CLASS 6A
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (12-0) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (12-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Gorsuch Complex.
COACHES: Michael Kelly, 26-6 in third season at Hamilton Southeastern, 40-22 in sixth season overall. Doug Dinan, 102-45 in 13th season at Carroll.
LAST CONTEST: Hamilton Southeastern beat Westfield, 20-0. Carroll beat Lafayette Jeff, 21-20.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Never played football against each other before.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: Top-ranked Hamilton Southeastern was Class 5A state runner-up in 2005. No. 5 Carroll (Fort Wayne) would be making its first appearance in the title affair.
TOP PERFORMERS: Clayton Allen recorded 12 tackles for the Royals against No. 9 Westfield. Jimmy Sullivan was 8-of-18 for 124 yards with two touchdowns for the Chargers against Lafayette Jeff.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We have to win the line of scrimmage by playing physical and be assignment sound on both sides of the football. We must play fast, relentless, and be disciplined.” – Hamilton Southeastern’s Michael Kelly.
“Hamilton Southeastern is a very good football team (12-0) that plays hard in all three phases of the game. Offensively, they run the ball very well with a very good running back (Jalen Alexander) and offensive line. They also have a very good wide receiver (Donovan Hamilton) that is the quarterback’s (Ty Bradle) favorite target. Defensively, they play very hard and run to the football. We must win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. We must defend the run. We must create turnovers. We have to take care of the ball offensively and be balanced with the run and the pass. Special teams must continue to make a difference and flip the field.” – Carroll’s Doug Dinan.
CENTER GROVE (10-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (10-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Arlington Field.
COACHES: Eric Moore, 234-74 in 24th season at Center Grove, 282-79 in 28th season overall. Bill Peebles, 52-12 in fifth season at Cathedral, 126-77 in 18th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Center Grove beat Warren Central, 42-32. Cathedral beat Brownsburg, 14-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Indianapolis Cathedral, 40-29, on October 14, 2022.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: No. 4 Center Grove is the two-time defending state champs. No. 2 Cathedral won back-to-back Class 5A state crowns.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tyler Cherry went 8-of-17 for 125 yards with a score for the Trojans against Warren Central. David Ayers caught three passes for 93 yards with a touchdown for the Irish against No. 3 Brownsburg.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We must play with great intelligence and discipline on defense and in the secondary. The Cathedral quarterback (Danny O’Neil) is the most talented and best at making something from nothing that I’ve seen in a while. He was in horrible situations the last game we played them and figured out a way to make a big play. Our defense cannot let Cathedral get out of third and long or fourth and long situations with conversions or touchdowns. Our offense must continue to run the ball and move the chains. Turnovers will kill either team in this game. We must remain physical on offense with our running backs getting extra yards after contact. Our defense must also get the Cathedral runners on the ground. Our passing game can be the difference if we can protect our quarterback because we have multiple weapons to use. Our defense must apply pressure and keep O’Neil contained. The last game each team made a big play on special teams. We ran a punt back for a touchdowns and Cathedral blocked a punt for a touchdown. Once again, having a big play or a number of big plays to flip the field will be huge. The biggest factor in this game is the impact of the win. In the regular season, you have next week. This week, the victor marches into Lucas Oil Stadium to play for the ultimate prize. The loser gets the label of almost. My teams have played in 15 of the last 17 south semistates and have lost eight times. Those are the most difficult losses for coaches because as a coaching staff, you truly don’t know if you will ever be back. In both of these programs’ history, we have both managed to get back to this game, but you never know. As usual, I am going to try to enjoy the process and make sure my seniors enjoy the process of getting to this Final Four. What a fun matchup this is between the two most powerful Class 6A programs in the last 20 years, but they have never played in the playoffs in such a big game until now.” – Center Grove’s Eric Moore.
“It is always hard to beat a good team twice. Center Grove is a great team, so we will have to play our best football of the year this Friday. We know they will be focused on avenging the week nine loss, so we have to win first and second down on both sides of the ball. Center Grove is excellent when they can stay on schedule.” – Cathedral’s Bill Peebles.
CLASS 5A
VALPARAISO (9-3) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (11-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Spuller Stadium.
COACHES: Bill Marshall, 50-11 in fifth season at Valparaiso. Kurt Tippmann, 137-35 in 14th season at Snider.
