Linton falls in 2A state football championship

Following three consecutive years of heartbreak at Lucas Oil Stadium in the Class 1A state championship, the Adams Central Flying Jets stormed onto the 2A scene and defeated the Linton-Stockton Miners on Friday, 46-6, for their first football championship since 2000.

“I’m just relieved and excited for these kids,” Adams Central head coach Michael Mosser said. “It’s a huge accomplishment, for us to be here four years in a row and have three heartache games beforehand and getting it done. That was a big thing we wanted to do… we wanted to accomplish this goal and get it done.”

After entering the title game with the 23rd-highest average margin of victory (25.9) and 12th-lowest average points allowed (9.9) in the state, Adams Central used its dominant offense and a title game-worthy defensive showing to defeat its first top 10 opponent this season.

The 46 points scored was Adams Central’s second-most scored in a game this season and the most since putting up 49 against Bluffton on Oct. 11. The 40-point margin of victory was its 55-0 blanking of Southern Wells on Oct. 4.

“To come in, go up a class and win it, it’s a big testimony to what these seniors have done, what the coaches have done,” Mosser said. “I’m so proud of my coaches, they’ve coached their hearts out and these kids have listened and been coachable. They’ve just been so determined.”

Forty-six seconds into the contest, senior Max Kaehr brought in the Flying Jets first of four interceptions in the game – one shy of tying the state record set by Indianapolis Bishop Chatard vs. West Lafayette in 1984 – to begin an onslaught of scoring.

Each of the four interceptions led to touchdown drives and 27 total points scored by the Flying Jets. They punted just once, running the ball in for touchdowns in seven of 10 total drives – two of which only ended as time expired in each half.

“It was a big moment for us to get that turnover, go down and score and then just being able to move the ball as we wanted to,” Mosser said. “That was a big key. We knew we had to be able to stop them defensively, and our defense played tremendously today.”

All four quarters featured at least one Adams Central touchdown, with 19 points in the first half and 27 in the second. Seventeen of 18 first downs were secured on the ground, with quarterback Jamison Roach’s lone complete pass – of just seven attempts – also crossing the first down yard.

In total, four rushers combined for 351 yards on 55 attempts, with the seven touchdowns by Roach (3), fullback Matt Heiser (2) and running back Aaron Hirschy (2) tying the 2A title game record set by Jimtown vs. Clarksville in 1997.

“[The running game] is huge,” Mosser said. “I mean, everybody chooses whatever offense they want to do. This works for us. It’s been our culture, it’s been our system, our kids believe in it.”

Adams Central was the ninth different school to play in four consecutive state championship games, following Center Grove’s four straight berths in 6A from 2019-22.

Eight starters between offense and defense for the Flying Jets are seniors, who never knew a season that didn’t end at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“[The seniors] have been a class that didn’t do well in the lower levels and always seemed to struggle, and then then they’ve been behind some really good classes,” Mosser said. “They’ve always been kind of a support role. They really rose to the occasion to be an outstanding class and an outstanding group of leaders that really brought it on.”

The years are short for Adams Central, it’s first championship since the 2000 season coming four years in the making after its three consecutive losses to Indianapolis Lutheran. But when a new season calendar begins, the work is from the ground up.

“Football’s an emotional game,” Mosser said. “There’s a lot that goes into it. We start in June [with] scrimmages and practices. It’s always just physical. It’s a physical, tough game, and it’s an emotional game. I think that just factors into it when you can achieve your goal and come out here on top in a state championship, there’s nothing better than that.”

Class 2A State Championship Records

Most Rushing Touchdowns (Tied) 7 by Adams Central vs. Linton-Stockton, 2024; 7 by Jimtown vs. Clarksvile, 1997.

Linton-Stockton's Hayden Feltner earns Ress Mental Attitude Award

During the awards ceremony, Hayden Feltner of Linton-Stockton High School was announced by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the recipient of the Blake Ress Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A 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.

Hayden currently ranks fifth in his senior class at Linton-Stockton. He is involved in the National Honors Society as well as an integral role in the Future Farmers of America program in the position of President and officer.

Hayden is a four-year Wabash Valley All Athletic team. He was part of Linton-Stockton’s 2A state runner-up basketball team in 2023. Hayden’s also participated in track and field team during his career at Linton-Stockton.

He is the son of Brett and Danielle Feltner of Worthington, IN and will attend Vincennes University to study Agriculture beginning next fall.

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 Linton-Stockton High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Hayden Feltner.