#GameDay Avon

Tonight, your Rocks come home to host the Avon Orioles. The Orioles will be looking to rain on our parade. They bring a 3-3 record (2-1 HCC) into the contest, having most recently buried Fishers by a score of 38-3. Prior to that, they've lost by 8 to Brownsburg and beaten HSE by 3 to round out the conference opponents. They have yet to face Zionsville and Noblesville.

As their outcomes against common opponents indicates, Avon presents the same sort of challenge that the Rocks have faced the last two weeks. They are a solid team with some electric skill players who the Rock D will look to contain. The Orioles average 26 points per game on 285 yards (147 through the air). Several players will run the ball, but Sampson James (#2) is leading the team with 57 ground yards per game. QB Cameron Misner (#15) will look to feed the ball to his favorite target Luke Shayotovich (#19). The two have hooked up for 6 TDs and 326 yards on the year.

The Shamrock Offense will look to provide homecoming fireworks with their balanced attack tonight, as the Rocks look to put the heart breaks of the last two weeks behind them. They could certainly use your voices cheering them on in Riverview Health Stadium tonight. No directions needed for this one. Come out and join the festivities! Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

#RockReport JV vs Brownsburg

The Westfield Junior Varsity football team had an explosive stop to a 4 game losing streak by defeating the Bulldogs of Brownsburg by a final score of 57-43.  Six different players scored touchdowns and 4 different players forced turnovers in this impressive showing.

The JV Rocks offense started the day off with a fireworks display, scoring on each of their first five drives and scoring a total of 8 touchdowns.  Six different Rocks reached the end zone; Sophomores Owen McGraw and Pat Beam each had a pair of scores, McGraw on the ground and Beam through the air, Freshman Trevor Lickfeldt contributed with a touchdown run, Sophomore Cameron Frye threw for a touchdown to sophomore Kyle Pepiot on a 15 yard pass and Frye ran for a score on a 4 yard quarterback run.  Junior quarterback Cameron Nance threw for two touchdowns and capped the game off with the go ahead score of a 51 yard touchdown run and two point conversion late in the game.  Junior Joe Marra solidified the offensive line protecting Nance and Frye on pass plays and allowing the Rocks to gain over 500 yards of total offense.

The JV Rocks defense also had a good game despite allowing quite a few points.  The defense forced 4 turnovers on the day giving the offense the extra opportunities it needed to extend the lead.  Sophomores Kyle Pepiot and Jake Miner intercepted passes from the Brownsburg quarterback, with Pepiot’s coming at a huge moment in the game when the Bulldogs were in scoring position.  Juniors Chad Welch and Matthew Noyes also had takeaways.  Welch came up with a huge interception and Noyes had a fumble recovery and not an interception.  Junior defensive linemen Michael Delaney and sophomore corner back Owen McGraw also contributed Rock-Solid performances and physicality all afternoon.  Sophomore Eric Kriscovich contributed a huge play on special teams downing a punt by sophomore Alex Bales on the 1-yard line setting up great field position for the Rocks offense.

The JV Rocks football team will look to continue the maelstrom of points and takeaways next week and will play away vs Avon High School on Saturday October 1st at 10 a.m.

#RockReport Brownsburg

The Rocks lost another heart-breaker last night, falling short by another single point in a contest against the Brownsburg Bulldogs that was decided in overtime. 29-28 was the final score, in favor of the Dogs. The game was a classic back and forth battle of two talented teams trading blows in a hard fought game. Ultimately, it was the gamble by Brownsburg to attempt a two point conversion in overtime that paid off and broke the deadlock for good. Both teams gave it their all and, unfortunately for Shamrock fans, your team did not come out on top.

To lose two games by a total of two points is frustrating, to say the least. No one hurts more the next morning than the players who have poured blood, sweat, and tears onto the field over the course of the week preparing for their one shot at Friday night glory. As coaches who love these players deeply, we find ourselves in a close second as far as the pain of these losses. We have lost two games to two good teams by a combined total of two points. There is no reason to hang our heads. So long as our family bonds remain strong, we can still achieve a great many things as a team. The sky-high potential of our young men has not diminished, it has merely been challenged.

