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Congratulations to Coach!  He had a tremendous impact on my sons as an assistant and head coach at Triton.  He's a coach that gets a lot from his players because he puts their well-being first.  The kids will love playing for Coach Brown!  

2 hours ago, FarmerFran said:

It'll be interesting to see how full they let each class get.

Looking at Harrell's site, each class had the following number of teams in last year's sectionals:

6A- 32

5A- 31 ( believe this was down due to school merger but could be wrong)

4A- 64

3A- 64

2A- 62

1A- 58

If they use similar logic for this cycle, it could change the top end of 1A with a high caliber LaVille team.

I was thinking the same... If LaVille falls to 1A, they would challenge North Judson in the 1A North.  

Definitely a great year for the HNAC!  There seemed to be a lot of balance in the top half with many close contests deciding the final conference standings.  Congrats to Knox, LaVille and Judson.  Great seasons for all of them!

In the 1A contest, I'm not sure either defense will be able to stop the opposing offenses.  This one will likely come down to ball security and costly penalties.  Should be a fun game for spectators!

LaVille slayed one parochial giant.  Can they take care of another one in the same season?  I don't think the Hoosier was as tough of a conference this year as it has been in years past.  But I would lean toward LCC at home.

This may be where Knox's strength of schedule catches up to them.  At this point they've played the weakest schedule of the remaining 3A teams.  On the road at West Lafayette will be a challenge.

Too bad they can't play the 2A and 3A games in the Lafayette area with a double-header on Saturday!  They would likely get a great following from Marshall, St. Joe and Stark counties!

Congrats to the Bluejays!  They played a good, clean game Friday night.  No damaging turnovers or bad penalties.  Just a solid game.  And they controlled the line of scrimmage!  To my eye, they did nothing different than they did in the first meeting.  They just played this one without mistakes.

Good luck to all the HNAC teams this week!  

Week 3 Games:

1. Warsaw @ Penn

2. Fishers @ Hamilton Southeastern

3. Westfield @ Noblesville

4. Cathedral @ Lawrence North

5. Mishawaka @ Concord

6. Harrison @ Decatur Central

7. Whiteland @ Terre Haute South

8. Evansville North @ Castle

9. NorthWood @ Northridge

10. Mississinewa @ Kokomo

11. Brebeuf Jesuit @ Mooresville

12. Evansville Reitz @ Evansville Memorial

13. Hanover Central @ West Lafayette

14. Tri-West @ Monrovia

15. Gibson Southern @ Vincennes Lincoln

16. Batesville @ Indian Creek

17. Bremen @ LaVille

18. Eastern (Greentown) @ Bluffton

19. Southmont @ Linton-Stockton

20. Winchester @ Eastern Hancock 

21. North Judson @ Triton 

22. Park Tudor @ North Vermilion 

23. North Decatur @ Milan 

24. Springs Valley @ Providence 

Three rematches with sectional titles on the line this week for HNAC teams.  Like they say, it's hard to beat a good team twice!  Having said that, I'm taking the previous winners in each matchup this week...

Glenn at Knox - The Redskins found out last week that regular season success won't translate to 3A playoff success!  They are a great team with some excellent weapons, but they'll have to take it to another level to win these tournament games.  The HNAC is a good conference, but it didn't prepare the Redskins for what they'll see if they go deep in the 3A tourney!  But Radtke will have them focused this week and Knox will get another Sectional 26 title.  Redskins 30-14

Bremen at LaVille - I think Coach Kaiser sat his guys down after the Triton game and had them all eat a Snickers bar, 'cause through those first two games, they were not themselves!  I was not impressed with the Lancers after two games, but they righted the ship and they're playing some good football at this point!  I don't think they'll have any trouble taking care of the Lions this week.  Lancers 31-7

North Judson at Triton - Forget about it!  That game on September 29 means nothing.  Notta.  Zilch.  The Trojans could do no wrong that night.  It was the best game I've seen a Triton team play since 2018.  Everything clicked.  This one will be different.  Judson will be prepared to defend Triton's passing game by applying pressure to Shively and not letting guys beat them deep.  Triton will need to be able to move the ball on the ground this time around.  The Jays will ground and pound all night long.  This game will be won in the trenches.  I'm expecting a lower scoring affair.  Triton's kicking game makes the difference.  Trojans 17-14

This game with NJ is going to be a slobberknocker!  Look at what Judson has done...  They've lost 4 games and three of those by less than a touchdown to 4A, 3A and 2A schools which are each playing for a sectional title tomorrow night.  Yes, Triton humiliated the Jays a few weeks back.  But that was by far the best game the Trojans played all year.  And the Judson kids will be looking to avenge that embarrassment.  

