The regular season closed on an average note as I went 13-4 (76 percent) last week. Heading into the post-season, my overall record is now 139-29, which keeps me at 83 percent.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 18
Mishawaka (6-3) at Northridge (9-0): The No. 6 Raiders rallied past Mishawaka, 38-35, on October 2. Landon Snyder rambled seven times for 58 yards and completed 1-of-2 for a 34-yard touchdown in the Cavemen’s 42-13 win over Wawasee. Keivontre Copeland came up with five receptions for 69 yards with a touchdown in Northridge’s 37-30 win over No. 4 (Class 5A) Warsaw. Matt’s pick: Northridge 33, Mishawaka 27.
Riley (3-6) at Saint Joseph (8-1): The No. 9 Huskies downed Riley, 28-6, on October 2. Josh Wilkes scampered five yards for a score in the Wildcats’ 18-17 win at Marian. Charles Moran chipped in four tackles and a fumble recovery in Saint Joseph’s 38-7 loss to No. 6 (Class 6A) Penn. Matt’s pick: Saint Joseph 41, Riley 7.
Plymouth (2-7) at NorthWood (5-4): The Panthers edged Plymouth, 31-24, on September 11. MacAzlan Hundt contributed 10 tackles and an interception in the Rockies’ 35-14 loss to Concord. Gage Lechlitner completed all six of his passes for 69 yards with three touchdowns and ran three times for 17 yards in NorthWood’s 49-10 win over Goshen. Matt’s pick: NorthWood 45, Plymouth 14.
Culver Academy (5-4) at New Prairie (2-7): The Cougars claimed a Class 4A sectional crown in 2023 with a 43-14 win over Culver Academy. Geoff Standfast accounted for three scores in the Eagles’ 50-7 win over Glenn. Charlie Luczkowski was 5-of-8 for 61 yards with a touchdown in New Prairie’s 43-0 win over Washington. Matt’s pick: Culver Academy 36, New Prairie 13.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 19
New Haven (2-7) at DeKalb (6-3): The Barons were a 28-14 winner over New Haven on September 4. Brayden Willams registered 12 tackles with two for loss in the Bulldogs’ 38-0 loss to Huntington North. Colton Brandon contributed 16 carries for 67 yards in DeKalb’s 29-21 win over Leo. Matt’s pick: DeKalb 30, New Haven 12.
Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (8-1) at Fort Wayne North (5-4): The top-ranked and defending state champion Saints slipped by Fort Wayne North, 14-6, a year ago. Drew O’Neill romped 10 times for 65 yards with two touchdowns and hauled in a 26-yard pass for another score in Bishop Dwenger’s 37-14 win over Fort Wayne South. Derrion Goodwin recorded eight tackles with 1.5 for loss and a sack in the Legends’ 27-26 loss to No. 9 (Class 5A) Fort Wayne South. Matt’s pick: Bishop Dwenger 32, Fort Wayne North 10.
Columbia City (7-2) at Leo (5-4): The Eagles soared to a 49-28 win over Leo on October 9. Tanner Rider finished with six tackles, including three for loss, in Columbia City’s 43-13 win against Norwell. Paul Woods accounted for 15 rushes for 84 yards and three catches for 37 yards with a score for the Lions against DeKalb. Matt’s pick: Columbia City 34, Leo 15.
East Noble (9-0) at Wawasee (1-8): The No. 5 Knights crowned Wawasee, 32-0, in the 2009 Class 4A sectional quarterfinals. Austin Phillips carried the ball six times for 85 yards with a score, caught a 10-yard touchdown pass, and added three tackles and three pass deflections in East Noble’s 47-0 win over Bellmont. Johnny Zachary went 8-of-15 for 99 yards with a score for the Warriors against Mishawaka. Matt’s pick: East Noble 46, Wawasee 3.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 26
Tippecanoe Valley (8-1) at Jimtown (6-3): The No. 12 Vikings held on for a 17-15 win over Jimtown on September 25. Hunter Randall amassed 10 rushes for 55 yards with a score in Tippecanoe Valley’s 25-7 win over Bremen. Nate Guthrie contributed 88 yards rushing with two touchdowns in the Jimmies’ 40-14 win over Dowagiac. Matt’s pick: Tippecanoe Valley 20, Jimtown 19.