LAST CONTEST: Valparaiso beat Merrillville, 15-14. Snider beat Mishawaka, 41-27.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Snider, 28-17, on November 22, 2002, in Class 5A semistate.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: No. 9 Valparaiso finished as state runner-up in 2019. No. 1 Fort Wayne Snider claimed the 2015 state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Scotty Bradney caught a 25-yard touchdown pass for the Vikings against No. 6 Merrillville. Langston Leavell scampered nine times for 85 yards with a score for the Panthers against No. 4 Mishawaka.
COACHES’ CORNER: “In order for us to come away with a victory on Friday, offensively, we will need to sustain drives and be able to eat up the clock by running the football. Defensively, this game will be won in the trenches, and we need to be able to play in their backfield and shed blockers versus staying on blocks. As always with a semistate game, the traveling team, us, will need to overcome the long travel, but we have some things we are going to do to break up the trip.” – Valparaiso’s Bill Marshall.
“Valpo is a very good team. They are arguably one of the most successful programs in the state over the last five years, winning 50+ games, playing in state championship, and making deep playoff runs each year. They are extremely well-coached, play hard, and don’t make mistakes. Offensively, they run the ball very well and have a tough scheme to defend. Their quarterback (Justin Clark) is a running threat along with two talented running backs (Travis Davis and Thomas Burda), and their offensive line is big and physical. Defensively, they run to the ball very well, and play sound fundamental defense. They are also solid in the special teams. We will have to play well on both offensive and defensive lines to be successful. We will have to defend the extra running back with the quarterback runs and be very sound in gap assignments. We cannot give up easy scores. Valpo hit Merrillville on two long passes for each of their scores. We need to continue to be balanced on offense by getting the ball in the hands of our playmakers. The kicking game will have to be solid to win the battle of field position. It should be a great contest for a trip to Indianapolis.” – Fort Wayne Snider’s Kurt Tippmann.
WHITELAND (11-1) AT CASTLE (8-4)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Lidy Field.
COACHES: Darrin Fisher, 129-72 in 18th season at Whiteland, 190-144 in 32nd season overall. Doug Hurt, 127-69 in 17th season at Castle.
LAST CONTEST: Whiteland beat Plainfield, 49-14. Castle beat Bloomington South, 31-14.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First time playing against each other in football.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: No. 2 Whiteland will be making its first appearance in the state finals. Castle earned the 1994 state title.
TOP PERFORMERS: Slate Valentine had nine carries for 40 yards with a touchdown for the Warriors against Plainfield. Antonio Harris rambled 26 times for 107 yards with a score for the Knights against No. 3 Bloomington South.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We need to play great complimentary football. Our defense needs to keep the ball inside and in front to eliminate big plays over the top on play action passes. Our special teams must continue to give us good starting field position. On offense, we need four yards per play to put together long scoring drives and continue to create explosive plays. The team that runs the ball and handles kicking game situations the best will win this game on Friday.” – Whiteland’s Darrin Fisher.
CLASS 4A
NEW PRAIRIE (12-1) AT KOKOMO (12-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Cross Field.
COACHES: Casey McKim, 28-9 in third season at New Prairie. Austin Colby, 24-8 in third season at Kokomo, 40-14 in fifth season overall.
LAST CONTEST: New Prairie beat Northridge, 55-7. Kokomo beat Columbia City, 42-13.
PREVIOUS MEETING: The two clubs have never met before in football.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: No. 6 New Prairie claimed a state runner-up finish in 2014. No. 7 Kokomo was Class 5A state runner-up in 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tayvion Ortman recorded nine tackles for the Cougars against Northridge. Darrian Story tallied 12 carries for 87 yards with a touchdown for the Wildkats against No. 9 Columbia City.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Anyone who knows Kokomo and New Prairie football knows that this game is going to be won in the trenches. Offensively, we both want to impose our will on their defense with the running game. Secondly, it is all about the turnover battle. Last week, Kokomo was able to get four takeaways in Columbia City’s first five offensive possessions. We must take care of the ball and stop them on their fourth down attempts. The last key to the game will be execution. Which team is going to win in the run fits or in the blocking schemes. We must ID the fronts, get to our assignment, and stay on the block once we get there. If we can be the physical aggressor up front, win the turnover battle, and execute at a high level, we feel that we can get a positive result on Friday night.” – New Prairie’s Casey McKim.
