SOUTH BEND — The atmosphere at Everwise Field was electric on Friday, September 4, as the South Bend Adams student section embraced a "Black Out" theme, donning black T-shirts to support their team. On the field, the Eagles football squad had a different agenda: to dominate their opponent.
In a stunning display of athletic prowess, the Eagles overwhelmed Mishawaka Marian with a decisive 41-0 victory in their Northern Indiana Conference (NIC) opener. The game was played under sweltering conditions, but Adams proved to be the superior team across all facets of play.
This victory marked a significant turnaround for Adams, which had not triumphed over Marian since a 30-20 win in 2012. With this win, the Eagles improved their record to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the NIC, while Marian fell to 1-2 and 0-1 in league play.
The Eagles showcased their offensive strength, rushing for an impressive 344 yards. Senior tailback Carson Bryce was a standout performer, amassing 181 yards on 28 carries and scoring two touchdowns. The Eagles' offensive line dominated the trenches, contributing to a total of 29 first downs throughout the game.
Defensively, Adams was equally formidable. The Eagles' defense, spearheaded by Lamarr Shaw, limited Marian to just three first downs and a mere 30 yards of total offense. Marian's first first down did not come until late in the third quarter, with the score already at 28-0. Shaw, who earned All-State honors in 2025, expressed pride in the team's defensive performance, stating, "Our defense always brings it, and we all came together and were in sync tonight. I didn’t see 41-0 coming, but I did see a shutout possibly. We were on it. The thing is though this was not our best. We can still get way better as a defense."
Adams took a 14-0 lead into halftime, thanks to a 40-yard field goal by Carlos Cubillo, two safeties, and a 21-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Cayden Keen to junior receiver Jeffrey Seitz just before the intermission. Keen, who displayed agility by scrambling out of the pocket, found Seitz on the sidelines, who then made a spectacular move to score.
Despite the commanding lead, the Eagles could have extended their advantage even further had they not lost two fumbles, one of which occurred in the Marian end zone. The Knights struggled offensively, recording negative yardage plays throughout the first half.
In the third quarter, Bryce scored on both a four-yard and an 11-yard run, pushing the score to 28-0. Amani McKeel added a touchdown with a 19-yard run, and Keen capped the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run, bringing the final score to 41-0.
Reflecting on the game, Bryce noted, "I knew we were capable of this. Our week of preparation is what led to this. My offensive line just did an amazing job. They were all on the same page. This showed how bad we want it. To go to 2-1 means a lot to me. The momentum means everything, and we have to take that into practice for next week."
Adams head coach Frank Karczewski praised his team's performance, emphasizing that their success stemmed from their hard work in practice. He remarked, "It’s a great win, and I’m really proud of our players. They just played really well tonight in all phases of the game. Our defensive unit was outstanding tonight. You could tell they love playing together, and when you have that, you get this kind of result. No way did I anticipate 41-0. Marian is a good team. We were able to get the momentum tonight and roll with it."
On the other side, first-year Marian coach Joe Calderone acknowledged the team's complacency, especially after their previous victory over Adams last season. He stated, "We took it on the chin. It’s now about how we respond to this. That will prove who we are going forward. The guys who respond will be the ones we go with moving forward. We have to be better in all three phases of the game than we were tonight."
Looking ahead, Marian will host rival South Bend Saint Joseph next week, while Adams will take on New Prairie at School Field in another NIC matchup.
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