex Bales once again led the special teams unit to a quality performance. Perfect with PAT’s and obtaining touchbacks on the kickoff, Bales allowed great positive contributions by all our special teams. The young Rocks will be focusing enthusiastically on always improving their effort and developing into great football players and young men. The next game will be Monday, September 21st at Hamilton Southeastern. Come watch as the Rocks take on the Royals!

#RockReport JV Noblesville

The Westfield Junior Varsity football team defended their JV HCC Champions title in dramatic fashion against the Millers of noblesville.  In an extremely exciting overtime game, the Rocks won by 1-point 30-29 against a devastated Millers team.

The game started with the Rocks offense driving down the field and scoring quickly.  The Drive included big runs by sophomore running back Nate Froelich behind Mr. Consistency for this game junior offensive guard Daniel Browning, great catches by sophomore wide receiver Caleb Pettijohn, and a big throw and catch from the Player of the Game junior quarterback Andy Sweet to junior wide receiver Drew Neustifter.  The Ensuing Drive included more of the same but this time Sweet scrambled and was able to find junior wide receiver Josue Gonzalez for a long touchdown.  The Rocks later scored on a drive managed by junior quarterback Clint Hostler, capped off by a bruising run by junior running back Mike Brown.  Hostler was able to drive the Rocks Offense for a final drive, with the help of freshman running back Dorian Henson, to give the Rocks an 8 point lead with around 1 minute remaining in the game.

The JV Rocks defense had many big plays and was able to hold the Miller offense in check most of the day.  Junior defensive tackle Juan Obregon was the most consistent player for the defense, harassing the Miller backfield all day.  The Rocks defense was able to bend and not break most of the day, except for the final drive by the Millers.  The noblesville offense was able to drive the length of the field with a minute left on the clock and an 8 point deficit, score a touchdown and then convert on the two point conversion to tie the game and force it into overtime.

In overtime, both teams would be given the opportunity to score from the 10 yard line.  The Rocks won the toss and elected to play defense first.  The Millers were able to score in 4 plays and elected to kick an extra point to go up by 7 points.  The Rocks were given their chance from the 10 and capitalized with a huge run on the Big Play of the game, when freshman Dorian Henson ran around the right edge of the Miller defense and scored to put the Rocks within one point.  The Rocks offense elected to go for the win and go for a 2-point conversion rather than end the game in a tie, and again the Rocks elected to put the ball in Henson’s hands.  He again sprinted around the right edge and reached the ball over the pylon scoring the winning points for the Rocks.

After this exciting victory both teams also played a C-game in which players could get additional experience playing another opponent.  During the game, the Defensive Player of the Game emerged.  Sophomore defensive back Seth Tackett scored the Rocks only touchdown of the second game, scooping a fumble caused by junior Mike Brown and running it back for 60+ yards.  He also intercepted the Millers in their own end zone.

The Rocks JV is now 4-0 overall and 2-0 in HCC play.  Come support the JV football team as they defend their HCC JV Champs title this Saturday September 19th, at home against Hamilton Southeastern High School @ 10 a.m.

#RockReport Noblesville

Rocks Varsity Football played host to the Noblesville Millers on Friday night, reclaiming the Midland Rail rivalry trophy with a hard fought 18-14 victory.

Offensively, the Shamrocks struggled a bit on Friday, stalling on several drives. They scored when they needed to, however, with the superb quarterbacking by Ryan Pepiot and the steady hands of Evan Manley. No plays were bigger than a Pepiot to Manley conversion to keep the Rock scoring drive alive late in the game.

The Rock Defense held a very talented Miller offense in check for most of the night, turning in two scoreless quarters and winning the takeaway battle for the second week in a row. Luke Lammers and Jackson Garrett turned in fantastic performances, each securing extra possessions for the Rock O. Matthew Tongate continued with consistent play on the D line. The highlight of the night was a diving interception by Luke Lammers in the gold painted turf, stopping a Miller score on a desperate 4th down pass.

Shamrock Special Teams made sure the Rocks had an advantage in field position all night. William Harrison’s stellar punting led to a 99 yard advantage for the Rocks. Will McCool led the way in this phase of the game with Dylan Simpson adding consistency.

Special mention should be given to Peyton Haack and Jordan Grimes. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

Come see your #unbreakable Rocks next Friday, when Westfield will travel down to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the Hamilton Southeastern Royals. Kickoff will follow the end of the preceding game, and is tentatively scheduled for around 8:30pm.