I just don't see Triton dominating this game.  I'm not saying they won't win, but it won't be easy.

39 minutes ago, khayward said:

NJ @ Triton - Any injured players coming back for NJ that can make a difference? Hard to understand how you can make up for a 33-point deficit from the first game.

Don't be fooled by the score of the first meeting!  It was a fluke.  Triton played an almost flawless game with everything falling together like clockwork.  It was by far the best game Triton has played all year.  Judson moved the ball well against the Trojan D, but turned it over several times.  This game will be much different!!

Glad to see Knox pull it out Friday night.  They were tested for sure!  A WN receiver had one slip through his hands in the last minute.  Catching that would have put them in field goal range.  That was a nail-biter for sure!  I expected more offense from both sides in that one.  

Not surprised at any of the other outcomes Friday night.  Shutout performances by LaVille, Judson and Triton.  Should be some fun games this week!  I would love to see LaVille move their game to Plymouth!  Surely Bremen would be okay with that considering they like to sling it around.  But LaVille is probably okay with playing in the mud.  

34 minutes ago, Oldschool said:

Is Wilcox expecting to play Friday?  What was his injury?

If Wilcox is out Friday that's not good for the Jays.  Will Triton have anyone in street clothes this week?  I would love to see Reichert back.  Any chance of that?

The HNAC is favored to have 3 regional representatives!  We know there'll be one.  And I think LaVille will roll the Lions.  I haven't decided how I feel about the Knox / Glenn game yet.

Chuck Freeby's poll on X.  Makes me wonder if I'm a little overconfident!

The Knox / West Noble game is the only one that should have any drama.  Interesting that we're all picking Knox.  Is that because we're all HNAC homers?  Or is Knox really that much of a favorite?

1 hour ago, littledog said:

The rain dances have already started in Starke county. 🤣

You can dance until the cows come home in Starke County if you want to.  We don't care one bit if it's raining over there!!  We just want it dry in Bourbon!  😉  Ha!

1 hour ago, Oldschool said:

Ha!  At least the field should be in good shape!

I don't think the Trojans have played a wet home game yet this year.  The field is in great shape for late October!

11 hours ago, FlyingHigh said:

I didn't think you were not complementing the team. I just wanted to make the point that they have some special players as well. I hope to see Shively in semistate if AC gets there just to play someone other than North Judson.

Shively is a very good athlete!  But he's not a guy who can single-handedly win a game against a quality opponent.  He's great when the team is great!  And he'd be the first to tell you that.  If the line doesn't show up, his numbers show it.  (See the Knox and LaVille stat lines.)  Great athlete!  Great kid!  Just not Superman.

20 hours ago, RingLeader said:

Triton.  
Triton’s Shively far and away best player and athlete. But he can’t do it alone.

Exactly!

1. Brownsburg @ Ben Davis

2. Lawrence Central @ Lawrence North

3. Noblesville @ Zionsville

4. Bloomington South @ Bloomington North

5. Evansville North @ Floyd Central

6. Franklin @ Terre Haute South

7. Plainfield @ Harrison 

8. East Noble @ Leo

9. Mississinewa @ Columbia City

10. Roncalli @ Mooresville

11. Fairfield @ John Glenn

12. Indian Creek @ Franklin County

13. Lawrenceburg @ Batesville

14. Yorktown @ Delta

15. Brownstown Central @ Triton Central

16. Central Noble @ Manchester

17. Greencastle @ Linton-Stockton

18. Heritage Christian @ Winchester

19. North Posey @ Evansville Mater Dei

20. Rochester @ Lafayette Central Catholic 

21. Wheeler @ Bremen 

22. Clinton Prairie @ North Vermillion 

17 minutes ago, Oldschool said:

 

I think May & Workman along with Shively proved against Judson during the regular season that they were the 3 best athlete’s on the field BUT NJ will try to run the ball down Tritons throat and bleed clock!  Can Triton stop them?  I think they can!

May in particular was impressive that night.  I don't know how many passes I've seen slip through his fingers through the years, but he had glue on them that night! 

