CLASS 6A
CROWN POINT (11-0) AT PENN (10-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Everwise Freed Field.
COACHES: Craig Buzea, 26-6 in third season at Crown Point, 239-93 in 31st season overall. Cory Yeoman, 208-55 in 21st season at Penn.
LAST CONTEST: Crown Point beat Lake Central, 42-7. Penn beat Warsaw, 31-10.
UP NEXT: Crown Point will host Westfield (10-1) or travel to Hamilton Southeastern (9-2) for semistate final. Penn goes to Westfield or Hamilton Southeastern.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Penn, 33-3, on November 10, 2017 in Class 6A regional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Noah Ehrlich went 9-of-9 for 193 yards with four touchdowns for the No. 4 Bulldogs against Lake Central. Elijah Coker hauled in a 37-yard touchdown pass for the No. 8 Kingsmen against Warsaw.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Penn is one of the ‘Blue Bloods’ of Indiana football. They do everything well. Their quarterback (Nolan McCullough) and their defense are as good as we’ve seen. I would put their defense up against any that I’ve faced in my career, including during my tenure in Illinois where we went against elite national top defenses such as Lincoln Way East, Loyola Academy, and Glenbard West. Like any game, especially when you get down to the final eight teams in (Class) 6A, we must take care of the Football, eliminate turnovers and penalties, and fight to the finish.” – Crown Point’s Craig Buzea.
“Crown Point is the only undefeated team left in Class 6A and their quarterback (Noah Ehrlich) can hurt you with his arm and legs. They have big physical offense line that their explosive running back (Larry Ellison) runs behind. Defensively, we will have to be focused, play assignment football, and tackle well. Their defense has played great all year long and they fly around and are great tacklers. We have to find ways to get first downs on offense and their special teams are explosive.” – Penn’s Cory Yeoman.
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (9-2) AT WESTFIELD (10-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Riverview Memorial Stadium.
COACHES: Michael Kelly, 35-9 in fourth season at Hamilton Southeastern, 49-25 in seventh season overall. Jake Gilbert, 102-53 in 13th season at Westfield, 132-89 in 19th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Hamilton Southeastern beat Fishers, 38-21. Westfield beat Noblesville, 24-12.
UP NEXT: Hamilton Southeastern entertains Crown Point (11-0) or Penn (10-1), Westfield goes to Crown Point or hosts Penn.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Westfield, 30-28, on September 15, 2023.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Alexander scampered 23 times for 184 yards with three scores for the No. 6 Royals against No. 10 Fishers. Kendall Garnett scored a pair of touchdowns for the No. 5 Shamrocks against Noblesville.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Westfield has a tremendous team this year. They have great offensive and defensive linemen and they are dangerous at the skill positions. Their linebackers fly to the football and play very physical. They’re extremely well-coached, so we need to win the line of scrimmage, play physical and relentless, be disciplined, limit explosive plays, and take care of the football.” – Hamilton Southeastern’s Michael Kelly.
“Hamilton Southeastern is a great team and we have played them seven times in four years now. We will have to slow down their offensive fire power. They are explosive. We have to be the tougher team down the stretch and execute without beating ourselves. We have run the ball better in the tournament and played great special teams. That needs to continue.” – Westfield’s Jake Gilbert.
INDIANAPOLIS BEN DAVIS (10-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (8-3)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, University of Indianapolis.
COACHES: Russ Mann, 10-1 in first season at Ben Davis. Bill Peebles, 60-16 in sixth season at Cathedral, 134-81 in 19th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Ben Davis beat Pike, 53-0. Cathedral beat Lawrence North, 20-3.