“In order for the Kats to come away with a victory Friday night, we will need to win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Both teams want to run the ball, so the more physical team will have success. Taking care of the ball and winning on special teams will be a key factor in the game with the weather on Friday night as well.” – Kokomo’s Austin Colby.
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (12-1) AT EAST CENTRAL (11-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Trojan Field.
COACHES: Eric Quintana, 12-1 in first season at Roncalli. Jake Meiners, 40-9 in fourth season at East Central.
LAST CONTEST: Roncalli beat New Palestine, 20-7. East Central beat Evansville Memorial, 35-21.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Indianapolis Roncalli, 21-19, on October 14, 2022.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: No. 2 Roncalli earned the 2020 state title. No. 4 East Central captured the 2017 state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Luke Hansen became the Royals’ all-time leading rusher by carrying the ball 34 times for 195 yards with a touchdown against top-ranked New Palestine. Ryan Brotherton raced 25 times for 138 yards with a score for the Trojans against Evansville Memorial.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Offensively, we need to establish the run game early and often and take advantage of what their defense gives us. Defensively, we need to control the line of scrimmage and contain the run.” – Roncalli’s Eric Quintana.
“We are excited to be playing in the semifinals this week. We have played a very tough schedule up to this point that has hopefully prepared us for this game. What makes this game even more interesting is that it is against a traditional powerhouse like Roncalli. We have had some great battles with them over the years, and it makes sense that we are playing each other with the winner going on to the state title game. Roncalli is a great football team led by their big offensive and defensive linemen. They also feature one of the best running backs (Luke Hansen) in the state. We will need a good job using our athleticism and be sure tacklers. We need to do a better job winning the turnover battle. We had too many turnovers in our first game versus Roncalli and could not be effective enough offensively. This game is going to come down to who can win the line of scrimmage and who can win the turnover battle. Roncalli is going to do what they do, and they are very effective at it. We are going to have to play fundamentally sound to give ourselves an opportunity to win. It should be a great night for Indiana football.” – East Central’s Jacob Meiners.
CLASS 3A
INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD (9-4) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (13-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Straley Field.
COACHES: Rob Doyle, 61-20 in sixth season at Bishop Chatard. Shane Fry, 107-18 in 10th season at West Lafayette.
LAST CONTEST: Bishop Chatard beat Yorktown, 42-14. West Lafayette beat Knox, 55-14.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Bishop Chatard, 42-14, on November 8, 2019, in Class 3A sectional final.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: No. 6 Bishop Chatard won the 2020 state championship. No. 1 West Lafayette was the 2018 state champion.
TOP PERFORMERS: Luke Purichia scampered 19 times for 153 yards with four scores for the Trojans against Yorktown. Jack Montes came up with six catches for 127 yards with a touchdown for the Red Devils against Knox.
COACHES’ CORNER: “West Lafayette is an excellent football team. They are dynamic offensively and have shut down everyone they have played. We will have to be at the top of our game and do our best to control the line of scrimmage. We need to eliminate big plays and we will try to stay balanced offensively.” – Bishop Chatard’s Rob Doyle.
“In order for us to beat Chatard, we will have to play a great football game in all three phases. It’s important we match their intensity, and we need to win the turnover battle.” – West Lafayette’s Shane Fry.
MONROVIA (6-7) AT LAWRENCEBURG (12-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Neary Field.
COACHES: Andy Olson, 15-19 in third season at Monrovia. Ryan Knigga, 111-36 in 12th season at Lawrenceburg.
LAST CONTEST: Monrovia beat Owen Valley, 26-21. Lawrenceburg beat Southridge, 31-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First get-together on the gridiron.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: Monrovia came away with the 2015 Class 2A state title. No. 9 Lawrenceburg was state runner-up in 2016.
TOP PERFORMERS: Elias Wagner was 5-of-7 for 78 yards with two touchdowns and ran 11 times for 29 yards and another score for the Bulldogs against No. 8 Owen Valley. Alex Witte had 17 rushes for 252 yards with three scores for the Tigers against No. 10 Southridge.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Offensively, we need to control the ball. We’ve tried to win the time of possession battle in each game, and we feel like that’s been a factor in our wins. Our defense has really done a great job with the bend but don’t break philosophy. We’ve had a couple of really nice goal line and redzone stands in the tournament so far. If we continue these key components of the game, we like our chances to compete well in this game.” – Monrovia’s Andy Olson.