#Gameday Noblesville

Tonight, your #unbreakable Rocks will strive to keep an unblemished 4-0 record. Making the short, 8.6 mile drive from Noblesville are the Millers, hoping to derail our momentum. Conference rivals, county rivals, other-side-of-the-tracks rivals, the Midland Rail trophy heads home with the winner of this one. Since 2004, Noblesville holds the edge on this rivalry 7-6.

Noblesville enters the contest with a 2-1 record (0-1 in the conference) after getting beaten up by Fishers last week. They will be hungry to get back to making progress in the win column and fighting not to fall behind in the conference. They bring a fantastic spread running game to the table, and will challenge the Rocks to make stops and counter with explosive plays.

It is always a hard-fought game when these two meet, so be sure to head out to Riverview Health Stadium tonight for a great one under the lights. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

Lucas Oil Part 1

Your Rocks get the opportunity to take on HSE in Lucas Oil Stadium this season on September 18th. Advance tickets are being sold through the Athletic Department, and Westfield gets to keep a cut of those sales. Plus, it's cheaper for you to get them through us. For more information check out the school's site here.

It is a great place to see a game, and hopefully not the only chance you'll get to see us there this year.

#RockReport JV Zionsville

Catching up... JV beat Southport 42-32 last week. We pick up our reports with Zionsville this past weekend...)

The Westfield Junior Varsity football team came out to an incredibly fast start, scoring on the first three possessions of both teams.  The Rocks won the toss and wanted to receive the football.  The drive that ensued was a surgical blitzkrieg attack on the Eagles defense.  The two offensive players of the game, Sophomore WR Caleb Pettijohn and Junior QB Andy Sweet, connected on multiple passes on the first drive including a 40+ yd touchdown strike to seal the deal.

The Zionsville JV team was put on its heels to start the game and the Westfield JV defense continued the assault.  Junior OLB Dillon Simpson blitzed off the edge sacking the quarterback and stripping the ball, which fell nicely into Junior DE Elisha Lennon’s waiting hands.  Lennon then ran the fumble in for a 60+ yard touchdown.  The onslaught did not stop there.  The next Eagles possession ended in a quick 3 and out, but during the attempted punt, Junior OLB Zach Jankowski blocked and recovered the punt giving the Rocks offense great field position.  Sweet and Pettijohn hooked up again for another 30+ yard TD pass.  After another Zionsville punt, the Rocks offense was driving a third time into Eagles territory when they finally stumbled and had back to back penalties, giving them a seemingly insurmountable 3rd and 35.  Sweet again delivered with a 55 yard TD pass to Junior WR Mike Smith.  The first quarter ended with the Rocks leading 28-7.

The rest of the game was full of big plays on defense keeping the Eagles caged.   The Eagles had multiple opportunities near the Rocks end zone but came up short many times.  Lennon had a sack which ended a drive near the end zone, Junior DB Chris Zolto had an interception in the endzone, Jankowski and Simpson combined to produce a fumble which was recovered by Lennon, and Jankowski along with Sophomore DB Cam Nance both had interceptions late in the game.

The Rocks also dominated on special teams.  Freshman kicker Alex Bales had a huge morning kicking the ball.  His kick-offs all were near the goal line, he punted the ball inside the 2 yard line pinning the Eagles deep, and he made a 46 yard field goal.  Also contributing on special teams were Zolto, sophomore snapper Spencer Schneider, Jankowski, and junior LB Devin McGinnis recovering desperate onside kick attempts from an out matched Zionsville JV team.

The final score was 31-24 in favor of the Rocks.

Come support the JV football team as they defend their HCC JV Champs title this Saturday September 12th, at Noblesville High School @ 10 a.m.

Shining Rocks

Love to see when our guys get recognition in the papers. Good IndyStar article covering the Zionsville game here.

#RockReport - Zionsville

Rocks Varsity Football raided Zionsville Friday night, dealing the Eagles a 45-30 defeat and retaining the Shining Star rivalry trophy. It was a game that leaked into early Saturday, finishing after midnight due to weather delays.

Offensively, the Shamrocks brought the lightning in the air followed by thunder on the ground, putting up 45 points. Jonathan Swidan rumbled behind the leadership of Jonathan Mendoza, racking up yards and touchdowns alike. The steady hands of Lucas Schultz guided the air attack, and Ryan Pepiot hooked up with Evan Manley for the big play of the night on a long TD strike.

