My post-season success continued as I went 43-5 (90 percent) last week. My overall record is now 213-37, which now has me at 85 percent for the season.
CLASS 6A
Penn (11-0) at Crown Point (11-0): The No. 6 Kingsmen captured a sectional crown last year with a 28-24 win over No. 5 Crown Point. Isaiah Andresen romped five times for 85 yards in Penn’s 48-7 win over Elkhart. Brayden Schutt accumulated 125 yards on the ground in the Bulldogs’ 57-27 win over Lake Central. Matt’s pick: Penn 28, Crown Point 21.
Carmel (7-4) at Carroll (Fort Wayne) (10-1): The No. 10 Greyhounds cruised to a 56-6 win over No. 8 Carroll for the 2014 regional championship. Josiah Gilmore raced 16 times for 46 yards with a touchdown in Carmel’s 17-14 win over Hamilton Southeastern. Henry Sholl chipped in three tackles and returned an interception 16 yards for a score in the Chargers’ 56-0 win at Homestead. Matt’s pick: Carroll (Fort Wayne) 35, Carmel 20.
Brownsburg (11-0) at Lawrence North (9-2): The No. 1 and two-tine defending state champion Bulldogs were a 48-25 winner over No. 4 Lawrence North on August 21. Thomas Banich was responsible for six tackles in Brownsburg’s 42-7 win over Indianapolis Ben Davis. Brody Day ran six times for 16 yards with a score in the Wildcats’ 45-13 win over North Central (Indianapolis). Matt’s pick: Brownsburg 40, Lawrence North 16.
Center Grove (9-2) at Warren Central (11-0): The No. 2 Warriors edged No. 7 Center Grove, 20-14, on August 21. Ricky Lange hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass and ran six times for 14 yards in the Trojans’ 45-0 blanking of Columbus North. Keysean Williams-Jarrett totaled four catches for 97 yards with two touchdowns in Warren Central’s 49-20 win over Franklin Central. Matt’s pick: Warren Central 33, Center Grove 18.
CLASS 5A
Chesterton (6-5) at Concord (6-5): Brody Lane snatched an interception in the Trojans’ 27-7 win over Munster. Harry Brunner contributed two receptions for 31 yards with a score in the Minutemen’s 38-13 win over LaPorte. Matt’s pick: Concord 41, Chesterton 19.
Warsaw (10-1) at Lafayette Jeff (9-2): The No. 4 Tigers picked up their first regional title in 2024 with a 44-27 win over No. 7 Lafayette Jeff. Michael Schenck rambled 27 times for 86 yards in Warsaw’s 14-3 win over No. 9 Fort Wayne Snider. Daelyn Neely finished with 10 carries for 98 yards with two touchdowns in the Bronchos’ 44-6 win over Huntington North. Matt’s pick: Lafayette Jeff 37, Warsaw 22.
Indianapolis Cathedral (8-3) at Plainfield (9-2): The top-ranked Irish crushed No. 8 Plainfield, 54-7, in the 2021 sectional semifinals. Caden Nelson accounted for eight tackles in Cathedral’s 24-21 win over No. 2 and defending state champion New Palestine. Austin Ward ended with two receptions for 63 yards with two scores for the Quakers against Terre Haute South. Matt’s pick: Cathedral 36, Plainfield 13.
Castle (7-4) at Bloomington South (9-2): The No. 3 Panthers roared to 28-21 win over No. 10 Castle in the 2024 regional final. Nolan McKinney accounted for 11 rushes for 58 yards and a 13-yard reception in the Knights’ 28-14 win over Evansville North. Rylan Stikeleather racked up eight tackles and an interception in Bloomington South’s 40-0 win over Bloomington North. Matt’s pick: Bloomington South 31, Castle 17.
CLASS 4A
Hobart (9-3) at Northridge (12-0): Kevin Hayes Jr. registered touchdown catches of 54 yards and 64 yards in the Brickies’ 44-21 win over Hammond Morton. Hayden Gorball managed two receptions for 40 yards with a score along with five tackles in the No. 6 Raiders’ 43-21 win over NorthWood. Matt’s pick: Northridge 44, Hobart 21.
Muncie Central (9-3) at Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (11-1): The top-ranked and defending state champion Saints crowned Muncie Central, 26-24, in the 2006 regional finale. De’marshuwn Clemens tallied five tackles, a sack, and two fumble recoveries in the Bearcats’ 31-27 win over No. 10 Logansport. Cooper Campbell accounted for 13 tackles with two for loss in Bishop Dwenger’s 35-14 win over No. 5 East Noble. Matt’s pick: Bishop Dwenger 32, Muncie Central 10.
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (10 -2) at Indianapolis Roncalli (10-2): The No. 2 Royals are looking to make amends for a 42-14 loss to No. 3 Bishop Chatard on September 4. Cam Harden produced touchdown receptions of 34 yards and 45 yards in the Trojans’ 41-8 win over No. 7 Danville. Luke Roeder chipped in three catches for 42 yards with a score and two rushes for 20 yards with another touchdown in Roncalli’s 55-19 win over Mooresville. Matt’s pick: Bishop Chatard 36, Roncalli 33.
Heritage Hills (10-2) at East Central (10-2) (Saturday): Tyce Winchell went 5-of-10 for 76 yards with a touchdown and ran 12 times for 22 yards with another score in the No. 11 Patriots’ 34-13 win over Evansville Harrison. Andersen Deters registered eight tackles and a pair of interceptions in the No. 4 Trojans’ 63-30 win over Columbus East. Matt’s pick: East Central 34, Heritage Hills 15.
