EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (3-1) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Carroll Field.
COACHES: Josh Edwards, 76-82 in 16th season at Eastern, 92-146 in 24th season overall. Blake Betzner, 13-4 in second season at Carroll.
LAST CONTEST: Eastern beat Taylor, 48-20. Carroll beat Southern Wells, 43-6.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Eastern, 33-13, on September 17, 2021.
UP NEXT: Eastern (Greentown) hosts Clinton Central. Carroll (Flora) travels to Tri-Central.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jayden Eagle ran 15 times for 121 yards with two touchdowns for the Comets against Taylor. Keegan Ellis found the end zone for the No. 8 (Class 1A) Cougars against Southern Wells.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We have a very tough opponent this week. Carroll is a big and physical team with good skill players. We are a very young team this year with only three seniors seeing the field. I think the big thing that is that our young players have to really step up this week. We start three sophomores on our offensive line and two sophomores on our defensive line. They are growing each week, but still are making sophomore mistakes. We will have to rely on the leadership of our three seniors and our numerous junior starters. We will have to match Carroll’s physicality in the tackle box and eliminate their big plays from their two wings. They have a large powerful fullback that we will have to tackle low and swarm or he will run all day. This is a huge test for our team to see how much we have grown since the Oak Hill game.” – Eastern’s (Greentown) Josh Edwards.
“Eastern has been the leader in this conference the last few years. We are just excited to be climbing the ladder in this conference. Eastern has a tremendously athletic and experienced group both in the run game and the passing game. Their lineman on both sides of the ball are always big, athletic, and strong. Our kids are excited to see where we are at, and how far we have come from a year ago. Eastern is not going to beat themselves, so we are going to have to go win the game. I am excited to watch our guys go out and compete at a high level and see where the chips fall at the end of the night.” Carroll’s (Flora) Blake Betzner.
FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER (3-1) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Gorsuch Complex.
COACHES: Jason Garrett, 45-11 in fifth season at Bishop Dwenger. Doug Dinan, 94-45 in 13th season at Carroll.
LAST CONTEDT: Bishop Dwenger beat Homestead, 14-10. Carroll beat Fort Wayne Northrop, 38-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Carroll, 42-23, on September 17, 2021.
UP NEXT: Bishop Dwenger entertains Fort Wayne Concordia. Carroll (Fort Wayne) hosts Fort Wayne South.
TOP PERFORMERS: Sam Campbell completed 5-of-11 for 118 yards and ran 12 times for 92 yards for the No. 8 (Class 5A) Saints against Homestead. Nathan Starks raced 10 times for 85 yards for the No. 7 (Class 6A) Chargers against Fort Wayne Northrop.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Carroll poses a tremendous challenge for our team in all three facets. They have a very fast, physical defense, execute at a high level in their spread offense attack, and are sound in the special teams, particularly in the kicking game, which produces touchbacks and great accuracy for extra-points and field goals. We will have to win the battle in the trenches as well as create turnovers, reduce penalties, and be especially efficient on offense.” – Bishop Dwenger’s Jason Garrett.
“Bishop Dwenger is a very, very good football team with an abundance of talent that plays very disciplined and fast. We will have to play well in all phases of the game on Friday night. Keys to the game will be for our defense to minimize the plays that their quarterback (Sam Campbell) makes throwing and running the ball, and for our offense to handle the pressures and blitzes from their defense.” – Carroll’s (Fort Wayne) Doug Dinan.
GIBSON SOUTHERN (4-0) AT SOUTHRIDGE (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Raider Field.
COACHES: Nick Hart, 109-20 in 11th season at Gibson Southern. Scott Buening, 89-28 in 10th season at Southridge, 101-56 in 14th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Gibson Southern beat South Warren (Kentucky), 28-24. Southridge beat Pike Central, 53-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Gibson Southern, 63-9, on September 17, 2021.
UP NEXT: Gibson Southern travels to Heritage Hills. Southridge plays at Tell City.
TOP PERFORMERS: Devan Roberts came up with 15 rushes for 104 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 2 (Class 3A) Titans against South Warren. Hudson Allen went 6-of-7 for 100 yards with two touchdowns and ran four times for 42 yards with another score for the No. 9 (Class 3A) Raiders against Pike Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Southridge is a very good football team. They have only given up seven points the entire year. They are very good defensively and fly to the ball. We must be very efficient offensively to have a chance to sustain drives and get points. On offense, they are so good at what they do. I feel like they package their plays together as well as anyone in the state. If you take away this, they are going to run that. If you take away that, they are going to run this. We have youth on our defense and those guys are going to have to be super disciplined in what they do this week. Our games with Southridge are usually close and hard-fought games. It should be a great atmosphere for high school football on Friday night.” – Gibson Southern’s Nick Hart.
