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Woodard, Quakers win sectional title in coach's final season Andrew Smith GridironDigest.com For 17 years, Brian Woodard has led the Plainfield Quakers as one of the most well-respected coaches in Central Indiana. They’d had a number of outstanding seasons, but hadn’t been able to claim a sectional title, annually playing in one of the toughest fields in the state. Roncalli, Cathedral, Zionsville or another powerhouse program would often stand in the way. Until this year. The Quakers rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit Friday to beat Decatur Central 13-10 and claim the Class 5A Sectional 13 title, clinching it by driving 80 yards in the final two minutes and scoring on a touchdown pass from Hunter Newell to Noah Hessong in the waning seconds. Earlier in the fourth quarter, Grant Irwin intercepted a pass and took it back 49 yards to get the Quakers on the board. Woodard, who had announced his retirement from coaching prior to the season, finally could hold a sectional trophy. The Quakers claimed their first title since 2000, when they were the Class 4A state runner-up. “I'm so proud of our players and so happy for our program, school, and community. I truly feel like this championship is for us all,” Woodard said. “All the players and coaches that did come up short, this is as much for them as it is this current group. I tell every player that graduates from our program that they are forever a part of this and that certainly applies here.” Plainfield started the season 0-3. The Quakers got going with back-to-back wins over Perry Meridian, Greenwood and an overtime victory over Decatur Central midway through the regular season. They finished strong, beating a ranked Martinsville squad 21-17 in the regular season finale, then avenging a loss to an 8-win Harrison squad by a 35-28 score in the sectional semifinal. “I just kept talking to them about how there would be better days. Stay committed to the process of preparing each week, sticking together, and working hard, eventually we would come through it, if that is what they wanted. If they wanted to truly have better days and that is the character component that is so vital,” Woodard said of rallying from the 0-3 start. “They were willing to delay immediate gratification for what hopefully would be something even more special down the line by trusting in each other and their coaching.” Newell leads a very multiple Quakers offense, throwing for 1,794 yards and 15 touchdowns. He threw for 222 yards in the victory over Harrison before completing 14-of-24 against Decatur Central. Hessong is a versatile running back, leading the Quakers in rushing (793 yards) and is second in receiving (365 yards). Irwin is a solid two-way player, with 590 yards and seven TDs receiving. The Quakers travel to No. 2 Whiteland for this week’s regional contest. The Warriors are seeking their first trip to the semistate since 1999. Whiteland won the regular season matchup 45-14 in Week 8. Newell threw for 147 yards for Plainfield in that contest, but Whiteland’s multiple-back “fly” offense accounted for 340 yards on the ground, led by Maalik Perkins’ 91 yards and Peyton Emberton’s 66. “They're really good and have very few weaknesses,” Woodard said. “They were and still are the favorite to come out of the South and rightfully so. Tons of experience and really good players. We're going to have to play as close to error-free football as possible and eliminate any of the self-inflicted issues that we put on ourselves in the first game.” Whiteland (10-1) - the Mid-State Conference champion - is led by a defense that is allowing 13.5 points per game, led by Brady Stanifer (95 tackles). The Warriors shut out Franklin 24-0 last week in the Sectional 14 final, clinching their second sectional championship in three years. Offensively, Emberton leads a multiple-back attack with 1,168 yards and 11 touchdowns. Coach Darrin Fisher said a key to Whiteland’s success has been a 30-player senior class that has taken turns in leadership and has been unselfish, caring about each other and their school and community. “The courage to hit is the key to our football team,” Fisher said. “We have had few teams as physical as this one. We have played our best this season when our mindset is attack in all three phases.” Yorktown rallies into regional When the Yorktown Tigers trailed No. 7 Norwell by 21 points, coach Mike Wilhelm relied on the motto of his college alma mater - Wabash Always Fights. The Tigers rallied to tie the game at halftime, took the lead in the third quarter, then survived a late two-point conversion attempt to beat the Knights 42-41 in the Sectional 27 championship game. “That's something this Yorktown team has shown throughout the season and especially in the sectional championship game against Norwell,” Wilhelm said. “Down 21-0 at the start of the 2nd quarter, we certainly could have packed it in and gone home. But Yorktown continued to fight, and we had a significant stretch in the second quarter that got us back on track.” The victory was also Wilhelm’s 100th in 18 years at Yorktown. Yorktown got on the board with a 19-play drive in the second quarter, then forced a fumble and blocked a punt on successive Norwell possessions to tie the game before taking the lead in the third quarter. “It felt like we had momentum the entire final 24 minutes, even though the game kept going back-and-forth,” Wilhelm said. “Our Monday team meeting goal was to give ourselves a chance to win it in the 4th quarter, and our players certainly met that goal, and that came to fruition with the final sack on Norwell's 2-point conversion attempt.” Yorktown is 9-3, but has flown under the radar this season as the smallest school in the Hoosier Heritage Conference, a league that has produced state championship teams in three consecutive seasons. The Tigers face larger schools each week in the regular season, whose schedule includes only one other 3A squad in county rival Delta. Junior quarterback Mason Moulton commands the offense. A three-year starter, he is throwing for 1,863 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was 14-of-23 for 179 yards and three scores - all three to wideout Kolton Nanko, who has been a big-play player on both sides of the ball. He has 940 receiving yards and 12 TDs on offense, four interceptions on defense and a kickoff return for a score on special teams. He’s also the team’s kicker. Junior running back Jalen Thomas is fully recovered from a leg injury suffered his freshman year and ran for 165 yards and three scores against Norwell. “In the offseason, we took steps to significantly change our playbook to become a more balanced offense, and that focus was on improving the running game,” Wilhelm said, noting Thomas was a key part of that change. “Last season, Mason Moulton had an outstanding sophomore season getting the ball to our playmaker wide receiver Kolton Nanko. This season, we wanted to get the ball to Thomas and Nanko in a variety of ways. And we believe that becomes a game-planning challenge for teams to have to account for those two whether they be in the backfield or lined up as wideouts.” This week, the Tigers - celebrating their first sectional title since 2014 - travel to No. 3 Indianapolis Chatard (8-4) for the regional. The