crimsonace1

Exactly. I grew up in the evangelical school community - I went to Bethesda Christian in elementary school and two of my siblings graduated from there, and was attending church at Traders Point when Covenant Christian began (largely to serve the kids in the Chapel Rock, Kingsway and Traders Point congregations - the three very large westside Independent Christian Churches). Most of the evangelical Protestant Christian schools are Baptist (but there are a couple of Christian Church-affiliated ones - Covenant and Traders Point in the Indy area). For years, none had football and it seemed to be - at least in the circles I ran in - that it really wasn't part of the church culture. I always thought soccer was the "church kid" sport because that was the featured fall sport at every evangelical school I was aware of. Then Heritage Christian started a program. Lutheran - which was more established as a school and obviously comes from a mainline denomination, but was still very small at the time and seemed to be an athletic peer of many of the evangelical schools - started one. Then Covenant and Traders Point. All have been very good for the visibility of the school and have led to enrollment jumps. Heritage, Lutheran and Covenant have all won state titles. Traders Point now sits in Whitestown, right there to absorb some of the religious families in the area. There could come a day when Faith Christian - which is a Baptist school - starts football. But it and LCC are *not* pulling from the same families. Faith's students are most likely to be from evangelical families. LCC's students are most likely to come from Catholic ones. There might be some overlap between "voucher" families who simply want their kids to have a private school education, but I'd think it's fairly small. We're probably more likely to see a new program from an existing school - like a Faith Christian or Covenant Christian-Demotte - than we are to see a new school created out of nowhere (or an 8-man program like Waldron bumping up to 11-man). It seems the wave of new charter schools has slowed, schools seem to be slow to split (if they split) because the cost of building a new high school and all of the attendant facilities (new stadium, gym, baseball field, softball field, soccer field, auditorium, natatorium) is *substantial.*

From what I've read, the plan for a third HSE district high school will be something like what Ben Davis has with University High. It will be a separate building with kids from both school populations, but its own specialized school and curriculum, but its students would be considered enrolled in (and thus eligible for athletics for) their "home" school - which would be HSE or Fishers. Lawrence Township is largely built-out, but both LC and LN are expanding. My son has played soccer games at both schools in the last few weeks and both have major construction going on, so it doesn't look like they'll be consolidating soon. I think you're more likely to see that in Perry Township. They had floated the idea of consolidating Perry Meridian and Southport a few years back, but the new football stadium at Perry Meridian seems to have nixed that idea. Mt. Vernon is already getting spillover from both Lawrence Township and HSE - they're adding about 300 students/year district-wide. I expect this to be their last cycle as a 4A school. New Pal is growing, but because Franklin Township and the parts of Warren Township it borders aren't quite as built-out yet, there's not as much growth crossing the county line (although they can't build houses fast enough here).

(One note - I try to move around the state and hit all classes. This one is a bit more Class A and Central Indiana-heavy. There have been a couple of times, including this week, I've tried to feature big Southwestern Indiana matchups but the coaches have not responded).