They say that football is a game of inches, and this notion has been experienced in excruciating detail by the Rocks in the last few weeks. To be so close and come away with a loss, with an undesired outcome, is an adversity that is all too common in life. However, there are also a great many sayings about failure that can be applied. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement. Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. It is the ability to use failure that often leads to greater success. It's failure that gives success perspective.

We are a staff and a team of great faith. Adversity happens for a reason, and we continue to have faith in this team as it strives to use heart-breaking loss as a lesson, to build upon failure in order to reach ever higher. Even in the pain of loss, it is a great day to be a Shamrock.

#GameDay Brownsburg

Tonight your Rocks will travel to Brownsburg and attempt to catch the spotless Bulldogs. They currently lead the conference with a 5-0 record (2-0 HCC), beating HCC foes Fishers and Avon by 4 and 8 points respectively.

The Rock D will have its work cut out for them as they face the top ranked QB in the nation (according to Rivals.com) in Brownsburg's Hunter Johnson (#15). The Dogs come into the contest averaging 20 points on 408 yards per game (223 through the air). Johnson, a dangerous runner in his own right, is complemented by RB Carson Gill (#5) and his 104 ground yards per game. WR Bryce Kirtz (#17) is Johnson's favorite target and has racked up 494 receiving yards (4 TDs) this year so far.

The Dogs are coming off a tight victory against Fishers which saw them produce 4 sacks and an interception. The Shamrock offense will need to protect QB Andy Sweet tonight and open holes for its dynamic backfield. Look for this to be another tight, physical game with two highly respected teams battling for supremacy.

The Rocks are hoping to spoil Brownsburg's homecoming, and could use all the friendly voices in the stands that they can get. Need directions? Don't worry, we've got you covered. (With potential end of the work week traffic on 465, the "scenic route" through Whitestown may be your best bet, which is what the buses usually take.) Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm. See you there!

No Cook Wednesday

A reminder from the Shamrock Gridiron Club...

Good Morning!

Just want to remind everyone that tomorrow, Sept 21st is a "no cook Wednesday."  We have a fundraiser scheduled at Buffalo Wild Wings from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm tomorrow night.  We hope to see everyone there.

GO ROCKS!

#RockReport Hamilton Southeastern

The Rocks dropped a tough one on Friday night, falling to the Hamilton Southeastern Royals 21-20. The loss came on a night when the offense struggled to finish drives, settling for field goals and not coming away with points on several drives. The Rock D played strong for most of the night, but wilted at the end when they really needed a stop. Even so, the Rocks were in position to win the game with a late field goal, but the clocked ran out before they were able to call a timeout and the game was ruled over.

The Rocks will look to rebound next week when the travel to Brownsburg High School to take on the red hot Bulldogs. The dogs are currently leading the conference, so if the Rocks can earn a victory, they will be back tied for the lead in the conference race. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

(Photocredit: Hamilton County Reporter)

#GameDay Hamilton Southeastern Royals

Get ready for a battle royale tonight as Hamilton Southeastern barges into Riverview Health Stadium, looking to disrupt the Rocks spotless 4-0 record. The Rocks will be looking to achieve the exceedingly rare 5-0 start to the high school season. This is the halfway mark of the regular season, so both conference foes will be looking to take some momentum into the second half of the regular season.

The Royals come in with a 3-1 record, having lost a close one to fellow HCC member Avon. They average 30.5 points per game on 415 yards (264 in the air). Jackson Sweeney (#20) is their leading rusher and point gatherer, notching an average of 7.5 points per game on 105 yards. QB Adam Mullett will look to run business up front, but party in the air with the potent Royal passing attack.

The Rocks will look to rely on a defense that has been fantastic at limiting opponent points, stalemating the run and frustrating the air attack throughout the night. They will want to control both the tempo and physicality to allow the offense to Pound the Rock on the Royals. This is shaping up to be another classic brawl of Hoosier Crossroads Conference foes looking to gain the leg up in the conference race. Expect the score to be close all the way to the end.