Trojans won state championships in 2019 and 2020 before spending one year in Class 4A. “Coach (Rob) Doyle and his staff have done a great job with this team and program,” Wilhelm said. “It is obvious that they continuously work on fundamentals and the fine details at each position, and it is challenging to find any weaknesses in the Trojans. In this playoff run, we have to continue to play Yorktown football. First and foremost, we have to block to the whistle on offense and run to the ball on defense. We must establish efficiency with our run and pass game, and our defense must cause turnovers and get Chatard off the field on third and fourth downs.” Dragons, Royals meet in 1 vs. 2 matchup Only 14 miles separate New Palestine and Roncalli, but the two schools ooze football tradition. The Dragons have won three state championships and advanced to four State Finals since 2014 - all but one in Class 5A. Roncalli has 10 titles, most recently in 2016 and 2020. The two programs have been ranked No. 1 and 2 all season in Class 4A and finally meet on the gridiron for the regional at Roncalli. “I think we’d be lying if we said our boys weren’t looking forward to this,” New Palestine coach Kyle Ralph said. “We’ve got a good football team and you want to find out how good you really are. You want to play the best. Roncalli has a great team again this year. They have for a long time. This is a great measuring stick for where you are. No. 1 vs. No. 2 doesn’t happen too often. We’ve been fortunate to be ranked really high, but even we haven’t been in a lot of these games.. When you get to this point and you’re in the final eight, no one is overmatched. Everybody is good. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Everybody is good, everybody is well-coached, disciplined, physical and playing at their peak. You have to play your absolute best at this point or you’re going to be watching people play. While that’s tough, it’s really exciting.: The visiting Dragons are 12-0, the host Royals 11-1 - the lone blemish a 24-23 defeat to Cincinnati Elder in Week 7. New Palestine opened the season with a 42-28 victory over eventual 6A champion Westfield and has two wins over defending 4A champion Mt. Vernon, including a come-from-behind 35-24 victory in the sectional opener. Both programs feature mammoth offensive lines - New Palestine’s bookended by Louisville commit Luke Burgess and Ohio State commit Ian Moore, the latter a junior. Roncalli features Trevor Lauck (Iowa), Luke Skartvedt (Northern Illinois) and Brady Neu (Central Michigan). “It’s one of the very few games you’ll ever watch as a fan where I think almost all the eyes are going to be watching people block each other and not the people running, throwing or catching the ball. As a fan of football and a lineman myself, I really appreciate it when you have these uniquely epic battles out there,” Ralph said. “When you look at the quality and the size and the ability level of the line on both sides of the ball from these two teams, you’re looking at the potential of double-digit kids who are going to college for free to play offensive or defensive line. That’s incredible. It’s something unique that, even in 6A, you’re probably not going to see something like this in the trenches ever again.” Roncalli also has the state’s second-leading rusher in senior Luke Hansen, a Mr. Football candidate who has rushed for 2,681 yards and 31 touchdowns this season. Hansen has eclipsed the 300-yard mark three times, including 335 yards in the season opener against Southport, and has topped 200 yards on four other occasions. “All credit to our guys up front,” Roncalli coach Eric Quintana said, adding in the importance of the tight end position. “They have worked really hard throughout the season to master their fundamentals. They get unfavorable matchups weekly and battle their tails off to win the line of scrimmage. Great group and coached well.” He had 138 yards and a touchdown in the sectional championship game, a 21-14 victory over Brebeuf. “Luke is a great player,” Roncalli coach Eric Quintana said. “He is extremely tough and takes pride in mastering his craft. Total team player and studies the game.” The Dragons are unbeaten and romped 43-14 over Connersville in the sectional final. They also have a 1,500-yard rusher in Grayson Thomas, but he was lost to a season-ending injury in the sectional semifinal. Junior Kyler Kropp has stepped in and rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back weeks. Quarterback Daniel Tippit has thrown for 2,437 yards and 32 touchdowns, spreading the ball around to a receiving corps led by Ball State commit Isaiah Thacker (822 yards) and Blaine Nunnally (705 yards, 12 TDs). “New Palestine is a good football team,” Quintana said. “=They are coached well and have good talent on the field. We will have to be fundamentally sound and be the most physical football team on the field. We need to stop the run and not allow any explosive plays in the air. We need to set up our offense early and often.” Notable Columbia City won its first sectional since 1993 last week, beating Leo 27-21 to win Class 4A’s Sectional 19. The Eagles host Kokomo this week. … Lafayette Jeff broke a 20-year sectional title drought with a 38-28 victory over previously-unbeaten Crown Point to win Class 6A’s Sectional 1. The Bronchos meet unbeaten Carroll (Fort Wayne) this week. … Class 6A’s regional game between Brownsburg and defending 5A champion Cathedral is a rematch of a Week 2 contest, which Brownsburg won 42-35. Two of the other 6A regionals are rematches, as Hamilton Southeastern hosts Westfield - HSE won 26-21 in Week 5 - and Center Grove meets Warren Central. CG won 17-8 in Week 1. … Monrovia has the fewest wins of any sectional champion. The Bulldogs entered the sectional with a 2-7 mark - and seven straight losses - before beating Purdue Poly, Speedway and Danville to win Sectional 29, a field that featured two ranked teams. They visit unbeaten No. 6 Owen Valley this week. Regional matchups Class 6A No. 5 Carroll (Fort Wayne) (11-0) at Lafayette Jeff (9-2) No. 9 Westfield (8-3) at No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern (11-0) No. 2 Indianapolis Cathedral (9-1) at No. 4 Brownsburg (10-1) Warren Central (6-5) at No. 3 Center Grove (9-2) Class 5A No. 5 Merrillville (9-2) at No. 9 Valparaiso (8-3) No. 1 Fort Wayne Snider (10-1) at No. 3 Mishawaka (10-1) Plainfield (6-5) at No. 2 Whiteland (10-1) No. 4 Bloomington South (9-1) at Castle (7-4) Class 4A Northridge (8-4) at No. 7 New Prairie (11-1) No. 6 Kokomo (11-1) at No. 9 Columbia City (11-1) No. 1 New Palestine (12-0) at No. 2 Roncalli (11-1) No. 4 East Central (10-2) at Evansville Memorial (9-3) Class 3A No. 1 West Lafayette (12-0) at Knox (9-3) Yorktown (9-3) at No. 3 Indianapolis Chatard (8-4) Monrovia (5-7) at No. 6 Owen Valley (12-0) No. 5 Lawrenceburg (11-1) at No. 9 Southridge (11-1) Class 2A No. 9 Lafayette Catholic (9-3) at No. 3 Andrean (8-3) Bluffton (8-4) at No. 8 FW Luers (7-5) Lapel (7-5) at No. 1 Linton (12-0) No. 5 Evansville Mater Dei (9-3) at No. 5 Triton Central (10-2) Class A No. 4 North Judson (11-1) at Park Tudor (9-3) No. 6 Carroll (Flora) (11-1) at No. 2 Adams Central (12-0) No. 3 North Decatur (12-0) at No. 5 Sheridan (11-1) Providence (9-2) at No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran (12-0)

