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Reese Taylor tops list of Indiana all-state football team

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Ben Davis quarterback Reese Taylor turned the Class 6A state championship game into his own personal show.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound quarterback set six state records and tied another in a 63-14 rout of Penn and was later rewarded with Indiana’s Mr. Football Award.

Now, he can add on another honor: All-state member.

Taylor headlines this year’s Associated Press Indiana all-state football teams, which are selected with input from media members and coaches.

“I know what a lot of people say,” Taylor said. “That I’m very athletic and explosive. And that’s the best thing that people could say about me, but I’m actually really calm and collected.”

He almost hides it if that’s the case. Especially considering the way the Indiana recruit put such an exclamation mark on his high school career.

Over the 14 games of his senior season he completed 72.6 percent of his passes for 3,150 yards and 40 touchdowns. On Ben Davis’ opening drive of the state finals, Taylor scored on a 76-yard TD run to set the Class 6A championship record for longest touchdown run and longest play from scrimmage. The next possession he set the record for longest touchdown pass, then re-set it twice before setting it for good with a 64-yard TD pass – which was also good for the longest pass completion record.

He also set state finals records for passing yards (340), passing touchdowns (6), and tied the most passes completes (18).

But Taylor isn’t the only quarterback that caught some attention this season. Evansville Memorial’s Michael Lindauer completed more than 60 percent of his passes, finished just shy of 3,000 yards, threw 32 touchdown passes and was intercepted six times as he led the Tigers to a Class 3A state title. Yet, the junior standout is listed on the all-state first team for a second year in a row as a punter. That’s because he’s consistently been the best in Class 3A, this season averaging 40.4 yards a punt.

Vincennes Lincoln quarterback Graham Toole was named to the Class 3A all-state first team. The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder has received offers from Indiana Wesleyan, St. Francis and Marion, and this season threw for 1,976 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions, and rushed for 1,022 yards and 26 TDs.

In Class 5A, Columbus East was determined to make it back to the state finals, and it took an all-state effort from its biggest stars do it.

Running back Jamon Hogan (226 carries, 2,296 yards, 34 TDs) and defensive back Ethan Summa (58 solo tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss) take all-state honors after making the first team as juniors a year ago. This time they’re joined by quarterback Josh Major who completed 76.8 percent of his passes this season for 1,269 yards, 13 touchdowns and one interception, and rushed for 1,401 yards and 22 TDs.

Columbus East offensive lineman Marc Sciutto was also named to the Class 5A all-state team.

And in Class A, Southwood quarterback Carson Blair finished with some of the top numbers in the state, completing 62.9 percent of his passes for 3,926 yards, 57 touchdowns and three interceptions. He rushed for 565 yards and six TDs.