No map needed tonight. We hope to see you at the Home of the Shamrocks. Kickoff is scheduled for 7PM.

#RockReport Freshmen @ Noblesville

Rivalry – a word that conjures up the magic of football season to the fans of our wonderful sport. Rivalries embody all that is good in the game of football – the energy, intensity, pride, and pageantry come alive during a school’s rivalry week. The freshman Rocks of Westfield High School got a taste of their biggest rivalry on September 12, 2016, as they traveled east down the old Midland Rail Line to Hare Chevrolet Field – the confines of the Noblesville Millers.

Coming fresh off a stinging defeat to other archrival Zionsville, the Rocks arrived focused and prepared for a battle against Noblesville. Westfield received the ball first, and the Rocks took the field with quarterback Hunter Will getting his first start of the season. The Westfield ground game took off immediately, with the offensive line paving the way for runs by running backs Eli Patchett and Trevor Lickfeldt. The quarterback Will also advanced the ball with a big completion to Patchett, forcing the ball into Miller territory.

A fumble late in the drive turned the ball over to the Millers, and the Westfield defense got its first shot at the action. Linebacker Gabe Henderson made it very apparent that the Miller road to the end zone would not be easy, as he found himself involved on nearly every tackle. The defense consistently swarmed the football, but a Noblesville touchdown put the Millers up 6-0. The point after attempt was no good.

The exchange of the first drives took the entire first quarter of play, and in the second quarter, the Rocks began to make their presence felt on the scoreboard. In one single big play, the Rocks offensive line, led by player of the game Mark McLaurin, took on the stacked defense of Noblesville and opened up a hole for running back Trevor Lickfeldt to explode through for a 60 yard touchdown. Riddle’s point after was good, leaving the score at 7-6 in favor of the Rocks.

Both teams then exchanged quick drives with one another – the Millers with a turnover on 4 downs, and the Rocks with a 3 play drive followed by a great punt by special teams player of the game Camden Simons. Late in the second quarter, with Noblesville on its third offensive drive, Dane Wheeler stepped up with his very own big play for the defense, intercepting a Noblesville pass attempt and getting possession of the ball back for Westfield.

After another offensive punt, the defense went back to work, and cornerback Zach Allen, this week’s defensive player of the game came to life, intercepting a Noblesville pass and giving the Rock offense the ball in Noblesville territory with less than a minute to go in the half. The offense fired on all pistons, with passing completions from Simons to Patchett and thunderous Lickfeldt runs behind the offensive line. Lickfeldt finished the drive sprinting into the end zone uncontested. Jacob Riddle, wearing one of his many hats for special teams made the point after attempt, increasing the Rocks’ lead to a score of 14-6.

The Millers refused to go down without a great fight, and as the 3rd quarter began, the Miller offense went to work, driving and scoring to tighten the score up. The extra point attempt was no good, and the count was 14-12.

The Rocks knew that they had to answer the call in order to win the game and the offense came onto the field with this sense of urgency. Trevor Lickfeldt and Offensive Mr. Consistency Simons each had runs of 10+ yards that set up a great pass from Simons to Patchett, getting the Rocks down to the Miller 5 yard line. Patchett finished off the drive with a touchdown run of his own. The point after attempt was good, and the Rocks’ lead jumped to 21-12.

As the game wound down, Noblesville went more and more to their passing game to create big plays. Zach Allen saw this change and timed up what may be the interception of the year as he snatched the ball from the clutches of the diving Noblesville receiver.

On the Rocks’ final scoring drive, the dual-headed monster of Patchett and Lickfeldt, following the titanic offensive line, each had big rushes toward the end zone. Lickfeldt scored the TD, and Riddle’s PAT was good, giving the Rocks 28 over the Millers’ 12.

After a final Miller touchdown, the Rocks were able to take the field in victory formation. The young men from Westfield were certainly excited to come out on the winning end of such a great rivalry, but they were not content with everything. The freshmen of Westfield know that the meat of the HCC season awaits them, and they are ready to keep improving and to attack the rest of the schedule with an energy never before seen by man.

