'One of Them Ones': Sharpe sparks Brownsburg's dominant victory for sectional title

BROWNSBURG – While one bad November night can end a high school football season, let’s be candid. Was there any reason for No. 1 Brownsburg to be concerned about beating Ben Davis for a Class 6A sectional title Friday?We can think of three.One, this was Ben Davis, whose 10 state championships are the most by an Indiana public school. Two, Ben Davis pushed Brownsburg to the limit two years ago before losing 38-35. Three, Ben Davis came here having won three in a row by a collective score of 112-19.“We played like we were underdogs in this situation,” Brownsburg defensive lineman Jamon Cole said.That takes some serious creativity. The Bulldogs are nothing if not serious.After two plays, they led 7-0. One minute into the second quarter, it was 28-0.Oscar Frye threw two of his three touchdown passes to Mr. Football candidate Branden Sharpe, and Brownsburg took another step to a potential third straight state championship with a 42-7 victory. That’s 30 straight wins . . . and counting.“That’s the standard in Indiana high school football,” Ben Davis coach Brett Cooper said.Brownsburg is ranked 10th nationally by NFL Play Football, 13th by On3 and 14th by MaxPreps.and USA Today.Brownsburg (11-0) will play at No. 4 Lawrence North (9-2) in the regional. It will be a rematch of Week 1, when Brownsburg turned a 19-14 halftime deficit into a 48-25 victory.Ben Davis finished 5-6.Brownsburg’s winning streak started after a loss to Hamilton Southeastern in the 2024 regular-season finale. The Bulldogs then won five straight – all by a touchdown or less – to win their first state championship since 1985.They were 14-0 last year and have won 10 of 11 this year by 23 or more points. (The other was 31-15 over Rabun Gap-Nacoochee, Ga.) Friday’s second half was played with a running block because Brownsburg led by 35 points (42-7) at the half.“We’re in a special place,” Brownsburg coach John Hart said. “Because our community expects hard-working people. And our school expects hard-working people. And our team works and plays hard.”None is more special than Sharpe, who had the eye black to underscore that. Across his face, the lettering read: “One of them ones.”On Brownsburg’s first play, he turned a short pass into a 60-yard gain. He scored two touchdowns, measuring 9 and 34 yards.On the latter, an official ruled he was forced out of bounds along the sideline before running back inbounds. The touchdown followed what he said was his first fumble since he was a sophomore.“When I got up, I said, ‘Oh my gosh. I’ve got to do something to get this back,’ “ Sharpe said of the fumble. “Coach put me in position to make a play.”Sharpe, who plans to enroll at Indiana University in January, caught eight passes for 129 yards – all in the first half. He has 18 TD catches this year and went over 1,100 receiving yards for a third year in a row.Brownsburg employed Sharpe all over the field, including on punt returns. His 24-yard return to the Ben Davis 22 set up the Bulldogs’ fourth touchdown.“We don’t take anybody lightly,” Sharpe said. “We knew they had talent all across the field, regardless of their record. So we had to come out and punch them in the mouth first.”Frye was 13-of-16 passing for 184 yards, all in the first half. Brady Lewis rushed eight times for 54 yards, scored two touchdowns and went over 1,000 yards for the season.-Brownsburg 42, Ben Davis 7Ben Davis 0 7 0 0 -- 7Brownsburg 21 21 0 0 -- 42B – Brady Lewis 11 run (Alex Thompson kick)B – Branden Sharpe 12 pass from Oscar Frye (Thompson kick)B – Lewis 16 run (Thompson kick)B – Parker Condon 3 run (Thompson kick)BD – Isaiah Raine 42 pass from DJ Mitchell (Venzdel Jacques Casillas kick)B – Sharpe 34 pass from Frye (Thompson kick)B – Noah Dearman 26 pass from Frye (Thompson kick)This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 'One of Them Ones': Sharpe sparks Brownsburg's dominant victory for sectional title