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It's a coin toss. After Round 1, the computers seemed to have balanced everything out. Sagarin is basically a wash. My take Harrell is giving GS 1 point for being home. My opinion, Gibson Southern wins because: 1. Their O-Line. I listened to the HH game on the radio. The commentators acted like Foster really changed his performance as the game went on and made things happen. I finally went back and watched it. My view was the O-line began dominating the HH front. The holes Foster was running through were cavernous. They made the HH defense look sluggish and slow. They wore HH down. It was a disservice to those big boys not giving credit where due in live action, but that is the life of a lineman. 2. Although the GS upperclassmen, were barely entering Jr. High the last time these teams played, I would think they are well aware of Memorial coming into the Jewell 3 consecutive years to end the season of very good GS teams 2016-2018 before moving on to 4A. They knocked HH down already this year, I am sure they are ready to do the same to Memorial. 3. Memorial offense has been inconsistent at times this year with execution and penalties. I've never seen a team get so many TD's called back for penalties, while the infraction not really aiding in the play outcome. If the law of averages align to the negative side, it will be tough to overcome. Memorial wins because: 1. Their Defense. The starters only allowed MD, Reitz, and Castle to score. (5 TD's (3,1,1) total all season) The Reitz TD was inconsequential at the end of the game. Castle had one big 4th down pass play very well executed. Castle actually had negative yards rushing for the game. The offense will play just good enough, but the defense will be key. If GS score 3 TD's or more, they win I think. 2. It's tough to pick against a John Hurley Memorial team during the tournament. I have seen rabbits out of the hat many times. Already showed one earlier this season against MD. He nearly always finds a way. But if he doesn't, congrats to the winner. There has only been 1 time in the last 8 years that a Memorial loss in tournament wasn't to the eventual state champion. I expect this to be a fantastic game. If it is not, GS wins. I don't expect the Memorial offense to be able to run away with this one, but the defense will hold.

Couldn’t this describe Penn in the 80’s and 90’s? Penn was the desirable “suburb” of South Bend….became way larger by enrollment than anyone else in the area. Add to that an all time great coach. Huge successes Penn should always celebrate. Calling Indy suburbs Johnny come lately is myopic.

Here’s the thing. One of the “laterals” on the play was very close to being forward. I couldn’t tell. If it was forward, that’s an illegal forward pass, a foul that carries with it a loss of down provision. A foul that includes loss of down does not extend the period. So, if there was a forward pass, the game should have been over.