Please come support your freshman Rocks this Monday, September 19th, at Riverview Health Stadium in beautiful Westfield, where the young men will take on the Royals of Hamilton Southeastern High School.

Go Rocks!

From the Gridiron Club...

The Gridiron Club wanted us to pass along the following reminder...

Just wanted to remind everyone of our fundraiser at the Westfield Diner today from 5:00pm-9:00pm. The address is 781 E Main St. Westfield. Phone (317)804-2007

Tuesday is All You Can Eat Southern Fried Chicken served with fried biscuits & apple butter, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans and macaroni & cheese for only $9.99!!

Call ahead for to go orders includes 4 pieces of chicken.

Hope to see everyone there!

#RockReport Noblesville

Photocredit: Indy Sports Daily 

Rocks Varsity Football increased their record to 4-0, grinding out a 28-7 victory over tough HCC rival Noblesville last night. The Rocks retained the Midland Rail rivalry trophy and rose to 2-0 in conference play.

On offense, the Rocks were led by the dominant Offensive Line. The big boys up front opened holes that the steady legs of Jonathan Swidan exploited consistently throughout the night. Nate Froelich, the other head of Westfield's two-pronged running attack, provided the big play of the night with a 70 yard scamper down the sideline for a key TD.

The Rock D stymied a physical Miller offense, blanking them in the second half and allowing only 7 total points. They were led by strong play from Byron Hubbard and Koby Hauser. Caleb Sanburn tacked on consistent coverage in the back end. The big play of the night came when the Rocks thwarted an early Miller scoring opportunity deep in their own territory. Lucas Schultz and Koby Hauser forced a fumble on a completed pass up the middle, and Hank Grenda provided the recovery.

Shamrock Special Teams again secured the advantage in the game's kicking phase. Will Harrison punted the cover off the ball several times, flipping the field on the Millers during the close game. Koby Hauser added consistent punt fielding for the Rocks, while the big play for the night was again provided by Nolan Rodgers. Rodgers called on his incredible speed to streak through the Miller kickoff return team, bouncing off a blocker before halting the returner at the Miller 15 yard line.

Special mention should be given to Chad Welch, Mike Delaney, and Nathan Nguyen. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They attacked each day during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

The Rocks will host the Hamilton Southeaster Royals this coming Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

(Editor's note: Indy Sports Daily has a ton more of fantastic photos from this contest and others on their site. I highly encourage anyone looking for action photos of the Rocks to check it out!)

#GameDay noblesville millers

Tonight is a big one. Your Rocks will travel 7.8 miles down 32 to take on their closest rival, the Millers, for the Midland Rail Rivalry Trophy. Since 2004, this rivalry has bounced back and forth, with the all time varsity record knotted at 7-7.

Noblesville comes into the game fresh off a last second win over Fishers, their first win of the season. They are sitting at 1-2 but, perhaps more importantly, 1-0 in the conference. They're only averaging 17 points a game, but on 325 yards (173 on the ground). Their lead rusher is also their lead passer in QB Ryan Barnes (#12).

It seems like every time the Rocks and Millers face off, points and yards are hard to come by. These have traditionally been old-school, slog-it-out type games. Expect no different tonight. Both teams will look to establish the run, create turnovers, and beat the opponent up physically.

We could certainly use friendly voices in what is likely to be one of the more unfriendly confines we'll visit this season. The field can be a little tricky to find, as it is down the road a little from the high school, but we've got you covered. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm. See you there!

Shamrock Solidarity

We're big fans of both the WHS volleyball team and Hamilton County First Responders. So, imagine our enthusiasm when they told us about an upcoming opportunity to celebrate both on the same night. We wanted to pass along the information to the rest of you. The contest is this Thursday. For more details, check out the flyer below.

#RockReport JV @ Zionsville

The Westfield Junior Varsity football team was once again unable to pull out the victory against the Eagles of Zionsville Community High School. They lost 32-40 to a well-coached Z.C.H.S. JV team.

