Mater Dei Finally into the Finals

In the 2009 season, Mater Dei had a chance to run to the state championship when Paoli High School ended their run in their regional game.  Last year Mater Dei made it a step further to a semi-state final against North Putnam High School, but fell short yet again.  So this year, with a home semi-state final against Guerin Catholic and most of their star athletes facing their last chance for a state title, everything was on the line.

Quarterback Dane Maurer and Cody Hess first became starters in 2009, the season the first post-season disappointment struck, and have held their posts since. Things had to start looking awfully familiar then when the Wildcats entered halftime of Saturday’s game down 16-7 with Guerin Catholic having their way for the most part.

I wish I could have been in the locker room for that halftime speech, because something sparked in Mater Dei in the second half and they exposed a week Guerin Catholic team.  After an interception and a fumble recovery brought Mater Dei ahead, they exposed Guerin Catholic’s lack of a vertical game and it finally began to make sense why Guerin had gone for it so many times on 4th down when their punter shanked three kicks into the stands.

A late field goal from Mater Dei soccer star Travis Wannemuehler put the Wildcats up by 11 and forced Guerin Catholic to pass the ball with just over two minutes remaining for any hope.  Mater Dei was ready and forced an interception on the first play and ran out the clock for the win.

Friday’s game will be the first state appearance for the Wildcats since 2001 and will be the final football most of Mater Dei’s seniors ever play. For Hess and Maurer, Mater Dei’s star quarterback and running back, it’s the culmination of their time in the backfield together, and a win would mark perfect ends to their careers in Evansville on the gridiron.

Gallery: Mater Dei tops Guerin Catholic

Mater Dei quarterback Dane Maurer, right, cries as he hugs running back Cody Hess, left, at the end of Mater Dei's 27-16 win over Guerin Catholic on Saturday afternoon, November 19, 2011. Mater Dei overcame a 16-7 halftime deficit to win the game and advace to the Class 2A state championship game in Indianapolis. "We did it," Maurer said as he hugged Hess. "We finally did it." The duo have come gradually closer to the state finals since both became starters in 2009.