I believe the Attucks game was a scheduled Roncalli home game, but Shortridge was a designated road game that Shortridge agreed to move to Roncalli.

I'm hoping the R gave the dead ball foul signal before signaling the false start ... that helps me understand what happened as a broadcaster.

Surprised a thread isn't up yet. This should be a dynamite matchup between two very good programs, two well-coached teams and quite possibly the two best offensive lines in the state. I'll post the game notes from each school when they're made public (New Pal's are done but will be put out Thursday, I believe Roncalli's will be pushed out at the same time), but I'm looking forward to this game. I know broadcasts will be on IHSAAtv (video) & radio broadcasts on both the Roncalli Media Network and on NewPalRadio.com, depending on which slant you want. I'll be doing the New Pal broadcast.

Can't speak for other schools, but the weight room culture at New Pal is pretty significant across sports. Coach Ralph has overseen the weightlifting/conditioning for the softball program, which has won three state championships since he came to NP. The athletes in other sports see what football is doing and they do the same.

Had a similar play where the QB was directly behind the center, fumbled snap, threw it away from the EZ ... the R threw a flag but the wing official ran in and pointed out there was a receiver in the vicinity (about 5 yards beyond where the ball sailed OOB). After a discussion, they picked up the flag.

This is why I channel my inner Don Fischer and refer to every roll of the fists as a "procedure violation" on the air ... knowing it's usually a false start if a dead ball penalty and an illegal formation if a live ball one.

There's a well-known story about how New Pal won the 4A football title in 2014 on a Friday, and the guys were lined up at the weight room door Saturday morning, because that's what they do - they work out on Saturday mornings after film. (Coach Ralph told them to go home and enjoy the weekend, but that's the culture - NP's players spend a lot of time in the weight room).

Remember, one issue with college stadiums is they do not have HS regulation goalposts (college posts are 18'6" wide, HS are 24' wide). Either the goalposts have to be retrofitted for high school (some can be, some can't) or extensions put on. You also have to mark HS hashmarks, which are wider than college ones. Many of the D2/D3/NAIA stadiums are smaller than local HS stadiums. Franklin HS has a *much* larger capacity and better parking situation thank Franklin College. I have no idea why Mater Dei and Triton Central are playing, as well as Linton and Lapel. A wiser pairing would've had the MD-Linton sectionals paired together and the TC-Lapel ones, but 2A was weirdly aligned in the south.

Geography. Indiana is tall, not wide. A Hammond to Evansville regional game would be a bear travel-wise.

Believe me, *nobody* feels sorry for Carmel outside of Clay Township. They're still the biggest, wealthiest, most well-funded school in the state, best resources, et al. But the community is interesting. Much of it is transplants (so there's not really a huge local alumni base who are going to build their Friday nights around football) and as a result, a significant number of the adults have no real interest in high school sports beyond what their kids are playing. The prevalence of high-level travel sports in Carmel and Hamilton County, coupled with the interest in country club sports like swimming, tennis and golf, tends to siphon the attention away from football. Carmel is, hands down, the best overall athletic program in the state, but it is a very interesting, unique community that's difficult to replicate. My parents have lived there for a quarter-century now and my younger sister is a recent grad, so it's been interesting to watch and compare their culture to ones I've witnessed growing up in Marion County and now living in the eastern suburbs.

This is an astute observation. Westfield has built a great football culture, great facilities and has a very sports-centric community. You can say the same for HSE & Fishers. They've definitely caught up to Carmel and can be consistently competitive with them, and Carmel isn't really used to that coming from elsewhere in Hamilton County. For years, its biggest competition came from Ben Davis/Warren Central/Center Grove.

Brebeuf has *a lot* of Carmel kids (always has) - the western Clay Township kids live right down the street. Clay Terrace, which is one of the biggest neighborhoods in Carmel, is closer to Brebeuf than it is to CHS and is full of people with the means to afford an expensive private school. Guerin Catholic also has a lot of Carmel kids (and I don't know if this is the case in football, but every time we play Cathedral in baseball, 3/4 of the license plates in the parking lot are from Hamilton County). And all of those schools have very good football programs. The type of family that seeks out Carmel to live is specifically seeking out Carmel. They tend to be well-heeled, Type A parents, but I can see this current generation of parents not being as keen on their kids playing football (and as others noted, travel sports demand specialization and soccer/baseball - especially at a place like Carmel - will snare some of those kids who would've otherwise been multi-sport athletes at young ages). However, just by sheer volume, there will be a lot of kids who are driven and *want* to play football, who are talented, from supportive families. But HSE, Fishers, Zionsville & Westfield all have a significant number of those families, too, and the sectional/regional path is likely going to feature those teams. It's not as much "what's wrong with Carmel" as it is "what's right with Westfield/HSE." Even at Carmel, HS teams do go through cycles.