Jets, Starfires to meet in annual Adams County war Andrew Smith GridironDigest.com To find some of the best small-school football in Indiana, look no further than Adams County. Since 2011, the Adams Central Flying Jets and South Adams Starfires have each won six sectional titles. Each has been a state runner-up in the last couple of years - Adams Central advancing to Lucas Oil Stadium, South Adams in 2020. Both are mainstays in the Class A polls, and their regular-season meeting frequently decides the Allen County Athletic Conference title. This week, the two schools again meet on the gridiron at South Adams. Adams Central (5-0) is ranked No. 2 in the Class A IFCA poll, while South Adams (4-1) is No. 5. “It is the best small school rivalry in the state,” South Adams coach Grant Moser said. “The ACAC conference (title) has gone through one of us since 2016. Both teams have small tight-knit communities that love their football programs and show up in droves to support. It is an incredible atmosphere to be able to witness.” The familiarity makes for a great game. It’s 9.6 miles from Adams Central’s campus in Monroe to South Adams in Berne. “It's a big game for both teams,” Adams Central coach Michael Mosser said. “We know each other well. I think it's neat that both programs have had a lot of success which makes the game even more special. The game is always hard-fought - neither team has really been able to dominate the other. AC does have more wins; however, games are usually very close. It is rare that one will dominate the other. This year could see a lot of the same.” A year ago, Adams Central won both meetings - 48-7 in the regular season and 41-0 in the regional. In 2020, South Adams won a 29-9 decision in the regular season. Led by quarterback Ryan Black, Adams Central posted a 25-21 victory over Eastside - a 2A semistate team from a year ago - and has scored 40-plus points each in consecutive wins over Covenant Christian, Jay County and Heritage in the last three weeks. This year’s success is building on a recent history. The Flying Jets are 118-47 in Mosser’s 14 years in Monroe. “I think the reason for our success is the tradition that we have,” Mosser said. “We have a system and a culture that kids believe in. I think this helps us be successful. Kids love playing football at Adams Central. Last year's success is definitely part of it but it really goes deeper than last season. It's built into the kids and lasted long before me.” The same takes place at South Adams, where the Starfares are 62-26 in Moser’s eight years. “We have total buy-in from players, parents and administration along with great community support,” Moser said. “Our kids have set the culture and now know what it takes to be successful.” South Adams won its first three games before falling 28-27 to Heritage in Week 4. The Starfires bounced back with a 35-19 victory over Monroe Central - another team that has spent time in the Top 10 this season - last week. Quarterback Owen Wanner has thrown for 1,046 yards and 12 TDs to lead South Adams. Maverick Summersett is averaging 6.4 yards per carry on the ground. “Wanner is a good passer and runner. We will need to contain him and not let him pass or run all over the field,” Adams Central’s Mosser said. “Offensively we must be able to run the ball. They have always made that hard on us. They like shifting around a lot and blitzing.” Adams Central’s run game, led by Keehan Blum, will be keyed on as well. “They are the favorites in the 1A north once again,” South Adams’ Moser said of the Jets. “We will need to play mistake free football and find some way to slow down their run game.” Sheridan joins the 700 club When one thinks of small-school success in Indiana, the Sheridan Blackhawks have long been the gold standard. The program reached another milestone last Friday with a 42-0 victory at Clinton Prairie, winning its 700th game all-time. Sheridan, which has been playing football since 1898, is the third program in the state to reach the 700-win mark. Indianapolis Cathedral (771) and Evansville Reitz (721) are the only two with more victories. Mishawaka (665) and Hobart (652) are the next-closest to 700. Head coach Larry “Bud” Wright was a part of 24 of those wins as a player from 1955-58. After graduating from Sheridan and Ball State, he returned to his alma mater in 1966 as the head coach after one year at Mt. Ayr High School - which is now part of North Newton. He has been the head coach for 439 of those victories since then. Wright has led the Blackhawks to nine state championships - the first coming in 1980, the latest in 2007. “The first thing is it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to what you’re doing,” Wright told Hoosierland TV after the milestone win. “In the younger days, I went to probably 15 to 20 clinics every year, listened to the best speakers I could, took things from everybody and started putting things together. The pieces started fitting together. “You also have to have a lot of good people around you. I have been blessed down through the years to have some excellent assistant coaches and fine athletes”. This year’s squad is currently unranked in Class A - it’s receiving votes in the AP poll - but is 4-1 and outscoring opponents by an average score of 40-11. After a Week 1 loss to Western Boone - a Top 10 3A team - the Blackhawks have rolled off four straight lopsided wins. This year’s team features a powerful running game led by senior Peyton Cross, who has 729 yards and eight touchdowns, and junior Zach Bales, who has tallied 429 yards and seven scores. Both average more than 10 yards per carry. Sheridan will go for win 701 this week at home against Taylor in a non-conference game. ICC lead up for grabs as No. 1, No. 2 meet The lead in the Indiana Crossroads Conference is up for grabs this week as 1A No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran meets 2A No. 2 Indianapolis Scecina. The game will be played at Roncalli. Both teams are 5-0 to start the year. “The Lutheran game is very big in it positions the winner to win the conference, which is always a goal,” Scecina coach Ott Hurrle said. “This game will help us get a better understanding of where we are in regards to tournament play.” Lutheran, the defending Class A state champion, is averaging 53 points per game. The Saints’ offense is led by sophomore quarterback Jackson Willis, who leads the state with 1,639 passing yards. He thew for 385 in last week’s 50-12 victory over Cascade and has a season-high of 417 in a 54-41 Week 3 win over Triton Central. Willis has more than capably filled the shoes of now-graduated Montasi Clay, who accounted for 4,579 yards of total offense and 65 touchdowns a year ago and is now at Marian University. Micah MacKay has 640 receiving yards and ranks fourth in the state. The Saints have been a perennial Class A power under coach Dave Pasch, winning seven sectionals, six regionals, two semistates and a state title since 2014. They have won 20 consecutive games dating back to 2021. Scecina has been a defensive stalwart so far through five weeks, posting two shuouts and allowing five touchdowns in five games. The Crusaders are building off a strong season in which they went 10-4 and won a regional. They’ve already avenged two of their regular-season losses from last year, beating Speedway 28-7 in Week 2 and Heritage Christian 27-13 last week. A victory this week would avenge the third. “Senior leadership during the off season in getting players to buy in and be at workouts during the summer,” Hurrle said of a key to the Crusaders’ success this season. “Our defense has played very well and has allowed our offense to come along and its getting better.” Hurrle is in his 31st year at the helm of the Crusaders. He has led them to two state titles in 1990 and 1991. Senior Mason Beriault leads the Crusaders’ defense with 48 tackles, while Tamir Woods has 43 stops and 13 tackles for loss. Defensive tackle Adam Young, another senior, has 11 TFLs. Hurrle also has cited the play of linebacker Calvin Connor, defensive end Jaylen Long and linebacker Keaton Thibo, all seniors, as leaders on defense. Offensively, running back Brandon Fitts-Ramsey has 531 rushing yards, leading a balanced attack. Cougars into the Top 10 After knocking on the door at the end of last season, Greenfield-Central’s Cougars have spent much of the season in the IFCA Class 4A Top 10. The Cougars went 7-4 last season - their third winning season since 2002 - and have started this season 4-1, with the only blemish a 35-28 defeat to defending 4A champion Mt. Vernon. G-C travels to 4A No. 1 New Palestine this week. The Cougars have slowly built from going winless in 2018, the year before coach Travis Nolting took over, to two wins, then three, then seven. Now, they're in the Top 10 for the first time since 2002 and spending multiple weeks there for the first time since the program's heyday in the 1970s - when they won the first Class 2A state title in 1973 and were runners-up two years later. “Four years ago, we established a direction for where we wanted to go as a program. We have committed to that direction and will continue to commit to it,” Nolting said. “Consistency has been a large piece of that direction. I have always believed that program consistency yields the best results. Our seniors have now been in our program for four years and have bought in. I can't say enough about the hard work they have put in over the past four years making Greenfield football relevant once again.” That direction has featured the wishbone offense - a patient, powerful running game that spreads the ball around. It currently features senior fullback Andrew Zellers, who has 655 yards and averages 7.1 yards per carry. Fellow senior Brayden Herrell has tallied 473 yards and 8.0 yards per carry. The Cougars are averaging 348 yards per game on the ground. They rushed for 400 yards in a 35-0 victory over Pendleton Heights Week 4 and 377 yards last week in a 54-7 victory at Shelbyville. Defensively, G-C is allowing 198 yards per game and has shut out two foes - Greensburg and Pendleton Heights. The group is led by senior defensive end Brad Allen, who has four sacks and 11 tackles for loss, as well as junior linebacker Jake Hinton, who has 59 tackles. The Cougars have forced 17 takeaways, led by Kirk Knecht’s four interceptions. This week features a road trip to county and Hoosier Heritage Conference rival New Palestine, with first place in the league on the line. “New Pal is very good. Coach (Kyle) Ralph is one of the best in the state,” Nolting said. “His teams are always well coached and very prepared to play. There are multiple Div. 1 athletes on the field for New Pal which makes them even more dangerous. “In order for us to be successful on Friday Night, we can't make mistakes or turn the ball over and have to battle in the trenches all night.” Other games of note 6A No. 9 Westfield (3-2) at 6A No. 1 Brownsburg (5-0) 6A No. 10 Lawrence Central (3-2) at 6A No. 2 Center Grove (4-1) Zionsville (4-1) at 6A No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern (5-0) Lawrence North (2-3) at 6A No. 5 Ben Davis (3-2) 5A No. 1 Whiteland (5-0) at Martinsville (4-1) 5A No. 2 Mishawaka (5-0) at Warsaw (4-1) Crown Point (5-0) at 5A No. 5 Valparaiso (4-1) 5A No. 6 Castle (4-1) at 4A No. 9 Evansville Reitz (5-0) 5A No. 8 Harrison (4-1) at Lafayette Jeff (4-1) 4A No. 2 Roncalli (5-0) at No. 8 Brebeuf Jesuit (3-1) Franklin (3-2) at 4A No. 3 Mooresville (5-0) 4A No. 5 East Central (4-1) at South Dearborn (5-0) Benton Central (3-2) at 3A No. 1 West Lafayette (5-0) 3A No. 9 Guerin Catholic (3-2) at 3A No. 2 Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (3-2) 3A No. 3 Gibson Southern (5-0) at Heritage Hills (3-2) 3A No. 4 Tri-West (4-1) at Lebanon (3-2) 3A No. 5 Norwell (5-0) at East Noble (3-2) 2A No. 1 Linton (5-0) at North Daviess (4-1) 2A No. 3 Andrean (3-2) at Hobart (3-2) 2A No. 4 LaVille (5-0) at Knox (3-2) Rensselaer (3-2) at 2A No. 9 Lafayette Catholic (3-2)

