ADAMS CENTRAL (5-0) AT SOUTH ADAMS (4-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Starfire Field.
COACHES: Michael Mosser, 118-47 in 14th year at Adams Central. Grant Moser, 62-26 in eighth year at South Adams.
LAST CONTEST: Adams Central defeated Heritage, 42-7. South Adams defeated Monroe Central, 35-19.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Adams Central, 41-0, on November 12, 2021 in Class 1A regional final.
UP NEXT: Adams Central hosts Southern Wells. South Adams travels to Jay County.
TOP PERFORMERS: Trevor Currie caught two passes for 63 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 2 (Class 1A) Flying Jets against Heritage. Owen Wanner went 14-of-25 for 236 yards with four touchdowns for the No. 5 (Class 1A) Starfires against Monroe Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This game is a major rivalry for both and is always a good game. They are very good at what they do. They attack you on defense and try to finesse you on offense. They will try to take advantage of our experience in the secondary. We will have to play great in that area and must get to their quarterback. If he (Owen Wanner) is able to have time to throw, he will pick us apart. We must beat them up front and we must shut down their run and pass. They will try to shut down our run and make us pass. We will have to handle their blitzing and stunts effectively to ensure that we can run. If we are able to shut them down and run the ball, we should win. If we can’t, they will beat us for sure.” Adams Central’s Michael Mosser.
“The ACAC (Allen County Athletic Conference) has went through one of us since 2016. Both teams have small tight knit communities that love their football programs and show up in droves to support. It is an incredible atmosphere to be able to witness. They are the favorites in the Class 1A North once again. We will need to play mistake free football and find some way to slow down their run game. We are excited for the enormous challenge.” – South Adams’ Grant Moser.
CASTLE (4-1) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CDT, Reitz Bowl.
COACHES: Doug Hurt, 123-66 in 17th year at Castle. Cory Brunson, 13-14 in third year at Reitz, 47-54 in 10th year overall.
LAST CONTEST: Castle defeated Vincennes Lincoln, 35-21. Evansville Reitz defeated Evansville Central, 44-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Castle, 53-21, on September 24, 2021.
UP NEXT: Castle entertains Jasper. Evansville Reitz plays at Evansville Memorial.
TOP PERFORMERS: Max McCool scampered 23 times for 166 yards with a score for the No. 6 (Class 5A) Knights against Vincennes Lincoln. Jonas Burnett rambled 16 times for 125 yards with a touchdown for the No. 9 (Class 4A) Panthers against Evansville Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We need to win the battle of field position on special teams. I think that this game will come down to a battle of field position. We have to eliminate big plays from their offense and create turnovers. Offensively, we need to protect the football and sustain drives.” – Castle’s Doug Hurt.
“The atmosphere for this game should be great and it definitely should be a great game. If we can continue to cut down our turnovers and penalties, then it’s just a matter of making the big-time plays. Castle is a very tough and discipline team, so we have to match their physical play.” – Evansville Reitz’s Cory Brunson.
CROWN POINT (5-0) AT VALPARAISO (4-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CDT, Viking Field.
COACHES: Craig Buzea, 10-5 in second year at Crown Point, 223-92 in 30th year overall. Bill Marshall, 45-9 in fifth year at Valparaiso.
LAST CONTEST: Crown Point defeated Portage, 42-7. Valparaiso defeated Chesterton, 19-13.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Valparaiso, 56-14, on September 24, 2021.
UP NEXT: Crown Point travels to LaPorte. Valparaiso plays at Merrillville.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tommy Guadagno came up with 14 rushes for 107 yards with two touchdowns for the No, 9 (Class 6A) Bulldogs against Portage. Jacob Clardy had a 10-yard scoring run for the No. 5 (Class 5A) Vikings against Chesterton.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Valpo is always the most fundamentally sound program we play every year. That being said, we have put an emphasis on discipline and execution if we want to be in the game with them. They are very well-coached and extremely talented on both sides of the ball. We will have to play error-free football if we are going to have success.” – Crown Point’s Craig Buzea.