UP NEXT: Ben Davis hosts Central Grove (10-1) or travels to Warren Central (5-6). Cathedral plays at Warren Central or Center Grove.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Ben Davis, 51-21, on November 11, 2016 in Class 6A regional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Isaiah Rogers went 8-of-18 for 148 yards with two scores for the No. 3 Giants against Pike. Jalen Bonds racked up 32 carries for 262 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 7 Irish against Lawrence North.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We have to get off to a fast start. Yes, that is a cliche and I really avoid using those, but it will make this game a lot easier to manage if we are able to start off hot in all three phases. We realize there could be some challenges thrown our way in the kicking game. We have seen it and understand the philosophy behind it. So, that could possibly take away our ability to score points in the return game and possibly neutralizes one phase of the game. So, it would be nice for our other two phases to start fast and apply pressure to Cathedral. We will see. We have to defend, manage, control and quite possibly adjust to anything Cathedral throws at us. We must embrace the environment. It’s going to be a wild environment and I cannot wait.” – Ben Davis’s Russ Mann.
“Our keys are very similar to last week. We have to limit the big play. We did that well last week, but Ben Davis is a different animal. Their quarterback (Thomas Gotkowski) is special like (Tyler) Cherry from Center Grove. Offensively, we need to finish drives and score touchdowns. Field goals will not be enough this week.” – Indianapolis Cathedral’s Bill Peebles.
CLASS 5A
VALPARAISO (9-2) AT MERRILLVILLE (9-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CST, Demaree Stadium.
COACHES: Bill Marshall, 61-13 in sixth season at Valparaiso. Brad Seiss, 71-34 in ninth season at Merrillville, 84-51 in 12th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Valparaiso beat Michigan City, 26-7. Merrillville beat Hammond Morton, 42-18.
UP NEXT: Valparaiso entertains Fort Wayne Snider (10-1) or Mishawaka. Merrillville goes to Fort Wayne Snider or hosts Mishawaka.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Valparaiso, 26-24, on September 29, 2023
TOP PERFORMERS: Justin Clark completed 10-of-15 for 129 yards with a touchdown and ran 24 times for 146 yards with three scores for the No. 4 Vikings against Michigan City. Dontae Pope went 8-of-10 for 130 yards with a score for the No. 6 Pirates against Hammond Morton.
COACHES’ CORNER: “In order to come away with a win against Merrillville, we will need to win the line battle on both sides of the ball. We will need to minimize big plays from their offense and win the turnover battle.” – Valparaiso’s Bill Marshall.
“We look forward to a rematch with Valpo. It was a back-and-forth game in week seven that we had a chance to win. We now get them at home and look forward to the opportunity to play them at Demaree Stadium. They are a very good football team, so we’ll have to play a complete four quarters in all three phases of the game to beat them.” – Merrillville’s Brad Seiss.
FORT WAYNE SNIDER (10-1) AT MISHAWAKA (9-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Steele Stadium.
COACHES: Kurt Tippmann, 147-37 in 15th season at Fort Wayne Snider. Keith Kinder, 54-17 in sixth season at Mishawaka.
LAST CONTEST: Fort Wayne Snider beat Fort Wayne North, 49-14. Mishawaka beat Concord, 20-14.
UP NEXT: Fort Wayne Snider travels to Valparaiso (9-2) or entertains Merrillville (9-2). Mishawaka plays at Valparaiso or Merrillville.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Fort Wayne Snider, 41-27, on November 11, 2022 in Class 5A regional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ka’ron Billingsley completed 5-of-6 for 94 yards and ran three times for 40 yards with two scores for the No. 2 Panthers against Fort Wayne North. Novell Miller tallied 26 carries for 112 yards with two scores for the No. 9 Cavemen against r Concord.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Mishawaka poses a unique challenge for our team as we don’t see anything similar during our regular season. First, Mishawaka is very well-coached and plays as physical and disciplined as any team we face during the season. We have to learn their offensive scheme in a short amount of time and be very disciplined in our assignments in order to be successful. Offensively, we have to be productive on every series as we will be limited to our snaps on that side of the ball. Special teams will be a big factor as it was in our game last season as well. We also have to play physical and disciplined with our eyes to be successful. This is a great challenge for us as we compete for a regional championship.” – Fort Wayne Snider’s Kurt Tippmann.