New Palestine has an opening that weekend.

It's highly unlikely - the modus operandi in the suburbs seems to be to grow schools to huge sizes (a la Carmel) rather than split (like HSE, Southport & Perry Meridian did). Meanwhile, the cities are losing population and seeing schools close (Elkhart, Muncie, Michigan City, Anderson, et al, have all consolidated back into one school in the last 30ish years). I doubt we'll see many school splits. Possibly a few new private schools here and there. Whitestown was mentioned in the thread - that community is mostly in the Lebanon school district. I highly doubt Lebanon splits into two, especially given they're already significantly smaller than Zionsville even with the rapid growth of Whitestown.

Only two players - Blaine Nunnally (WR/DB) and Isaiah Thacker (WR/DB) - start on both sides of the ball. A number of OL rotate in at the nose (Keele/Moore/Purciful) but in the 10 years Kyle Ralph has been at NP, this is the smallest number of two-way starters they've had. They often have had quite a few in the past - the team went to the 5A title game in 2015 basically playing 15-16 players.

HHC week 6 Greenfield-Central (4-1, 2-1) at New Palestine (5-0, 3-0) WRGF-89.7, NewPalRadio.com, IHSAAtv.org/NewPalestine. The Dragons have passed every test with flying colors, but G-C is vastly improved and senior-laden. Their wishbone offense can control the game and cause problems for opposing defenses as Andy Zellers and Brayden Herrell frequently both rush for 100+ yards, while NP has been able to beat people with both the run (Grayson Thomas is averaging over 150 yards/game) and pass (Danny Tippit is throwing for 200+ yards per game). The trenches will be key. Delta (3-2, 1-2) at New Castle (1-4, 0-3) WLTI-1550. The Eagles are coming off back-to-back losses to Yorktown and Mt. Vernon, although they've been putting up points, their defense has struggled a bit. New Castle gave Yorktown a scare last week but eventually fell 25-19. Mt. Vernon (2-3, 2-1) at Pendleton Heights (2-3, 1-2). WEEM-91.7. The Marauders have been putting up a lot of points against everyone not named New Palestine, while PH found something offensively in the second half against the Dragons, but fell 42-14. The key will be can MV get Bridenthal & Burhenn going, and can PH slow them down. This is an old rivalry game that will be PH's homecoming and is always a great atmosphere. Shelbyville (2-3, 1-2) at Yorktown (4-1, 2-1). WSVX-96.5/1520, Giant.FM. The Tigers kept New Castle at arm's length last week before eventually holding on for a 25-19 victory. Mason Moulton and Kolton Nanko are one of the area's top passer/receiver duos. Shelbyville is much-improved, although they followed up their win two weeks ago against New Castle with a 54-7 loss at home last week against Greenfield-Central.

I generally list the games each #1 plays.

70-25 against a top schedule, two state titles and three trips to Lucas Oil in seven years tells me the Carmel coaches know what they're doing.

I wanted to focus a bit more on smaller schools this week since we'd been a bit 6A/5A-heavy the last couple, but Tri is a program I've kept my eyes on for quite a while, especially since they'd really struggled not long ago. Let's just say the talk of "forcing consolidations and contractions" was never any talk other than of one troll. More opportunities for high school football players means a better game. With the right coaches, the right culture and the right amount of buy-in from players and community (and sometimes a good cycle of talent), a team can turn things around.

You could always adopt Canadian rules: No fair catches, but the kicking team has to give the returner a 5-yard halo until he touches the ball (if not, it's a 15-yard "no-yards" penalty). The kicker and any player who is behind the kicker when the ball is kicked (this includes both free kicks and punts) may recover the ball and gain possession for his team, as well as advance it (which incentivizes the return team to pick up the ball).

