BROWNSBURG (8-0) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (8-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Royal Stadium.
COACHES: John Hart, 58-15 in seventh year at Brownsburg, 324-97 in 38th year overall. Michael Kelly, 22-6 in third year at Hamilton Southeastern, 36-22 in sixth year overall.
LAST CONTEST: Brownsburg defeated Noblesville, 45-28. Hamilton Southeastern defeated Franklin Central, 38-14.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Brownsburg, 31-28, on October 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Brownsburg travels to Indianapolis Ben Davis on October 28 for Class 6A Sectional 5 semifinal. Hamilton Southeastern plays at Homestead on October 28 for Class 6A Sectional 4 semifinal.
TOP PERFORMERS: Caleb Marcus ran 18 times for 106 yards with a touchdown for the top-ranked Bulldogs against Noblesville. Azariah Wallace scampered 14 times for 101 yards with two scores for the No. 4 Royals against Franklin Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We have played real good football when we have avoided self-inflicted wounds. HSE is the most rounded football team we have played when it comes to all three phases of the game. We will need to play good in all three phases. Their wide receiver (Donovan Hamilton) is a match up problem for anyone, so that will add to our challenges.” – Brownsburg’s John Hart.
“Brownsburg is a very big and talented team. Their speed and discipline make them challenging. We will have to own the line of scrimmage. Defensively, we will have to be physical and eliminate their big play opportunities by being discipline. They do a great job of getting plus one to two yards after contact, so we need to run or feet on contact and secure every tackle. Offensively, their defense is big and physical, so we will have to play smart and with great technique. We need to take care of the football and finish every drive with a kick. We need to play fast, physical, relentless, and smart football, which means play HSE football.” – Hamilton Southeastern’s Michael Kelly.
COLUMBIA CITY (7-1) AT NORWELL (8-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, The Courtyard.
COACHES: Brett Fox, 43-48 in ninth year at Columbia City. Josh Gerber, 39-36 in seventh year at Norwell.
LAST CONTEST: Columbia City defeated Leo, 28-13. Norwell defeated Huntington North, 56-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Norwell, 23-13, on October 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Columbia City plays at Fort Wayne Wayne in Class 4A Sectional 19 opener. Norwell travels to DeKalb for Class 3A Sectional 27 opener.
TOP PERFORMERS: James Getts had 11 rushes for 121 yards with three touchdowns for the No. 10 Eagles against Leo. Aydan Rusu recorded 10 tackles for the No. 3 Knights against Huntington North.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Norwell is going to be the toughest opponent that we have faced this season. They have the number one scoring defense in the state, regardless of class, and a high-power offense as well. We will have to be on top of things in all phases of the game. We need to be able to do what we do, playing for each other and doing our job so that others can shine and then return the favor so that they can shine. It’s an amazing opportunity to have the final game of the season decide our conference championship and we have to be ready for the biggest battle we have faced all year long.” – Columbia City’s Brett Fox.
“We will have to play well Friday night to beat Columbia City. They are a well-coached team. Coach Fox and his staff have done a really nice job building their program. Columbia City is a very balanced team offensively. They do a good job of getting the ball to multiple people. We won’t be able to key on just one guy. They want to run the football, but they also do a great job of throwing it. They are aggressive defensively. They get really good play from their second and third level players. They will look to steal a possession by either kicking onside or faking a punt. We have to be ready in all three phases of the game.” – Norwell’s Josh Gerber.
ELKHART (7-1) AT NEW PRAIRIE (7-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Amzie Miller Field.
COACHES: Romison Saint-Louis, 7-1 in first year at Elkhart, 28-22 in fifth year overall. Casey McKim, 23-9 in third year at New Prairie.
LAST CONTEST: Elkhart defeated Mishawaka Marian, 35-0. New Prairie lost to Penn, 21-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Elkhart, 21-14, on October 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Elkhart travels to Warsaw on October 28 for Class 6A Sectional 2 semifinal. New Prairie hosts Kankakee Valley for Class 4A Sectional 17 opener.
