Class 6A second-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral opened the 2023 high school football season Friday night at Lucas Oil Stadium with a convincing 55-14 win over Lafayette Jeff in the Horseshoe Classic. The Irish compiled 285 rushing yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground in a game that was played under a running clock in the second half. Cathedral’s special teams put the Irish on the board when Jackson Weingart recovered a bad punt snap in the endzone to conclude the Bronchos’ first possession. Later in the first quarter, quarterback Danny O’Neil ran 67 yards down the visiting sideline for a touchdown, improving the Irish lead to 14-0. Early in the second quarter, O’Neil completed a short pass to tight end Zach Meeks, who then ran 32 yards untouched for a TD. Jalen Bonds added rushing touchdowns of six and 23 yards before halftime to make the margin 35-0 at the intermission, which invoked the IHSAA Mercy Rule and initiated the running clock for the second half. Lafayette Jeff quarterback Lance Crowder ran 36 yards for a score on the Bronchos’ first possession of the second half. Cathedral’s Desare Thomas answered with a 76-yard scoring run at the end of the third period. In the fourth quarter, Irish linebacker Michael Pugh tipped a Crowder pass to himself and returned the interception 47 yards for a touchdown, while running back Levi Link scampered 50 yards for the final Cathedral score. O’Neil only played in the first half, completing 8 of 11 passes for 99 yards. Thomas led the Irish in rushing with 102 yards on just five attempts. Crowder rushed for 101 yards for the Bronchos, while DJ Young caught seven passes for 100 yards including a 70-yard reception for Jeff’s second touchdown in the final quarter. The Fighting Irish travel to Brownsburg next Friday. Cathedral lost to the Bulldogs (42-35) in the 2022 regular season, but defeated them in the tournament’s regional round last November (14-7). Ninth-rated Brownsburg opened its season Friday with a 51-7 win at Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger. Garrett Sherrell, who rushed for more than 100 yards against the Irish in both of last season’s meetings, scored three rushing touchdowns against the Saints Friday night including an 80-yarder on the Bulldogs’ opening possession.