North Judson falls in 1A state football championship

Leading up to the Class 1A state championship game, Providence coach Daniel McDonald said his quarterback, Preston Kempf, was “the best player in southern Indiana.”

After Kempf’s performance in his team’s 35-20 victory over North Judson-San Pierre, there may not be many who would disagree.

Kempf, a 5-11, 170-pound senior, accounted for all five Pioneers touchdowns -- running for four and passing for another -- while piling up 200 yards rushing on 23 carries. He scored on runs of 13, 5, 44 and 46 yards with that last jaunt coming on a spectacular effort with two minutes left which put on display his superior speed and agility.

It was his touchdown pass – a 2-yarder to Kalen Sipes that came with :02 left in the first half – that gave his team command of the game.

“I’m not going to deny it now,” McDonald said. "I don’t say it to be arrogant, but Preston is the best player in southern Indiana.”

“Providence is not a one-man team,” North Judson coach Brett Lambert said, “but, there’s no question (Kempf) makes things roll for them.”

“It’s all the work we put in,” Kempf said, deflecting the praise to add his teammates in. “I have a great coach and I get put in perfect spots to make things happen.”

As a result, Providence claimed its first-ever state championship, after runner-up finishes in 1973 and 1993. The Pioneers finish the season 14-0 – the fifth-straight unbeaten 1A champion. Providence thus joins 4A titlist New Palestine as the only unbeaten teams in 2024.

Kempf did make a mistake early in the contest as a mishandled exchange with a running back ended up on the ground and kicked into the end zone, where North Judson’s Grason McDaniel recovered to give the Bluejays a 6-0 lead.

As it turned out, that was pretty much the only mistake Kempf made all day.

The Pioneers came back after the kickoff and drove 49 yards on six plays, tying the game on Kempf’s 13-yard run and taking the lead for good on Jaxon Revell’s extra-point.

On the next Providence possession, Kempf directed a 10-play, 84-yard drive, culminating in a 5-yard Kempf scoring run and a 14-6 lead.

The Pioneer defense then forced another three-and-out, leaving 8:37 on the clock. No problem for Kempf as he took 16 plays to set up Providence at the Bluejay 2 with only seconds left.

On third down, Kempf quickly rolled right and found Sipes just past the pylon for a 21-6 lead at halftime.

In the meantime, the vaunted North Judson offense, which ran up an average nearly 400 yards rushing and 54 points per game found itself stymied. The Bluejays gained only 60 yards on 13 offensive plays in the first half.

“The first half just wasn’t North Judson football,” Lambert said. "They really got after us.”

Lambert’s squad did show life in the third quarter as Jessiah McDaniel score on a 13-yard run with 3:27 left in the third to cut the Providence lead to 21-12. The Bluejays, however, could get no closer.

Kempf added his long scoring runs during the final 12 minutes, his beautiful 46-yarder coming after North Judson closed with 28-20 on a Kole Wilcox 1-yard TD run with 3:49 left.

Along with Kempf’s effort, the Pioneer defense shined as it held North Judson to 227 total yards – half its average from the previous 14 games.

“The guys stepped up in the moment today,” McDonald said of his squad. “The whole defense got the job done and gave a tremendous effort.”

North Judson (14-1) was making its fourth appearance in the state finals – also falling in the title games in 1980, 1984 and 1985.

Class 1A State Championship Records

Team

Highest Punting Average: 51.0 by Providence vs. North Judson-San Pierre, 2024. (Old Record: 46.0 by Indianapolis Scecina vs. Lafayette Central Catholic, 2011)

Individual

Highest Punting Average: 51.0 by Nick Stoner, Providence vs. North Judson-San Pierre, 2024. (Old Record: 46.0 Ryan Frain, Indianapolis Scecina vs. Lafayette Central Catholic, 2011)

Bluejays' Brock Benson selected recipient of Mental Attitude Award

During the awards ceremony, Brock Benson of North Judson-San Pierre High School was announced by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the recipient of the Blake Ress Mental Attitude Award in Class 1A Football.

The award is annually presented to a senior who is nominated by his principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability during his four years of high school.

Brock ranks 10th currently in his senior class, has been a member of North Judson’s National Honor Society for two years. He is in his second year with the school’s CTE-Construction Trades program and is on track to receive an Indiana Technical Honors Diploma.

Brock was recognized as IFCA Class 1A Junior All-State last season, holds the school record for career rushing yards, is a four-year starter, and served as team captain. He also plays on the Bluejays baseball team.

He is the son of Nathan and Crystal Benson of Knox. He intends to enter the workforce directly after high school to become a part of the Local 150 Operators Union.

The award is named in honor of Commissioner Emeritus Blake Ress, who served as the IHSAA’s seventh commissioner from 2000-11.

The Indianapolis Colts, the presenting sponsor of the state tournament, presented a $1,000 scholarship to North Judson-San Pierre High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Brock Benson.