Red Devils, Wildcats meet in battle of unbeatens Andrew Smith GridironDigest.com It’s the most difficult championship in all of the IHSAA to win. No title requires teams to win three games, over three different weeks, in multiple locations and in different, changing weather conditions, often against local rivals and some teams they’ve faced twice in a season. At the end of the week, 48 teams will have claimed that title, hoisted a trophy, clinched a spot in the regional and - for Classes A through 4A - made it halfway through the IHSAA tournament journey. In Northwest Indiana, the trophy will go to one of two unbeaten teams matching up on the turf at Hanover Central, as the fourth-ranked Wildcats host No. 1 West Lafayette in a contest featuring 11-0 teams in Class 3A’s Sectional 25. West Lafayette kicked off the season playing in the opening game at Lucas Oil Stadium, beating Harrison 27-14. The Red Devils, who won their most recent state title in 2018, are looking to finish there. This will be their most difficult tourney test after rolling through Twin Lakes 50-7 and Calumet 52-12. They forced five first-half turnovers in last week’s victory, while quarterback Max Mullis threw for 202 yards and running back Dawson Martin tallied 114. Mullis has been a strong dual-threat QB for the Red Devils this year, throwing for 2,080 yards and running for 761, accounting for 44 touchdowns, but West Lafayette has spread the ball around. Five different receivers have 200-plus yards, led by Liam Burton, who has 776 on 77 catches. “We like to be multiple on offense and take what the defense is giving us,” Red Devils coach Shane Fry said. “We never want to force the ball to a particular player. We have had the most success when we have multiple players getting touches on offense.” They’ll face a Hanover Central defense that has been one of the state’s stingiest, allowing 5.8 points per game. Junior Collin Foy has 76 tackles, 15 TFL and four sacks, while two-way standout Garrett Howes has picked off seven passes. Hanover Central has advanced with a 38-10 victory over Rensselaer and a 42-21 win over Griffith last week, a game the Wildcats led 42-0 at halftime before allowing three TDs in running clock time. QB Matt Koontz was 10-10 for 226 yards and four TDs, while Howes had 136 receiving yards and three TDs. Howes has 841 receiving yards this season, complementing a running game led by senior Kyle Hassley, who has 1,243 yards and 28 TDs. “I was proud of both our players and coaches on how they handled their mentalities and approaches,” Wildcats coach Brian Parker said. “Playing a team like Rensselaer, it was more getting them prepared to play a 4-quarter game against a very tough, well-coached team that wasn't going to back down one inch. This past week, we played a team in Griffith that we handled pretty well earlier in the year, so our approach had to shift and find a way to keep them focused on the task-at-hand instead of looking forward to this upcoming game. For the most part, I believe we did a good job handling both their minds and bodies.” There is much respect between the two squads as they play with a title on the line in Cedar Lake. “The West Lafayette football brand speaks for itself. You immediately have the utmost respect for the program for the success they've had. Obviously, Coach Fry and his staff are second-to-none in regards to preparing their players on a week-to-week basis, as well as, a year-to-year basis. When you watch the film, their size, athleticism and how well-coached they are in all three aspects of the game immediately jumps out at you,” Parker said. “The recipe for success is no different this week than any other week. Win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, take care of the football and find a way to create some takeaways. Limiting their explosive plays and managing their tempo are always at the forefront when you play West Lafayette as well.” The Red Devils also have a lot of respect for the Wildcats. “They are really good,” Fry said. “They have outstanding athletes at the skill positions and are huge and strong up front on both sides of the ball. It is obvious that they are a well coached football team. Keys to victory for us: Win the turnover battle. Find ways to drive the ball and get in the endzone. Their first string defense has only given up one touchdown the entire season so we are going to have our hands full.” Scecina, Triton Central face rematch Two of the top teams in Class 2A will have a rematch as No. 4 Indianapolis Scecina (10-1) visits No. 5 Triton Central (9-2) in Sectional 39. The two Indiana Crossroads Conference rivals played to a 21-20 game - won by Scecina - in Week 7. Both teams are no stranger to tournament success - Triton Central has won three straight sectional championships and has appeared in nine consecutive sectional championship games. Scecina was a regional champion last year. Both teams fell to eventual runner-up Evansville Mater Dei in the later rounds of the tourney. Mater Dei, which is tied with TC for No. 5 in the IFCA poll, faces North Posey in the Sectional 40 final and will face the winner of the Scecina-TC contest. TC has one of the state’s most dangerous passing games, featuring the state’s leading receiver in Brad Schultz. A senior, Schultz has 69 catches for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns, building strong chemistry with senior quarterback Jace Stuckey, who has thrown for 2,308 yards and ranks 11th in the state. “Brad Schultz has an elite burst and finishing speed that I have not coached before in 39 years. He is an outstanding sprinter in track,” TC coach Tim Able said. “Brad and Jace Stuckey played together this past winter and in the summer in numerous 7 on 7 tournaments, which has definitely helped their unique connection. Both of them would tell you that if we didn’t have Ray Crawford and Brayden Wilkins in our running game they would not have the stats that they have. A good run game helps a passing game and vice versa.” Crawford has run for 1,060 yards and 14 scores, helping the Tigers roll up 38 points per game. He ran for 149 yards in a 24-19 semifinal victory over Brownstown Central last week. Scecina defeated Clarksville 48-18 last week, facing the state’s leading rusher, Robert Lamar, who had 196 yards in the contest, but the Crusaders were able to limit the Generals’ offense and score 48 points. Scecina’s offense features QB David Mendez, who has thrown for over 1,000 yards this season, and RB Brandon Fitts-Ramsey, who is knocking on the door of a 1,000-yard season. The Crusaders’ defense has allowed 9.6 ppg, and forced four turnovers in the regular-season meeting. Senior Mason Beriault, who is also the Crusaders’ top receiver, had 18 tackles in that contest. He is the Crusaders’ leading tackler, alongside Tamir Woods, who has 22.5 TFL and 10.5 sacks, and Adam Young, who has 28.5 TFL. “To compete with Triton Central, we will need to block better and control the ball in order to keep it away from their multi-dimensional offense,” Scecina coach Ott Hurrle said. Their matchups have frequently been close. Scecina has won the last two meetings, while TC won in 2020. “Ott Hurrle is a great coach and has a great program with a storied tradition,” Able said. “They always bringing a high level of intensity and always are sound in their fundamentals. In our first match up we had 4 fumbles that Scecina created, which is more than we’ve had the rest of the season.” 