“Monrovia is playing very well right now. They have gotten hot at the right time and keep finding ways to survive and advance, so that is the goal right now. Monrovia runs the ball very well. They are very big up front and move the line of scrimmage. They fly around on defense and make plays. We are preparing for a battle. It is going to be a physical game and feature two teams who like to run the football. We will need to match how physical Monrovia is. We will need to stop the run, and we will need to take care of the ball and make plays. We are excited to still be playing. There are four teams left in Class 3A and we are one of them. We know what is at stake and we are excited to be playing in the ‘Pit’ in front of our home crowd for a chance to get back to Lucas Oil Stadium.” – Lawrenceburg’s Ryan Knigga.
CLASS 2A
FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS (8-5) AT ANDREAN (9-3)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Father Eckert Field.
COACHES: Kyle Lindsay, 73-56 in 10th season at Bishop Luers. Chris Skinner, 65-24 in seventh season at Andrean.
LAST CONTEST: Bishop Luers beat Bluffton, 35-6. Andrean beat Lafayette Central Catholic, 30-12.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Andrean, 17-15, on November 22, 2014, in Class 3A semistate.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: Bishop Luers came away with the 2020 state runner-up finish. No. 5 Andrean is the defending state champion.
TOP PERFORMERS: Giovanny Jimenez recorded nine rushes for 100 yards with two scores for the Knights against Bluffton. Patrick Clacks hauled in seven passes for 133 yards with two touchdowns for the 59ers against No. 9 Lafayette Central Catholic.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Andrean is a physical, talented, and disciplined team playing with a ton of confidence right now. For us to pull out a ‘W’ against the defending Class 2A state champs, we’ll need to continue playing fast and physical on defense. Drayk Bowen will need to be gang-tackled every time he touches the ball, and our defensive backs will need to be disciplined in their assignments with the speed they have out wide and finish tackles in space. Offensively, we have to have balance and force them to cover the whole field. Taking care of the ball and limiting penalties, both of which we’ve been very good at this year, is essential. They thrive on short fields. Our special teams will have their biggest test in several weeks, so we need to cover well, be aggressive blocking for our returners, and play with the speed and confidence that we’ve done all year. We’ve got our hands full but are looking forward to the challenge against a championship program.” – Bishop Luers’ Kyle Lindsay.
“”You watch film on Luers and can’t help but walk away impressed. I’m not sure what the computer rankings say, but I assume they play the most difficult schedule in Class 2A. The Summit (Athletic Conference) is a grind, and what they’re able to do as a Class 2A school is impressive. On offense, they have the deepest collection of skill players of any opponent we’ve played all year. Multiple weapons that can hurt you in various ways. We’ll need to be disciplined in our technique if we want to limit their impact. Defensively, they play an aggressive, downhill style of football. They have a handful of players that run sideline to sideline well. These are two proud, tradition-rich programs that know what it takes to win on this stage. Both teams have players that have played in the state championship with Luers representing the North in 2020.” – Andrean’s Chris Skinner.
LINTON-STOCKTON (13-0) AT EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (10-3)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Reitz Bowl.
COACHES: Brian Oliver, 104-22 in 10th season at Linton. Mike Goebel, 258-82 in 26th season at Mater Dei.
LAST CONTEST: Linton beat Lapel, 60-24. Mater Dei beat Triton Central, 35-28.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Mater Dei, 28-27, on October 29, 2021, in Class 2A sectional semifinal.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: Top-ranked Linton-Stockton claimed the 2016 Class 1A state championship. No. 6 Evansville Mater Dei was the state runner-up last season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Braden Walters registered 13 rushes for 54 yards with two scores for the Miners against Lapel. Ethan Stoltz managed four catches for 107 yards with two touchdowns for the Wildcats against No. 4 Triton Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Mater Dei is always very well-coached and well-prepared. In order for us to be successful, we have to be able to take care of the football and not give up the big play. Find ways to get pressure on their quarterback (Mason Wunderlich) and not let him get his feet set. We have to finish our drives with points and the longer we have the ball, the less time their offense is on the field.” – Linton-Stockton’s Brian Oliver.