The Rock Defense wreaked havoc on the Eagle offense, generating multiple takeaways. Martell Fletcher snagged two picks, and Luke Lammers forced a fumble that was snatched up by Jackson Garrett. Koby Hauser added consistent pressure for a unit that, with the exception of a few big plays, made Zionsville earn every yard they got.

Shamrock Special Teams showered the offense with an extra possession as well when Jonathan Swidan and Jared Bayha recovered a squib kickoff. Will Harrison tacked on big points in the kicking game, and Jared Bayha kept up his stellar play throughout the night.

Special mention should be given to Matthew Noyes, Clint Hostler, and Josue Gonzalez. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

Come see your #unbreakable Rocks next Friday, when Westfield will host the Noblesville Millers as the rivalry section of the schedule continues. This time the Midland Rail trophy is on the line. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00pm.

#Gameday Zionsville

Tonight, your #unbreakable Rocks look to improve to 3-0 against neighboring Zionsville. The Eagles come in to the contest undefeated as well, hoping to steal the Shining Star rivalry trophy that currently sits in Westfield. That trophy will make the short bus ride with the Rocks as they launch a raid into Eagle territory, aiming for two tough road wins in as many weeks.

Fighting in hostile territory, the Rocks need as many friendly voices as possible. Organize raiding caravans of your own and follow the Rocks into battle with Zionsville tonight. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

#RockReport Southport

Rocks Varsity Football traveled to Southport on Friday night, downing the Cardinals in a 40-36 thriller.

Offensively, the Shamrocks were anchored by the solid play of the offensive line. The big men up front paved the way for several long and impressive scoring drives. Evan Manley topped it off with steady hands, including catching the game winning touchdown with 6.7 seconds left.

The Rock Defense fought hard to contain an explosive Cardinal offense. Jackson Garrett and Matthew Tongate led the way, with Koby Hauser adding consistent coverage. The defensive big play came when Jackson Garret undercut a Southport route, intercepting the ball and returning it for a defensive score.

Shamrock Special Teams did a great job of pinning the Cardinals deep, forcing them to drive the field after the numerous Rock scores. Alex Bales came in and boomed several key kicks, which the entire kickoff coverage team was excellent in bottling up any potential return. William Harrison buckled down in the closing minutes of the game to hit a pair of key field goals, putting the Rocks in position to win.

Special mention should be given to Luke Dedrick, Jordan Grimes, and Austin Ward. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

Come see your #unbreakable Rocks next Friday, when Westfield will travel to Zionsville High School to take on the Eagles. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00pm.

#Gameday Southport

Tonight, your Rocks will make the trek down to Southport High School to take on the Class 6A #9 Cardinals. They face a high-powered Southport passing offense that can put up points in a hurry. Last week, the Cardinals played Roncalli, putting up 21 points in the second quarter alone. Roncalli fought back to make it a game, and Southport hung on with some defensive heroics in the latter part of the game. This week looks like it could be a QB duel with both defenses looking to lock down the opposing scoring threats. Westfield will need to ground the air attack and put up some points of their own in order to win this game.

Your #unbreakable Rocks could sure use your voices in the stands! We know it's a long drive, but the weather should be beautiful and we have you covered with directions. See you at the game!

#RockReport JV @ Harrison

It took a little time, but I finally got a hold of the report from Saturday's JV game...

The Junior Varsity Westfield Football team started their season with a tremendous victory.  There was an ebb and flow to the game with many momentum shifts, but finished with Westfield players stepping up and making big plays.

The offense for the Shamrocks started the game with a rocky start, but the two headed quarterback duo of Sophomore Cam Nance and Junior Clint Hostler had the offense rolling in no time.  Hostler started the scoring for the rocks with an efficient and explosive drive.  Junior Josue Gonzalez contributed in the first scoring drive with multiple catch and runs to keep the chains moving and put the Raider defense on their heals.  Junior Mike Brown, the offensive player of the game, contributed with multiple punishing runs, but the play of the game came on a 3rd and long when Hostler dropped back and was forced to scramble. Hostler not only picked up the first down but pushed the Rocks into scoring territory.  Hostler finished the drive with a one yard run.  Nance added a score a few drives later on a great scramble to give the rocks the lead.  The duo of Brown and Hostler combined in the last minutes of the game to score a third time to put the game out of reach for the Raiders.