5A No. 1 facing tough rematch The Fort Wayne Snider Panthers enter championship week ranked No. 1 in Class 5A, but they face a rematch this week with a resurgent Fort Wayne North team in Sectional 12. The Panthers are 9-1 and have won eight straight. North Side is 8-2 and enters with seven straight victories. Both won handily in last week’s sectional openers, with Snider defeating Fort Wayne Dwenger 41-6, while North beat Anderson 49-9. Snider amassed 342 yards of offense last week, led by QB Luke Haupert completing 10-of-14 for 114 yards and a TD and RB Langston Leavell rushing for 159 yards and two scores on 12 carries. Snider’s defense forced three turnovers, including an 80-yard pick-6 by Brandon Logan. “Anytime we can beat a good Bishop Dwenger team two times in one season says a lot about our team,” Snider coach Kurt Tippmann said. “We were productive in both the run game and pass game, staying balanced in our offensive attack. Defensively, we caused three turnovers and played sound assignment football in defending a very elusive quarterback and a multifaceted offense of BD.” Snider’s defense has been one of the state’s best this season, allowing 8.7 ppg. The Panthers have posted four shutouts and have allowed three total scores in the last five games. Senior Lukas Rohrbacher leads the team in tackles, while fellow linebacker Zyon Greene had 15 tackles last week against Dwenger. “They are very athletic and elusive in getting to the ball,” Tippmann said of Rohrbacher and Greene. “We have a group that is willing to do the extra effort details that allow defenses to be good – run to the ball, be physical at the point of attack and be sound in fundamental gap assignments.” North has had a resurgence with the program’s first winning season in nine years. The Legends have scored at least 42 points in each game in its seven-game winning streak. Junior wideout Brauntae Johnson is one of the state’s top receivers with 1,051 yards, 16 TDs and is a top-100 recruit in his class. Quarterback Bohde Dickerson has thrown for 2,023 yards and 27 TDs and running back Jonte Lambert has run for 2,062 yards and 16 scores. North Side is seeking its first sectional title since 1990. Snider won the Week 1 meeting 20-18, with Lambert running for 133 yards and Leavell 112. “We learned in the first game, that North Side is really good,” Tippmann said. “They have talented players at all positions. “They pose a huge challenge for us defensively. Not sure we can take anyone away, but have to defend them all. We will have to be very sound in assignments and gap responsibilities to be successful.” Potpourri Four of last year’s six state champions are still alive - Class 4A’s Mt. Vernon lost to New Palestine in the opening round. Last week, defending 3A champ Gibson Southern was eliminated 28-21 at Owen Valley, which is now 11-0 on the season and seeking its second straight sectional title this week against Pike Central. … Another unbeaten went down last week as Boonville defeated Evansville Reitz 28-27 in 4A Sectional 24. The Pioneers meet Evansville Memorial this week… Danville has been a giant-slayer so far in Sectional 29, knocking off ranked Tri-West and Western Boone. The Warriors (5-6) visit Monrovia this week. … Eleven unbeaten teams remain in the state tournament - Carroll (Fort Wayne), Crown Point and Hamilton Southeastern in 6A, New Palestine and NorthWood in 4A, Owen Valley, West Lafayette and Hanover Central in 3A, Linton in 2A and Adams Central, Indianapolis Lutheran, North Decatur and Tecumseh in 1A. … Carroll (Fort Wayne)’s 35-7 victory over Penn last week gave coach Doug Dinan his 100th career victory. … The last two Class A champions meet up in Sectional 47, as 2021 champ Indianapolis Lutheran meets 2020 champ Covenant Christian. … Five schools are seeking their first-ever sectional title - Chesterton (Sectional 10 vs. Valparaiso), Connersville (Sectional 22 vs. New Palestine), Pike Central (Sectional 30 vs. Owen Valley), Traders Point Christian (Sectional 42 vs. Park Tudor) and second-year program Hammond Central (Sectional 9 vs. Merrillville). A few others are seeking to break long droughts - Franklin seeking its first since 1984 against rival Whiteland in Sectional 14. Perry Meridian is seeking its first sectional title since 1986 in Sectional 7 against Warren Central. Bluffton is seeking its first since 1988 in Sectional 36 against Eastbrook. Columbia City is looking for its first since 1993 in Sectional 19 against Leo. Other long droughts are Martinsville (26 years), Noblesville, Plainfield, Evansville North and Rochester (all 22 years) and Lafayette Jeff (20 years). Key games this week Class 6A 1: Lafayette Jeff (8-2) at No. 8 Crown Point (10-0) 2: Warsaw (8-2) at No. 5 Carroll (Allen) (10-0) 3: No. 1 Hamilton SE (10-0) at Fishers (7-3) 6: No. 2 Cathedral (8-1) at Lawrence Central (5-5) 8: No. 3 Center Grove (8-2) at Columbus North (5-5) Class 5A 9: No. 5 Merrillville (8-2) at Hammond Central (8-2) 10: No. 9 Valparaiso (7-3) at Chesterton (5-5) 11: No. 3 Mishawaka (9-1) at Concord (5-5) 12: No. 7 FW North (8-2) at No. 1 FW Snider (9-1) 14: No. 2 Whiteland (9-1) at No. 8 Franklin (8-2) Class 4A 17: No. 7 New Prairie (10-1) at Hobart (8-3) 18: Northridge (7-4) at No. 3 NorthWood (11-0) 19: Leo (8-3) at No. 9 Columbia City (10-1) 20: Mississinewa (8-3) at No. 6 Kokomo (10-1) 21: No. 10 Brebeuf (10-1) at No. 2 Roncalli (10-1) 22: Connersville (7-4) at No. 1 New Palestine (11-0) 23: Martinsville (8-3) at No. 4 East Central (9-2) 24: Evansville Memorial (8-3) at Boonville (8-3) Class 3A 25: No. 1 West Lafayette (11-0) at No. 4 Hanover Central (11-0) 27: Yorktown (8-3) at No. 7 Norwell (10-1) 28: No. 3 Indianapolis Chatard (7-4) at No. 9 Guerin Catholic (7-4) 32: No. 9 Southridge (10-1) at Heritage Hills (7-4) Class 2A 33: No. 3 Andrean (7-3) at Bremen (7-4) 34: No. 9 Lafayette Catholic (8-3) at No. 10 Rochester (10-1) 35: No. 8 FW Luers (6-5) at No. 7 Eastside (9-2) 37: No. 1 Linton (11-0) at Sullivan (7-4) 39: No. 4 Scecina (10-1) at No. 5 Triton Central (9-2) 40: North Posey (9-2) at No. 5 Ev. Mater Dei (8-3) Class A 41: Culver (7-4) at No. 4 North Judson (10-1) 43: West Central (10-1) at No. 6 Carroll (Flora) (10-1) 44: No. 2 Adams Central (11-0) at Northfield (6-5) 45: No. 5 Sheridan (10-1) at Hagerstown (7-4) 47: No. 1 Lutheran (11-0) at Covenant Christian (8-3) 48: No. 8 Tecumseh (10-0) at Providence (8-2)

