Lowell loses to Reitz in Class 4A state finals

INDIANAPOLIS | There was absolutely no reason for Lowell's Jordan Juarez and Stephen Garton to feel they had cost their team its biggest game of the season.

That was as far off base as Lowell's 23-9 loss to Evansville Reitz was out of reach in Saturday's Class 4A state championship.

The Red Devils (13-2) fell behind early 20-3 and failed to capitalize on several opportunities while Reitz (15-0) cashed in like a Christmas shopper on Black Friday.

Brandon Grubbe, who rushed for 160 net yards and a touchdown, set up the Panthers' first TD with a pass interference call.

Juarez lost a fumble at the Reitz 1 while extending the ball, trying to break the plane; Garton got all twisted up on Jeff Hudson's 35-yard TD reception; and Lowell managed only 45 yards passing.

Reitz was also 6-for-12 on third down conversions, while Lowell was 4-of-12.

Like Lowell coach Kirk Kennedy as his assistants always say, this was a "team" loss. Juarez and Garton needed to understand that.

"It was probably a dumb mistake on my part. It wasn't like it was fourth-and-anything," said Juarez, a junior. "I probably shouldn't have tried but I did it. I messed up.

"I wanted to score really bad, but I got greedy. I should've just fell down and let Grubbe put it in next play."

Garton remained visibly shaken during the awards presentation, standing in the south end zone with tears in his eyes.

"I thought that I felt (Hudson) on the back side of me and I was waiting for the ball to come down, but he just stopped and jumped in front of me," Garton said. "It's going to be on my mind.

"I was right there. It was totally my fault. My feet didn't even move off the ground."

Cuda Dimmett said Lowell had nothing for which to apologize.

"That's probably the best fight we've had all year. I guarantee you," Dimmett said. "Football is unpredictable. Anything can happen. We knew if we didn't get those (early) first downs, they'd come back and probably put up some points."

Dimmett added there are so many playmakers in high school football, you can never blame one player for a loss.

Kennedy certainly didn't.

"We dug ourselves too big of a hole early," he said. "A football game is four quarters but every quarter counts. And when you gift-wrap three touchdowns against a quality opponent like that, it's gonna cost you.

"We fought back. We fought hard. But the hole was too big. I'm proud of our kids. We gave a great effort but at certain points in the game we weren't very smart and in the end that cost us."

What makes Reitz so scary is that quarterback Matt McIntosh (204 yards, 2 TDs) and Cuda Dimmett (4 catches, 121 yards, 2 TDs) are only juniors.

Hudson (4 catches, 112 yards, 1 TD) is a senior placekicker and also threw a scoring pass on a well-executed 46-yard fleaflicker to Dimmett.

"We had some guys step up and make big plays. Period," Reitz coach Tony Lewis said.

Reitz came in having outscored its playoff opponents 195-51, while Lowell also held a one-sided 164-57 advantage.

"They came out and did exactly what we prepared to stop. We knew we couldn't afford to give up that quick start and we did," Kennedy said. "And that's the part that's most frustrating. The game went exactly like it had to go for them to win."

The Red Devils weren't used to being jumped on so early, and it showed.

"Great group of kids. Great leadership. We got a lot done on the field," Kennedy said. "They're down right now and disappointed but when the dust settles, they'll realize their accomplishments."

PREP FOOTBALL

Class 4A State Championship

Evansville Reitz 23, Lowell 9

Reitz junior Matt McIntosh passed for 204 yards and two touchdowns and had two receivers with more than 100 yards each.