Greenfield-Central at Shelbyville WRGF-89.7, WSVX-1520/Giant.FM. The Cougars ran for 400 yards in a 35-0 win over Pendleton Heights last week. Shelbyville won its first HHC game since 2018, snapping a 21-game losing streak in conference play, when it beat New Castle 22-20 last week. Both teams are 1-1 in league play. G-C is ranked for the second time this season ... the first time in at least 20 years the Cougars have appeared in the Top 10. Mt. Vernon at Delta The Marauders moved the ball at times against New Palestine's defense, but had two turnovers in the red zone that accelerated the score in their 42-6 loss to New Palestine last week. Delta dropped a decision to Yorktown in a county rivalry matchup. Both teams coming off losses to rivals makes this an intriguing matchup of squads 1-1 in conference play. New Palestine at Pendleton Heights. NewPalRadio.com/WEEM-91.7. The Dragons marched on last week, as the varsity offense scored on seven straight possessions in a 42-6 win over Mt. Vernon, with Danny Tippit throwing for 220 yards. PH's young squad struggled to move the ball against Greenfield-Central in a 35-0 loss. Since Jed Richman took over, PH has consistently played New Palestine as tough as anyone. Yorktown at New Castle. WLTI-1550. The Tigers have been impressive in a 3-1 start, and having Mason Moulton back adds another dimension to their passing game. Yorktown is the only team to slow New Palestine so far - if for a half - and looks poised to contend for the upper echelon of the conference. New Castle is the only team with an 0-2 conference mark and is looking to bounce back from a loss to Shelbyville last week.