“First of all, it’s always an honor to get to compete against Fort Wayne Snider. They are one of the premiere programs in our state. This year’s version is no different. They are very fast and athletic and are extremely well-coached. Their quarterback, running backs, and receivers are very dynamic and they can’t play multiple different styles which makes defending them very challenging. Defensively, they are very sound and tackle very well. We have a ton of respect for Coach Tippmann and the entire Snider program. To beat them, we will have to take care of the ball and weather bad moments better than we did in the regional last year against them. The goal is to play ball control offense and have the ball with a chance to win the game in the last six minutes.” – Mishawaka’s Keith Kinder.
EVANSVILLE NORTH (8-3) AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (10-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Huff Field.
COACHES: Joey Paridaen, 30-32 in sixth season at Evansville North, 66-65 in 12th season overall. Gabe Johnson, 31-10 in fourth season at Bloomington South, 45-20 in sixth season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Evansville North beat Castle, 60-50. Bloomington South beat Seymour, 49-14.
UP NEXT: Evansville North entertains Whiteland (7-4) or Decatur Central (9-2). Bloomington South travels to Whiteland or Decatur Central.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Bloomington South, 49-20, on November 1, 2019 in Class 5A sectional semifinal.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cainen Northern ran 10 times for 132 yards with a score for the Huskies against No. 10 Castle. Gavin Adams carried the ball 10 times for 100 yards and a score for the No. 3 Panthers against Seymour.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We must start the game strong. This is a very good offensive and defensive team. If we fall behind early and have to chase points, it won’t be good for us. We must be able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Our front lines have been good all year, but Bloomington South has good size and strength up front. It will be a battle, but we must be able to run the football and limit their running game. Turnovers and special teams will be very important. They have a kicker (Bryce Taylor) that can change a game with his ability to make long field goals and kick the ball into the end zone on kickoffs. So, we must execute in the other phases and be sure to flip field position when possible. Bloomington South is a very talented and well-coached team. We are on the road for the third week in a row, so hopefully our kids come to play with a lot of energy and play a clean game. If we can do that, then we can give ourselves a shot to make plays at the end.” – Evansville North’s Joey Paridaen.
“We will have to be fundamentally sound and tackle well on defense. Offensively, we have to execute and be able to block their front. Protecting the quarterback will be a priority for us.” – Bloomington South’s Gabe Johnson.
CLASS 4A
NEW PRAIRIE (10-2) AT NORTHWOOD (10-2)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Andrews Field.
COACHES: Casey McKim, 39-12 in fourth season at New Prairie. Nate Andrews, 83-31 in 10th season at NorthWood, 123-70 in 17th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: New Prairie beat Culver Academy, 43-14. NorthWood beat Northridge, 17-14.
UP NEXT: New Prairie hosts Leo (10-2) or Mississinewa (12-0). NorthWood plays at Leo or Mississinewa.
PREVIOUS MEETING: New Prairie, 14-11, on November 5, 2004 in Class 3A sectional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Marshall Kmiecik scampered 14 times for 236 yards with a touchdown and also completed 2-of-5 for nine yards for the Cougars against Culver Academy. Nitro Tuggle came up with seven catches for 117 yards with a score for the Panthers against No. 8 Northridge.
COACHES’ CORNER: “In order for use to come away with a victory we need to win in the trenches. We have to win up front along the offensive and defensive lines. We must win the turnover battle. We must take care of the ball and find a way to get more possessions for offense and fewer for theirs. We must win the battle of big plays. We must limit explosive plays on defense and create explosive plays on offense. We must execute at a high level and do our jobs.” – New Prairie’s Casey McKim.
“We must cut down on penalties and play with emotion, but not get emotional.” – NorthWood’s Nate Andrews.
LEO (10-2) AT MISSISSINEWA (12-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Fisher Field.