The MIC seems to have become the old CSAC - a Marion County township league. At this point, Cathedral would be the best fit. Tech would get destroyed in football, but be somewhat competitive in basketball. Eugene White *really* wanted Tech in the MIC a decade and change ago and they're leaving the NCC (a conference they fit very well in everywhere except geography), so they'll need a landing spot.

The Indianapolis Star strikes again. Their lack of editing is absurd. The reporter on site was given a roster and 10 pages of game notes that list him as a junior in several places, so there's really no excuse for this. Thomas is a junior. And he was up and moving after the play. Tried to put a brace on but ultimately was shut down for the night.

Crispus Attucks plays its home games at Northwest (since there's no high school there and Northwest has a decent place to play). Having driven by Attucks' campus frequently, the condition of their on-campus stadium is really bad. The concrete appears to be falling apart and weeds are growing through the bleachers. Cathedral usually uses Tech's field for home games in the playoffs since it has turf and a larger capacity than Arlington.

Four teams still alive, including three in the HHC Tournament (aka Sectional 22) 4A 22: Connersville (6-4) at New Castle (3-7), WLTI-1550, WLPK-106.9. The Trojans' regular season schedule was a benefit as they beat Beech Grove last week. New Castle's defense is strong. The question will be can the Trojans get the Air Raid fired up and get the Thrine brothers in space. If they can, they can advance to next week. The two teams have one common opponent - both beat Franklin County by a touchdown. NC's defense forced five turnovers last week and QB Quentin Boatright had 100+ yards both passing and rushing. 4A 22: Greenfield-Central (7-3) at New Palestine (10-0). WRGF-89.7, NewPalRadio.com, IHSAAtv.org. The Dragons won the regular season matchup 42-7, but G-C was very banged-up and was missing its QB and several other key players. The Cougars aren't quite to full health but Dallas Freeman's return gives them a passing option and they've been scoring points of late. The key is, can their defensive line bookended by Allen & Foley slow down the Dragons' Grayson Thomas & Danny Tippit, and can the Cougars bleed the clock and shorten the game with the wishbone? NP had a season-high 509 yards last week against Mt. Vernon, while G-C ran for 275 against Pendleton Heights. The winner of this game will host the sectional final next week. 3A 27: Garrett (3-7) at Yorktown (7-3). WMUN-1340, IHSAAtv.org. Yorktown should be a heavy favorite to play in November for the first time since 2014 - when the Tigers won a sectional title. The Tigers struggled with consistency against a stout Delta defense last week, but Kolton Nanko had a huge game with 111 receiving yards and a TD and Yorktown rallied to win 10-7. Winner plays Norwell or FW Concordia next week.

There were *so* many great games this week, it was hard to condense into three to spotlight and the ones to highlight. Danville opened *a lot* of eyes with its win over TW last week.