The JV Rocks defense started the game with a very soft and underwhelming response to the physical play of the Eagles. The defense allowed scores on the first two drives and the Eagles added another on special teams leading to a quick 21-0 lead. The Rocks defense was able to overcome the malaise of the morning and put forth a much more stern effort for the rest of the game. Sophomore Cam Frye played hard at linebacker for the Rocks and caused a fumble. Sophomore Owen McGraw played fast and physical on special teams and defense making several plays on deep passes and multiple tackles.

The JV Rocks offense started the game with the same gusto (or lack thereof) the defense showed in their first quarter appearance. The offensive output was sparked by a play on special teams. Junior Matthew Meyer started the scoring for the Rocks with a 75 yard kick-off return for a touchdown, putting the Rocks on the board for the first time. The Rocks had a chance to score at the half to put them within a touchdown but came up a yard short before time ran out. Sophomore Dorian Blaze Henson provided a spark for the Rocks on offense leading the Rocks on a scoring drive and Junior quarterback Cameron Nance threw a ball up to Meyer for a 50 yard score. Junior Tyler Canada got creative running his own route but found his way to the end zone and a touchdown. On the last drive of the day, the Rocks were within striking distance of tying the game, but came up just short as their last pass fell to the ground.

The JV Rocks football team will look to bounce back after their first losing streak in years and will play at home vs noblesville High School on Saturday September 10th at 10 a.m.

#RockReport Zionsville Eagles

Rocks Varsity Football increased their record to 3-0, earning a victory over HCC rival Zionsville. In doing so, they gave the Eagles their first loss on the season and secured the Shining Star trophy for the fourth straight year. Additionally, the Rocks are now 1-0 in conference play.

On offense, the Rocks were led by Andy Sweet's dual threat attack. Collin Caldwell and Hayden Rodgers added consistent play from the tight end position, while the big highlight of the night was Sweet's long TD pass to Evan Manley.

The Rock D continued to be stingy with the points, allowing only 8 to a previously high scoring offense. They were led by the relentless interior presence of Hank Grenda, supported by the consistent play of Austin Ward and Caleb Sanburn. The Rocks secured several key turnovers, but one in particular stood out when reserves refused to give up on a long Zionsville pass, with Davis Giffin and Seth Feltner punching out the ball to be recovered by Matthew Noyes.

Shamrock Special Teams secured the advantage in the game's kicking phase. The kickoff team stood out all night, with 8 kickoffs resulting in 7 touchbacks and an Eagle average starting position of their own 21 yard line. Caleb Sanburn tacked on consistent play and the highlight of the night came from Nolan Rodgers' dash down the field to lay a vicious hit and create a fumble.

Special mention should be given to Michael Delaney, Pat Beam, and David Mendoza. These Rocks made significant contributions in preparing the team for the Friday contest. They attacked each day during the week, providing the best possible look for their fellow teammates.

The Rocks will travel just down the road to take on the Noblesville Millers for the Midland Rail rivalry. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

(Photocredit: Hamilton County Reporter)

#GameDay Zionsville Eagles

The eagles fly into town tonight, hoping to reclaim the Shining Star rivalry trophy. Both teams come into tonight's game with spotless 2-0 records. Only one will remain without a loss come Saturday.

Zionsville brings a high powered offense, averaging 48 points and around 600 yards per game. 440 of those yards are in the air, with the rest on the ground, so expect the eagles to throw it tonight. The Rock D will have their work cut out for them limiting starting QB Blake Levy (#6) through the air, and top rusher Brenden Mikesell (#20). The eagles narrowly escaped last week with a last second TD over Lebanon, so look for them to try to come out strong, early in this one.

We'll be celebrating 20 years of Rocks tonight, so come out for the festive atmosphere and, as always, to cheer on your 2016 Rocks. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm. See you there!

Reminder: 20 Year Celebration

Just wanted to throw out a last reminder for tomorrow's game that we'll be celebrating 20 years of Rocks. If you're looking for the details, check out our previous post here. See you all there!