'We know what we need to do.' New Prairie's Noah Mungia is driven to get to state
NEW CARLISLE — The lasting image of Noah Mungia's junior season were tears.
It was moments after New Prairie football's emotional 2021 semistate loss to Northridge at home. Mungia and the Cougars had let at trip to their first state title game since 2014 slip through their fingers in the final 90 seconds.
"If there is one thing that's been driving us this offseason it is that game," Mungia said back in August of the 20-14 loss to the Raiders. "We know what it feels like to get (that close) and we feel like we can get over the hump if we get a second shot."
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A year later after a 55-7 regional revenge thumping of Northridge last week, Mungia and the No. 6 Cougars (12-1) have that second shot. This time it will be on the road at No. 7 Kokomo (12-1). Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
One of the best players in the state the past two seasons, Mungia's life and football journey has fueled him. He was 6 years old when he was adopted and brought to the United States from Haiti in 2010.
It didn't take long for Mungia to fall in love with football, watching highlights of and idolizing the late Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton.
As a junior running back he led the state in rushing for a time, routinely accumulating 200-plus yard a game. But fumbling issues limited his playing time in the playoffs.
Mungia wears it all on his sleeve, embracing it in hopes of leading New Prairie to its first state title game since 2014.
"At the beginning of the season we had some questions and lost some key pieces, but as the year went on those questions got thrown away," Mungia said after practice Monday at LaPorte High School so the Cougars could get use to FieldTurf. "We know they were answered for us. To be here again, we know what we need to do and want to finish, especially this senior class."
In three varsity seasons, Mungia has rushed for 4,644 and 48 touchdowns. His senior year has been his best, now at 1,797 yards and 21 scores, both career-highs.
"The biggest thing he gives you is the home run shot," New Prairie head coach Casey McKim said. "He has a chance to not only get 15-20 yards, but break a tackle and go 50-60 yards and turn good plays into big plays and that is special."
Like his quarterback Marshall Kmiecik, Mungia has been a varsity starter since the beginning of McKim's tenure, igniting one of the more successful stretches in program history.
Since McKim saw Mungia as a sophomore, he felt the running back had star potential. After a breakout year that season, McKim challenged Mungia to put on more weight. After another 1,000-yard season as a junior, the next challenge was to add more speed.
Mungia answered the bell, becoming a guy opposing defenses can't lose sight of.
"It's really opened things up for Marshall and Marshall has opened things up for him," McKim said of the one-two punch. "It is a dynamic duo. If you have explosive plays you are going to put numbers up on the scoreboard and (Mungia) gives us a chance to do that."
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Very few teams, if any, still left in the Indiana High School Athletic Association playoff fields have done that as well as the Cougars this postseason.
In four playoff games, New Prairie has averaged over 48 points per game in wins against Kankakee Valley, Lowell, Hobart and Northridge.
Kokomo's defense, however, has only allowed 40 points total during that same stretch. But the Wildkats haven't seen a player like Mungia.
"Just an unbelievable threat," McKim said. "A physical runner with big-time play ability."
So many opposing defense have learned that first-hand over the past three seasons. But to Mungia, it won't mean a thing if it ends in the same heartbreak he and experienced a year ago.
"I am not leaving that field without a trophy," Mungia said. "I'm going to play as hard as possible. I'm just not leaving that place without a trophy."
IHSAA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEMISTATE MATCHUPS
All games Friday night.
CLASS 6A
No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern (12-0) at No. 5 Carroll (12-0)
No. 4 Center Grove (10-2) at No. 2 Indianapolis Cathedral (10-1)
CLASS 5A
No. 9 Valparaiso (9-3) at No. 1 Fort Wayne Snider (11-1)
No. 2 Whiteland (11-1) at Castle (8-4)
CLASS 4A
No. 6 New Prairie (12-1) at No. 7 Kokomo (12-1)
No. 2 Indianapolis Roncalli (12-1) at No. 4 East Central (11-2)
CLASS 3A
No. 6 Indianapolis Chatard (9-4) at No. 1 West Lafayette (13-0)
Monrovia (6-7) vs. Winner of No. 9 Lawrenceburg (11-1) at No. 10 Southridge (11-1)
CLASS 2A
Fort Wayne Luers (8-5) at No. 5 Andrean (9-3)
No. 1 Linton-Stockton (13-0) at No. 6 Evansville Mater Dei (10-3)
CLASS 1A
No. 2 Adams Central (13-0) at No. 4 North Judson (12-1)
No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran (13-0) at No. 3 North Decatur (13-0)
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Indiana high school football: New Prairie's Mungia drives Cougars
