What was lost has now been found for the New Prairie High School Cougars football team.
The Cougars captured their first Regional championship in 10 years on Friday, defeating the visiting Lowell Red Devils, 28-27, in thrilling fashion.
One point. Sometime that’s the difference between jubilation and bitter disappointment. The Cougars now know the feeling on both ends of the spectrum. Last year, New Prairie fell one point shy of a regional title in a loss at this point in the season to East Chicago Central. This year, however, the Cougars would pick up the one point win and in turn pass the heartbreak off to Lowell.
“I’m so excited - this is awesome,” said an enthused Abigail Werner, sophomore at New Prairie. “It feels amazing to get the redemption from last year and win this time.”
Chad Weller, father of Cougars’ star Tyler Weller - said he was “beyond excited” moments following the clincher.
“All these kids worked really hard. They are great kids,” he said.
Weller also expressed some surprise of the team’s accomplishment. The Cougars kicked off the season with a lopsided loss at the hands of County rival La Porte (who is also headed to a semi-state game), but have not lost since.
“They just kept getting better,” he said.
Friday’s regional winner was not without its nerve-wracking moments for the home squad. Lowell had led 13-7 at one point in the second quarter and erased a 15-point second half deficit to nearly win the game.
The Red Devils scored a rushing touchdown with a minute and change to go to bring the gap to 28-27, but a bold move to go for the two-point conversion and the win backfired as the Red Devil quarterback was tackled at the three-yard line as he was attempting to roll left for the winner.
“I was so nervous,” said R.J. Bougher, junior offensive lineman for the Cougars. “I was watching on the sideline hoping they wouldn’t get it and fortunately our defense stepped up with a big stop.”
Bougher credits the stout Cougar defense for a stellar second half for the win.
“We (the offense) played well in the first half, but let up a little later on. Give credit to the defense for closing it out for us,” he said.
Friday night may have been the biggest football party in New Carlisle since 2004, but Cougar fans know the job is not complete. New Prairie heads to Northridge next Friday in the semi-state match-up, with the winner headed to Lucas Oil Stadium to play for all the marbles: a state title.
“We aren’t done yet,” Werner said. “We are going to win state and that’s that.”