Sam KingLafayette Journal & Courier
WEST LAFAYETTE - Niko Roumbakis has been on the other side of this situation.
Sidelined last season with a broken collarbone, Roumbakis spent his sophomore season watching others get opportunities to shine while he nursed an injury.
On Friday night, the junior got his opportunity due to the unfortunate circumstance of a teammate and Roumbakis did not disappoint.
The 5-foot-6 utility man is the latest to find success in West Lafayette's plug-and-play system, making plays in the secondary, catching four passes for 118 yards as well as kicking a 28-yard field goal as the first half expired and going 6-for-6 on extra points in the Red Devils' 52-21 victory over Class A No. 7 Central Catholic at Straley Field.
"When I heard about Jack (Montes) getting injured, I knew I had to step up at corner and get a little bit of rotation at receiver," Roumbakis said. "But I love a challenge. That is just how I am."
Indiana high school football scores:Week 4 statewide results
West Lafayette has had to endure injuries before but the past seven days have been especially brutal.
But, you don't rise to the No. 1 team in Class 3A without having the ability to adapt and coach Shane Fry's staff did.
Senior running back Connor Blankman tore his ACL on a non-contact play in last week's victory over Western. That thrust sophomore linebacker David Curl into the role of running back.
Friday night, Curl started off hot.
His first four carries went for first downs and he finished with 67 yards. The one carry that didn't result in a first down, Curl's fifth and final, was a 1-yard gain. Curl had to be assisted off the field after and is expected to miss the rest of the season with a right leg injury.
"We're really proud of the guys. Obviously everyone is still reeling from Connor and then you get Jack, how does that even happen," Fry said. "David goes down and our guys know it is serious and they could have folded easily. They stepped it up. It wasn't always pretty but they gutted it out."
In Curl's absence, junior varsity running back Dawson Martin found himself in a situation he couldn't have anticipated: being the go-to player in the backfield in a game that at the time was about to be tied 21-21 after a 59-yard interception return by Central Catholic's Brinn Robbins.
Martin finished with 70 yards on 17 carries and scored the go-ahead touchdown that answered Robbins' game-tying interception.
"In our practice we've had people when we need someone getting other reps on the field, which directly correlates to this. You never know when something is going to happen. No one can predict that," senior safety Wyatt Curl said. "You always want to be ready for something like that. Dawson Martin is always one to sprint onto the field when we need someone else. Niko is always giving his best effort every single time. When we need them, they are there for us.
"It means a lot. We have players on our team who are willing to do whatever it takes for our team, whether they are on the bench not knowing if they are going to get to go in or a starting player. It makes us a better team overall."
Roumbakis got his opportunity after Montes' appendix burst late Wednesday night.
Montes is a starting senior cornerback who also plays receiver.
Roumbakis had two momentum-shifting plays Friday night, the first a 90-yard touchdown reception down the left sideline and the other a 28-yard field goal as the first half expired.
"Niko, we're trying to get him on the field the first couple of games, but he is kind of a two here, a two there, he wasn't even the starting kicker really," Fry said. "That dude wants to play and he is trying everything he can to get on the field. Even though it's because some guys are injured, he knew he was going to play on all three phases. He was excited about it. He wants to play football."
After Robbins returned an overthrown ball by West Side quarterback Max Mullis for the game-tying score, Central Catholic never found the scoreboard again, getting outscored 31-0 the rest of the way.
The Knights drove to the 3-yard line on the second half's opening drive before Michael Lynch intercepted Bobby Metzger in the end zone, resulting in a potential 14-point swing after Wyatt Curl's first career reception followed and went for a 69-yard touchdown.
Lynch then intercepted Metzger again and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown, highlighting a second-half shutout where Curl also had two interceptions.
"It's all the hard work we put in during the summer. Every day was a grind," Roumbakis said. "We are so close together and it just makes us a better football team all around."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
WEST LAFAYETTE 52, CENTRAL CATHOLIC 21
CC 14 7 0 0
WL 21 10 14 7
First quarter
WL - Max Mullis 8 run (Niko Roumbakis kick)
CC- Robert Koch 44 pass from Bobby Metzger (Thomas Henry kick)
WL - Mullis 6 run (Roumbakis kick)
WL - Roumbakis 90 pass from Mullis (Roumbakis kick)
CC - Owen Munn 61 pass from Metzger (Henry kick)
Second quarter
CC - Brinn Robbins 59 interception return (Henry kick)
WL - Dawson Martin 2 run (Roumbakis kick)
WL - Roumbakis 28 field goal
Third quarter
WL - Wyatt Curl 69 pass from Mullis (Roumbakis kick)
WL - Michael Lynch 54 interception return (Roumbakis kick)
Fourth quarter
WL - Liam Burton 4 pass from Mullis (Roumbakis kick)
Individual statistics
Rushing - Central Catholic, Baylor Smith 31-145, Bobby Metzger 1-(minus) 14; West Lafayette, David Curl 5-67, Max Mullis 11-128, Dawson Martin 17-70, Martiz Gazo 1-3, Carson Kitchel 2-6.
Passing - Central Catholic, Metzger 18-36-4 228; West Lafayette, Mullis 19-30-2 341, Kitchel 1-1-0 (minus) 3.
Receiving - Central Catholic, Evan Dienhart 5-27, Owen Munn 4-108, Robert Koch 2-54, Jackson Cain 5-32, Smith 2-6; West Lafayette, Liam Burton 9-70, Cooper Kitchel 2-33, Benny Speaker 2-39, Niko Roumbakis 4-118, Jacob Deutsch 1-9, Martin 1-(minus) 3, Wyatt Curl 1-69.
West Lafayette is 4-0; Central Catholic is 2-2.