TOP PERFORMERS: Hayden Scott racked up 14 tackles for the No. 8 Cougars against No. 10 (Class 6A) Penn. Jaiven Sharp came up with four carries for 66 yards with a score for the Lions against Marian.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We are traveling to a good program in New Prairie. In order for us to be victorious, we must focus on the little details and not hurt ourselves. Penalties and turnovers have been hurting our production in all phases of the game this second half of the season, so we must eliminate that.” – Elkhart’s Romison Saint-Louis.
“To get a win this upcoming week, we are going to need to be consistent in all three phases of the game. Defensively, we have to win in the trenches up front. They have a very large line, and we need to take away their strong running game. On top of that, we have to take away the big play. We must keep everything in front of us and force them to execute at a high level on long drives. Offensively, we need to execute and win our individual battles. We need to be able to throw the ball on early downs to create some big chunk plays. We have to win at the line of scrimmage and get off to linebackers. If we execute at a high level and win our individual matchups, then we should have success offensively. In terms of special teams, we must flip the field and take care of the football in order to help out the offensive and defensive sides of the football.” – New Prairie’s Casey McKim.
EVANSVILLE REITZ (8-0) AT EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (6-2)
KICKOFF TIME: 7 p.m. CDT, Reitz Bowl.
COACHES: Cory Brunson, 16-14 in third year at Reitz, 50-54 in 10th year overall. Mike Goebel, 254-81 in 26th year at Mater Dei.
LAST CONTEST: Reitz defeated Evansville Bosse, 41-12. Mater Dei defeated Evansville Harrison, 35-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Mater Dei, 21-17, on October 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Evansville Reitz entertains Evansville Central in Class 4A Sectional 24 opener. Evansville Mater Dei hosts Perry Central in Class 2A Sectional 40 opener.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ben Davies went 7-of-24 for 118 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 6 Panthers against Evansville Bosse. Drew Martin caught five passes for 72 yards for the No. 4 Wildcats against Evansville Harrison.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This week is rival week in our conference. Mater Dei is on a four-game win streak, so they are playing well. This week, we will need to play a complete game. We have been close but haven’t accomplished that yet. Our offense, defense, and special teams will need to have their best game of the year.” – Evansville Reitz’s Cory Brunson.
“Every Friday evening game in the SIAC (Southern Indiana Athletic Conference) is a rivalry game, but this special game between Mater Dei and Reitz has such a great tradition and atmosphere. Playing before a packed house at the Reitz Bowl is such a privilege. The players know each other well and many friends, relatives, families even have split allegiances on this night. Our team is very aware of the many challenges that Reitz poses. Coach Brunson has assembled an outstanding group of fast, strong, and aggressive athletes in every position. Undoubtedly, Mater Dei will have to play its best game of the season just to stay competitive. Reitz can exploit equally on the ground and through the air. Although they get less recognition, their defense is probably their greatest strength. They have dominated in the SIAC. They’re undefeated and highly ranked in Class 4A. The Panthers are well-coached and make few mistakes, so for us to stay in the game, we must eliminate mental mistakes, cut down on penalties, and hopefully keep the Panthers in front of us, which will be a monumental task.” – Evansville Mater Dei’s Mike Goebel.
HANOVER CENTRAL (8-0) AT CALUMET (8-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CDT, Arrowhead Stadium.
COACHES: Brian Parker, 39-15 in fifth year at Hanover Central. Cody French, 14-4 in second year at Calumet.
LAST CONTEST: Hanover Central defeated Wheeler, 47-0. Calumet defeated River Forest, 25-6.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Hanover Central, 28-6, on October 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Hanover Central plays at Rensselaer Central in Class 3A Sectional 25 opener. Calumet hosts Boone Grove in Class 3A Sectional 25 opener.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kyle Haessly scampered 10 times for 143 yards with four touchdowns for the No. 6 Wildcats against Wheeler. Andrew Marcum was 12-of-16 for 189 yards and ran 10 times for 63 yards and two scores for the Warriors against River Forest.
