The OTH Quarter Century Team: East Noble Knights

Recently, we unveiled our plan to name area programs’ top five players of the 21st century, which sits at 25 seasons in both football and basketball.

Perhaps no program in the area has grown as much as East Noble in the last 25 years. In the year 2000, the Knights were just one year removed from their first-ever sectional championship. Since then, East Noble has made four appearances in Class 4A state title games, winning it all in 2000.

Now, OTH names its top five players at East Noble over that time.

Reminder, this is based on high school career performance ONLY. This is by no means a definitive list and, if anything, is encouraging debate on potential omissions to this list.

Through exhaustive research, reaching out to former coaches and players and our own personal opinion, here is the OTH Quarter Century Team for the East Noble Knights.

Note: The list is in alphabetical order

David Gater, Class of 2000

Gater was a do-everything athlete for East Noble. Quarterback. Ball carrier. Defensive back. Special teams ace. He did all of it over the course of his career, but his senior campaign was one of the most impactful in program history.

Gater led the Knights to their first and only state championship victory in 2000 – a 28-7 win over Plainfield. In that game, he completed 6-of-8 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 45 yards. He blocked a punt that was recovered in the end zone that put East Noble up by two scores in the first quarter. He also had five tackles and a pair of interceptions to go with 103 total return yards.

The pair of INTs at the state finals upped Gater’s season total to 13, which is a program record. All of his career interceptions came in 2000, yet he still sits third all-time in East Noble history in picks.

Gater was voted All-State in 2000 and is entering the Indiana Football Hall of Fame this year.

Dylan Krehl, Class of 2025

When asked about thoughts on Krehl, former East Noble head coach Luke Amstutz simply replied, “Kid was unreal.”

There was nothing that Krehl couldn’t do on a football field. With three seasons shining on the varsity level, he amassed 2,629 yards rushing for his career. He capped it off with an appearance in 2024 in the Class 4A state championship against New Palestine, where he was honored with the Philip A. Eskew Mental Attitude Award.

To truly understand Krehl’s versatility, you have to drill down into the stats. He scored 46 total touchdowns in his career – 38 rushing, six receiving, one fumble return and one interception return. He finished with double-digit tackles for loss in three seasons, amassing a total of 43 of them to go with 322 tackles, five sacks, four fumble recoveries, three fumbles forced and a pair of INTs.

Krehl was voted to the All-State team in 2024.

Andrew McCormick, Class of 2018

Over the course of three years as QB1 for the Knights, McCormick re-wrote the program record books. At the top of the list, he is the all-time leading passer with 6,591 yards, over 1,500 yards more than the next-highest.

To fully understand McCormick’s impact, you also have to look at his rushing numbers, where he stands sixth in East Noble history in rushing with 2,444 yards.

McCormick was as dynamic as they come behind center. He could beat you with his cannon of his arm downfield, or he could run you over in the open field. His vision of the field was exemplary. He threw for 83 touchdowns and rushed for 25 more in his career. He holds the record for passing yards in a single game with 487 against Warsaw in 2016. His 70.7 percent completion percentage that year is also a program high.

McCormick also holds program marks for passes completed in a career (526), most touchdown passes in a season (42 in 2016) and touchdown passes in his career (83). He was voted Indiana All-State in 2017.

Konrad Mundon, Class of 2006

The unquestioned best running back in the history of East Noble football. And it isn’t close.

Mundon was leaned upon as the offensive leader in the mid-2000s under Coach Chris DePew, which included a run to the state championship game in 2003. A taller but punishing and relentless runner, Mundon seemed to rarely tire, evidenced none bigger than his 38-carry effort in a 34-9 win over Carroll in 2004.

As a junior, Mundon rushed for a single-season program record 2,505 yards. That same year, he amassed 404 yards on the ground in a 62-21 victory over DeKalb. Also in 2004, he scored the longest touchdown in East Noble history, a 98-yard jaunt against Norwell.

Mundon is East Noble’s all-time leading scorer, most points (388), most touchdowns in a season (28) and most touchdowns in a career (63).

Overall, Mundon rushed for 5,168 yards in his career, over double the amount of the second-highest rusher (Evan Edwards). He was twice voted Indiana All-State in 2004 and 2005 and was inducted into the East Noble Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.

Bailey Parker, Class of 2020

It is tough to choose a player for the Quarter Century Team due to a single dominant season, but Parker bucks the trend.

Parker’s junior season in 2018 was solid with 22 total touchdowns, but it is the magical season of 2019 in which an undefeated East Noble team advanced all the way to the Class 4A state title game that stands out.

Parker was unstoppable in 2019, throwing for 39 touchdowns, rushing for 18 more and accumulating 4,473 yards of total offense (3,110 passing, 1,363 rushing).

His 3,110 yards through the air is a program record for a single season, as is his 235 completions. He tossed six touchdowns against Bellmont in a 56-7 win, tied for the program mark.

Parker is third all-time with 4,872 yards passing and ninth in East Noble history with 2,193 yards on the ground, a testament to his dual-threat abilities.

Parker was also a phenomenal safety, finishing with 203 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 11 interceptions, eight fumbles recoveries (a program record) and seven forced fumbles. He was voted Indiana All-State in 2019 and also earned the Philip A. Eskew Mental Attitude Award at the state finals.

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