West Noble (8-1) at Washington (0-9) (Everwise School Field): The No. 13 Chargers and Washington are getting together for the first time on the gridiron. Brayden Limerick hauled in three passes for 95 yards with a touchdown in West Noble’s 40-19 win over Prairie Heights. The Panthers were limited to four first downs against New Prairie. Matt’s pick: West Noble 49, Washington 6.
Fairfield (5-4) at Glenn (1-8): The Falcons flew past Glenn, 34-14, on August 28. Jadon Vargas romped 85 yards for a score in Fairfield’s 46-21 loss to Fremont. Blake Forkner accounted for the Falcons’ lone touchdown against Culver Academy. Matt’s pick: Fairfield 43, Glenn 8.
Marian (3-6) at Angola (6-3): The Hornets suffered a 39-14 loss to Marian during the 2023 campaign. Gage McCue recorded 10 tackles and a blocked kick for the Knights against Riley. Landen Bussard carried the ball 19 times for 56 yards with a score, caught a three-yard pass, threw a three-yard pass, and registered six tackles and a fumble recovery in Angola’s 35-14 loss to No. 4 (Class 2A) Eastside. Matt’s pick: Angola 35, Marian 11.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 33
Whiting (3-6) at Knox (3-6): The Oilers got past Knox, 17-14, to capture a Class 2A sectional crown in 2016. LaVille (3-6) is up next for the survivor in next week’s semifinal round. Romeo Rosario tallied eight carries for 37 yards with a touchdown, a two-point conversion, and 17 tackles in the Oilers’ 27-22 loss to Rensselaer Central. Kohl Jordan ended with seven tackles, including two for loss, and a sack in the Redskins’ 36-14 win over Gary West. Matt’s pick: Knox 42, Whiting 38.
Rensselaer Central (7-2) at Lake Station (1-8): The Bombers squeezed by Lake Station, 21-17, during the 1997 season. Tyler Kingman finished with nine tackles for Rensselaer Central against Whiting. Tremell Dodds managed seven rushes for 39 yards, three catches for 34 yards with a touchdown, and three tackles in the Fighting Eagles’ 51-20 loss to River Forest. Matt’s pick: Rensselaer Central 44, Lake Station 9.
Boone Grove (4-5) at Wheeler (8-1): The No. 11 Bearcats blanked Boone Grove, 37-0, on September 18. Blake Morrison completed 11-of-18 for 105 yards and carried the ball three times for 11 yards in the Wolves’ 31-27 loss to Hammond Bishop Noll. Levi Murray came up with 12 carries for 63 yards with a score in Wheeler’s 30-7 loss to No. 6 (Class 3A) Griffith. Matt’s pick: Wheeler 37, Lake Station 12.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 34
Bremen (6-3) at Prairie Heights (1-8): The Lions clawed their way to a 34-0 win over Prairie Heights in 2023. No. 5 Eastside (9-0) gets the winner in next week’s semifinals. Ethan Borsodi racked up 10 tackles for Bremen against Tippecanoe Valley. Weston Rasler contributed 13 carries for 71 yards and went 2-of-4 for five yards for the Panthers against West Noble. Matt’s pick: Bremen 40, Prairie Heights 7.
Lakeland (2-7) at Rochester (4-5): Kyren Arroyo was 5-of-12 for 38 yards with a touchdown and carried the ball 12 times for 54 yards in the Lakers’ 21-20 loss to Churubusco. Kale Shotts paved the way with 17 carries for 86 yards in the Zebras’ 49-6 loss to No. 9 (Class 3A) Maconaquah. Matt’s pick: Rochester 28, Lakeland 18.
Manchester (3-6) at Central Noble (1-8): The Squires registered a 28-21 win over Central Noble in the 2023 Class 2A sectional semifinals. Cadem Young scampered nine times for 61 yards with a touchdown in Manchester’s 33-23 loss to Peru. Porter Kleeberg hauled in six passes for 94 yards in the Cougars’ 38-6 loss to Garrett. Matt’s pick: Manchester 26, Central Noble 16.
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