Giants, Bulldogs open tourney as they opened the season Andrew Smith GridironDigest.com Ten weeks have passed since the opening week of the regular season, but the Class 6A tournament begins on the west side of Indianapolis the exact same way the season began - with the Ben Davis Giants hosting the Brownsburg Bulldogs in one of the state’s marquee matchups. The Sectional 5 matchup is one of three 6A games featuring ranked teams - Ben Davis (6-3) enters No. 7 in the IFCA poll, Brownsburg (8-1) No. 3. The winner faces Avon or Pike next week in the sectional final game. Brownsburg won the regular season matchup 21-16 back in Week 1. Both teams can draw a bit on that contest, but both have evolved quite a bit since August. “This matchup is a great opportunity to see how much we have grown and gotten better as a program,” Ben Davis coach Jason Simmons said. “There are a lot of things we can draw on from our Week 1 matchup on August 19th. We can draw on how they want to attack us on offense and defense because they do some things differently against us than they do compared to other teams in their conference.” Both teams were missing key players in the opener - Ben Davis was missing quarterback Thomas Gotkowski, Brownsburg without All-State center Santana Alo. Both will be in action Friday night. Gotkowski took over in Week 2 and has completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,092 yards and 21 TDs. BD’s offense has featured sophomore running back Alijah Price, who has 928 yards on the season, and a deep receiving corps led by Marques Reese, who has 885 yards on 55 catches. Lincoln Murff has 41 catches for 480 yards. “Thomas Gotkowski is a humble, driven player with a high football IQ and a drive to get better every day,” Simmons said. “Thomas is a magnet for other players on our team and that has driven his ability to forge and build relationships with everyone on our team. Our offense, led by Alijah, Marques, Destin Beauchamp, and Lincoln Murff, is a complimentary offense that lends itself to different players having a hot hand based on how teams are defending us. We have had four different receivers go for over 70 yards in a game.” Brownsburg is led by senior quarterback Jayden Whitaker, who is completing 71 percent of his passes for 2,007 yards. Corey Smith (32-677, 6 TDs) leads a deep receiving corps in which seven players have at least 13 catches. It’s led an offense that’s scoring 40 points a game. The Bulldogs finished second in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference, falling 31-28 to current No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern in Week 9, with a late rally falling just short. “I couldn’t ask for a more cohesive group of kids who have grit and toughness,” Brownsburg coach John Hart said. “I think most people would say we have the toughest schedule in the state and we played very well all year. We got rattled a little bit against HSE when our QB went down at halftime. it took us a little bit of time to get going, yet we had a FG blocked with no time to go (that would have sent) the game into overtime.” The Giants ran the table in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, clinching the conference title with a 42-6 win over North Central in Week 9, but the key win came the week before, when BD rallied from 28 points down in the second half to beat Lawrence Central 29-28. Gotkowski threw for 277 yards and four scores, including a one-yard TD pass in the closing minutes, followed by a game-winning two-point conversion. “What got us going was the ability of our defense to continue to stack stops and our offense getting into a rhythm,” Simmons said. “Our defense gave up 90 yards on two plays in the 1st half. Other than that we kept an explosive offense in check. When we got rolling offensively, we were tough to stop. The belief our players showed in each other helped propel us to win that game. That game gave our players the confidence they needed to finish off a tough opponent after missing on opportunities in the three games we came up short.” Tussle in loaded Sectional 21 Class 4A will likely feature dynamite matchups each round of the tournament. One of the deepest sectional fields is Sectional 21, where three of the four remaining teams are ranked in the top 10. Six of the eight teams in the sectional field - including the four semifinalists - won at least six games in the regular season. Two of the ranked teams meet this week, as No. 8 Mooresville (8-2) travels to No. 10 Brebeuf Jesuit (6-3). The winner faces either No. 2 Roncalli (9-1) or Indianapolis Attucks (6-3) in next week’s sectional final. Both programs have seen recent tournament success. Brebeuf was the Class 3A state runner-up last season. Mooresville was a regional champion in 2020. Both had solid wins last week, as Mooresville rallied to defeat Lebanon 34-24, while Brebeuf downed Northview 35-7. Brebeuf gained 173 rushing yards and sophomore quarterback Maverick Geske threw for 202 in the Braves’ win last week. “We were able to establish the line of scrimmage from the first drive and that led to a lot of offensive success,” Brebeuf coach Matt Geske said of last week’s win. “Our defense played fast and didn’t allow Northview’s potent run game to get going.” Mooresville took a 28-12 lead at halftime and extended it in the second half against Lebanon, behind 198 passing yards and 85 rushing yards from senior quarterback Nicholas Patterson. Junior Landon Clements added 107 rushing yards and two scores. Hogan Denny had 99 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game. “We self destructed early in the game with a pick six and a fumble in the first quarter. We also had 12 penalties which we must fix. We righted the ship and took a 16 point lead at the half by mixing run and pass,” Mooresville coach Mike Gillin said, also noting the Pioneers’ defense forced four turnovers. “Lebanon is a very good football team and we had to play solid football to get the win.” Brebeuf returns seven starters from last year’s 3A state runner-up on defense. Nolan Buckman started last season at quarterback, but volunteered to move to receiver midway through the season to make way for Geske, returning to where he played as a sophomore, where he was a two-way starter at running back and safety. Buckman has become the Braves’ top pass-catcher with 409 yards and five touchdowns, while also starting at safety. The Braves are allowing 14.7 ppg and have held five opponents to eight points or fewer. Cole Williams (78 tackles) and Finn Walters (46 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 10 sacks) lead the Braves up front. Devin McIlwain, Javawn Brooks and Ryan Joyce each have three interceptions. “Nolan is a tremendous athlete that can do it all for us and his versatility makes him one of the state’s best players,” coach Geske said. “He really helped bring Maverick along this spring and summer and the move has allowed us to be more dynamic on offense in the back half of the regular season.” Mooresville features one of the state’s top two-way quarterbacks in Patterson, who has 1,965 passing and 1,110 rushing yards and has accounted for 36 touchdowns. Clements has posted back-to-back 100-yard games. Denny and junior Levi Dorn provide a strong 1-2 punch in the receiving game. Dorn has 719 yards on 53 catches, while Denny has 342 yards on 24 catches, playing five games after