COACHES’ CORNER: “In order for us to be successful this upcoming Friday night, we need to continue to have our championship focus of getting better every single day in every single way. Our approach throughout the week has carried into Friday’s this season. The keys to our in-game success are the same this Friday as they are every Friday. Establish the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, value the football, and play a fast, violent brand of football that suffocates our opponent.” – Hanover Central’s Brian Parker.
“Hanover Central is a great team and program. They are well-coached, dynamic, and have a lot of talented football players. We will need to have a great week of focused practice and be ready to go on Friday. We will need to slow down their high-powered offense and find ways to get the ball to our guys in space on offense. This is an awesome opportunity for our program, school, and community and we will be ready to compete.” – Calumet’s Cody French.
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (6-1) AT CENTER GROVE (7-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Ray Skillman Stadium.
COACHES: Bill Peebles, 48-12 in fifth year at Cathedral, 122-77 in 18th year overall. Eric Moore, 231-73 in 24th year at Center Grove, 279-78 in 28th year overall.
LAST CONTEST: Cathedral defeated Brebeuf Jesuit, 42-21. Center Grove defeated Lawrence North, 38-14.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Center Grove, 21-6, on October 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Cathedral hosts Lawrence North on October 28 in Class 6A Sectional 6 semifinal. Center Grove plays at Franklin Central on October 28 in Class 6A Sectional 8 semifinal.
TOP PERFORMERS: David Ayers hauled in five passes for 92 yards with a touchdown for the No. 3 Irish against Brebeuf Jesuit. Tyler Cherry was 12-of-16 for 127 yards with two touchdowns and ran for another score for the No. 2 Trojans against Lawrence North.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This game should be another great game between two very good teams. Center Grove has reloaded and is playing great football. The keys to the game are simple, but hard to do against such a well-coached team. We need to play fundamentally sound football and minimize mistakes. Run fits and eliminating the big play are defensive keys. Offensively, we need to finish drives in the red zone and win some one-on-one matchups.” – Cathedral’s Terry Peebles.
“Center Grove vs Cathedral has become one of the landmark games of the year in Indiana high school football, matching two teams with rich championship traditions. Not only has it provided unbelievable exciting games. it has been a show case of future NCAA and NFL players. The 2022 version should provide all of the above with a night the fans won’t forget. It’s exciting for these types of schools to play each other in the regular season, but on the last week of the season even makes for a bigger event. When it’s done, we quickly shift to the playoffs and what at Center Grove we call the drive for five. Five games to win the state championship. This year’s game will have a collision of two offenses that score 37 and 40 points per game respectably. The stingy Cathedral defense is big, strong, physical and features athletes with elite speed in the secondary. Like usual, the Cathedral defense is an excellent tackling defense that always seems to get you on the ground. One key for the Center Grove offense will be to try and move the chains and getting first downs. Three and out drives will make it difficult for the Center Grove defense to make plays. The Cathedral offense features a big play passing and running quarterback (Danny O’Neil) that puts extreme pressure on the defense. The Cathedral running game is also highly effective and get touchdowns in one play or driving the ball down the field, but their passing game is just as amazing. With a (NCAA) Division-1 receiver (Jaron Tibbs) who has yet to be stopped, our defense will have to figure a way to keep the ball out of his hands. The best way to stop the Cathedral offense is to keep them on the sidelines. We can do this by maintaining the possession of the ball and making them tackle our great running backs all night long. I’m hoping this is a game of physical will, not of speed like a track meet. We have several offensive speed weapons not on the track tonight which could make it tough for our offense to put up the usual numbers. The loss of Drew Wheat for the season and Eli Hohlt for at least one more week has crippled our depth at running back. This caused the coaching staff to make Jalen Thomeson into a sometimes-two-way player. A big key will be can Jalen handle the physical fight on offense and still be physical enough to assist the defense. Only time will tell if that can be done. It’s for sure the turnover battle will and can be the difference, but for Center Grove, it’s going to be not giving up the big pass plays. This year, with a lesser pass rush, it has caused the secondary to have to guard for longer periods of time, thus giving some of the highly skilled receivers ample time to make big plays against our defense. The Irish will be well-coached by one of the best coaching staffs in the business and the players on both teams will have plenty of energy and motivation for these four quarters. But, for the first time ever, there is that chance that this game could be played again at the semistate level. Wouldn’t that be great?” – Center Grove’s Eric Moore.