Northview, Owen Valley meet for WIC supremacy In West Central Indiana, two programs on the rise will meet on the gridiron this Friday night as Northview and Owen Valley meet in a matchup of 4-0 programs. Owen Valley is ranked No. 10 in Class 3A, while Northview sits just outside the IFCA Class 4A poll. OV has rolled up its record with an offense that is averaging 58 points per game and has scored at least 40 points in each of its four outings, including a 57-7 victory over rival Edgewood last week. Meanwhile, Northview’s defense has allowed three touchdowns in the last three weeks, downing West Vigo 41-6 last week after a 28-7 victory over a solid Sullivan squad the week before. Northview has been the team to beat in the WIC since coach Mark Raetz took over in 2013, posting nine consecutive winning seasons heading into this year, including a 9-2, sectional runner-up season last year, but hit the ground running with a 27-21 victory over 5A Terre Haute North to open the year. “We have a smaller senior class this year, but where we had our returning senior experience is on our offensive and defensive lines,” Raetz said. “We've relied heavily on our line group to provide leadership and promote our culture as we've gotten our younger skill players up to speed. The win against Terre Haute North was big for our program. It gave our team confidence and showed them they could play with a bigger, senior-dominated team.” Defensively, the Knights’ success begins up front, where all four defensive linemen - Gabe Stockrahm, Dalton Simmons, Devon Barnhart and Dakota Mackey - are returning varsity starters. Several are also part of that strong offensive line. Offensively, the Knights have relied on a powerful running game that averages 332 yards per contest. It’s led by junior quarterback Kyle Cottee - who has 581 yards and averages 7.7 yards per carry in addition to 233 passing yards - and junior running back Imer Holman, who has 478 yards and averages 8.2 yards per carry. “It's no secret that our offense is based off having a strong run game, and Imer and Kyle are our two main ballcarriers,” Raetz said. “Our offensive line has done a great job opening holes and running lanes so far this season. The level of competition is going to crank up a notch, so hopefully we will continue to run the ball well.” Owen Valley had a resurgence in 2021, going 10-2 and winning the program’s first sectional title since 1992. The Patriots have built on that in head coach Rob Gibson’s second season. They posted a 57-34 victory over South Putnam - Gibson’s alma mater - in Week 2 before a 41-39 OT win over Indian Creek the following week. “Our coaches and players have all bought into a big challenge of changing the way we do everything. The seniors last year really took the lead over our team and never looked back, so the example that they set for the younger classes really benefited us going into this season,” Gibson said. “Our group this year picked up in November right where we left off in terms of the level of dedication and relentless effort that it takes to win games in this league. Games are won from December through July and our guys have bought into that. “We can say a ton of positive things about all four of the teams that we have played. The Week 2 game against South Putnam was a good test for us to find out how we would play for four whole quarters. Indian Creek Week 3 has to be a WIC classic. Two teams showed up ready to play and whoever had the ball and the marker last was going to win.” The strong 2021 rolled into the start to 2022. Senior quarterback Brody Lester is completing 69 percent of his passes for 751 yards and 12 TDs so far, leading an explosive offense. Running back Christian McDonald has run for 471 yards and nine TDs and also has caught nine passes for 208 yards and two scores. Gibson said Lester is the first two-year quarterback he has had, and seeing how he grew in the scheme in a second year has been a significant benefit. “Knowing we were losing a lot of really talented players last year even further sparked our staff to find ways to maximize what we believe we are good at and improve what we believe we weren't. That starts with Brody and Christian. Both of them would tell you to look to the offensive line, who is playing well right now,” Gibson said. “But Brody is in command of everything we do right now on offense.” Owen Valley, which will host this year’s contest, won last year’s meeting 24-14, but the standard for success has been set by the Knights for years. “Northview is the team in the WIC that everyone has been chasing and striving to be like for a long time,” Gibson said. “They are still the team to beat every year. They are incredibly well coached, make very few mistakes, and they play for 48 minutes - regardless of who is in and who they're playing. Mark does a really good job understanding his guys and putting them in positions to be successful based on their strengths. We all try to do that, but he does it very well. So in order for us to be successful against them, we have to understand that good teams make plays. We have to manage the highs and lows of a game of this magnitude.” The Knights see a strong opponent on the opposite side of the ball. “Owen Valley will be the toughest opponent we've seen so far this season,” Raetz said. “They really have no weaknesses. They are explosive on offense in both the run game and pass game. They play sound, fundamental defense. They are solid in the kicking game. And they are very well-coached. We will definitely have our work cut out for us. We'll have to play well in all phases of the game to be able to win at their place.” Lancers finding new-found success In Edinburgh, the Lancers are in a position they’ve not been since the JFK administration - undefeated after Week 4. The last time Edinburgh won its first four games was 1961. “It is great around the school and community,” coach Tyler DeSpain said. “Everywhere you go you hear someone say ‘How about them Lancers’ or ‘Great job out there Coach.’ We have always had support with the community, but they are going above and beyond now.” The Lancers posted a 19-0 shutout at Switzerland County last week, and host 3-1 North Daviess this week. Defensively, Edinburgh has allowed four touchdowns total in four games. It’s been based on a mindset of flying to the football. “Our defense has been playing great. We preach to fly to the ball and have fun with it,” DeSpain said. “I became friends with John Preston, the DC at Whiteland, and learned a lot from him the last two years. We run pretty much the same defense as them. The kids have fun with this defense and how we have a lot of moving parts and it allows them to be free at times. This year has been different though. The last few years we have had one or two guys that really liked to play defense. Now we have all 11 on the field that want to be a part of every tackle.” The success has been part of a turnaround under DeSpain’s leadership. Edinburgh is one win away from clinching its first winning season since 1993. It begins with an offense led by sophomore quarterback Caleb Murphy, who is completing 57 percent of his passes for 691 yards. Senior Jarrett Turner has 590 yards from scrimmage in the running and receiving game and senior Caleb Dewey has 268 receiving yards and four touchdowns. “Caleb (Murphy) has done a fine job,” DeSpain said. “We have really tried to be a more balanced team this year and I believe that has helped Caleb not feel the pressure of everything being on his back. He is only a sophomore and still has a lot to improve on, but if we keep playing defense and running the ball we have I believe he and the team will continue to have a successful year.” Edinburgh was once known for futility - the program lost 68 consecutive games from 2002-09 and had won one game in the two seasons before DeSpain took over. The Lancers went 1-9 in his first year in 2019, then improved to three wins the following year and five wins in 2021 - their first .500 season in decades. Continuity has been key - DeSpain is the sixth coach in Edinburgh history to spend four years at the program’s helm. “It has really just been continuity with the coaching staff and buy-in from our kids,” DeSpain said. “Once kids realize that you are not here just for a year or two then kids really start to buy-in. The kids never really have had some they could get to know and be close to when it came to football.” Tri lighting up scoreboards In East Central Indiana, another Class A program has seen a meteoric rise into a contender. The Tri Titans were not long removed from a 33-game losing streak and were two years removed from a fourth winless season in five years when Andrew Totheroh took over the program in 2016. The Titans went 8-3 in 2020, then posted an 11-3 record with the program’s first sectional title since 2007 and first-ever regional championship last year. Tri has picked up where it has left off, scoring 60 points per game through four wins to start the season, while allowing just 19 points through three games. The Titans blanked Wes-Del 55-0 last week for their second straight shutout. The success from last season has bolstered the program - they had 27 players dressed for the semistate game against eventual state champion Indianapolis Lutheran last year. They have 48 on the roster this season, a large number for a Class A school. “Our youth programs have done an excellent job of keeping our kids together, and as they come up through the feeder programs playing together really helps as they mature and get older,” Totheroh said. “Our current senior group has played together since they were in third grade. Those bonds and chemistry developed pay dividends.” They have a meeting with a strong Centerville squad this week at home - the Bulldogs are 3-1 and handed Tri its only regular-season loss last year en route to the Tri-Eastern Conference championship. Centerville is now in Class 3A and is the largest opponent on Tri’s schedule. “Centerville is a very good football team,” Totheroh said. “To us, we are looking at this as a great opportunity and a test to see where we are at the midpoint of the season. They do a lot of good things on both sides of the ball, and I’m excited to see if we can hold up vs them, execute and play with a passion for the game of football Friday night.” Tri’s Wing-T offense features a powerful running game that is averaging 424 yards per contest. It is led by senior Parker Burk, who totals 587 yards and 14.3 yards per carry. Junior Tyler Brooks (336 yards), senior Gary Paull (308 yards) and senior quarterback Mason Wilson (245 yards rushing) are all averaging more than 10 yards per carry. Wilson has attempted 11 passes all season, but four of his seven completions have gone for touchdowns. “Our offensive scheme is unique and forces defenses to play disciplined football,” Totheroh said. “Our offensive line made up of Ryan Craft, Vance Dishman, Sam Mondrush, Larry Reamer and Garrett Moffett have done an excellent job of identifying fronts, communicating with one another, and adjusting if need be to what we’re getting from our opponents Friday Nights. Mason Wilson, Parker Burk, Tyler Brooks, Gary Paull, Kyler Engle and Grant Cash, our skill positions, have done a great job complementing one another. We’re a team offense and it shows on Friday nights.” Notable Cooper Simmons-Little of Traders Point Christian is the state’s leading passer with 1,357 total yards. He threw for 400 yards and three TDs last week in a 47-42 loss to Park Tudor that was a quarterback shootout - Park Tudor’s Darrell Gordon threw for 297 yards and five TDs. … Another QB putting up big numbers is Indianapolis Lutheran’s Jackson Willis. He threw for 301 yards and three TDs last week in a 52-14 win over Lapel, a week after he and Triton Central’s Jace Stuckey both threw for 400 yards in a 54-41 Saints win. … Roncalli’s Luke Hansen is the first running back in the state to cross the 1,000-yard mark. He has 1,057 this season, tallying his second 300-yard game of the year last week with 307 yards and four TDs in a 38-17 win over Columbus North. He also had 66 yards receiving and a TD … Triton’s Anthony Schuch is averaging 15 yards per carry. He had 219 yards in a 51-10 win over Bremen last week, his second straight 200-yard game. … One game to watch in Grant County is the matchup between 4-0 Oak Hill and Madison-Grant. Oak Hill’s Kyle Turanchick is one of the state’s top rushers with 745 yards. Oak Hill’s next win will be the 150th for coach Bud Ozmun … After a 36-0 win over Shenandoah last week, North Decatur still has not allowed a point this season. … In Class 6A, Ben Davis and Warren Central meet for the 98th time this week. … Kankakee Valley is 3-1 for the first time since 1995. The Kougars have shut out three straight foes. Other key games this week 6A No. 1 Brownsburg at 6A No. 9 Fishers 6A No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern at 6A No. 8 Westfield 6A No. 5 Ben Davis at 6A No. 10 Warren Central 5A No. 6 Fort Wayne Dwenger at 6A No. 7 Carroll (Fort Wayne) Penn at Elkhart Martinsville at 5A No. 7 Franklin Vincennes at 5A No. 8 Castle 4A No. 3 Mooresville at 5A No. 9 Decatur Central Perry Meridian at 5A No. 1 Whiteland Homestead at 5A No. 4 Fort Wayne Snider 4A No. 1 New Palestine at Pendleton Heights 3A No. 5 Guerin Catholic at 4A No. 2 Roncalli Warsaw at 4A No. 6 NorthWood 3A No. 1 West Lafayette at Rensselaer 3A No. 3 Gibson Southern at Southridge 2A No. 1 Linton at Boonville 2A No. 8 Heritage Christian at 2A No. 3 Indianapolis Scecina Indian Creek at 2A No. 9 Triton Central Oak Hill at Madison-Grant Rochester at Tippecanoe Valley 1A No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran at Cascade 1A No. 2 Adams Central at Heritage 1A No. 10 Monroe Central at 1A No. 6 South Adams Eastern (Howard) at 1A No. 7 Carroll (Flora)