“Gibson Southern has established themselves as one of the top programs in Indiana. Coming off a Class 3A state championship from last year and the graduation of numerous players, they have not missed a beat this year. Last week, they defeated South Warren, who is a defending state champion out of Kentucky and avenged their only loss from last season. Coach Hart and his staff do an incredibly job preparing their kids youth through high school and are reaping the rewards for the work they have put in at all levels. In what we have seen to this point, Gibson has tremendous team speed with a very balanced offense. They have continued to demonstrate the ability to throw the ball efficiently and still push the ball down the field and the running combination of their quarterback-running back (Tanner Boyd and Devan Roberts) make for a tough challenge defensively. Their defense is very aggressive. Their front line is quick off the ball and does a great job penetrating. Gibson doesn’t get enough credit for their special teams play. They have blocked numerous kicks this year and as a team over the past years and put a lot of pressure on your kicking game to perform. We are looking forward to what we think will be a great atmosphere Friday night to see where we are as a team at this point in the season.” – Southridge’s Scott Buening.
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (4-0) AT WESTFIELD (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Riverview Health Stadium.
COACHES: Michael Kelly, 18-6 in third season at Hamilton Southeastern, 32-22 in sixth season overall. Jake Gilbert, 87-49 in 12th season at Westfield, 117-85 in 18th season overall.
LAST OUTING: Hamilton Southeastern beat Fishers, 28-27 (OT). Westfield beat Noblesville, 34-33.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Westfield, 24-22, on November 5, 2021 in Class 6A sectional final.
UP NEXT: Hamilton Southeastern hosts Zionsville. Westfield travels to Brownsburg.
TOP PERFORMERS: John McCoy hauled in a 45-yard touchdown pass for the No. 4 (Class 6A) Royals against Fishers. Anthony Feltrinelli recorded 16 tackles for the No. 6 (Class 6A) Shamrocks against Noblesville.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Westfield is a talented group that has secured 18 straight conference wins and 22 straight wins against conference opponents. The keys to victory are to control the line of scrimmage. We have to play physical, smart, and tough football. Offensively, we need to find a way to run the football against a very talented defense. Defensively, we will need to contain their very talented quarterback (Cole) Ballard. Their running backs and receivers create challenges due to their size and speed. We must secure tackles and move our feet through contact.” – Hamilton Southeastern’s Michael Kelly.
“Hamilton Southeastern is excellent on defense. They give you nothing easy. We will have to take care of the football and find some ways to get behind them through the air while running the ball efficiently. They fly to the ball, so it won’t be easy. We have been average defensively, so we have to force some takeaways and stop the run. Ultimately, we have to play a more complete game to beat a team of this caliber.” – Westfield’s Jake Gilbert.
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (3-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Beech Grove High School
COACHES: Kyle Ray, 46-21 in seventh season at Heritage Christian. Ott Hurrle, 218-144 in 31st season at Scecina, 219-153 in 33rd season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Heritage Christian beat Eastern Hancock, 49-22. Scecina beat Beech Grove, 32-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Scecina, 40-20, on October 22, 2021 in Class 2A sectional quarterfinal.
UP NEXT: Heritage Christian hosts Covenant Christian. Indianapolis Scecina entertains Indianapolis Lutheran.
TOP PERFORMERS: C.J. Opper scampered 20 times for 195 yards with four touchdowns for the No. 6 (Class 2A) Eagles against Eastern Hancock. Tamir Woods registered 14 tackles for the No. (Class 2A) Crusaders against Beech Grove.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We are going to have to play our most physical game of the year to beat Scecina. They are a tough team with a very good run game and defense. We are going to have to play with discipline, speed, and physicality to be successful.” – Heritage Christian’s Kyle Ray.
“We will have to play our best defensively as Heritage Christian is a very explosive offense. Our offensive line will need to have a good game in order for us to control the ball.” – Scecina’s Ott Hurrle.
LINTON-STOCKTON (4-0) AT BOONVILLE (3-1)
KICKOFF TIME: 6:30 p.m. CDT, Bennett Field.
COACHES: Brian Oliver, 95-22 in 10th season at Linton-Stockton. Darin Ward, 43-32 in eighth season at Boonville, 113-62 in 17th season overall.