COACHES: Jason Doerffler, 18-6 in second season at Leo, 41-64 in 10th season overall. Kyle Buresh, 34-12 in fourth season at Mississinewa.
LAST CONTEST: Leo beat Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, 31-13. Mississinewa beat Kokomo, 31-24.
UP NEXT: Leo plays at New Prairie (10-2) or entertains NorthWood (10-2). Mississinewa goes to New Prairie or hosts NorthWood.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First time playing on gridiron.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kaden Hurst caught eight passes for 175 yards with a touchdown for the No. 10 Lions against Bishop Dwenger. Andrew Monday hauled in four receptions for 132 yards with two scores for the No. 5 Indians against No. 9 Kokomo.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Obviously, the first thing that stands out about Mississinewa is their undefeated record. They beat Kokomo, who beat us, and they also beat two solid Northeast 8 teams in Norwell and Columbia City. We have done a good job taking care of the football in recent weeks, so that will have to continue. We will need to play great defense, specifically limiting their quarterback (Nolan Quaderer), as he can really make plays with his feet and has a great arm. I’ve been very impressed with him on film. We’re also going to need to make some explosive plays in the kicking and return game. We will also have to get great, physical play up front on both the offensive and defensive lines.” – Leo’s Jason Doerffler.
“Leo has had a great season and is playing their best football at the right time. They are experienced with a lot of seniors and they have bought into what their coaches are doing. They are physical, fast, explosive, and play extremely hard. We must win the war at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Taking care of the football on offense and creating turnovers on defense are a major factor in this game. We have to limit their explosive plays on offense and tackle extremely well in space. Offensively, we must stay on schedule with our drives and create explosive plays. We have to win the special teams’ battle and we must capitalize on any mistake they make and limit our mistakes. We are excited for the challenge.” – Mississinewa’s Kyle Buresh.
EAST CENTRAL (12-0) AT EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (9-3)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Enlow Field.
COACHES: Jake Meiners, 54-9 in fifth season at East Central. John Hurley, 137-69 in 16th season at Evansville Memorial.
LAST CONTEST: East Central beat Greenwood, 47-0. Evansville Memorial beat Evansville Reitz, 21-16.
UP NEXT: East Central hosts New Palestine (10-2) or plays at Mooresville (7-5). Evansville Memorial travels to Mooresville or entertains New Palestine.
PREVIOUS MEETING: East Central, 35-21, on November 11, 2022 in Class 4A regional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Kendrick registered 27 carries for 106 yards with a touchdown and caught a 70-yard pass for another score for the Tigers against No. 2 Evansville Reitz. Josh Ringer accounted for 15 rushes for 148 yards with two scores and also hauled in a 19-yard touchdown for the top-ranked and defending state champion Trojans against Greenwood.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We have had battles over the past two years versus Evansville Memorial and know the caliber of program they have. Coach Hurley and his staff do a wonderful job preparing their team every week. The biggest thing to know when you are going up against them is they are not going to beat themselves. They are going to make you earn everything. We are playing down there again, so we are going to have to handle the travel. We are going to have to play fundamentally sound, take care of the football, and be great tacklers. In these big games, it always comes down to who can execute better in the big moments. We know that it is going to be another battle and are looking forward to the opportunity to compete.” – East Central’s Jake Meiners.
“East Central is a well-coached football team that plays at a very high level with a lot of energy. Coach Meiners and his staff do a great job preparing for big games. They have a winning culture at East Central. It will be a great environment Friday night at Enlow Field. We must stop the run, protect the football, eliminate penalties, and make big plays on both sides of the ball.” – Evansville Memorial’s John Hurley.
CLASS 3A
GIBSON SOUTHERN (10-2) AT TRI-WEST (11-1)
KICKOFF: 3 p.m. EST, Saturday, Hendricks Field.
COACHES: Nick Hart, 125-23 in 12th season at Gibson Southern. Jason Ward, 45-13 in fifth season at Tri-West.