Normal team box is 25-to-25. Home team can opt for the team boxes to extend from 10-to-10 (as was legal during the COVID year). Last week, our opponent opted for the 10-to-10 team box but it appeared neither team really used it.

The signal for offside on a kickoff is the offside signal. I believe the signal for an illegal kick (e.g., a popup kick) is illegal procedure, which *is not* offside (but I'm assuming the announcers are used to seeing that signal as a false start and don't realize it is used for several other fouls, including illegal formation and an illegal free kick, such as a kickoff out of bounds). Something tells me the announcers confused the two signals and announced it wrong.

I'll blame that one on my misreading of the info Coach Curtis gave me. Thanks for the correction.

Martinsville is far enough away from Indy that it likely won't be affected much by suburbanization. Much of the growth along I-69 will likely happen in the Center Grove district (which I-69 runs through for a while before it bends into Morgan County and Martinsville).

Greenwood was a pre-consolidation "school city" and only includes the city limits. The unincorporated land to the west (White River Township) has always been Center Grove. The unincorporated land to the east of Greenwood is Clark Township - it had its own (very small) high school until the 1960s when it was consolidated into Whiteland (same with Union Township - it was consolidated into Franklin at about the same time). Geographically, it would've made sense for Clark Township to consolidate with Greenwood, but the 1959 Consolidation Act required districts to have at least 1,000 students and a certain amount of assessed valuation. Greenwood likely already met that threshold, so it was unlikely to desire to consolidate with any neighbors and give up its identity as a school/community or take on excess costs sending buses to what were then "the boonies." The whole consolidation era is a fascinating one and we see the results of it today - lots of schools built exactly halfway between the consolidating towns, school colors that were chosen as a mix of the pre-consolidation schools (in some cases). I've lived in Hancock County for 25 years and the hyphen in Greenfield-Central's name is a point of contention more than 50 years post-consolidation (basically, the Greenfield people have been trying to quietly eliminate it, while the Hancock Central people have tried to ensure it remains). Whitestown (in Lebanon's district) is the fastest-growing community in Indiana. While the community is likely more economically tied to Zionsville, the students living there go to Lebanon schools. The "outer fringe" schools in the donut counties - WeBo, Sheridan, Hamilton Heights, Tri-West, Danville, Cascade, Edinburgh, Indian Creek, Eastern Hancock, Hamilton Heights (and to a lesser degree, Shelbyville, Martinsville & Greenfield-Central) are likely far enough away that the suburban pull of Indy isn't *quite* as much of a factor for them, but they do have some suburban influence. Tri-West and Cascade, definitely, are starting to feel it because their districts are close enough to I-70 and I-74 that Brownsburg and Plainfield have largely begun to grow into their districts. Same with Greenfield-Central - it's not quite the booming bedroom community Mt. Vernon and New Pal are, but its proximity to I-70 will bring about some degree of suburbanization. It'll be interesting to see what effect I-69's completion has on Martinsville.

Whiteland's school district wraps around Greenwood's and includes all of the unincorporated land east of Greenwood in Johnson County. It actually borders Marion County for more miles than Center Grove does. "Indianapolis" schools are those in Marion County. "Indianapolis-area" schools are those in Marion County and the eight donut counties (and I'd add Pendleton Heights into that, too), as the donut counties - *especially* the ones that border Marion County that are largely bedroom communities (Plainfield, Avon, Brownsburg, Zionsville, Carmel, HSE/Fishers, Mt. Vernon, New Pal, Whiteland, Greenwood, Center Grove ... and to a lesser degree, Triton Central, although Shelby County has basically forbade residential development outside of Shelbyville, thus keeping TC a small, largely rural school).

Whiteland's school district borders Marion County. It's not an "Indy school," but it is definitely suburban Indianapolis, as much as Brownsburg, Center Grove and Hamilton Southeastern.

Richmond has really fallen on hard times as a community. Enrollment is declining, population is declining, socioeconomics are tough. They've been semi-competitive in basketball but things have really fallen off in football the last 5-6 years. Like a lot of East Central Indiana communities, they've lost a lot of families/students/athletes to the smaller county schools (Centerville, especially, has benefited from flight from Richmond) and from people simply moving away. I know there has been a great football culture there and there are a few people left who helped build that, but it's a challenge right now.