LAST OUTING: Linton-Stockton beat Sullivan, 40-20. Boonville beat North Knox, 13-7 (OT).
PREVIOUS MEETING: Linton-Stockton, 35-14, on September 17, 2021.
UP NEXT: Linton-Stockton travels to North Daviess. Boonville plays at Mount Vernon (Posey).
TOP PERFORMERS: Hunter Johns chipped in 12 carries for 116 yards with a touchdown for the top-ranked (Class 2A) Miners against Sullivan. Carter Wolfe came up with 15 tackles for the Pioneers against North Knox.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Boonville is a very good team, and I am very impressed with their defense. In order for us to be successful Friday, we cannot give up the big plays and eliminate mental mistakes. We need also to keep their quarterback (Clay Conner) contained because he is a very good dual threat player.” – Linton-Stockton’s Brian Oliver.
“We look forward to hosting the No. 1 ranked team in Class 2A on Friday night. Linton-Stockton is a well-coached team that will not beat themselves. From a defense perspective, we must contain their senior quarterback, Hunter Gennicks. He is capable of making big plays in the throw game and in the run game. Offensively, we must take care of the football and get production out of our passing game. In big games like this, the kicking game will play a key role in field position and points after touchdowns. Should be a great night for football in Boonville, Indiana.” – Boonville’s Darin Ward.
NORTHVIEW (4-0) AT OWEN VALLEY (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Patriot Field.
COACHES: Mark Raetz, 74-24 in 10th season at Northview, 89-69 in 16th season overall. Rob Gibson, 14-2 in second season at Owen Valley.
LAST CONTEST: Northview beat West Vigo, 41-6. Owen Valley beat Edgewood, 57-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Owen Valley, 24-14, on September 17, 2021.
UP NEXT: Northview hosts Terre Haute South. Owen Valley travels to Sullivan.
TOP PERFORMERS: Imer Holman ran 10 times for 120 yards and three touchdowns for the No. 10 (Class 4A) Knights against West Vigo. Christian McDonald scampered 10 times for 116 yards with two scores for the Patriots against Edgewood.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Owen Valley will be the toughest opponent we’ve seen so far this season. They really have no weaknesses. They are explosive on offense in both the run game and pass game. They play sound, fundamental defense. They are solid in the kicking game, and they are very well-coached. We will definitely have our work cut out for us. We’ll have to play well in all phases of the game to be able to win at their place.” – Northview’s Mark Raetz.
“As I have said all week so far, Northview is the team in the WIC (Western Indiana Conference) that everyone has been chasing and striving to be like for a long time. They are still the team to beat every year. They are incredibly well coached, make very few mistakes, and they play for 48 minutes, regardless of who is in and who they’re playing. Mark does a really good job understanding his guys and putting them in positions to be successful based on their strengths. We all try to do that, but he does it very well. So, in order for us to be successful against them, we have to understand that good teams make plays. We have to manage the highs and lows of a game of this magnitude. Take advantage of the highs, manage the lows, and don’t get discouraged when they make plays. It is a marathon, not a sprint. They’re going to make plays. We are going to make plays. I am looking forward to Friday night, and I know our guys are too.” – Owen Valley’s Robert Gibson.
ROCHESTER (4-0) AT TIPPECANOE VALLEY (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Smith-Bibler Memorial Field.
COACHES: Ron Shaffer, 9-3 in second season at Rochester. Stephen Moriarty, 36-22 in sixth season at Tippecanoe Valley.
LAST CONTEST: Rochester beat Wabash, 52-13. Tippecanoe Valley beat Manchester, 43-13.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Tippecanoe Valley, 54-0, on September 18, 2020.
UP NEXT: Rochester hosts Peru. Tippecanoe Valley plays at Whitko.
TOP PERFORMERS: Gavin McKee came up with seven carries for 101 yards and two scores for the Zebras against Wabash. Nathan Parker ran nine times for 86 yards with three scores for the Vikings against Manchester.
COACHES’ CORNER: “For us to be successful against Valley, we will need to control the line of scrimmage. They are very big and physical up front on both sides of the ball. We will need our offensive line and defensive line to play their best games of the year.” – Rochester’s Ron Shaffer.
“The Bell game is like a season within a season. It’s great for both communities and memories that will last a lifetime. To be successful against Rochester, we will need to be disciplined on defense. They have a great system and a lot of good football players. Stopping the run is going to be a tall task. If we can at least slow them down, it helps our chances of winning. The other thing is special teams are going to be key for the game.” – Tippecanoe Valley’s Steve Moriarty.
