Hanover Central High School

by Kevin Driscoll (Cedar Lake, IN) On Senior Night at the Wildcat Den, Hanover senior quarterback Tommy Bonner tossed four touchdowns to four different receivers, leading the Wildcats to an easy 54-0 win over Highland. The Wildcats (2-1, 1-1 NCC) began the defense of their 2023 Northwest Crossroads Conference crown. HC has yet to lose a game in the conference it joined last season. Bonner and his fellow starters racked up impressive stats in just one half of action: HC led 48-0 at the half, and head coach Brian Parker played backups after the break. The 2nd half was played with an IHSAA-mandated mercy rule running clock. Hanover’s defense held the Trojans to 18 total yards for the game. Highland (1-2, 0-1 NCC) went three-and-out on their first possession of the game, and Anthony Layman broke through to block a Trojan punt, recovered in the end zone by Ashton Verbish for the game’s first score. Bonner was 13-for-17 and 126 yards and four TDs. His passing scores went to Caiden Verrett (13 yards), Rocco Bartolomeo (19 yards), Anthony Layman (6 yards), and Henry Maurer (10 yards). Verrett added a three yard TD run. Donovan Mason (3 yards) and Cory Haessly (10 yards) also had rushing touchdowns. Hanover outgained Highland in total offensive yards 341-18. Highland averaged just .4 yards per play and collected just two passing yards against defensive coordinator AJ Grezenko’s swarming defense. Mason and Jacob Hiland had sacks, and Anthony Gill (2.5) and Sean Conlon (2) each had multiple tackles-for-loss. Linebacker Lincoln Zerby returned an interception 32 yards, just two yards shy of a “pick-6.” The Wildcats have outscored Highland 114-13 in their last two games. Hanover travels to Lowell next Friday, September 13, making their first-ever trip to the Inferno. Hanover beat the Red Devils 35-0 in their first-ever meeting last season. + + + + + Stats courtesy Adam Noel, Hanover Central football statistician