Whiteland moves up to top spot By Andrew Smith GridironDigest.com For several years, the Whiteland Warriors have quietly been one of the top teams in the Mid-State Conference and in South Central Indiana. But now, the Warriors have a new designation - No. 1. After beating then-No. 5 Decatur Central 28-7 last week to improve to 3-0 on the season, the Warriors were elevated to the top spot in both Class 5A polls. This week, the Warriors face another fifth-ranked team in 3-0 Franklin in the Golden Work Boot rivalry game. “We look at it as a sign of respect for our entire program and football family members past and present,” Whiteland coach Darrin Fisher said of the No. 1 ranking. “It is a source of pride knowing that others believe as we do that the Whiteland Warriors are capable of beating anyone, anytime, anywhere. This recognition, however, was given to us by someone else. Now we must go out to work each day and earn the right to call ourselves No. 1 down the road.” Whiteland went 6-4 last season and was the sectional runner-up to New Palestine, but has a 31-member senior class that has led the way. “We refer to them as the ‘Dirty Thirty,’” Fisher said. “One advantage to an experienced team is that they know the level of physicality to expect to win tough games. They have risen to the challenge thus far in 2022.” The Warriors’ run-heavy “fly” offense has averaged 315 yards per game so far this season, led by senior Peyton Emberton, who has 426 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Fellow senior Jonathan Crowley is averaging eight yards per carry. Defensively, senior Brady Stanifer leads the Warriors’ defense with 25 total tackles. The Warriors are allowing 10 points per game. But the Warriors are hosting a Franklin squad that is on the rise. The Grizzly Cubs are 3-0 for the first time since 2019 - when they won eight games and posted the program’s first winning season in 23 years. Under coach Chris Coll - who was a state championship coach at Tri-West before heading to Franklin in 2017 - the Grizzly Cubs risen as a program to the top five in Class 5A. “Any success we are having this season is the product of multiple components,” Coll said, citing the example of former players, the coaching staff, booster club and administration, as well as this year’s players. “It takes a great deal of effort and resources to develop a successful high school football program. It's never just one person or one group, and I think that is what we are starting to see here in Franklin.” The Grizzly Cubs are getting a lot of production from a multifaceted ground game led by junior quarterback Clay Pinnick, who has run for 143 yards and thrown for 345 so far. Senior Max Clark has 111 receiving yards and two touchdowns. In addition to being a standout on the gridiron, he also is the nation’s top baseball prospect in the senior class. “Max is an elite athlete. His physical abilities allow him to do some things on the football field that are not typical. Max has also been extremely dedicated to taking care of himself when it comes to the weight room, nutrition and overall care for his body. We know he is going to spend the majority of his time with baseball, but when he does get to us, he is going to be in great physical shape and ready to contribute. I think the most important example Max sets for all of our athletes, and not just football athletes, is the dedication and hard work he commits to being an elite athlete,” Coll said. “And Max loves football. Obviously he knows baseball is going to take him to the highest levels, but he is passionate about football and he loves playing with the teammates he grew up with here in Franklin.” This week’s matchup is an important one for positioning in the always-tough Mid-State Conference - Whiteland opened league play with a win over Decatur Central last week, while Franklin beat Perry Meridian 42-0. “I think it is an important match-up for us primarily because they are the best overall team we have faced to this point in the season,” Coll said. “We are still a program trying to prove we can compete in the Mid-State Conference and in the 5A playoffs. That's the biggest aspect for us as a team/program this week. The rivalry is special and the implications for the conference race are important. But this is only week 4. We have five more conference games after this one, and they are all important and big games for us.” “The challenge of coaching is to have your team improve Mentally, Emotionally and Physically throughout the season,” Fisher added. “Fight for three more feet of ground than you had the week before. Good opponents magnify the need for this to happen. We see the Franklin Game as an opportunity to take another step toward Earning what we want and needing to play our very best to do it.” Mudsock rivalry features neighbors, friends In southeastern Hamilton County, a unique rivalry has developed as Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern meet in the Mudsock rivalry game - Mudsock being one of the city of Fishers’ early names. The rivalry began when Fishers was created in 2006, dividing the rapidly-growing southeastern Hamilton County community into one with two high schools. Not only do the two schools share a community and school district, they also share a youth league and feeder program - the district’s three junior high schools feed into the two high schools - so players grow up knowing and playing alongside each other. The programs have a lot of mutual respect for each other. “It's a game like none other,” HSE coach Michael Kelly said. “The environment, enthusiasm and excitement make the game fun. Most of our players and the Fishers players played youth league and junior high football together.They know each other well. The parents have been on the sidelines supporting one another over the course of that time. It's neat to see how players and our community support one another all year long with the exception of this one game. “What makes the game unique is how well they know their opponent. Most of the time the unknown creates question marks. They know our players well and our players know them well, so there are no questions. It's more about which team will execute their game plan the best.” HSE, currently ranked No. 6 in Class 6A, has won the Mudsock game 12 times in 17 meetings, including a 42-13 victory in last season’s meeting. Offensively, Donavan Hamilton has 220 receiving yards and four touchdowns receiving and junior Jalen Alexander has 297 rushing yards. But the defense has also shone, allowing 11.3 ppg in three games. “We have leaned heavily on our defense to start the season,” Kelly said, noting his team has eight returning starters on that side of the ball, with the line of Evan Sherrill, Dominic Burgett and Jack Seyferth leading the way by getting pressure up front. Led by coach Curt Funk, Fishers is 3-0 for the second consecutive year. It’s the second straight season the two teams have met with unblemished records. The Tigers have been led by their two-pronged rushing attack of junior Khobie Martin - who has 300 yards and three TDs - and senior Carson Dunn, who has scored five TDs and has 224 yards. The contest is not just a backyard rivalry, but also an important one in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference race - a league that features four teams in the top 11 of the IFCA Class 6A poll. Crown Point rallies for a signature victory Last