CLASS 3A
Angola (9-3) at Andrean (11-1): The No. 2 and defending Class 2A state champion 59ers posted a 35-7 win over Angola a season ago. Cooper Weisenauer finished with six carries for 30 yards with a touchdown, a 22-yard catch, and seven tackles in the Hornets’ 14-10 win over No. 13 West Noble. Javier McCoy rambled four times for 75 yards with a score in Andrean’s 38-7 win over Twin Lakes. Matt’s pick: Andrean 42, Angola 12.
Bluffton (12-0) at Hamilton Heights (9-3): The Huskies got past No. 6 Bluffton, 27-21, during the 2021 campaign. Cameron Simpson chipped in seven tackles and two sacks in the Tigers’ 25-7 win over Heritage. Brennan Heckman accounted for three catches for 31 yards with a score in Hamilton Heights’ 34-28 win over West Lafayette. Matt’s pick: Bluffton 30, Hamilton Heights 28.
Tri-West (10-2) at Lawrenceburg (11-1): The No. 5 Tigers clawed past No. 10 Tri-West, 38-20, in the 1990 Class 2A quarterfinals. Nicholas Bearman came up with 13 tackles and caused a fumble in the Bruins’ 35-7 win over Western Boone. Mason Manford totaled four receptions for 33 yards and two tackles in Lawrenceburg’s 28-14 win over Batesville. Matt’s pick: Lawrenceburg 25, Tri-West 11,
Indian Creek (11-0) at Evansville Memorial (12-0): Patrick Dowty added nine rushes for 51 yards with a score in the No. 4 Braves’ 37-7 win over Sullivan. Dru Ellis registered 12 carries for 81 yards and three receptions for 18 yards in the No. 1 Tigers’ 28-7 win over No. 8 Evansville Mater Dei. Matt’s pick: Evansville Memorial 27, Indian Creek 13.
CLASS 2A
Wheeler (11-1) at Eastside (11-0): Cash Micciche racked up 11 tackles with two for loss in the No. 10 Bearcats’ 57-8 win over Knox. Ty Sebert accounted for a 44-yard reception and 12 tackles with two for loss in the No. 4 Blazers’ 42-0 win over Rochester. Matt’s pick: Eastside 42, Wheeler 20.
Lapel (11-1) at Oak Hill (7-5): The No. 6 Bulldogs celebrated a sectional championship in 2014 with a 24-20 win over Oak Hill. Jaxson Cripe mustered three catches for 68 yards with two scores in Lapel’s 48-0 win over No. 10 Hagerstown. Meyer Middlesworth hauled in four passes for 53 yards and chipped in three tackles in the Golden Eagles’ 49-33 win over Lewis Cass. Matt’s pick: Lapel 43, Oak Hill 25.
Eastern Hancock (12-0) at South Putnam (12-0): The No. 2 and defending Class 1A state champion Eagles soared to a 33-19 win over No. 5 Eastern Hancock in last year’s opener. Brennon Trueblood recorded 10 tackles with 3.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks in the Royals’ 39-6 win over No. 3 Indianapolis Lutheran. Drew Cline was 3-of-4 for 48 yards, ran five times for 48 yards with two scores, and tallied seven tackles in South Putnam’s 49-18 win over Monrovia. Matt’s pick: South Putnam 45, Eastern Hancock 23.
North Posey (11-1) at Brownstown Central (12-0): The No. 9 Vikings picked up a regional championship in 1996 with a 37-12 win over No. 1 and defending state runner-up Brownstown Central. Brody Fehn hauled in five passes for 57 yards with a touchdown in North Posey’s 56-26 win over Linton-Stockton. Cooper Vague came up with 11 tackles, including three for loss, in the Braves’ 63-6 win over Switzerland County. Matt’s pick: Brownstown Central 32, North Posey 24.
CLASS 1A
North Judson (11-1) at Clinton Prairie (8-4): Ayson Harper amassed 12 rushes for 39 yards with a score and six tackles in the No. 4 Bluejays’ 40-8 win over No. 13 West Central. Ryder Mitchell had 12 carries for 61 yards, six tackles, and two fumble recoveries, one returned for a score, in the Gophers’ 27-21 win over Lafayette Central Catholic. Matt’s pick: North Judson 46, Clinton Prairie 16.
Pioneer (12-0) at South Adams (10-2): The top-ranked Panthers claimed a semistate crown a season ago with a 31-15 win over No. 5 South Adams. Keegan McCall ended with 13 tackles in Pioneer’s 21-14 win over No. 12 Caston. Wes Summersett contributed 15 tackles with three for loss, an interception, four catches for 43 yards with a touchdown, and a seven-yard run for another score in the Starfires’ 42-15 win over Fremont. Matt’s pick: South Adams 39, Pioneer 37.
Knightstown (9-2) at Milan (10-2): The No. 8 Indians eliminated No. 10 Knightstown from the 2024 playoffs with a 42-20 win in the sectional quarterfinals. Brody Willard chipped in seven receptions for 67 yards, three rushes for 10 yards with a touchdown, and four tackles in the Panthers’ 42-6 win over Tri. Levi Pierce ended with eight tackles, including two for loss, in Milan’s 27-16 win over North Decatur. Matt’s pick: Milan 29, Knightstown 26.
North Daviess (12-0) at Riverton Parke (11-0): The No. 3 Cougars downed No. 2 Riverton Parke, 19-6, during the 1996 campaign. Colton Alford rambled 12 times for 73 yards, caught a five-yard pass, and added three tackles and a sack in North Daviess’ 35-7 win over Forest Park. Jett Lesniak raced 12 times for 84 yards with a score and chipped in three tackles in the Panthers’ 49-21 win over Cloverdale. Matt’s pick: Riverton Parke 37, North Daviess 33.
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