November 30, 2013
Purichia's Big Game Powers Cardinal Ritter past Tipton in Class 2A
Jake Purichia, the state's leading passer, displayed his considerable skills in numerous facets of the game as his Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter team captured the Class 2A state championship.
Purichia completed 21-of-31 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns in the Raiders' 56-6 victory over the Tipton Blue Devils. Purichia rushed for a pair of TDs. He scored another touchdown on a 10-yard return of a blocked punt. He also recorded two tackles and a quarterback hurry as a defensive back.
Cardinal Ritter, with three Class A state titles on its resume, won its first in 2A after finishing as runner-up to Fort Wayne Bishop Luers last season. The high-powered Raiders scored 35 or more points in five of their six tournament victories this season.
Cardinal Ritter produced a number of stars in the title game. Logan Beman rushed 13 times for 95 yards and a TD. Kyree Hollis and Jake Hagan each caught five passes, with Hollis recording a pair of scores. On special teams, Tommy Waites contributed an 89-yard kickoff return for a TD. Defensively, Waites led his team with nine tackles.
For Tipton, quarterback Austin Hooker netted 75 yards on 16 rushing attempts. Josh Snider led the Blue Devils with 11 stops on defense.
Coach Ty Hunt's Raiders, ranked No. 2 in the state coaches poll and No. 3 by the Associated Press, finished 13-2. The Raiders are 76-26 in state tournament games since 1973.
Coach Aaron Tolle's Blue Devils, ranked No. 7 by the Associated Press and No. 9 by the coaches, completed their season at 11-4.
Listen: Cardinal Ritter coach Ty Hunt comments | Tipton coach Aaron Tolle comments
Class 2A Championship Game Records
(Tied) Most Interceptions: 2 by Kyree Hollis, Cardinal Ritter.
Ritter’s Dan Fesenmeier receives Eskew Mental Attitude Award
At the conclusion of the championship game, the IHSAA Executive Committee named Dan Fesenmeier of Cardinal Ritter High School as the winner of the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A football.
Fesenmeier ranks second in his senior class of 118 students. He is an Alpha Phi Beta Kappa Award winner, an Indianapolis Colts Scholar Athlete Award recipient, NFL Foundation Scholar nominee and was named Academic All-State by the Indiana Football Coaches Association.
He also was named All-City by the coaches and was the only player named on both offense and defense. He also earned Indiana Crossroads All-Conference honors and won Ritter’s Most Valuable Lineman Award.
Besides football, he has played for the Raiders basketball and golf teams all four years of high school.
He is the son of James and Jane Fesenmeier of Brownsburg and plans to study chemical engineering at either Purdue University or Georgia Tech.
Each year the IHSAA Executive Committee selects a senior player who was nominated by his principal and coach and was determined to have best demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. The award is named in honor of the IHSAA’s third commissioner from 1962-76.
The Indianapolis Colts presented a $1,000 scholarship to Cardinal Ritter High School in the name of Dan Fesenmeier. The Colts have been the presenting sponsor of the entire football state tournament since 2009 and are sponsoring the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award for the first year.