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (7-1) AT EAST CENTRAL (7-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Trojan Field.
COACHES: Eric Quintana, 7-1 in first year at Roncalli. Jake Meiners, 36-8 in fourth year at East Central.
LAST CONTEST: Roncalli lost to Cincinnati Elder (Ohio), 24-23. East Central defeated Guerin Catholic, 41-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Roncalli, 35-21, on October 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Roncalli travels to Indianapolis Shortridge for Class 4A Sectional 21 opener. East Central entertains Edgewood in Class 4A Sectional 23 opener.
TOP PERFORMERS: Arik Moyers went 7-of-9 for 52 yards with two scores for the No. 2 Royals against Cincinnati Elder. Dylan Maxwell had seven tackles for the No. 4 Trojans against Guerin Catholic.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Defensively, we need to exceed their physicality. East Central will play hard and be fundamentally sound. We need to stop the run and be sound against the pass. Offensively. we need to execute the game plan. We need to play physical and be fundamentally sound. We have to stay ahead of the chains and let our playmakers make plays.” – Roncalli’s Eric Quintana.
“We are looking forward to a great matchup on Friday. Roncalli is an excellent football team, and we will have to play well. This game features two of the top running backs in the state. Roncalli has a huge offensive line and runs behind them. Our defense will have our hands full. They don’t have many weaknesses on defense and have great special teams. We will have to manage the clock with our offense and try to keep their offense off of the field. We must win the hidden yards on special teams. We also have to take care of the football and hopefully create a turnover on defense. We cannot hurt ourselves with turnovers or negative plays. If we can handle things on our end, we will give ourselves a chance to win. This is a great matchup between two top Class 4A teams. It is our senior night and regular season finale. Trojan Field should be rocking, and it should be a great night of Indiana high school football.” – East Central’s Jake Meiners.
LAWRENCEBURG (7-1) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (7-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Backman Field.
COACHES: Ryan Knigga, 106-36 in 12th year at Lawrenceburg. Rand Ballart, 37-43 in eighth year at South Dearborn.
LAST CONTEST: Lawrenceburg defeated Connersville, 38-0. South Dearborn defeated Rushville, 61-34.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Lawrenceburg, 56-7, on October 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Lawrenceburg travels to South Dearborn in Class 3A Sectional 31 opener. South Dearborn hosts Lawrenceburg in Class 3A Sectional 31 opener.
TOP PERFORMERS: Teagan Bennett rambled 20 times for 166 yards with two scores for the No. 9 Tigers against Connersville. Adam Kunkel went 33-of-50 for 526 yards with six touchdowns against Rushville.
COACHES’ CORNER: “South Dearborn is having an excellent year. They have changed some of their philosophies on offense and defense that have really helped them. South Dearborn is really aggressive on defense and high tempo on offense. In order for the Tigers to be successful, we must score when we have the ball. We must execute up front, take care of the ball, and make plays in the passing game. Defensively, we must get lined up. South Dearborn is a no huddle, hurry up offense that wants to rattle off plays. Correct alignment, tackling in space, and not getting beat deep will all be crucial this week.” – Lawrenceburg’s Ryan Knigga.
“Lawrenceburg is playing very good football right now. They have a solid win streak going since week one, since playing East Central which is their only loss. East Central is our only loss as well. They have five straight shutouts, so their defense is playing solid football and have a lot of confidence on that side of the ball. We are going to have to play fundamentally sound football, make sure we eliminate our mistakes, and take advantage of the opportunities when given to us. I think this game is going to be a really good game and we are excited to be part of it. Having to play them back-to-back for the first round of the sectional is going to make for an interesting next two weeks around here because our communities are literally five minutes apart and many folks cross over for work and what have you. We are excited to be playing at home the next two weeks as well.” – South Dearborn’s Rand Ballart.
