19-03-2025
Eight Lafayette area football players named to Indiana North/South north team
LAFAYETTE — The 59th Annual Murat Shrine North/South Football All Star Classic game will feature seven Lafayette area football players, an assistant coach and a manager expected to compete for the North team this summer.
Headlining the all-star game will be Journal & Courier Big Schools Offensive Player of the Year Keyen Crowder from Lafayette Jeff and Small Schools Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Delgatto from Central Catholic.
Crowder threw for 3,085 yards with 40 touchdowns and eight interceptions and stamped a record of 11-1 — the best finish for Lafayette Jeff since 1982. His 72.1% completion percentage in 2024 was the highest in Bronchos history. He is committed to Wabash College.
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Delgatto made 99 tackles, including 24 tackles for loss with 22 sacks and a collective 129 yards for loss while being the third straight Knights' defensive player to earn the small schools honor.
Joined by Crowder locally on offense is Benny Speaker from West Lafayette and Reid Duncan from Frontier.
Speaker is listed at wide receiver after starting at quarterback during his senior year for the Red Devils. Speaker as a receiver made 118 receptions, 1,504 yards and 15 yards.
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Duncan is committed to play football at Millikin and helped lead Frontier as a quarterback to its first winning season since 2006.
Teaming with Delgatto are Journal & Courier All-Area Big School defensive players Harrison linebacker Jackson Mills (117 tackles, seven tackles for loss, one interception, two pass deflections, two forced fumbles), McCutcheon defensive lineman Malachi Kenner (53 tackles, four TFL, three fumble recoveries and 2.5 sacks) and All-Area Small School selectee Carroll linebacker Coy Lytle (67 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks and one fumble recovery).
Mills is committed to Marian. Blake Betzner, named an assistant coach, is 42-8 in four seasons and has won three sectional titles as head coach with Carroll. Andrian Banks of Lafayette Jefferson is a manager and has collects data for the Bronchos during team managers.
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@ on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Indiana All-Star football classic features eight Lafayette players