week was a tough one for teams ranked No. 1 in the state, as four teams atop their respective classes’ polls were defeated. One of those was 5A No. 1 Merrillville, as Crown Point rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat the Pirates 48-40 in a wild game. The Bulldogs relied on their power running game to outscore Merrillville 27-6 after halftime. Quarterback J.J. Johnson ran for 182 yards, while running back Elijah Taiwhan ran for 137 for the Bulldogs. Taiwhan’s two third-quarter touchdowns erased the 34-21 halftime deficit and put the Bulldogs on top. Crown Point added two more scores before allowing a late touchdown. “There were two big keys to our success on Friday,” Crown Point coach Craig Buzea said. “After giving up 34 points in the first half, making some schematic adjustments defensively, but even more importantly, understanding the speed of the game in which they played. Once our guys figured that out, we were able to shut them out in the second half other than a Hail Mary pass with a minute to go. “Probably more importantly, we stuck to our gameplan on offense. It would have been very easy to abort the plan, falling behind by two touchdowns early in the first quarter, but we felt our only chance to negate their tremendous speed was to play power football and run straight at them with three and four tight end sets while mixing in some play action shots along the way.” The Bulldogs rushed for almost 400 yards in the game, which Buzea said “is nearly unheard of against a Merrillville defense.” It’s Buzea’s second season in Crown Point after winning more than 200 games at Portage and in Illinois - and a full offseason allowed the coaching staff to put their plan to work after taking over in spring 2021. Crown Point is 3-0 and receiving votes in the Class 6A poll, its best start since 2014. After beating Lowell and Andrean the first two weeks, the Bulldogs host neighbor Lake Central this week in a Duneland Athletic Conference contest. “It’s going to be a challenge each and every week in the DAC and we must be able to answer the bell every Friday,” Buzea said. “It’s very important that we take care of ourselves. The plan is in place. We need to keep the main thing the main thing and block out the noise.” North Decatur putting up zeroes In Class A, No. 6 North Decatur has been dominant through three games, with a defense that is unscored upon. Last week, the Chargers beat then-No. 4 Monroe Central 43-0, and they have outscored opponents 140-0 through three games. They can clinch at least a share of the Mid-Eastern Conference title this week at home against Shenandoah. The Chargers have had success in recent seasons, but they are 3-0 for the first time since 2015, which was their first under coach Steve Stirn. After going 6-5 last season, they’ve been impressive on both sides of the ball this season. “From day one we have been trying to build a program that could be successful,” Stirn said. “The last few years we have begun to reap the rewards of those early efforts. The sectional championship is 2019, was the first in 21 years, it sorta raised the bar for expectations. Success has allowed to push our kids and to be even more demanding. They have answered the call. This year is the culmination of a lot of hard work by many people.” Defensively, the Chargers’ depth has led to their success, as they rotate 20 players on that side of the ball, led by seniors Carson Parmer and Jake Kinker up front, as well as the brother tandem of James and Josh Evans at linebacker, Reid Messer at safety and Evan Howell at cornerback leading the way. Howell is the leading tackler with 17 stops. “The sum is only as good as its parts,” Stirn said. “This collection of young men love to play defense and take a tremendous pride in it.” Offensively, Parmer is completing 71 percent of his passes for 558 yards. Messer has 272 rush yards, 173 receiving yards and seven total TDs. James Evans is averaging 9.6 yards per carry and has four scores. Warsaw led by its D Another program putting up impressive numbers early in the season is Warsaw. Coach Bart Curtis’ squad is 3-0 for the first time in 21 years. They’re led by a defense that has allowed 14 points in three games - beating Michigan City 35-7 and Chesterton 24-7 in the opening two weeks before a 70-0 shutout of Plymouth in Week 3. The defense has led the Tigers so far, with nine returning starters. DL Russ Winchester, LBs Nick Katris and Jonn Burritt and DBs Trey Koontz and Theo Katris are all three-year starters. DL Isaac Beam, LB Jette Woodward and CB Colt VanHouten are all two-year starters. Beam and Katris both had defensive scores last week against Plymouth, and the Warsaw defense has scored more touchdowns than it has allowed this season. “Several two and three-year starters have returned on defense and have played inspired defensive football for most of their snaps,” Curtis said. “We lost our starting quarterback early in our opener, so our defense will continue to play hard and well as we bring along our new quarterback. We have also improved each week on the offensive line while trying to find an offensive identity.” For decades, Curtis’ teams identity has been the option offense. Grady Nolin has taken the helm and rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown and threw for 58 yards last week against Plymouth. Running backs German Flores and Bryson Brown are two of the three returning starters. The Tigers travel to Concord this week in a Northern Lakes Conference matchup. Warsaw hasn’t won at Concord since 2009. “Concord’s is extremely well-coached,” Curtis said. “Craig Koehler and his staff have had us dialed in for years. Their current record is extremely deceiving, with losses to undefeated Elkhart and NorthWood.” Rough week for No. 1s In addition to Merrillville, three other No. 1s fell last week. 6A Center Grove dropped a 29-28 2OT game at Louisville Trinity - a Kentucky powerhouse that defeated Carmel in Week 1. Brownsburg took over the top spot in the 6A poll. In Class 3A, Indianapolis Chatard lost on a last-second field goal to 4A No. 2 Roncalli by a 20-17 score. While the Trojans remained No. 1 in the IFCA poll heading into this week’s game at 6A No. 3 Cathedral, West Lafayette moved up to No. 1 in the AP poll. In 2A, Evansville Mater Dei fell 31-28 to Vincennes Lincoln, allowing Linton to move to the top spot. New Palestine (Class 4A) and Indianapolis Lutheran (Class A) remain in the top spot of their respective classes. Brownsburg plays its first game at No. 1 at home against rival Avon. New Palestine travels to its arch-rival, Mt. Vernon, ranked No. 9 in Class 4A. West Lafayette hosts 2A No. 6 Lafayette Central Catholic. Linton hosts Sullivan, while Lutheran meets Lapel. Other key games this week 6A No. 2 Center Grove at 6A No. 4 Ben Davis 6A No. 3 Indianapolis Cathedral at 3A No. 1 Indianapolis Chatard 5A No. 7 Fort Wayne Dwenger at Homestead 5A No. 8 Decatur Central at 4A No. 10 Martinsville 4A No. 2 Roncalli at Columbus North 4A No. 7 Brebeuf at 3A No. 5 Guerin Catholic 3A No. 2 West Lafayette at 2A No. 6 Lafayette Central Catnolic 4A No. 7 New Prairie at 3A No. 10 Mishawaka Marian South Warren (Ky.) at 3A No. 3 Gibson Southern Western Boone at 3A No. 6 Tri-West River Forest at 3A No. 8 Hanover Central Sullivan at 2A No. 1 Linton 2A No. 10 Triton Central at Monrovia Lapel at 1A No. 1 Lutheran Jay County at 1A No. 2 Adams Central 1A No. 3 South Adams at Heritage