LAST CONTEST: Gibson Southern beat Vincennes Lincoln, 27-13. Tri-West beat Monrovia, 28-21.
UP NEXT: Gibson Southern hosts Batesville (11-1) or goes to Heritage Hills (11-1). Tri-West entertains Batesville or travels to Heritage Hills.
LAST MEETING: Gibson Southern, 44-7, on November 20, 2021 in Class 3A southern semistate final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tanner Boyd was 24-of-29 for 187 yards with a score and carried the ball 20 times for 110 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 6 Titans against Vincennes Lincoln. Noah Lien hauled in six passes for 85 yards with a score for the No. 8 Bruins against Monrovia.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Tri-West is a very good football team. Offensively, their quarterback (Malachi Walden) presents challenges. He does a great job running the football, but also does a great job in the passing game of distributing to his receivers. They do a really good job of putting together long, sustained drives. Defensively, I think they are very good. Their front four is disruptive and they do a great job of getting to the football. On both sides of the football. we are going to have to play extremely well and disciplined. We’ve got to take care of the football.” – Gibson Southern’s Nick Hart.
“The first thing that pops out when watching film is actually two things. Their quarterback (Tanner Boyd) does a great job extending the play. If the play breaks down. he scrambles to pick up extra yardage. The next thing is their front four on defense. They are aggressive, fast, and relentless. We will have to contain their quarterback when he drops back to pass. We need to make it uncomfortable for him when he drops back to pass. As for their front four, it will be difficult to move the ball. We are going to have to grind for every first down we get. We are going to need to sustain drives by running the ball to shorten the game and keep their offense off the field.” – Tri-West’s Jason Ward.
HERITAGE HILLS (11-1) AT BATESVILLE (11-1)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Dawg Pound.
COACHES: Todd Wilkerson, 94-42 in 12th season at Heritage Hills. Evan Ulery, 52-37 in eighth season at Batesville.
LAST CONTEST: Heritage Hills beat Scottsburg, 51-10. Batesville beat Indian Creek, 29-13.
UP NEXT: Heritage Hills hosts Gibson Southern (10-2) or Tri-West (11-1). Batesville goes to Gibson Southern or Tri-West.
LAST MEETING: Heritage Hills, 46-12, on November 11, 2005 in Class 3A regional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jeff Goldsberry registered 10 carries for 128 yards with four touchdowns and went 3-of-8 for 60 yards for the No. 7 Patriots against Scottsburg. Gage Pohlman ended with 144 yards rushing and three touchdowns for the Bulldogs against Indian Creek.
COACHES’ CORNER: “First of all, I would like to congratulate Coach Ulery and his staff, the Batesville football team, and their community for winning the Sectional 31 championship. Batesville is an outstanding football team. On offense, they bring a physical run game along with an extremely efficient passing game. We will need to be disciplined in our reads and play great team defense. Defensively, they are very sound and do not give up many points. Our offensive line must play well, and all of our playmakers will need to be prepared to make plays. It’s been 18 years since a Heritage Hills football team has traveled to Batesville. We are excited and grateful to have the opportunity to travel there this year to compete for a regional championship.” – Heritage Hills’ Todd Wilkerson.
CLASS 2A
LAVILLE (11-1) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (9-3)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, LaRocca Field.
COACHES: Jeff Kaiser, 11-1 in first season at LaVille. Brian Nay, 48-26 in sixth season at Lafayette Central Catholic.
LAST CONTEST: LaVille beat Bremen, 28-14. Lafayette Central Catholic beat Seeger, 33-3.
UP NEXT: LaVille plays at Bluffton (10-2) or hosts Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (9-3). Lafayette Central Catholic goes to Bluffton or Fort Wayne Bishop Luers.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First get together in football.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cody Allen rambled 26 times for 194 yards with three touchdowns and also intercepted a pass for the No. 5 Lancers against Bremen. Mason Meister accumulated 22 carries for 111 yards for the No. 10 Knights against Seeger.