LINTON-STOCKTON (8-0) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (7-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Wildman Field.
COACHES: Brian Oliver, 99-22 in 10th year at Linton-Stockton. Chuck Sorrell, 32-11 in fourth year at South Putnam, 36-37 in seventh year overall.
LAST CONTEST: Linton-Stockton defeated Eastern Greene, 62-7. South Putnam defeated Heritage Christian, 49-20.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Linton-Stockton, 48-12, on October 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Linton-Stockton travels to South Vermillion for Class 2A Sectional 37 opener. South Putnam plays at Indianapolis Lutheran in Class 1A Sectional 47 opener.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jesse Voightschild raced six times for 70 yards with two scores for the No. 1 Miners against Eastern Greene. Luke Switzer found the end zone four times for the No. 5 Eagles against Heritage Christian.
COACHES’ CORNER: “I’m very impressed with South Putnam. They are a very athletic team with great speed. For us to get a win, we cannot give up the big play and take care of the football. Special teams come into play in big games like this. We have to win the field position battle.” – Linton-Stockton’s Brian Oliver.
“We talked all last week about going to someone else’s neighborhood and being able to win the fight. We had the best week of practice that we have had in my four years here. We talk every day about earning respect. This week, we have the same goal. They are a very physical team, and they have a lot of talent. Coach Oliver does a great job of getting his teams ready to play. Are we going to let them come into Wildman Field and push us around or are we going to hit them as hard as they want to hit us and earn their respect? We lift every day, and we are a really strong team. This has helped us win three conference and county championships in a row, but now we must be ready to out physical a great team and earn respect from others around the state. We love the challenge of playing the number one team in Class 2A and then the number one team in Class 1A (Indianapolis Lutheran next week). We knew that Linton would be a tough game when we signed up to play them. It will be a fun and exciting night at Wildman Stadium. Two ranked teams, both with the same goals of winning a state championship.” – South Putnam’s Chuck Sorrell.
SHERIDAN (7-1) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (8-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Carroll Field.
COACHES: Larry Wright, 442-205 in 57th year at Sheridan, 443-208 in 58th year overall. Blake Betzner, 17-4 in second year at Carroll.
LAST CONTEST: Sheridan defeated Eastern (Greentown), 35-27. Carroll defeated Clinton Prairie, 42-6.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Sheridan, 28-21, on October. 15, 2021.
UP NEXT: Sheridan hosts Union City in Class 1A Sectional 45 opener. Carroll (Flora) travels to North White for Class 1A Sectional 43 opener.
TOP PERFORMERS: Alex Cravens came up with 15 tackles for the No. 9 Blackhawks against Eastern (Greentown). Keegan Ellis accounted for three touchdowns for the No. 4 Cougars against Clinton Prairie.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Carroll is a very good football team. They are solid both on offense and defense. We must shut them down in the running game. They are very big with a great deal speed and quickness. We must stop the big fullback, then the counters. and the speed of their wing backs to the outside. We cannot get beat on the line of scrimmage because the game will be won or lost at the line of scrimmage on both on offense and defense. To win, we must control the line of scrimmage.”- Sheridan’s Bud Wright.
“Sheridan has been a powerhouse Class 1A football program for a really long time. They play physical and fast, so we must match their physicality, or we have no chance to win on Friday night. We are going to have to block their front guys on offense. When you watch film, not many teams have been able to deal with their front seven. Defensively, we have to tackle their running backs and not let them get started. They all run hard and physically and if they get into the open field, they are a problem. Should be a fun night. Our kids have worked extremely hard to put ourselves in this situation and we are just going to enjoy the night and hope things fall our way.” – Carroll’s (Flora) Blake Betzner.
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