The defense for the Rocks had many shining moments but also showed the rust of a first game.  The defense started out by allowing the Raiders a long drive and score.  The Rocks tightened up and shut down the Raiders for the majority of the game.  The player of the game for the defense was Junior Carson Broshar.  Broshar made multiple big plays including an interception after a tipped pass by Junior Connor Voorhis.  Later in the game, Broshar made an outstanding play on a pass to the sidelines, intercepting it right before he stepped out of bounds.  On the final drive, the Raiders offense was making one final push to make the game competitive again, when Sophomore Logan McClurg intercepted a pass in the end zone to seal the victory for the Rocks.  Freshman Alex Bales also contributed with multiple extra points, a 37 yard field goal, and great kick-offs and punts.

The JV Rocks will play again this Saturday 8/29/15 at home against the Southport Cardinals.

#RockReport Freshmen vs Harrison

On a crisp, bright day hearkening the arrival of the autumn, the Westfield Freshman Rocks were ready to begin their journey on one of fall’s great rites of passage: football season. Taking on the visiting Raiders of Lafayette’s Harrison High School, the young Rocks were anticipating a great battle. Upon the kickoff, the frosh team showed their anxiousness for starting the season. By the end of the first quarter, the score was in Harrison’s favor, 22-0; however, this did not dampen the Rocks’ unbreakable resolve. Led on offense by the running of player of the game Dorian Henson, the young Rocks scraped and clawed their way back into the game. A dual quarterback system featuring Pat Beam and Mr. Consistency Cameron Frye contributed to the passing game, finding receivers Collin Caldwell, Owen McGraw, and Zach Collins for multiple completions. The biggest offensive play came on a late deep pass to Kyle Pepiot, who warded off the threats of would-be tacklers and found his way into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown.

Led by Pepiot, the defense played a hard-nosed game against a tough Harrison running game. Forcing two turnovers, the defense placed the Rocks’ O in a great position for the majority of the night. Mr. Consistency Camerson Frye was calling the shots on field at middle linebacker and found his way into the Raiders’ backfield multiple times. Collin Caldwell provided a huge play for the defense when from his defensive end spot, he stuffed a run into the backfield, changing the course of potentially game-altering Harrison drive.

Alex Bales made his debut as the Rocks’ kicker for a game of perfect execution in the PAT department. He also served as the punter and kickoff specialist, where he pinned Harrison deep in their own territory on a majority of kicks. Mr. Consistency Sam Lupear provided great snaps to Bales all night. It was Bales’ last PAT that set the Rocks over the edge. Overcoming tremendous pressure, the frosh kicker put the ball between the uprights for the go ahead.

Having won 35-34 in a barn-burner of a victory, the frosh Rocks are now 1-0 and will be coming off a short week to play against the Cardinals of Southport, this Saturday, August 29th. Rock Nation, come to the southside of Indy to show your support! Go Rocks!

#RockReport Harrison

Rocks Varsity Football hosted their first game at Riverview Health stadium, earning a 38-21 victory over the Harrison Raiders.

Offensively, the Shamrocks were led by Ryan Pepiot. The senior quarterback captained the Rocks to a 35-8 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Johnathan Swidan chipped in 5.5 yard per carry, and Lucas Schultz snagged the big play of the night with a great snag of a deep ball across the middle of the field in that set the Rocks up for a score.

The Rock Defense was stalwart for most of the night, yielding only 8 points through 3 quarters of play. Sam Trompen led the way alongside the consistent play of Luke Lammers. The key series for the Rocks came at the start of the second half, when the Raiders started out with a -1yard, 3-and-out drive.

Shamrock Special Teams shined in their phase of the game. Caleb Sanburn provided great longsnaps all night, while Bryce Sears added consistent play across several teams. The entire kickoff team smothered any Raider thoughts of a return, while William Harrison tacked on a 47-yard field goal.

Special mention should be given to Devin McGinnis, Cameron Nance, and Bryan Hoover. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They were #unbreakable during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

Come see your #unbreakable Rocks next Friday, when Westfield will travel to Southport High School to face the Cardinals. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00pm.