“In order to come away with a victory this Friday, we will need to do the following. Defensively, we will need to play on their side of the line of scrimmage. Our defensive line will have to be physical and use our speed to our advantage. Offensively, we will need to control the clock with our run game and take what the secondary will give us in the pass game. On special teams’, we will need to get a lot better in all of our special teams to make sure we capitalize when we are able to get special teams points and flip the field with our punt and kickoff teams.” – Valparaiso’s Bill Marshall.
EAST CENTRAL (4-1) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Backman Field.
COACHES: Jake Meiners, 33-8 in fourth year at East Central. Rand Ballart, 35-42 in eighth year at South Dearborn.
LAST CONTEST: East Central defeated Batesville, 35-0. South Dearborn defeated Greensburg, 62-15.
PREVIOUS MEETING: East Central, 42-7, on September 24, 2021.
UP NEXT: East Central plays at Connersville. South Dearborn travels to Franklin County.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Ringer tallied 179 yards on the ground with two touchdowns and threw a four-yard pass for another score for the No. 5 (Class 4A) Trojans against Batesville. Adam Kunkel was 23-of-37 for 255 yards with four touchdowns for the Knights against Greensburg.
COACHES’ CORNER: “South Dearborn comes into this game at 5-0 and leading their side of the EIAC (Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference). It is the first time they have been 5-0 since 2004. We come in at 4-1 and leading our side of the EIAC. It should be a great matchup and another good Dearborn County football game. South Dearborn likes to push the tempo on offense. They have done a nice job distributing the football through the air to their playmakers on the edge. We need to make sure we get the calls in quickly. Defensively, they have created a ton of turnovers and tackle really well. They have also won the special teams’ battles. It is a good recipe for success. We will have to manage our emotions playing in a hostile environment and play clean football. We will need to take care of the football on offense and keep their offense off of the field. Our defense will need to tackle well in space and make sure we are aligning properly. Our special teams need to win the field position battle. It will be a special atmosphere, and we will need to play really well in order to win.” – East Central’s Jake Meiners.
“We are excited for the opportunity to play one of the top teams in 4A this year as East Central comes to Backman Field this Friday. We’re excited to be chosen as one of the top games of the week. East Central brings a lot of tradition and I am sure they will be ready to play. They have a good football team this year and are very well-coached. We feel we have a good football team this year as well and are looking forward to the opportunity. East Central has dominated the EIAC for the last decade, I believe their only loss in the EAIC the last 10 years was in 2012. People ask all the time if we prepare for East Central any differently than others and I always answer the same way. We will go out and prepare like we do for every other team that is next up on our schedule. I look for there to be a huge crowd on Friday night and a great atmosphere for high school football here at South Dearborn.” – South Dearborn’s Rand Ballart.
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (4-1) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (4-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Sheumann Stadium.
COACHES: Terry Peebles, 56-34 in ninth year at Harrison. Pat Shanley, 55-14 in seventh year at Lafayette Jeff.
LAST CONTEST: Harrison defeated Anderson, 52-12. Lafayette Jeff defeated Muncie Central, 55-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Harrison, 56-41, on September 10, 2021.
UP NEXT: Harrison (West Lafayette) hosts Indianapolis Tech. Lafayette Jeff goes to McCutcheon.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jake Walters caught a 25-yard touchdown pass for the No. 8 (Class 5A) Raiders against Anderson. D.J. Young came up with three catches for 89 yards with a score for the Bronchos against Muncie Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We will need to control the clock with our option run game and limit turnovers. If we can do both of those things on offense, we will have a great chance of being successful on Friday night. Defensively, we will need to stop the two headed monster that Jeff has at running back. Glenn Patterson was offered by Miami (Ohio) and he will start seeing more come in, He is the most explosive back we will see and will fight for extra yards if needed. Our kicking game has to be on top of it. We will need to make our field goals when given the chance and we will need to be solid in the return game to have great field position.” – Harrison assistant coach Kyle Holderfield.
