COLUMBUS, Ohio — Caden Curry was sitting on the turf, looking at the dozens of cameras in front of him.

With the end zone behind him and his teammates around him, Curry extended his left arm to hold up a leaning Indiana High School Athletic Association Class 6A State Championship trophy.

Eric Moore, the longtime Center Grove High School football coach, sat beside him as they both lifted their unoccupied hands and put up their pointer finger to signify where they ranked among teams in their class: No. 1.

With a medal dangling from his neck, Curry stood up after the photo session and walked off the Lucas Oil Stadium field. He left behind him a decorated high school career, one capped by back-to-back state titles.

He stepped into the next stage of his life thinking he’d be back in that

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