#GameDay Harrison

It's finally here! The countdown shows less than 4 hours to go until the opening kickoff of the 2015 season. Very soon, we will be charging out onto our new field for the very first time. We hope the place will be packed. We hope that the entire community that has been so very supportive even before we had this exciting new stadium will be there to cheer us on. We hope to reward the tireless efforts and abundant donations of the countless people that made this dream home into a reality with a very special 2015 season. We promise to compete with every ounce of our energy and play to the very pinnacle of our potential. We think that will mean a lot of fun Friday nights.  And it starts tonight against the visiting Harrison Raiders. What a great day to be a Shamrock.

See you at the launch pad.

#RockReport Ben Davis Scrimmage

Normally there will be a much longer recap posted here on Sunday nights or Monday mornings. This week Rocks Varsity Football scrimmaged defending 6A State Champion Ben Davis on Friday night. Being a scrimmage, score wasn't kept.  Both teams were certainly excited for the opportunity to hit a different color, however. There was great competition on both sides.

The Rocks would like to wish Ben Davis the best of luck entering their season and defending their title.

Come see your #unbreakable Rocks next Friday, when Westfield will host the Lafayette Harrison Raiders for the first ever home opener at the new Riverview Health Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00pm.

Soft Opening

Nothing flashy this week. Just a scrimmage against defending 6A State Champion, Ben Davis. Consider it a soft opening of The Rock; an appetizer for the main course next week. Appetizers can be pretty fantastic, though, so come on out tonight. Get your first taste of Friday Night Lights, and see your #unbreakable Rocks in action.

Scrimmage format information can be found here. I believe we are doing Option B. First snap is at 7pm.

And We're Off!

16 days left until the opening kickoff of the 2015 season. That means practice is in full swing. The Rocks all reported to camp on Monday, and got things rolling. Two practices and one extremely challenging obstacle course later, they have demonstrated what it means to be #unbreakable. Now, we're going to keep that momentum rolling right into the normal practice schedule.

For fans, your first official look at the team can be Saturday morning, when we have our annual Green vs Gold game at 10AM.

We're pretty busy brushing off the dust and warming up our pads, but I wanted to pass along some images from camp.

Getting Ready For Friday Night Lights

We scrimmaged Carmel on Wednesday, and we'll have another scrimmage down at Warren Central this coming Wednesday. For everyone that came out Wednesday, hopefully you received a very small appetizer for the feast of Friday night football that is coming your way in just a few short weeks.

Along those lines, I was passed this drone's-eye view of our new stadium. It gives you a pretty cool view of the new facility and we can't wait to take the field for the first game that counts. We can't wait to see these (much bigger) stands filled with green and gold!


Westfield High School Football Stadium from Adam Whitaker on Vimeo.

Colts Leadership Challenge Blood Drive

It has been quiet on here as we gear up for the start of the season. Summer workouts are in full swing and we only have 43 days until opening kickoff. That's 43 days until your Rocks take the brand-spanking-new field for the first time in what promises to be a very exciting season. There's a lot of work to do before then, though.

Here's something that everyone can help us with. We've got a Blood Drive Dynasty going on here in Westfield. Our community has consistently been tops when it comes to raising your sleeve and donating to the cause. We would really like to continue that trend.

On Thursday, July 16th, the Indiana Blood Center will be at the high school for our blood drive. The minimum age to participate is 16, and all minors need a consent form signed by a parent or guardian. If you need a copy of the form, shoot us an email (see: contact information).

The IBC team will be onsite at 2pm on the 16th, ready for the first donor at 3pm. We hope to storm the doors and fill the bank, defending our reputation as the top community in the state of Indiana for giving blood. Winning a contest on a field is great. Winning at saving lives is even better.

We hope to see you on the 16th with a high sleeve, helping Westfield to Rock the Blood Bank!

John Harbaugh on Why Football Matters

Some of you may have seen this post by John Harbaugh several weeks ago, but I thought it deserved a link on here. I also thought it went well with the mission posts from the last few days. We love football and take our job as coaches very seriously. A lot of the reasons why are spelled out by Mr. Harbaugh. Good stuff.

2015 Annual Report

Building on yesterday's post, one of the things we wanted to do this off-season was to create a scorecard for ourselves. This annual report would take a look at what we did last season with respect to those base building blocks of our pyramid. Strong houses are constructed on strong foundations, and we see the off-season as an opportunity to make sure that our house is in order.

Here's a look at how we did:

Click for a bigger view

Great job, Rocks. Let's build on this for the upcoming season.