COACHES’ CORNER: “In order for LaVille to win and move on in the tourney, we must do be able to mix things up defensively and not allow LCC to get comfortable with their plan. We must create turnovers and not give up the big plays. Offensively, we must win the battle in the trench, mix things up, sustain drives, and move the sticks. We have to prevent self-inflicted penalties and turnovers and end drives with points.” – LaVille’s Jeff Kaiser.
“The team that plays with the most discipline and physicality will come out of this one on top. From our perspective, both team’s personnel seem to be extremely similar in terms of football skill. It’s going to come down to discipline and execution.” – Lafayette Central Catholic’s Brian Nay.
BLUFFTON (10-2) AT FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS (9-3)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Luers Field.
COACHES: Brent Kunkel, 49-29 in seventh season at Bluffton. Kyle Lindsay, 82-60 in 11th season at Bishop Luers.
LAST CONTEST: Bluffton beat Eastern (Greentown), 41-6. Bishop Luers beat Manchester, 42-0.
UP NEXT: Bluffton entertains LaVille (11-1) or Lafayette Central Catholic (9-3). Bishop Luers plays at LaVille or hosts Lafayette Central Catholic.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Bishop Luers, 35-6, on November 11, 2022 in Class 2A regional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Giovanni Jimenez raced 11 times for 103 yards with three touchdowns for the No. 7 Knights against Manchester. Tucker Jenkins racked up nine carries for 83 yards with two scores for the No. 8 Tigers against Eastern (Greentown).
COACHES’ CORNER: “We feel very fortunate to be playing Bishop Luers for the second time in as many years in the regional championship game. For us to be successful in this game, we are going to have to be able to control the clock and limit their opportunities. They have very explosive athletes on offense who are capable of making big plays anytime they touch the ball. We need to limit their opportunities with the football. We are going to have to be able to establish the run and keep the chains moving. We cannot beat ourselves by having costly penalties or turnovers. It is going to be a tremendous test for us, one that we are looking forward to.” – Bluffton’s Brent Kunkel.
“Bluffton often plays with an extra offensive lineman on the field and they do a lot of shifting, so it’s imperative that we communicate well at all three levels defensively. We need to win the line of scrimmage and tackle their strong ball carriers, who are exceptional in getting yards after contact. Our secondary has to play their responsibilities every snap and not get caught up in what’s going on in the backfield. They’re a very capable passing team, particularly off the play action. Offensively, we need to play turnover-free and limit penalties that put us behind the sticks. We have to find ways to run the ball and take what they give us in the passing game. They have a very good run defense, so this will be a huge hurdle to overcome for a line that has struggled with consistency in the run game. They’re very good at rushing the passer with their blitzing attack, so it’s key that we can execute simple passes that put our athletes in one-on-one situations against their defensive backs. Special teams need to continue to cover well and give us good field position in the return game. The kids need to be ready for any kind of fakes, pooch, or onside kicks.” – Fort Wayne Bishop Luers’ Kyle Lindsay.
NORTH POSEY (11-1) AT TRITON CENTRAL (11-1)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Mendenhall Stadium.
COACHES: Waylon Schenk, 51-25 in seventh season at North Posey, 79-49 in 12th season overall. Tim Able, 101-36 in 11th season at Triton Central, 226-134 in 30th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: North Posey beat Paoli, 35-14. Triton Central beat Eastern (Pekin), 49-0.
UP NEXT: North Posey entertains Eastern Hancock (8-4) or Southmont (7-5). Triton Central travels to Eastern Hancock or host Southmont.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First time playing football.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jed Galvin recorded 12 carries for 97 yards with four touchdowns and caught a 33-yard pass for another score for the No. 4 Vikings against Paoli. Jace Stuckey was 8-of-13 for 139 yards with a score and ran three times for 25 yards and two touchdowns for the No. 1 Tigers against Eastern (Pekin).