TECUMSEH (4-0) AT PERRY CENTRAL (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CDT, Perry Central.
COACHES: Bret Szabo, 10-12 in third season at Tecumseh, 84-95 in 18th season overall. Greg Gibson, 72-42 in 11th season at Perry Central.
LAST CONTEST: Tecumseh beat Forest Park, 38-14. Perry Central beat Paoli, 49-26.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Perry Central, 35-20, on September 17, 2021.
UP NEXT: Tecumseh plays at North Posey. Perry Central travels to Clarksville.
TOP PERFORMERS: Drew DuPont accounted for three touchdowns for the No. 10 (Class 1A) Braves against Forest Park. Sawyer Guillaume tallied 19 rushes for 280 yards with five touchdowns for the Commodores against Paoli.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We have our hands full with a very solid Perry Central squad. Perry Central is undefeated while scoring a ton of points and giving up very few. They also have home field advantage. Furthermore, Tecumseh has not beaten Perry Central in the last nine games which spans over eight years. Considering those factors, we know we have to have a great game plan and my coaches have done a tremendous job with that. We need to have a solid understanding of what we want to do and have a great week of practice implementing the game plan. We need to make sure we have the right mental approach to this game. All of that is done Monday-Thursday, the time we believe football games are won. So far this season, our Monday-Thursdays have been spot on. We need a great week of practice and we’ll be ready. We look forward to the challenge.” – Tecumseh’s Bret Szabo.
“On offense, we will need to create some explosives in our running game, limit our negative plays and stay on schedule, and stay out of third and long situations. Defensively, we will need to limit the explosives created by their quarterback (Drew DuPont) create some turnovers and be sound in the secondary. Special teams could be a big factor, so we want to be sound in all phases of the kicking game. It’s going to be a great atmosphere here on Friday night.” – Perry Central’s Greg Gibson.
WARSAW (4-0) AT NORTHWOOD (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Andrews Field.
COACHES: Bart Curtis, 35-12 in fifth season at Warsaw, 236-114 in 32nd season overall. Nate Andrews, 66-28 in ninth season at NorthWood, 106-67 in 16th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Warsaw beat Concord, 19-0. NorthWood beat Northridge, 42-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Warsaw, 42-24, on October 8, 2021.
UP NEXT: Warsaw hosts Mishawaka. NorthWood plays at Plymouth.
TOP PERFORMERS: Reed Zollinger romped for 83 yards with a score on nine carries for the Tigers against Concord. Wes Yoder caught six passes for 77 yards with a touchdown for the No. 5 (Class 4A) Panthers against Northridge.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Here are the things Warsaw needs to do this Friday night in Nappanee to be successful. We can’t have a slow start in any phase of the game. Historically, this has been an issue at Jim Andrews Field for Warsaw. We have to be aware of No. 3 (Ni’Tareon Tuggle), No. 6 (Ethan Evers), No. 8 (Kaden Lone), No. 12 (Owen Roeder), and No. 24 (J.J. Payne). They’re possibly the best ‘Royal Flush’ in Northern Indiana. Anyone (or all) of these players can make you look extremely bad (and slow) on any (or several) given plays. We need to not look bad too often. We have to kick the football on all offensive possessions, so the Tigers must end in some fashion of a successful kick. Can we tackle NorthWood? To date, we have tackled well, so we must have seven (or less) missed tackles. This will be a tall order. We need four perfect possessions, no negative yardage plays, the ball cannot touch the ground, and eight plays or more in which drive ends in a kick. We have to show pride, poise, enthusiasm, and effort. NorthWood has all four, so Warsaw must display this at the same (or higher) level. We have to play one snap at a time. It will be a long game, maybe 150 or more snaps, so we need to take each one for what it’s worth and make that snap ‘the snap’ that counts. We have to be selfless. We must have maximum effort on every snap, which is selfless. A lack of effort in any facet on any snap is a display of poor character and selfishness. We also must play low, play fast. play hard and play smart. If we do these enough times, we will be in the game. Finally, Opportunity + Preparation = Moments. Don’t let the moment be too big.” – Warsaw’s Bart Curtis.
“In order to be successful, we will need to be very sound in all phases. Our team must respond to sudden change at an elite level. Offensively, our efficiency will need to be at a premium. In the kicking game, we will need to win the field position battle. Defensively, we will need to take the ball away.” – NorthWood’s Nate Andrews.
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