BY PAUL CONDRY AND MATT KOPSEA

NEWS AND NOTES

A lack of participants has forced Greenwood Christian and South Newton to compete in eight-man football for the 2026 campaign. Both programs anticipate returning to 11-man football for the 2027 season.

Due to lower numbers, Wabash will play a hybrid schedule featuring both eight-man and 11-man football. It gives the Apaches the best opportunity to keep our young team safe throughout the season while putting our players in a position to compete in meaningful games.

After being away last fall, Larry “Bud” Wright and Mike Kirschner are both back in charge of programs. Wright, who is Indiana’s winningest coach with 464 victories, is now at Southwood, while Kirschner returns to Mount Vernon (Fortville). Other new coaches are listed below.

NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES

School                     Previous Coach                   New Coach        

Angola                             Andy Thomas                             Seth Wilcox

Bellmont                          Nick Hall                                   Blake Blaker

Benton Central                  Andy Standifer                          Herb King

Bloomington North            Brett Cooper                              Andy Harding

Calumet New Tech             Charles Salary                            Nick Testa

Cambridge City Lincoln       Jeremy Bane                              Chad Bowman

Clinton Central                  Jeremy Fendley                          Michael Griffy

Columbus East                   Eddie Vogel                                Tyler Campbell

Columbus North                Logan Haston                             Buster Davis

Delphi                              Jacob Mroczkiewicz                    Terry Peebles

Eastern Hancock               Josh Holden                               William Coonce

Edinburgh                        Tyler DeSpain                            James Starks

Evansville Bosse                 Stephan Mullen                           Johnte Hawkins

Fort Wayne Northrop        Quentin Bowen                            John Schaefer

Fountain Central                Herb King                                  Jacob Earl

Frankfort                        Justin Kinzie                              Andrew Dudley

Gary West                       Alger Boswell                              Mark Hidalgo

Goshen                            Joey Hecklinski                          Griffin Heckaman

Hamilton Heights              Jon Kirschner                             Caleb Small

Hammond Central              Tyler Milby                                Rick Bailey

Heritage Hills                   Todd Wilkerson                          Kevin Tempel

Highland                          Ben Geffert                               Jimmy McCormick

Indianapolis Ben Davis        Russ Mann                                  Brett Cooper

Indianapolis Tech              Jerdson Gamble                          Steve Moorman

Indianapolis Tindley           Melvin Graham                            Anthony Levy

Jeffersonville                   Joe Washington-Doug Preston      Nick Cotner

John Glenn                       Ron Brown                                  Troy Sausaman

Kankakee Valley                Kirk Kennedy                              Jonathan Ewing

Kokomo                            Caleb Small                                Grant Foes

LaVille                             Jeff Kaiser                                Matt Thacker

Lawrence Central               Will Patterson                            Russ Mann

Maconaquah                     Mike Fenters                              Ethan Robbins

Madison                           Charles Benintende                     Patric Morrison

McCutcheon                     Josh Strasser                            Mike Fenters

Michigan City                    Cody French                               Charles Salary

Mishawaka Marian             Mike Davidson                            Joe Calderone

Mitchell                           Zach See                                    Bobby Owens

Mooresville                       Mike Gillin                                  Casey Gillin

Mount Vernon (Fortville)     Vince Lidy                                  Mike Kirschner

Mount Vernon (Posey)         Justin Fischer                            Brad Higginson

New Albany                      Steve Cooley                              Marc Clark

North Newton                   Jonathan Ewing                          Trent Grider

North Vermillion               Brian Crabtree                           Nate Crum

Northridge                       Chad Eppley                               Luke Amstutz

Owen Valley                      Eric Crouch                                Troy Burgess

Paoli                                Neil Dittmer                              Sam Werczynski

Perry Meridian                  Kevin Miller                                Rob Patchett

Plymouth                          Adam Handley-Ron Shaffer          Brent Corbett        

Portage                           Tony Klimczak                            Cody French

Princeton                         Derek Archer                             Nick Beloat

Richmond                         Marcus Calvert                           Ronnie Hibbler

River Forest                     Ed Ekeblad                                 Terrance Terry

Rochester                        Ron Shaffer                               Isaac Shaffer

Rushville                          Rick Zimmerman                         James Eck

Seeger                             T.J. Ragan                                  Scott Cronk

Seymour                          Tyson Moore                              Dave Papenhaus

Shenandoah                     Jake Stilwell                              Scott Widner

Silver Creek                     David Papenhaus                         Steve Stanley

Southern Wells                 Blake Blaker                               Jeff Sprunger

South Central (Union Mills) Buzz Schoff                              Steve Forker

South Decatur                  Rodney Martin                            Aarik Gault

