One week after shutting out an undefeated Knox squad and bottling up the state’s all-time leading rusher in Myles McLaughlin, the Bishop Luers football team faced yet another monumental defensive assignment in the IHSAA Class 3A state championship game: slow the historically prolific Cascade Cadet offense, which entered the contest averaging 54 points per game. Despite limiting Cascade (15-0) to its lowest scoring output of the season, the Knights (9-6) couldn’t recover from an early 19-0 hole and ended up falling to the Cadets 29-14 at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday, November 28, in Indianapolis. It was the first-ever football state championship for Cascade, a program with only one sectional title in its previous 59 years. https://todayscatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bishop-Luers-High-School-2025-3A-State-Championship-Game.mp4 Running back Brandon Gaither carries the ball for the Knights at Lucas Oil Stadium during the Class 3A state championship game. “First, a tip of the hat to Cascade,” said Luers head coach Kyle Lindsay immediately following the game. “They came out and executed early; they just got the early momentum. In big games like this, on a stage like this, you get out to an early jump and make the other team feel the heat, that can often be the difference. Getting down 19-0 and battling back … it really speaks to the character of our kids, the resiliency, the leadership of this senior class and our captains.” It was the same resiliency that helped Bishop Luers shake off a 0-3 start to the season and believe in the goal of a return trip to state, where the Knights had fallen to Heritage Hills in the 3A title game a year ago. After pushing through the grind of the Summit Athletic Conference and reeling off five straight tournament victories, Luers earned a record 19th state championship appearance, seeking its 13th title in program history and first in Class 3A. “We just fight; we keep going. Not a lot of people get to be here, so we’re blessed. You know, it’s all God’s will for us to be here.” TJ Epperson, Bishop Luers Sophomore The undefeated Cadets presented the Knights with a unique challenge, as their no-huddle Wing-T offense was the second-highest scoring unit in the state. Cascade ran this offense to perfection in the first quarter of the state title game, scoring three quick touchdowns and amassing nearly 200 yards on the ground for a 19-0 lead. After a pair of punts to start the game, the Bishop Luers offense awoke on its third possession. Sophomore quarterback Thomas Reichert orchestrated an 11-play, 75-yard drive, capped by a 3-yard touchdown run by fellow sophomore TJ Epperson. “I mean, I love these guys,” Epperson said of his teammates after the game. “They’re so great. We just hold each other accountable, push each other to be great, and I feel like that brotherly love is what kept us in this game.” The Knights had two more scoring opportunities in the second quarter, but a fumble inside the Cadets’ 5-yard line and a turnover on downs in Cascade territory snuffed out promising drives. However, the Luers defense held the Cadets to a field goal in the final seconds of the half, and the Knights trailed 22-7 at the break. Photos by Joe RomieBishop Luers sophomore quarerback Thomas Reichert waits for the snap during the Knights’ Class 3A state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Friday, November 28. Bishop Luers lost to Cascade 29-14. “This game can smack you in the face,” Lindsay said. “For [the Luers defense] to scoop themselves up and give us a chance – they gave the offense a chance to make this a game. Ultimately, it really was a tight game. Just to get that stand there and force him to a field goal right before half is just another example of that resiliency.” After a scoreless third quarter, Epperson found the endzone again with 7:18 left in regulation – this time on a 2-yard run in which the entire offensive line exerted its will and pushed the pile across the goal line. “I got the ball, and they started pushing me in, and I was in – but then I got pushed back out, and then I got pushed back in,” Epperson said after the game. “I’ve never had it happen like that before; it was really cool. Props to my offensive line for giving me that extra push and effort.” This display of determination made it a one-score game at 22-14, and a defensive stop could give Bishop Luers a chance at a game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion. Facing a fourth-and-six, Cascade quarterback Brady Trebley rolled out and found J.T. Roshong for a 7-yard completion to keep the ball away from the Knights. Moments later, Dayton Mink scored his second rushing touchdown of the game to seal the win for the Cadets. For Bishop Luers, sophomore Brandon Gaither, Jr. led the rushing attack with 19 carries for 99 yards, while Epperson rushed 17 times for 94 yards. Reichert finished 10-of-17 passing for 142 yards, while Gaither Jr. and Nate Javins hauled in three receptions apiece. However, the spirit and toughness the Knights exhibited throughout the game went beyond the numbers. “I couldn’t be prouder of a group of kids that have battled through adversity,” Lindsay said. “They never gave up, they just kept slugging all year, and that’s the reason that we got to the stage in the first place. Their ability to just stick together and – we talk about it all the time – just focus on the next rep; you have to put the last one behind you. Control what you can control. That’s been a message we’ve fully communicated to the kids ever since they were freshmen. It stinks whenever you get here and lose, but the journey is more than half the enjoyment, what it took to get here.” “I’m so proud of everybody,” echoed Epperson. “We just fight; we keep going. Not a lot of people get to be here, so we’re blessed. You know, it’s all God’s will for us to be here. Even though we didn’t get what we wanted, we really can’t be that mad at the situation.” The post Bishop Luers Falls Short in Class 3A State Championship appeared first on Today's Catholic. ...read more read less