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Buis, Beadles sign off high school days with big win at IFCA North-South All-Star Game
INDIANAPOLIS — After three plays, the North squad led 7-0 in the 58th edition of the Indiana Football Coaches Association North-South Game.
The North also scored the last touchdown of the game.
It was the 41 points in-between scored by the South squad that proved problematic on the night as Greencastle graduate Jackson Buis, South Putnam graduate Aiden Beadles and Eagle assistant coach Evan Bernhardt walked out winners in their final high school game 41-14.
“It was an awesome experience getting to know some of these guys from across the state,” Beadles said. “It was also a learning experience, seeing the different level of play from guys that came from bigger schools.
“It put a lot of things into perspective for me but also pushed me to play harder. The game was awesome. There was a constant rhythm that kept things going.
“It was great we won,” Beadles added. “Everyone was doing their job from what I can tell, keeping things moving smoothly and cohesively despite only having three or four days to prepare.”
“The experience this week was just amazing,” Buis added. “It was so much fun getting to meet new people and make some friendships that may last a life time.
“The game itself went perfectly. The South, as a unit, had worked really had to get the outcome we’d wanted and I feel as if everyone had put their all into this entire week and the game.”
The North-South Game, played at Decatur Central High School, started off quickly when Penn’s Nolan McCullough hit Hobart’s TJ Caldwell for an 80-yard strike on third down for a quick 7-0 lead after a minute of play.
South responded with a drive that began the highlight night of Brownsburg running back Garrett Sherrell, who scored on a five-yard run, breaking what would have been a tackle for loss to do so, to tie the game at 7-7.
A quick three-and-out for the North, with Beadles in on two early tackles, forced a punt and South took the lead for good with Buis getting his first action on the offensive line on a drive that ended with a 34-yard pass from Westfield’s Jackson Gilbert to Noblesville’s Logan Shoffner.
Sherrell found the endzone again in the second quarter on a 25-yard run and a late 33-yard field goal from Zionsville’s Trevor Henkle led the South to a 24-7 lead at halftime.
Gilbert hit another Bulldog for a score midway through the second half, finding Cayden Olinger for an 11-yard score to make it 317 before Sherrell scored on one play, a 46-yard score, to make it 38-7.
Henkle added a 24-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter before McCullough hit Hammond Morton’s Demario Spence for a 31-yard score midway through the final period.
“I wasn’t very surprised by the score margin to be honest,” Buis said about the 27-point margin. “We worked really, really hard all week. Both teams put in the same amount of work but I think in the end we just wanted it more.”
“We were encouraged all week not to compare ourselves with the other team during the week,” Beadles added. “The North team had good players like we did and it looked evenly matched at first.
“I was a little surprised by the score. I knew we could push for that score but it was a surprise when we hopped out so far forward so fast.”
Both players finish their high school career with a win after both teams fell in the second round of sectional play to No. 1 teams in the state, Greencastle to Linton and South Putnam to eventual state champions Indianapolis Lutheran.
“I’m very satisfied with how I went out with my high school career,” Buis said. “(South head coach Jake) Gilbert said something in the locker room about if you didn’t win a state championship this year, it means you went out with some disappointment with things not going the way you wanted, but tonight is the time to change that.
“I got to end my high school career with one more win. I also think I played my best game I ever played, so I’m extremely satisfied with how I played and went out.”
“The way we came together and played was an awesome experience,” Beadles added. “The loss to Lutheran was devastating but this was a great ending to a great career.”
Reflecting on the week, Buis said it was a privilege to represent the purple and gray of Greencastle one more time.
“My favorite part of Friday night was watching how well we all played together,” Buis noted. “Aside from playing, getting the opportunity to represent my family, school and community of Greencastle was an honor.
“These people have done a lot for me to even be able to play in that game.”
Beadles said getting the chance to share the field with Bernhardt, who also coached Beadles in track, was as important as participating in the week of activities.
“It would have to be getting coached by Bernie one more time,” Beadles said about having Bernhardt on the sidelines. “He was a key person for me throughout my time in high school, pushing me and encouraging me in various ways.
“I wanted to thank him as it was awesome to have him out there one more time.”
Buis and Beadles now turn their attention to college football as the former will play at Saginaw Valley State and the latter at Wabash with practices just a few weeks away from beginning.
Getting the chance to face players from larger schools all week had its benefits according to Buis.
“This has heavily prepared me for the next level,” Buis said. “When I got there for this week of practice, I realized that I needed to work on somethings to make me a better player and this week did just that.
“The guys I played against this week defensively were really good at using their hands to stay unblocked and use speed to their advantage, so this week was a learning process for me on how to learn to play against that. I felt like I did really well adapting to that level of play and it overall has prepared me for the next level.”
Beadles added he got the bonus of being under the tutelage of Gilbert, who will be the defensive coordinate for the Little Giants this season before assuming head coaching duties from Don Morel in the 2025 season, throughout the week and got an inkling of what life would be like in Crawfordsville this fall.
“Coach Gilbert is going to be the head coach at Wabash after next year and an assistant this year,” Beadles said. “He said that things would be similar to this in college, like the way film was done and the way practice was run.
“I got to meet him all week as he worked with linebackers and said to expect the same kinds of things next year. The level of play and intensity at practice was that much higher than high school but it was a really good experience.
“It was definitely eye-opening,” Beadles added. “You have to be locked in all the time but this was a step forward to get me ready for college ball.”