“In order for us to come out with a victory, we have to do the following. On offense, we need to win at the line of scrimmage and take care of the football. Defensively, we have to win at the line of scrimmage (a tall task), win first down, and force them into second and long and third and long. On special teams, we have to be strong in the kicking game, can’t give them any extra yards, and flip the field with the return game.” – Lafayette Jeff’s Pat Shanley.
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (5-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Bob Tully Field at (Indianapolis) Roncalli Stadium.
COACHES: Dave Pasch, 128-53 in 15th year at Lutheran, 193-110 in 26th year overall. Ott Hurrle, 219-144 in 31st year at Scecina, 220-153 in 33rd year overall.
LAST CONTEST: Lutheran defeated Cascade, 50-12. Scecina defeated Heritage Christian, 27-13.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Lutheran, 31-20, on September 24, 2021.
UP NEXT: Indianapolis Lutheran entertains Monrovia. Indianapolis Scecina hosts Triton Central.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jackson Willis completed 16-of-23 for 385 yards with six touchdowns for the top-ranked (Class 1A) Saints against Cascade. Tamir Woods racked up 10 tackles for the No. 2 (Class 2A) Crusaders against No. 8 (Class 2A) Heritage Christian.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Quite simply, we will have to play our best game of the year in all three phases. I am still not sure it will be enough because Lutheran is just an overpowering team.” – Scecina’s Ott Hurrle.
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (5-0) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Wilhelm Field.
COACHES: Eric Quintana, 5-0 in first year at Indianapolis Roncalli. Matt Geske, 20-9 in third year at Brebeuf Jesuit.
LAST CONTEST: Indianapolis Roncalli defeated Guerin Catholic, 49-10. Brebeuf Jesuit defeated Culver Academy, 49-13.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Indianapolis Roncalli, 28-10, on September 24, 2021.
UP NEXT: Indianapolis Roncalli hosts Louisville Male (Kentucky). Brebeuf Jesuit entertains Terre Haute South.
TOP PERFORMERS: Arik Moyers was 11-of-14 for 117 yards with two touchdowns and added two scores on the ground for the No. 2 (Class 4A) Royals against Guerin Catholic. Jack Maiers raced nine times for 87 yards with a score against Culver Academy.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Brebeuf is a good football team who is dynamic on offense. We need to focus on the game plan and execute. We focus on our progression as a football team. If we take the next step as a team, everything else with fall in line. Excited to see our guys compete.” – Roncalli’s Eric Quintana.
“It’s going to take a tenacious and physical defensive effort. A clean and fast offensive effort and a field position changing special teams’ effort. All of this will be combined with a trust of each other and total team effort.” – Brebeuf Jesuit’s Matt Geske.
MISHAWAKA (5-0) AT WARSAW (4-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Fisher Field.
COACHES: Keith Kinder, 40-13 in fifth year at Mishawaka. Bart Curtis, 35-13 in fifth year at Warsaw, 236-115 in 32nd year overall.
LAST CONTEST: Mishawaka defeated Plymouth, 36-7. Warsaw lost to NorthWood, 42-21.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Warsaw, 17-15, on September 10, 2021.
UP NEXT: Mishawaka entertains NorthWood. Warsaw travels to Wawasee.
TOP PERFORMERS: Novell Miller tallied 16 rushes for 124 yards with three scores for the No. 2 (Class 5A) Cavemen against Plymouth. German Flores-Ortega scampered 30 times for 148 yards with a touchdown for the Tigers against No. 4 (Class 4A) NorthWood.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Warsaw is an extremely well-coached, fast, and physical team. It will be the best defense that we have seen this year and their offense is incredibly tough to defend. We will have to play with great discipline and focus to have a chance to win. I believe ball security and tackling will decide the outcome of the game. We are looking forward to the challenge of competing against one of the premier programs in Northern Indiana.” – Mishawaka’s Keith Kinder.
