Friday night in Indiana is basically a religion. If you grew up here, you know the smell of concession stand popcorn and the sound of a drumline warming up is just part of the local DNA. But honestly, the 2025 season felt different. We weren't just looking for standard indiana high school football scores on our phones; we were witnessing a massive shift in power across almost every class.
The storylines were wild. You had perennial powerhouses getting knocked off their pedestals and small-town teams making runs that felt like something straight out of a movie. When the dust finally settled at Lucas Oil Stadium in late November, the record books didn't just have new names—they had new legends.
The Chaos at Lucas Oil: Breaking Down the Finals
The 6A title game was the one everyone circled. It was a rematch, Brownsburg vs. Westfield, and most people expected a defensive grind. They were wrong. It was an absolute shootout. Brownsburg managed to pull off a 38-31 win to secure back-to-back state championships, but the way they did it was legendary.
Branden Sharpe. Remember that name. He didn't just play; he took over the stadium. Sharpe set a state-finals record with 151 receiving yards, but the dagger was his 99-yard kickoff return. It’s the longest in IHSAA state finals history. You could feel the air leave the Westfield side of the stands the moment he broke that tackle near the 20.
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Westfield’s sophomore QB Cooper Melvin fought like a lion, though. He threw for 244 yards and ran for a team-high 75. It’s sort of heartbreaking for the Shamrocks—that’s their fourth runner-up finish in six years. They are right there, but Brownsburg is currently the gold standard in the state's largest class.
Small Towns, Big Rings
While the 6A game had the flash, Class 3A gave us the feel-good story of the year. Cascade. They finished 15-0. Think about that. They hadn't ever even been to a title game before, and they walked out with the trophy after beating Fort Wayne Bishop Luers 29-14. Dayton Mink was the engine, carrying the ball 25 times for 119 yards. It was old-school, smash-mouth Indiana football at its finest.
Over in 1A, South Putnam ended a nearly 40-year drought. They hadn't won a state title since 1986. They were tied 14-14 with Pioneer at halftime, and then the floodgates just opened. A 41-point second-half outburst? That’s not just a lead; that’s a statement. Drew Cline was nearly perfect, going 8-of-9 through the air and adding 53 yards on the ground.
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More Than Just Numbers: The 2025 Champions List
If you missed the final weekend, here is how the classes shook out. It wasn't always the favorites who came out on top.
- Class 6A: Brownsburg 38, Westfield 31
- Class 5A: New Palestine 38, Merrillville 17
- Class 4A: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 36, Roncalli 29
- Class 3A: Cascade 29, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers 14
- Class 2A: Andrean 7, Brownstown Central 0
- Class 1A: South Putnam 55, Pioneer 29
The 5A game was particularly interesting because New Palestine moved up a class and still dominated. They’ve now won 28 straight games. Jacob Davis and Caden Jacobia are a terrifying duo in the backfield. They combined for over 250 rushing yards against a very physical Merrillville team.
The "Success Factor" and What Happens Next
One thing that kinda flies under the radar for casual fans is the IHSAA Success Factor. Because of their deep runs, some teams are moving up a class for the 2026-2027 cycle. Adams Central is moving from 2A to 3A. This is a huge deal. It changes the landscape of sectionals and makes those indiana high school football scores next year look very different.
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The 4A final between Bishop Dwenger and Roncalli was probably the most tactical game of the bunch. Dwenger used a fake field goal in the fourth quarter to take the lead—a 37-yard pass from Lucas Nguyen to AJ Shefferly. It takes guts to call that in a state championship game. George Hackman’s interception in the end zone on the final play basically sealed their first crown since 2018.
Key Takeaways for the Offseason
If you’re a fan looking ahead, keep an eye on these developments:
- The Brownsburg Dynasty: With back-to-back titles and an undefeated season, they are the team to beat. Their coaching staff, led by John Hart, has figured out how to win the big one.
- Cascade’s Rise: They proved that a program can go from "never been there" to "undefeated champions" in a single season.
- New Palestine’s Streak: 28 games is incredible. The target on their back is massive now, and every 5A team is going to be gunning for them in 2026.
- Andrean’s Defense: Winning a state title game 7-0 is unheard of in the modern era. It shows that even with all the high-flying offenses, a disciplined defense can still carry you to a ring.
If you're following recruitment, several of these players are heading to big-time programs. Branden Sharpe and Cooper Melvin are names you'll likely hear on Saturdays very soon.
For now, the lights are off at Lucas Oil, and the weight rooms are starting to fill back up. The 2025 season was a reminder that in Indiana, any team can become a legend if they have the right Friday night.
To stay ahead of the curve for the 2026 season, start tracking the junior varsity rosters of the top 25 teams. Many of the breakout stars from the 2025 state finals were role players or JV standouts just twelve months ago. Also, keep a close watch on the IHSAA sectional realignment announcements; these geographical shifts often dictate which powerhouses will be forced to eliminate each other before even reaching the regional round. If you're a coach or a serious student of the game, reviewing the film of Bishop Dwenger's fake field goal and Brownsburg's special teams blocking schemes will provide the best blueprint for winning high-stakes postseason games in the coming year.