South Newton                   Brad Bevis-Phil Halsema               Chris Bell

Southwood                       Josh Marley                               Larry “Bud” Wright

Taylor                             Rob Patchett                              Tim Weeks

Tri-Central                       Brandon Hagan                           Adam Rich                       

Tri-County                       Scott Luesse                              Justin Kinzie

Triton Central                   Tim Able                                    Tim Kegley

Union City                        Kyler Purdin                               Steven Trobridge

Wawasee                         Matt Thacker                             Mark Osmialowski

West Vigo                        Aaron Clements                          Brian Crabtree

Wheeler                          Nick Testa                                 Josh Wissing

Whiting                           Thomas Knight                            Adam Hudak

Winamac                          Josh Burgess                              Eric Davis

 

LONGEST CURRENT WINNING STREAKS

New Palestine is on a 28-game winning streak.

Brownsburg is on a 19-game winning streak.

Cascade has claimed 15 straight victories.

Andrean has claimed 13 consecutive victories.

Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger and South Putnam have won eight straight contests.

CONSECUTIVE REGULAR SEASON WINS   

Crown Point 36, New Palestine 25, Brownstown Central 21, Cascade 18, Evansville Memorial 18, Frontier 18, Adams Central 17, East Noble 16, Springs Valley 15, Riverton Parke 12, Lapel 11, Penn 11, Knox 10, Eastbrook 9, Andrean 8, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks 8, Lafayette Jeff 8, Decatur Central 7, Floyd Central 7, Gibson Southern 7, Mishawaka 7, Pioneer 7, Rochester 7, Churubusco 6, Concord 6, Griffith 6, Indianapolis Lutheran 6, Merrillville 6, Paoli 6, Whiteland 6, Winchester 6, Bloomington North 5, Carmel 5, Carroll (Fort Wayne) 5, DeKalb 5, Eastside 5, Eastern (Greentown) 5, Evansville North 5, Seeger 5, Tippecanoe Valley 5, Franklin County 4, North Central (Farmersburg) 4, Pendleton Heights 4, Rensselaer Central 4, Sullivan 4, Terre Haute South 4, Centerville 3, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 3, Heritage Hills 3, Hobart 3, LaVille 3, Northview 3, Providence 3, South Adams 3, Triton Central 3, Wes-Del 3, Westfield 3, West Washington 3.

LONGEST CURRENT LOSING STREAKS

Bellmont has lost 42 games in a row.

Frankfort has lost 28 straight contests.

Benton Central and Evansville Bosse have dropped 21 consecutive games.

Cambridge City Lincoln has 18 straight losses.

Blackford and New Albany have lost 16 consecutive contests.

Christel House Manual, Pike Central, and Terre Haute North have suffered 13 losses in row.

Hammond Central and Mount Vernon (Fortville) have dropped 12 consecutive contests.

Fort Wayne Wayne, North Vermillion, Perry Central, Portage, Prairie Heights, South Central, and West Vigo are on an 11-game losing skid.

Noblesville, Wawasee and Whitko have dropped nine straight games.

Anderson, Evansville Central Indianapolis Tindley, and Union County have suffered eight loses in a row.

Perry Meridian has lost seven games in a row.

Batesville, Fairfield, Highland, John Glenn, McCutcheon, and Whiting are on a six-game losing streak.

Crawford County, Eastern (Pekin), Hammond Bishop Noll, Jennings County, North Central (Indianapolis), North Knox, North White, and Southern Wells have lost five straight games.

Attica, Clinton Prairie, Columbus North, Delta, Edgewood, Forest Park, Goshen, Greenwood, Madison-Grant, Princeton, South Bend Washington, Tri-County, and Vincennes Lincoln have a four-game losing skid.

Boonville, Chesterton, Fort Wayne Blackhawk, Fort Wayne Concordia, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, New Castle, New Haven, Northwestern, Owen Valley, Parke Heritage, Silver Creek, South Newton, South Spencer, Union City, Woodlan, and Zionsville have dropped three consecutive games.

Castle, Covenant Christian, Covington, Edinburgh, Franklin, Hamilton Heights, Heritage, Indianapolis Poke, Indianapolis Scecina, Irvington Prep Academy, Lafayette Central Catholic, Lake Station, Leo, Maconaquah, North Montgomery, Oak Hill, Purdue Poly Englewood, Richmond, Rushville, Salem, Seymour, South Bend Adams, Southwood, Valparaiso, and Winamac are on a two-game losing skid.

