Last night, your Rocks hosted the Fishers Tigers for their last home game of the regular season. The boisterous crowd, including many of Westfield’s youth league players, were treated to a 28-14 Shamrock victory. The win bumps the Rocks to 7-1 (5-1 HCC) on the season. The Rock D got the nod to start this one, and after a few Tiger first downs, they came up with the stop. Westfield’s offense wasted no time in hanging some points on the board when Jackson Gilbert found Gabe Aramboles for a 73-yard scoring strike (Brody Boehm kick). The Rock D kept Fishers in check on the answering drive, and a short punt put the Rocks back in business. They would attempt a long field goal, but it was partially blocked at the line and fell short. With another chance to answer, the Tigers were once more stymied by Westfield’s defense. A second short punt set the Rocks up in the waning moments of the first. 7-0 Rocks would hold only briefly into the second quarter when Mikeah Webster punched it in for 6. The point after sailed wide right, so the Rocks settled for a six point lead. Fishers, desperate to get on the board and sniffing the end zone, pushed things through four downs, but the Shamrocks again held. Backed up, Westfield gained a little ground back before a punt, but with just under a minute to play in the half, the Tigers were staring down a short field and had the motivation to not go into the break with a goose-egg. They managed the punch-in, and the Rocks would kneel out the few remaining seconds, taking their 13-7 lead to halftime. Westfield started the second half with the ball, but stumbled out of the gate with a quick three-and-out. The teams traded a pair of punts as the third quarter rounded into shape as a defensive showdown. Both teams were kept in check, though the Rock D got the better of the period when Drew Law picked off a Tiger pass for the Shamrock takeaway of the night. 13-7 Rocks still showed on the board as things turned over to the fourth, but Fishers had the ball back after a Westfield punt and were threatening to take the lead with a score. The Tigers made it all the way down to the Shamrock 18 yard line before they pushed things through four downs again, but were once more stopped by the stout Rock D. Gilbert and the Westfield offense snagged the momentum and slung the ball over to Maximus Nosler for a 70-yard backbreaking score (Boehm kick). To make up for the missed point earlier in the contest and extend the lead to a full two-scores, the Rocks went for two. Gilbert found Nosler free in the paint for the bonus points and, just like that, the score was 21-7 Rocks midway through the fourth. Fishers did not go quietly, however, and hung a score on the board with five minutes left to play. The Tigers attempted an onside kick for the additional possession, but the Rocks were able to secure the football. With a short field in front of them, Westfield pushed to salt the final minutes away. Perhaps the play of the night, Gilbert escaped from Tiger pressure and found Beau Braun in the middle of the field for a critical third down conversion to keep the drive alive. Kendall Garnett finished things off with a score (Boehm kick), and the Shamrock lead was back to 2 scores with two minutes left to play. Fishers fought on their final drive of the night, but the theme held as the Rock D came up with one last stop. Westfield’s offense trotted back out to take a knee as the last seconds slid from the clock, securing the 28-14 victory. Next Friday, your Rocks will travel to Franklin Central to face the Flashes. The contest will wrap up the regular season and HCC play. Kickoff is scheduled for 7PM.