returning from injury. Gillin said the Pioneers are as healthy as they have been since Week 3. “Nick Patterson is one of the best leaders I have ever coached in my 44 years as a head coach,” Gillin said. “He is a dual threat Run/Pass and commands the offense. He has carried us most of the year after losing our RB Brandon Wilson and Hogan Denny for most of the year.” Both teams play tough schedules - Mooresville finished second to Whiteland in the Mid-State Conference, while Brebeuf’s three losses have come to teams ranked in the top three of their respective classes - Indianapolis Chatard, Cathedral and Roncalli. All have prepared them for this matchup. “We play in one of the toughest conferences in the state so we have played outstanding competition. The same can be said of Brebeuf,” Gillin said. “I expect a physical back and forth game.” Lamar, Generals to face Crusaders In southeastern Indiana, the Clarksville Generals have had a resurgence behind the state’s leading rusher, Robert Lamar. Clarksville is 5-5 after a 70-42 victory at Eastern (Pekin) in last week’s Sectional 39 opener. The Generals take on No. 4 Indianapolis Scecina (9-1) in the semifinal this week, with the winner to face either No. 5 Triton Central (8-2) or Brownstown Central (6-4) next week. The Generals’ five wins this year are a big step for a program that hadn’t won more than three games in a season since 2012. Coach Justin Boser said this year has been the culmination of commitment from the administration on down, dramatically upgrading facilities and equipment at the admin level. At the coaching level, it was about getting to know each player on a personal level, and seeing increased commitment in the weight room and offseason. “This current team has been the most committed team we have had in the last five years,” Boser said. “On this team we have leaders who are three and four year starters who have set the standard for how to lift and practice every day.” Lamar, a senior, has rushed for 2,839 yards and 34 touchdowns this season, averaging 9.6 yards per carry. His explosive running complements the passing game, where Caleb Cummings has thrown for 1,350 yards and 15 touchdowns. The offensive line is young and often giving up 20-25 pounds to its opponents, but has used technique and leg drive to open up holes. “For two years teams have attempted to slow Robert down and only a few have,” Boser said, adding Lamar deserves to be considered as one of the state’s top players. “Robert is a special running back who can beat you in different ways. He can beat you with a jump cut in the hole, run through you in the hole, or he can out run you to the edge. I have been saying all year ‘don't just watch Robert's highlight runs that go for 60, 70, or 80 yards, watch his 4 yard runs where he doesn't have much of a hole and he runs through two tackles to pick up the four yards. Watch him turn a negative play into a two yard gain.’ He is able to do these things because of his commitment to the weight room. We knew he good be good running back for us but he became a great running back and a durable running back when he committed to lifting after his sophomore season.” This week’s matchup with Scecina will be a challenge, as Lamar and the Generals will see a defense that has shut out five opponents this season. Scecina is led by seniors Mason Beriault (99 tackles), Tamir Woods (74 tackles, 22.5 TFL, 10.5 sacks) and Adam Young (66 tackles, 28.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks). “Scecina is clearly a top team in 2A and for us to be successful Friday we will need to continue to run the ball to our full capability and connect on play action passes,” Boser said. “Their defense plays fast and all 11 players are capable of coming up and making a tackle. We need all of our players blocking and maintaining their blocks on every play. Their offense is multiple and can beat you in different ways. They can play with four wide receivers or they will line up in I formation and run the ball right at you. We will need to play our most complete defensive game to give us a chance to be successful.” Also of note There are 16 unbeaten teams remaining in the state. Two - Owen Valley and defending 3A champion Gibson Southern - meet this week in Sectional 30. Both teams feature explosive offenses - OV is averaging 51.3 ppg, leading the state in scoring, led by quarterback Brody Lester (1,907 passing yards). GS is averaging 41.3 ppg. … Class 3A’s two other unbeatens - West Lafayette and Hanover Central - are in opposite semifinals in Sectional 25. … In Sectional 33, Andrean went 6-3 against a schedule entirely made up of 4A-6A teams. The defending state champions visit 10-0 LaVille. … Lamar is the state’s rushing leader. Indianapolis Lutheran’s Jackson Willis (2,850 yards) leads the state in passing. The defending 1A champion Saints host 1-8 Cloverdale in Sectional 47 this week. … Triton Central’s Brad Schultz (1,326 yards) leads the state in receiving. The Tigers meet Brownstown Central in Sectional 40. Other games to watch this week Class 6A 2: No. 5 Carroll (9-0) at No. 9 Penn (7-2) 2: Elkhart (7-2) at Warsaw (7-2) 3: Homestead (5-4) at No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern (9-0) 4: No. 9 Westfield (6-3) at No. 6 Carmel (6-3) 6: Lawrence North (4-5) at No. 2 Cathedral (7-1) 8: No. 3 Center Grove (7-2) at Franklin Central (3-6) Class 5A 12: No. 1 Ft. Wayne Snider (8-1) at No. 10 Ft. Wayne Dwenger (6-3) 14: No. 8 Franklin (7-2) at Terre Haute South (6-3) Class 4A 17: No. 7 New Prairie (9-1) at Lowell (7-3) 22: Greenfield-Central (7-3) at No. 1 New Palestine (10-0) 24: No. 5 Evansville Reitz (10-0) at Boonville (7-3) Class 3A 25: No. 1 West Lafayette (10-0) at Calumet (9-1) 28: No. 3 Chatard (6-4) at Hamilton Heights (8-2) 28: Guerin Catholilc (6-4) at Tippecanoe Valley (9-1) 30: No. 2 GIbson Southern (10-0) at No. 6 Owen Valley (10-0) Class 2A 33: No. 3 Andrean (6-3) at No. 2 LaVille (10-0) 34: Cass (6-3) at No. 9 Lafayette Central Catholic (7-3) 35: No. 8 FW Luers (5-5) at Churubusco (8-2) 37: Southmont (7-3) at No. 1 Linton (10-0) 39: No. 5 Triton Central (8-2) at Brownstown Central (6-4) Class A 41: Triton (7-3) at No. 4 North Judson (9-1) 44: No. 10 South Adams (8-2) at No. 2 Adams Central (10-0) 45: Monroe Central (5-3) at No. 5 Sheridan (9-1) 46: Milan (5-5) at No. 3 North Decatur (10-0)

I believe Columbus East was a Success Factored 4A school when it won in 2017, too. If it wasn't, it was right on the borderline of 4A/5A.

I believe the "fourth timeout" language is NFL verbiage. Now, let's say a team is down 4 and is stopped in the field of play (short of the sticks, so no clock stoppage anyway) in the last 10 seconds and a player "goes down" (e.g., fakes an injury) in an attempt to stop the clock since it's obvious they'll never get off another play without it. What do you do in that situation? Do you just let the clock roll and then attend to the "injury" after the clock hits zeroes?

Your list is similar to mine. The line between the top teams in 4A and 5A is very small (and there are quite a few years where the top 4A team could win 5A - heck, between New Pal, Cathedral and Columbus East, the majority of 5A championships have been won by success factored 4A schools). There's also seemingly not a ton of difference between 1A and 2A at the top. The top teams in 1A usually can compete very favorably in 2A.