CONSECUTIVE REGULAR SEASON LOSSES

Bellmont 38, Frankfort 26, Benton Central 19, Evansville Bosse 18, Cambridge City Lincoln 16, Blackford 14, New Albany 14, Christel House Manual 12, Fort Wayne Wayne 11, Pike Central 11, Terre Haute North 11, Hammond Central 10, Mount Vernon (Fortville) 10, Prairie Heights 10, North Vermillion 9, Perry Central 9, Portage 9, South Central 9, West Vigo 9, Noblesville 8, Wawasee 8, Whitko 8, Anderson 7, Evansville Central 7, Indianapolis Tindley 7, Union County 7, Mishawaka Marian 6, Perry Meridian 6, Batesville 5, Eastern Greene 5, Fairfield 5, Highland 5, John Glenn 5, McCutcheon 5, Norwell 5, Whiting 5, Crawford County 4, Eastern (Pekin) 4, Hagerstown 4, Hammond Bishop Noll 4, Jennings County 4, North Central (Indianapolis) 4, North Knox 4, North White 4, Plymouth 4, South Dearborn 4, Southern Wells 4, Wabash 3, Attica 3, Calumet 3, Clinton Prairie 3, Columbus North 3, Delta 3, Edgewood 3, Forest Park 3, Franklin Central 3, Goshen 3, Greenwood 3, Madison-Grant 3, Monrovia 3, Princeton 3, South Bend Washington 3, Tri-County 3, Vincennes Lincoln 3, Warren Central 3, Zionsville 3.

WINNINGEST ACTIVE COACHES

Bud Wright (Southwood) 464, Russ Radtke (Knox) 426, John Hart (Brownsburg) 363, Jeff Adamson (Eastbrook) 331, Reed May (Brownstown Central) 326, Eric Moore (Center Grove) 313, Craig Buzea (Crown Point) 266, Bart Curtis (Warsaw) 265, Kevin O’Shea (Twin Lakes) 259, Dave Pasch (Indianapolis Lutheran) 239, Darrin Fisher (Whiteland) 211, Herb King (Benton Central) 209, Kirk Kennedy (Kankakee Valley) 208, Chris Meeks (Rensselaer Central) 204, John Hochstetler (Monroe Central) 189, Phil Mason (Griffith) 179, Steve Stirn (North Decatur) 179, Chad Zolman (Homestead) 173, Bud Ozmun (Oak Hill) 170, Kevin Wright (Carmel) 168, Michael Mosser (Adams Central) 168, Mike Kirschner (Mount Vernon-Fortville) 165, Kurt Tippmann (Fort Wayne Snider) 161, Andy Dorrel (Culver Academy) 161, John Hurley (Evansville Memorial) 157, Tom Dilley (Guerin Catholic) 157, Kyle Ralph (New Palestine) 155, Doug Hurt (Castle) 149, Aaron Tolle (Tipton) 149, Bill Peebles (Indianapolis Cathedral) 147, Jayson West (Franklin Central) 145, Nick Hart (Gibson Southern) 145, Brian Crabtree (West Vigo) 143, Ryan Knigga (Lawrenceburg) 140, Nate Andrews (NorthWood) 136, Monte Mawhorter (West Noble) 135, Brian Oliver (Linton-Stockton) 135, Jason Hawkins (Clarksville) 131, Doug Dinan (Carroll Fort Wayne) 128, Scott Buening (Southridge) 128, Shane Fry (West Lafayette) 127, Ryan Langferman (Milan) 126, Luke Amstutz (Northridge) 124, Josh Edwards (Eastern Greentown) 122, Troy Burgess (Owen Valley) 121, Mike Wilhelm (Yorktown) 121, Chris Coll (Franklin) 117, Greg Barrett (Terre Haute South) 117, Curt Funk (Fishers) 115, Justin Pelley (Western Boone) 114, Mark Raetz (Northview) 113, Brandon Baker (Northfield) 112, Justin Bogunia (Bremen) 111, Ron Qualls (Indianapolis Shortridge) 107, Brad Seiss (Merrillville) 107,Travis Nolting (Greenfield-Central) 102, Kyle Lindsay (Fort Wayne Bishop Luers) 104,Adam Berry (Pioneer) 101, Jed Richman (Pendleton Heights) 99, Mark Peterson (Chesterton) 98, Pete Gast (Alexandria) 98, Tim Miller (Lapel) 97, Desson Hannum (Southmont) 97, Rob Doyle (Indianapolis Bishop Chatard) 96, Waylon Schenk (North Posey) 95, Chris Skinner (Andrean) 91, Grant Moser (South Adams) 90, Kyle Enright (Decatur Central) 90, Scott Snodgrass (Hagerstown) 89, Paul Sade (Churubusco) 87, Pat Shanley (Lafayette Jeff) 86, Mike Jones (Winchester) 84, John Hebert (Noblesville) 83, Craig Koehler (Concord) 83, Scott Widner (Shenandoah) 83, Cory Brunson (Evansville Reitz) 80.