Magical, inspiring, loud. These are all understatements when put into the same sentence as East Noble Homecoming 2013. New Haven came into East Noble TERRORtory and left with their tails tucked between their legs. “I talked to their coaching staff as they got off the bus, and what struck me immediately was a sense of nerves on their part,” said East Noble Athletic Director, Rief Gilg, “as if they were sensing bad things happening.” Boasting a 7-0 record and a #2 rank in Indiana 4A football, the Bulldogs had all of the credentials to defeat the Knights, but the Knights had all of the heart to defeat the Dogs. A victory of 30-6 boosted East Noble to 6-2 on the season, and stomped New Haven down to a 7-1 record.
Brandon Mable, running back for the Knights, rushed for 229 yards and two touchdowns, while the quarterback, Bryce Wolfe, went 10 for 16 for 161 yards and two touchdowns, one passing and one rushing. With New Haven averaging over 45 points per game, Coach Kempf’s Roughneck Defense held the Bulldogs to a starving six points on Friday. There was no shortage of big plays in the game, whether it was an onside recovery, a trademark Landan Tackett blast, or a 48-yard run by Mable, the Knights maintained momentum through every minute of the game. The play that ultimately removed the key from New Haven’s ignition, though, was the zone read fake, performed perfectly by Bryce Wolfe for a touchdown. After a plethora of successful rushes by Mable into the trenches, the Bulldogs tried to cheat on the play and bring Mable to the ground, but, the only problem was, Wolfe had pulled the ball and hit a ten-yard hole on the weak side, rushing passed the entire New Haven defense for the final touchdown. “I didn’t even know Bryce [Wolfe] had the ball,” explained Brandon Joest, offensive lineman for the Knights. “I saw Mable go down, heard the crowd cheer, and thought to myself, ‘Why is everybody cheering so loud for a 2-yard gain?’ Well Bryce was in the endzone, that’s why.”
Choosing a single leader on this Knights football team is a difficult task, as they all work together so well. The offense executes their blocks, and the defense swarms the ball rapidly. Speed and strength on the East Noble football team seems unmatched, and they continue to make their presence felt, as a blowout of the #2 ranked team in the state of Indiana created a surplus of double-takes reading the Sunday Newspaper.
Kendallville, Indiana must have been visible on the Richter Scale on Friday, as the fans were louder than ever. Once the crowd knew that a win was becoming more and more realistic, and understood what a huge win it would be, they became more and more involved. The connection between the student section and parent section was enough to send chills down the spine of every East Noble fan. Students chanted “EAST,” while parents cheered “NOBLE,” and the volume was incredible. The rumble in the ground, the pumping of fists, and the silence of the New Haven sideline created an ambiance of war, and brought a smile to every Knight expression.
In response to the upset win, the Knights’ student section stormed the field and embraced the football team in an act that joined the entire student body, breaking down barriers between every student. For one night, Friday, October 11, 2013, East Noble was a family, with racing hearts and a congregated smile, running out onto the field with no desire to leave. The magic of the Friday Night Lights was evident in every possible way on Homecoming Night, and for those who were not there, hopefully one night there is a low rumble and an ignited fire in their souls, as there was that night in every witness’ heart.
Congratulations to Coach Amstutz, the entire coaching staff, and the East Noble football team on the incredible win, and congratulations to Jonathon Kane and Mary Tremaine on being named Homecoming King and Queen!