“The team that gives up an extra possession (or more) has less of a chance of victory. The team that has more ‘unforced’ errors has less of a chance of victory. The team that stands straight up to play the game of football has less of a chance of victory. The team that cannot handle adversity during the game has less of a chance of victory. The team that plays worse in all phases of the kicking game has less of a chance of victory.” – Warsaw’s Bart Curtis.
WHITELAND (5-0) AT MARTINSVILLE (4-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Siderewicz Field.
COACHES: Darrin Fisher, 123-71 in 18th year at Whiteland, 184-143 in 32nd year overall. Brian Dugger, 16-13 in third year at Martinsville.
LAST CONTEST: Whiteland defeated Perry Meridian, 47-23. Martinsville defeated Franklin, 27-26.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Martinsville, 30-21, on September 24, 2021.
UP NEXT: Whiteland hosts Mooresville. Martinsville entertains Perry Meridian.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cameron Cooper caught four passes for 111 yards for the top-ranked (Class 5A) Warriors against Perry Meridian. Tyler Adkins went 22-of-37 for 269 yards with two scores for the No. 10 (Class 4A) Artesians against No. 10 (Class 5A) Franklin.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Winning on the road in the Mid State Conference is always a great challenge. Martinsville has found different ways to win the past few weeks. They are a team playing with confidence. The atmosphere will be charged. We will need to start fast and play the game with competitive toughness.” – Whiteland’s Darrin Fisher.
“For us to beat a really good Whiteland team, we are going to have to play our best game because they are good. Offensively, we need to continue to do what has made us successful on offense this season and that is taking care of the football and taking what the defense gives us. Everything we do is based upon taking what is given to us and that will be huge against a really well-coached defense. Defensively, we need to be gap sound, defeat blocks, and tackle well. You’re not going to out scheme Coach Fisher and his fly offense. The key is playing sound football and preventing big plays. We have to trust each guy on our defense to do their job and do it well.” – Martinsville’s Brian Dugger.
ZIONSVILLE (4-1) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Royal Stadium.
COACHES: Scott Turnquist, 25-20 in fourth year at Zionsville. Michael Kelly, 19-6 in third year at Hamilton Southeastern, 33-22 in 6th year overall.
LAST CONTEST: Zionsville defeated Noblesville, 39-7. Hamilton Southeastern defeated Westfield, 26-21.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Hamilton Southeastern, 41-21, on September 24, 2021.
UP NEXT: Zionsville entertains Brownsburg. Hamilton Southeastern travels to Noblesville.
TOP PERFORMERS: Wrigley Baumgardner had seven receptions for 69 yards with a touchdown for the No. 10 (Class 6A) Eagles against Noblesville. Griffen Haas recorded 12 tackles for the No. 4 (Class 6A) Royals against No. 8 (Class 6A) Westfield.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We’re hoping for a great game against a great opponent. In order to be successful, we will have to play great situational football. We have to be on schedule on offense and not provide ourselves with long yardage situations as well as convert third downs at a high percentage. Similarly on defense, we have to be able to get third down stops and not allow big plays for them offensively. We will also have to do a great job of playing fundamental football. Hamilton Southeastern is extremely well-coached and they do not beat themselves in any phase. We have to block, tackle, protect, and cover at a high level because we know they will always do the same.” – Zionsville’s Scott Turnquist.
“We will have to play smart assignment sound football. Zionsville is a great program with several weapons on offense and a strong defense. We will have to play physical, tough, and relentless football this week. The last two years have been close games that require great effort on our part to be successful. We must start fast on offense and limit their big plays on defense.” – Hamilton Southeastern’s Michael Kelly.
Recent Comments