“In our ‘annual’ battle with Linton, it is fitting this year that this game moved from the sectional due to realignment to the semistate level. Obviously, we will have to eliminate mistakes and take care of the football. Hunter Gennicks is a top 50 player, and his stats speak volumes. He is the architect of Linton’s outstanding offense. He knows it and reads defenses so well. He runs like a fullback in traffic and like a scatback in open space. He can throw very accurately as well. Gennicks dominates, but he has a great compliment of teammates who are very accustomed to playing in big games and winning those games. Linton has many weapons and they have scored almost at will, so we must try to slow them down. Coach Oliver and his staff have a great defense as well. Linton does not make many mistakes, so Mater Dei will be challenged on every front.” – Mater Dei’s Mike Goebel.
CLASS 1A
ADAMS CENTRAL (13-0) AT NORTH JUDSON (12-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Liberty Field.
COACHES: Michael Mosser, 126-47 in 14th season at Adams Central. Brett Lambert, 37-13 in fourth season at North Judson.
LAST CONTEST: Adams Central beat Carroll (Flora), 35-0. North Judson beat Park Tudor, 49-13.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Adams Central, 42-7, on November 19, 2021, in Class 1A semistate.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: No. 2 Adams Central was state runner-up a year ago. No. 4 North Judson finished as state runner-up in 1986.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Hamilton came up with six tackles and an interception for the Flying Jets against No. 8 Carroll (Flora). Aldric Harper racked up 10 carries for 88 yards with a touchdown for the Bluejays against Park Tudor.
COACHES’ CORNER: “It’s going to take a lot for us to win. They are a very good team. We are going to have our hands full for sure. They are fast and physical. We are going to have to control the line of scrimmage to beat them. We must stop their quarterback (Aldric Harper) from getting outside and their fullback (Brock Benson) from getting yards up the middle. Their wingback (Cheyenne Allen) is extremely good too and we must stop him as much as possible. Defensively, they fly to the ball, so we are going to have to play a mistake-free game to win. Ball control and scoring points, if that is possible, will be our game plan. Obviously, we have to slow their offense down as much as possible.” – Adams Central’s Michael Mosser.
“It’s not a secret to anyone who loves football, but Adams Central is really good. Coach Mosser has an awesome program that is based on physicality and discipline. They run the football very well, throw when they have to (want to), and they play great defense under the guidance of Coach (John) Hammond. They do things the right way. After they kicked our butts in the semistate last year, we could have gone a bunch of different directions as a program. Our kids decided to work at an even higher level in the weight room, at speed development, and in their other sports. We will find out on Friday how far we have come as a program. If we are going to earn a victory, it will be the result of near flawless execution of the game plan. It was obvious last year that they were more ready to be on the big stage. I’m excited to see how the Bluejays react this time around and to see where we are at as a program.” – North Judson’s Brett Lambert.
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (13-0) AT NORTH DECATUR (13-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Kaelin Field.
COACHES: Dave Pasch, 136-53 in 15th season at Lutheran, 201-110 in 26th season overall. Steve Stirn, 65-29 in eighth season at North Decatur, 152-78 in 20th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Lutheran beat Providence, 49-7. North Decatur beat Sheridan, 29-14.
LAST MEETING: Lutheran, 27-12, on October 26, 2018, in Class 1A sectional opener.
LAST VISIT TO INDIANAPOLIS: No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran is the defending state champion. No.3 North Decatur has never played in the title game.
TOP PERFORMERS: Joe Davis exploded for 33 carries for 259 yards with four touchdowns for the Saints against Providence. Evan Howell managed a 26-yard scoring reception for the Chargers against No. 6 Sheridan.
COACHES’ CORNER: “North Decatur is well-coached and very disciplined with a load of talented players. We have to match them with an ability to avoid mistakes and have great mental preparedness and awareness. North Decatur has tremendous team speed in all of the skilled positions. They are physical and very fundamental on the interior, and they present a fast physical defense that attacks. We will have to execute the game plan to have success in all three phases of the football game.” – Indianapolis Lutheran’s Dave Pasch.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our program. We are excited to make it to the semistate but recognize the quality of our opponent. Lutheran is an outstanding team. This will be the best team that we have played. We are going to give it our best shot and see what happens.” – North Decatur’s Steve Stirn.
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