I have taken some time to reflect the last few days and decided to author a love letter to the Conference that brought our Program to great success since 1999. I will first appolgize if you are looking for a well penned grammar free words on the page, so I will first appolgize to @gonzoron of Hoosier Conference fandom Hamilton Heights ahead of time. Titles: It all started in 1999, but I was film guy for my DC when I played, now HC Chris Meeks, when I was leaving Purdue to come back and or drive across the river or around the block to WL to film all the Bomber games in this new conference that I knew nothing about. Coach told me and others at the school that this will be a great thing for football and hopefully the rest of the school as it will force our coaches and athletes to raise their expectations if we are going to compete against Lafayette area teams on a consistent basis. Then in 2001, enter 2 schools named Sheridan ( who at the time, only knew of bc of a RB in my teen years from IU that was from Sheridan named LAW) and Tipton a school I had never heard of but knew there was DQ there on our way from Rensselaer to Ball St my JR year of HS. My first great memory was in 2001 when Tipton rolled into our town on Charter Bus and we had our 1st play of the game called down with an inadvertant whistle that took a TD off the board, Bombers would lose 18-0, however, they would bounce back an some called it an upset and knocked off Benton Central in week 9 to secure our 1st Hoosier Conference championship, a 3 way split with TIpton and BC. BC was undefeated at the time, perhaps the cake outside the locker room congratulating the Bison on undefeated conference championship was a bit early. However in 2002, BC returned the favor, knocked Bombers off week 9 and created another share for the title with RCHS. 2004 was our 1st outright title where we knocked off @Ballhawkoldest QB, SR Brett, who brought his undefeated Blackhawks to town vs undefeated Bombers, a game so looked forward to, Radio station made signs to hand out to fans as they came in, the term BUZZSAW was used as we blitzed the Blackhawks 42-7 on our way to our 1st outright title, game was played an monsoon. So much rain. Fast foward to 2005 and showdown with @Ballhawk boy, the middle of the 3 outstanding QBs of Sheridan lore, the Freshman Phenom vs the SR of Ghost at Rensselaer Kiger, game so big, literally 2 helicopter from 2 differen INDY stations flew in and flew out, a jammed packed Bud Wright Stadium for an outstanding HS football game, 2 undefeated teams again, this time Blackhawks come away 35-32 victors that evening, and a great memory of Coach Wright after the game so excited meeting with Coach Meeks and reminded us he had this freshamn for 3 more years!!! He did it in only the way Coach Wright could, not bragger but true sincerity of excitment. The following Week, where we thought we could of not had a chance at a title, we were awarded a nice surprise as WL knocked off Sheridan the following week to create another shared title. The next title came in 2010 as our giant OL and great defense and power running game swept the conference that year and swept it again in 2014 on our way to undefeated state championship. Those are the championship years and memories of our 6 titles from the Hoosier. Memories of the early days of warming up over by our hospital, not to be seen until it was time for the coin toss, just letting teams enjoy our field to themselves, somtimes with no music, a few times with Lawerence Welk playing. Coaches Segment of the Love Letter: Coach Overly getting BIG MAD pregame in one of his final years at WL, storming up to pressbox yelling we ain't Tipton, turn off that music (mind you, classic rock was playing, and our pre game specialies were on their way out to the field, but man he was stressed that night, of course when they won the game, he was all smiles and appolgized for his outburst pregame at me, but Coach O also didn't allow Music at WL pre game in locker room or on field either. Some Pre-Game chatter with the young pup on WL staff that ended up taking over from Coach Overly, where I may have been aggessive in some story telling of my world, Coach O was not quite ready for my shenanigans, however the cordinators were in stiches. Coach Tolle (Mike) pre game talking to Coach Meeks and I about the Hoosier and how many great coaches there was, naming a couple and then a weird silence followed by: and you too Chris 🙂 Trying to figure out how to gain yards against Tim O'shea's slanting 3-4 defense at LCC still give me night terrors, which beating them in 2014 both in Regular season and at Semi State was just incredible as that team was LOADED. I have personally been great friends with many from this conference over the years, so much love and respect for many we have locked horns with. Coach Steve Snyder, long time DC at TWIN LAKES, my older brother HC at RCHS, Coach Overly was AWESOME man and true steward of the game. O'shea Brothers at LCC, I think we got 1 year of Kevin at TL, but I maybe off. Coach Strasser when at Delphi. What an outstanding experience coaching against Bud Wright led teams of Sheridan before there exit out. Coach Nay/Goodin combo when they arrived at LCC, good peoples to me. Coach Dave Black at Benton Central was blue collar grinder and tremendous individual, great seeing him a few weeks ago on our last trip over. Watching Coach Fry ascend from his time at WL assistant to one of the top coaches in the state has been fantastic, as we first met at PE dept together at Purdue, both aspiring PE teachers and Football coaches, many great memories over the years, some not so great, but him and his staff of DC Roseman, Coach Speaker and RCHS HOF member Coach DeWees are true friends of mine that have extended well before our battles on the gridrion. Sidenote: I am 1-0 against Coach Fry in 9th grade Girls Hoops !! BOOM BABY, yes, I coached girls hoops back in the day, so did he, as young teachers and getting started we all did things like that to get going, I rolled into WL gym and there he was , my college buddy across the bench, with that win, we took the girls to Silver Dipper for some ICE CREAM. ATHLETES: What a conference of just DUDES over the years: SO SO MANY. Zachary Brothers of Sheridan, Mills Brothers at LCC, Weatherford at HH, the numerious #87, #2 at Tipton, I see you Hooker, and Shively, Schoen Brothers at BC, Anthrop Bros at LCC, Cronk of LCC, the unbelievable talent run that WL had last 10 years, Karlaftis brothers, not bad for George so far I'd say in the NFL, Woodyard, DE, Mr. Football at QB Wodika, then Lancaster, then the list goes on and on and on there for RDP of 765. I am sure there many others that I just can't place my brain around right now, needless to say, we had to bring it each week since 1999 to compete. FOOD: Eating Pre-game Chilli as a guest of @Ballhawk one year. Eating Pre Game Pork meal at Hamilton Heights my first year there when they joined the Hoosier. Googling Russiaville when a team called Western joined the ranks but that came with pre game Tenderloins from a place near Kokomo!!! Being able to promote the greatest BURGER in the Conference the WAGONMASTER to the tune of 30 PLUS ordered every time WL came to town over the years for thier pre game or post game coaches meal. TO THE GID POSTERS: I had great pleasure running the Hoosier Conference Pick em over the years when I was teaching Credit Recovery/Alt School, we had some time on my hands during that 13 year run. Thanks to @CoachDurham for taking over the ranks last few years. Having battles with Mr. October and great conversationst with @Fballfan15 (still chat to this day) were outstanding and occasional drop by @dazed and confused Running into LCCFAN09er, literally this summer in VEGAS CEASARS HOTEL POOL (there on AAU team trip, me 20 year anniversary) and remembering how many times I had recieved a phone call from folks in LCC program asking me to remove things he has posted !!! 🙂 Fond conversations with @LCCAlum (man his brothers could ball) Meeting up with my guy G @nmsu_aggie many times pre and post game and I appreciate the lone flag bearer around here of HH @gonzoron when his kids were going through . EDIT: HOW COULD I FORGET: Hand delivering @foxbat his well EARNED HOOSIER CONF PICKEM plaque at Walts on WL having a cocktail !!! In Summary, just wanted make an appreciation post for some of my meathead thoughts that are in this noggin as we have exited out gracefully of our run since 1999, a RUN that has seen the BOMBERS win our 1st CONFERENCE GAME 14-12 thriller vs Twin lakes in 1999 and our Last Conference game 51-0 vs BC OR 36-35 OT Thriller against Logansport if you want to count that, for me, I AM !!!!! A run that has seen our HC, myself and our DC Zacher be part of now 202 Wins of Coach Meeks, a tenure that started in 1999 as member of conference and ends in 2025 as we head of into the world of Independence. BE WELL MY HOOSIER CONFERENCE FOOTBALL FAMILY Coach Nowlin Rensselaer Central