I agree that Triton is capable of stopping long scoring drives.  They have a bend-not-break defense that's been pretty effective against everyone but Knox.  Judson had 275 rushing yards last time against Triton, but only 7 points.  They had several turnovers as I recall.  This game will be different!  I certainly believe Triton is good enough to continue this run.  I just hope they are mentally prepared to do what it takes.

North Judson is much better than they were that night, and Triton clicked in every possible way.  Check out the passing line:

That isn't happening again.  Judson will adjust!

If NJ and Triton meet in the sectional final - and they definitely should - it will be a totally different game.  Triton won't be able to duplicate that performance again.  The second meeting will be won in the trenches, not through the air.

8 minutes ago, FlyingHigh said:

Sounds like wishful thinking for Triton's state chances to me, but I wouldn't mind if that's the case so we can see if AC is as real as I think they are.

Ha!  Didn't even think about the implications for Triton.  I don't think the Trojans can beat either AC or Carroll.  Maybe not even North Judson or Park Tudor!  (But I think we'll be okay against Culver.)

West Noble at Knox - The Chargers' best win was probably over Eastside back in early September.  Sagarin says both teams have played comparable schedules.  So I don't think WN being in the NECC will help them much.  I like Knox winning soundly at home this week.  The Redskins are on a mission.  Knox 42-21

LaVille at Whiting - I've never been there, but for some reason I'm thinking Whiting has a nice turf football field.  If that's true, it'll be a lot of fun for the Lancers!  They'll be able to dip into their entire playbook and rack up some offense against the Oilers.  LaVille 52-7

South Newton at North Judson - Nothing to see here.  The Bluejays will be methodical as they wear down the Rebels front seven.  Lots a yards on the ground and a couple of big play-action throws for Judson.  North Judson 49-7

Triton at Culver - Looks like it could be another sloppy night.  That won't help the Cavs out any.  But I am glad it's in Culver and not on the Trojan Tundra!  We want the field in great shape for the sectional championship next Friday against the Jays.  Triton should take care of business easily.  Triton 55-6

Caston at Carroll - Running clock to begin the second half.  Caston's season was made last week.  This week they'll find out how overmatched they are in the first 2 minutes.  I think Carroll has a chance to give Adams Central a run for their money in the Regional.  Carroll 63-0

55 minutes ago, khayward said:

I agree that it should be interesting to see the Bluffton v Eastern Result the week before that big Regional Final game. The winner should be able to get past Park Tudor/Triton no problem to get there shot at the Reigning Defending Undefeated Champs who shall not be named and who will be a 2A school next year!

 

Won't Adams Central also bump to 2A if they make the finals of 1A again?  And if LCC can win the 2A regional, 1A will be WIDE OPEN in 2024.

1 hour ago, First_Backer_Inside said:

Outside of Knox, how tough was the HNAC really this year?

Line the HNAC up against the top 8 teams from the TRC and the HNAC teams are favored in 5 of those games.  

2 hours ago, foxbat said:

Statistically, LaVille has the stronger of the three schedules, but not by much over LCC.  I believe that most of LCC's starters are healthy.  Not sure about the other two schools as I haven't followed them to that level of detail.

Interesting that LaVille's SOS would be higher than LCC when the Lancers play in the HNAC and LCC in the Hoosier.  I always pictured the Hoosier to be much superior to the HNAC.  And LaVille's non-conference games were not exactly big hitters this year (Bremen & John Glenn).  I suppose last week's games against Andrean for LaVille and Winamac for LCC played into that some.  But to me it appears the Hoosier conference was really off this year.  And the HNAC was pretty solid for a small school conference.

I think Sagarin is pretty accurate by this point in the season.  It's interesting to see that Knox is #4 in 3A, even with their weak schedule (for 3A teams).  West Noble is #15.  WN had to come from behind last Friday to beat Marian.  Knox handled Lakeland easily.  I'm hoping Knox has another good showing this week.  If so, they should take care of business.

It would seem that West Noble / Knox is the only one with a questionable outcome this week.  But who knows...

Sectional Semi-finals this week.  Who you got?

3 hours ago, Oldschool said:

Wondering why NJ is suddenly the favorite to win sectional 41 on Harrell website 

NJ sagarin rating went up by virtue of beating Pioneer. Triton’s sagarin went down after beating North Newton.  Judson is now rated higher than Triton.