COACHES’ CORNER: “For North Posey to win Friday. we will have to limit the big play ability of the high-powered Triton Central offense. (Quarterback) Jace Stuckey, (running back) Brayden Wilkins, and company present some things that our defense has not had to defend this season. We will need to win the trenches, run the ball effectively, and limit the opportunities that we give their offense. How we handle adversity on the road may ultimately be the deciding factor.” – North Posey’s Waylon Schenk.
“North Posey presents an elite challenge in our regional matchup. They are a very strong and physical team with excellent quickness, especially their quarterback (Liam Stone). Their defense has shut down many offenses this year and presents a different scheme than we have played this year. All three phrases of our program must be on point this week to succeed. We have an 8 p.m. start time and it should be a standing-room-only crowd in Fairland.” – Triton Central’s Tim Able.
CLASS 1A
ADAMS CENTRAL (12-0) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (12-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Carroll Field.
COACHES: Michael Mosser, 139-48 in 15th season at Adams Central. Blake Betzner, 32-6 in third season at Carroll (Flora).
LAST CONTEST: Adams Central beat Madison-Grant, 56-14. Carroll (Flora) beat Tri-Central, 42-0.
UP NEXT: Adams Central hosts North Judson (8-4) or travels to Park Tudor (12-0). Carroll (Flora) plays at North Judson or Park Tudor.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Adams Central, 35-0, on November 11, 2022 in Class 1A regional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Keegan Bluhm racked up 12 carries for 92 yards with a touchdown for the No. 2 Flying Jets against Madison-Grant. Keegan Ellis contributed 13 rushes for 158 yards with four scores for the No. 3 Cougars against Tri-Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This is a big game for us this week. We will be playing an outstanding team. Carroll Flora is very good and we must be able to find a way to stop No. 8 Keegan Ellis. He is the best back that we have faced. We must get him stopped which is a daunting task. Offensively, we must execute and block better than we did last week. Their defense is big, tough, and fast. We must be more physical than them. They will have the advantage of being home and they have incentive to beat us since we took them out last year. Our kids must be ready to play hard. If we don’t, we will be going home.” – Adams Central’s Michael Mosser.
“Adams Central is a machine. They are extremely well-coached with great players and can hurt teams in multiple ways. We must be able to move the ball and hit a couple big plays on offense to stay in the game. Defensively. we have to be able to handle their physicality and speed. We are excited about the opportunity to play an elite program and see where we stack up.” – Carroll’s (Flora) Blake Betzner.
PROVIDENCE (12-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (10-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Meyer Field.
COACHES: Daniel McDonald, 30-15 in fourth season at Providence. Dave Pasch, 148-53 in 16th season at Indianapolis Lutheran, 213-110 in 27th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Providence beat Springs Valley, 41-8. Indianapolis Lutheran beat Covenant Christian, 57-14.
UP NEXT: Providence entertains Sheridan (9-3) or travels to North Decatur. Indianapolis Lutheran goes to Sheridan or North Decatur.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Indianapolis Lutheran, 49-7, on November 11, 2022 in Class 1A regional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Braydon Hall romped 27 times for 246 yards with five touchdowns for the top-ranked and two-time defending state champion Saints against Covenant Christian. Cade Unruh recorded five receptions for 132 yards with two scores and ran 21 yards for another touchdown for the No. 4 Pioneers against Springs Valley.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Lutheran is a very impressive team. They are huge up front and they have excellent skill players. Their quarterback (Jackson Willis) is a smart, athletic player, and they are well-coached. We will need to play great football for four quarters in all three phases.” – Providence’s Daniel McDonald.
“This will be a great game between two very good football teams. Providence is experienced on both sides of the football. They are a well-coached group and are very physical and athletic. To compete with a championship caliber team in a big game, we must play with composure and poise, and then execute. Field position will be critical, so we cannot have turnovers when we have the ball and must have solid special teams play. For Lutheran to win, we must play a complete game of complimentary football.” – Indianapolis Lutheran’s Dave Pasch.
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