I once got a PM about my contributions. Though the content of that PM was slightly different

Let’s hope!!! Brian Kelly is a replica animist of Big game James

You wouldn't happen to be a Michigan fan? Never said you didn't contribute to the board .

I am

Cathedral is a blue blood, period. DC, well, is not….

Thanks. I am aware of the reason for the bye week. Just wondering if there was a specific reason to have it the first week of the tournament rather than the week before Thanksgiving.

Blue bloods are defined by trophy cases. If your trophy cases are filled with dust, then the Temp reserves the right to revoke your blue blood membership card. Signed, IU basketball and ND football

Kind of silly conversation Penn was good 40 years ago and nobody can take that away from them. but they are a complete non factor as of right now. Could they come back sometime? maybe but as is it would appear they would schedule a middle school if they got the chance, so I'd say its unlikely. Go Penn beat CP

I am NOT a coach. But I probably would have had phalanx of 9 guys from the -10 towards the goal line. Who cares about the rush/pressure?

I believe that is what they called, which led to the untimed down and the hail mary

Can’t remember, but maybe it is this way so that everyone benefits/suffers from the week off instead of just the two finalists.

Not sure where that came from. Komets tends to nail games like that. I don't see anything "wild" about that prediction. The only "wild" thing I see about us "Fort Wayne dudes" is that we even take the time to handicap a game two hours away. Be flattered that we take interest in your teams and say "thank you" next time.

@PHJIrish Only "Eddie Mush" in Goodfellas would have Anderson in this situation....

There may have been a block in the back towards the end of the play also, about the 10 or 15 yard line.

Was in awe watching the end of that game on film. No quit in the Eastbrook Panthers was the message I got. Can't wait for this Friday. I think we might see another great game that might come down to the end as well between the Zebras and Panthers this coming Friday. 9-1 TRC Champs vs 10-0 CIC Champs in Round 2. Looking forward to it. Hope the Panthers stay healthy throughout the week and both teams can be at their best to duke it out for the chance to play in the Sectional Championship.

#1. A game/quarter/half CANNOT end on a penalty by the offense or the defense if accepted. This is different than Professional rules. (the) Acceptance would result in an untimed down (after the penalty enforcement). #.2 No. Again, an accepted penalty (offensive in this case) would force Alexandria to snap the ball for an untimed down to complete the game. As I have said in a different posting: The call was CORRECT. An accepted penalty against either the Offense or Defense does NOT end the game. In this case, AHS had to accept the penalty in order to take the TD off the board. Since the clock ran out, EHS gets one UNTIMED DOWN... they then scored. Absolutely applied correctly, no matter what the broadcasting team was screaming about.

So many sub .500 matchups have never gotten this much attention, lol.

Not bad, but I don’t think seeding has to get more complicated than using Sagarin, especially if you’re just going to seed the regionals.

A TE as OROY would be a long shot, but consider this: Dart has really only had what, a 2 maybe 3 week heater? What happens if he is only "meh" the rest of the way and the Giants win only 4 or 5 games? The narrative quickly becomes that it was all flash in the pan and we move on. Now of he continues to even remotely ball put then yes, the odds are that it goes to him, but I'd like to see a couple more games before I crown him. Same goes with Skattebo quite honestly. If Dart falls back to earth but Skattebo continues to ball out, then it probably goes to him in all honesty. Not to say Warren wouldn't be deserving (he would be) but that would be the reality.

Wes-Del you didn't show up!!! dang it!

Ben did coach in Missouri for quite awhile. The high school he was at was pretty successful, just like most places he’s been. When his family moved back to the Terre Haute area, he coached with me on Jeff Cobb’s staff at West Vigo before going to North Vermillion. He was a great coach and even better human. I loved coaching with and against him for many years. He has had a great impact wherever he’s been. He will be missed.