Our Mission

You may or may not have noticed that I've started using tags like #RockFamily, #RockFun, #RocksMakeADifference. Today, I wanted to share some of our program ideals today in order to put those tags and tomorrow's post in proper context. But first, our program motto:

Our Mission is to make playing football at Westfield one of the most incredible experiences of your life while pushing you to reach your full potential in all areas.

With that in mind, we developed our Pyramid of Success, creating a visual structure that can be utilized to reach one's full potential.

Shamrock Pyramid of Success

• Family – Love your teammates like yourself. Put their needs before your own. 
• Commitment to Excellence – Promise to do everything you can to reach your full potential in all areas. Be intrinsically motivated and driven. 
• Fun – Approach each day with an enthusiastic attitude never before seen by man. Have a blast being a Rock! 
• Victory with Honor – Compete to win at all times. Win the right way, with class. 
• Make a Difference – Serve others and attempt to make someone’s life better every day. Practice selflessness and put others’ needs before your own. There are people in need right here in Westfield. One person is significant enough to make a difference in the entire world. 
• Character – Who you are when no one is looking. Be honest, accountable, respectful, and responsible. Discipline – Doing the right thing, the right way, all of the time. 
• Effort –Work as hard as you possibly can, at all things, all the time. 
• Focus – Focus on what’s in front of you right now. This workout, this off-season, this practice, etc. When adversity hits, refocus and play the next play. 
• Physicality – Consistently develop yourself physically in the weight room and gym, while playing other sports, by eating right, and while stretching. Play physical and out hit your opponent. 
• Confidence – Believe in yourself and believe in the process. Be courageous. Play fast and aggressive. 
• Toughness – Being able to maintain control of your goals and vision in the face of mental and physical challenges. 
• Trust – Trust the process and believe that everything will work out for the best if you do everything you are supposed to do. Trust in your teammates to do the right thing. Be trustworthy and loyal to your teammates. 
• Leadership – Influence others vocally and by example. Develop your character and relationships with others to lead them in a positive way. 
• Full Potential – Become the best you can possibly be, in all ways, at all times. Be improvement driven, but always be happy with your very best.

Relay For Life Update

We're just over a week away from the Westfield Relay for Life, and we only have 20 people signed up. That can't be right. We know our family is bigger than that.

So just in case you missed the first announcement, I'm going to throw it out there again. Our community (not just the school!) is holding a cancer fundraiser (Relay for Life) on May 15. We want to raise $10,000 by then. We have almost $1,000 right now, with only 20 people signed up. I would wager that there are more than 200 people involved in our extended football family. We need everyone to hit this goal.

Please consider joining the team, donating if you'd like, and walking/running if you can. With cancer touching so many lives these days, we all have a vested interest in seeing this disease stamped out.

Goal #4: Fun

The Rocks recently tackled some rocks in a more vertical fashion than we normally do, and Coach Gilbert had this to say after the experience...

Westfield Football is a blast! We love to have fun together. For starters, its fun to win and we are doing a lot of that. We also love to compete and we have fun playing all kinds of sports and engaging in all kinds of competitions every single week. Dodgeball, human tug of war, towel fight, floor hockey, baseball, and obstacle courses are some of our favorites. We also make a point to hang out together and do fun things that have nothing to do with football. Over the past four years we have gone to college football games, had square dances and fall parties, gone to Sky Zone, gone rock climbing, and hired a hypnotist! None of these things help us block and tackle better, but they definitely build family and help us achieve our fourth program goal: FUN!

Check out a couple of the pics below:

Cancer Sucks

As you all know from the post yesterday, our program has been touched by cancer. That was, however, not the first time, nor will it be the last. Cancer seems ubiquitous these days; everyone has been touched by it.

One of the ways to enter the fight against this devastating disease is to take part in the Relay for Life activities that are coming to Westfield. Our coaching staff will be kicking off this year's Relay. You, too, can sign up to participate at www.relayforlife.org/westfieldin. We hope to see you there.

For Stan

Our hearts and prayers go out to the Mattingly family at the loss of their mother, Liz. Stan has been a fantastic young man in our program, and it is often that fantastic young men have fantastic parents. We hope for comfort and healing in the days to come, resting in the knowledge that Liz fought the good fight.

Services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, April 23, 2015, at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, 17102 Springmill Road, in Westfield, with Rev. Kevin Haines officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 22, 2015 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Randall & Roberts Funeral Center, 1685 Westfield Road, Noblesville. Burial will be at Eagle Creek Cemetery in Westfield.

Memorial contributions may be made to Agape Therapeutic Riding Center, 24970 Mt. Pleasant Rd., PO Box 207, Cicero, IN 46034. Condolences: www.randallroberts.com.

Forging Rocks

Rocks are not easy to create. They take time and lots of effort and energy. Our players don't just stroll in the day before the season and decide to play football for us. They commit, day after day, year after year. What you see in season is a culmination of countless hours spent out of season.

Collegiate programs recruit players from all over the country. At the high school level, we don't get to do that. Instead, we are challenged to work with the kids living right here among us to reach their full potential. We still call it recruitment, but it's recruitment of our own. Like Uncle Sam, "We want YOU," and we're always looking to build for the future.

Thus, we are extremely proud and excited that over 200 kids have participated in our Rock School (grades 1-8). Another 50 plus middle schoolers lift with us in the mornings or take advantage of the QB club. That's more than 250 pieces of our future that we are teaching speed, technique, strength, agility, and mobility. All the while having fun, building family, and showing commitment to this community.

We just wanted to share some pictures, with pride, of our young Rocks at work:

Players Are Made In The Off-season

There is an old adage that goes: "Players are made in the off-season, teams are made during the season." Here's what the Rocks are doing in the off-season...

New Classifications Out

It's around this time, every two years, that the IHSAA reclassifies its football teams. Just a handful of years ago, they changed from straight enrollment, to a more complicated system that takes a success factor into account. Because of Westfield's rapid rate of growth, we're always paying attention to these reclassifications. Top three are:

1. Carmel 4830  
2. Ben Davis 4220 
3. Warren Central 3602

Between #1 and #2 there are ~600 students. Between #2 and #3 there are ~600 students. After that, it falls off in smaller steps. Westfield sits down at #35, or #3 below the 5A cut, with 1928 students. That gives us a guaranteed two more years of 5A football.

It is interesting to note that our neighbor to the south, Carmel, is more than double the school size of Westfield. 600 students is the size of a large class. They have an entire extra CLASS of students on top of the next highest school, who has an entire CLASS of students on the rest of the state. That's crazy!

Also, we won't get the opportunity to square off against Cathedral, as they've bumped up to 6A due to the success factor (with 1292 enrollment).

Another interesting view: The low number in 5A is Munster with 1511 enrollment (New Pal got bumped up due to success factor, so they are smaller, but I'm not including that here). The difference between #1 in 5A (Castle 1940) and Munster is 429 students. Yes, the difference in the entire 5A class enrollment is smaller than between #1 Carmel and #2 Ben Davis. So it's not like being #3 in 5A gives us a huge size advantage over all of the smaller 5A schools. Not when you consider the Indy Metro "mega" schools, anyway.

Size isn't everything, but one could argue it might have a little to do with sustained success. In the last 10 years, one of those top 3 enrollment schools have appeared in the state final a staggering 8 times (winning 7), with 4 contests being between two of them. Not to take away from any of them. They put on pads just like every one else. The odds just might be slightly in their favor.

Odds aren't everything. By any means.

Westfield has been on the losing side of the size battle quite a bit. We've taken our lumps as the smaller school for many years. Often, it seemed like every time we'd be near the top of a classification bracket, we'd jump right up a level.

We have at least a couple more years in 5A, and need to earn all the success we can. Nothing is given in this game. When we eventually grow to be 6A, we want a strong foundation of success to launch from.

Rock Signings and Sightings

Yesterday was National Signing Day, which is when a great many high school athletes sign official letters of commitment to the universities they will be attending in the fall. We are very proud of two of our own who inked their futures: Nick Dowd will play for Miami of Ohio and Jacob Robinson will play for Indiana University.

Jacob was also down at the USA football camp this past week, where they hold a little event with several attendees, shown below.

The U.S. U-19 National Team (of which Jacob is a part) will be playing Football Canada this Saturday at 1pm. The game will be available live on ESPN3. We got a chance to ask Jacob about how he has been doing, and here is what he had to say:

The experience so far has been once in a lifetime. The competition here is unbelievable, and I have a huge amount of respect for each player. The coaches are great as well. It has been a pleasure getting to know and interact with all my teammates and talk about our college plans, forming relationships that we will have for the rest of our lives. It's been great so far and I'm looking forward to the rest of the week.