crimsonace1

The pod is a quick five-minute version intended for radio pregame shows (and it's running on at least three stations right now with hopefully more to come). Back in the day, TA and I hosted a podcast where we'd go around the state every week for about an hour, have guests, et al. I'd love to do something like that again but that pesky time gets in the way.

(Again, any newspaper, website or radio station that wants to use this content, it is yours free to use. Just make sure to give the author and GridironDigest.com credit. DM me your email address and I'll send it to you directly).

Greyhounds, Trojans to face off for Copper Kettle By Andrew Smith GridironDigest.com One of the state’s top rivalries isn’t forged by being neighbors, but competition on the football field. For the 25th time, Center Grove and Carmel will meet in the regular season, with the “Copper Kettle” trophy on the line this Friday at Center Grove. The two programs have become two of the state’s football blue-bloods, winning five of the last seven Class 6A state titles. Carmel has eight state titles in its history, Center Grove four. Three times since 2008, they’ve met for the state championship. CG is ranked No. 1 in Class 6A, Carmel No. 4. Interestingly, the No. 2 and 3 teams - Cathedral and Brownsburg - also meet this week. Their regular-season series has been dead-even - each team has won 12 games. “The rivalry is very important to the players,” Carmel coach John Hebert said. “I’m trying to get them to understand that it is just one game and it’s only Week 2 but I don’t think they are buying that. It will be a very tough, physical game. (Center Grove has) won 29 games in a row, so it goes without saying that are extremely hard to beat. I think if you are a real competitor, you love a game like this. We are all excited for the opportunity.” Center Grove, winners of the last two state titles, has the fourth-longest winning streak in the IHSAA tournament era. The longest is 34 games, held by Warren Central from 1983-86. Carmel was the last team to knock off the Trojans in the 2019 state title game - and the desire for the Greyhounds’ seniors to get back to Lucas Oil Stadium is palpable. “Our seniors were freshman when we last won the 6A title so they are very intent on earning a ring,” Hebert said. “They are very focused getting that opportunity and seem to understand that it is a season long process to get there. They’ve been a lot of fun to coach already.” The Trojans’ attack was led last week by senior running back Micah Coyle, who tallied 221 yards and two touchdowns in a 17-8 victory over Warren Central. Tyler Cherry takes over at quarterback, with two-year starter Tayven Jackson having graduated and now playing at the University of Tennessee. Carmel, ranked No. 4 in Class 4A, dropped a 17-7 decision to Kentucky powerhouse Louisville Trinity in the opener. Blake Matthews had 87 receiving yards and a touchdown to lead the Greyhounds, while senior Reece Bellin had 65 yards receiving last week. Desmond Duffy is an Ohio University commit, giving quarterback Jackson Kazmierczak a number of quality targets. “The 2022 Carmel team is a very experienced team with several starters returning, but as per usual Carmel will have great size and speed,” CG coach Eric Moore said of this week’s opponent. “Carmel’s offense runs the ball with speed and power, but has an excellent passing attack, with a big offensive line that is quite athletic.” Both teams are stout defensively. Carmel’s defense is led by 6-6 linebacker Will Heidt - whom Moore cited as one of the state’s top players - and safety Winston Berguland, a fellow Purdue commit. Mason Bardwell had 15 tackles and Hunter Snow 14 against Trinity. CG’s Parker Doyle had a team-high seven tackles and an interception in the win over Warren Central. Safety Jalen Thomeson is the leading returning tackler, with 60 tackles and an interception in 2021. For the Trojans to keep the Copper Kettle, ball control will be key. “The Trojans will have to control the football and not have useless turnovers, Moore said. “First downs for the will be key and will keep the Carmel offense off the field. Once again the Trojan defense must eliminate the big play drive and make Carmel earn every yard.” Battle of 5A/4A heavyweights The first time New Palestine and Decatur Central met on the football field, it was the 2018 State Finals - a game won by New Palestine 28-14. Even then, the two schools had planned to face off in the regular season, and they’ll face off Friday at New Palestine in a matchup of top-two teams in their respective classes. Decatur Central is No. 2 in Class 5A, while New Palestine is No. 2 in the IFCA 4A poll and No. 1 in the AP, returning to the top spot for the first time since the start of the 2020 season. Big non-conference matchups are nothing new for either squad. This week will be New Palestine’s sixth consecutive non-conference game against a ranked team since a 2019 - facing Center Grove, Brebeuf Jesuit, Decatur Central and Westfield in that stretch, all of which have recently been to the State Finals. Decatur Central has also faced Center Grove and Westfield in recent years, as well as Franklin Central and Roncalli. “Our number 1 goal is to win the Mid-State Conference, but a close second is to be playing our best football in November when it matters most. We feel playing great competition early helps us get to where we need to be in November,” Decatur Central coach Kyle Enright said. DC beat Columbus North 26-12 in last week’s opener and features one of the state’s top seniors in quarterback/linebacker Aycen Stevens, a Virginia Tech commit. “Aycen is a talented football player, but an even better young man. He leads by example and has taken that a step further as a senior and has become a vocal leader as well,” Enright said, calling Stevens a coach on the field. Stevens and fellow linebacker Cam Renick - who are also best friends - both spent the offseason recovering from knee injuries and pushing themselves to get back into action. “They pushed each other to get back on the field by June,” Enright said. “When your best players are your hardest workers, you have a chance to be a very good team and no one outworks Aycen and Cam.” K.C. Berry played a big role in the Hawks’ season-opening win. He had a 35-yard interception return for a score and an 86-yard TD reception last week. New Palestine opened the year with a 42-28 victory over Westfield, which entered the year ranked No. 6 in Class 6A. The Dragons used their offensive line - led by Louisville commit Luke Burgess and heavily-recruited junior Ian Moore - to amass 299 yards on the ground, 189 of which belonged to junior Grayson Thomas. The Dragons ran the ball on all but two of their second-half snaps. Leading 28-14 in the third quarter, New Palestine ground out an eight-minute drive to restore a three-score lead, and then finished the game with another long march. “We told them at halftime … you guys are going to have to win the game for us,” New Palestine coach Kyle Ralph said. “If we’re supposed to have a really good offensive line that’s as talented as they are, as heralded as they are, those are things you expect. You put the game on their back and they delivered. For Week 1, that’s something you want to see, especially against a very good inside six as Westfield has.” Big game in the Fort In Fort Wayne, two heavyweights won their first games, as 5A No. 3 Snider defeated arch-rival Fort Wayne North 20-18, while 6A No. 10 Carroll won 42-3 over Luers. This contest, which Carroll will host, is an early test for both teams and could go a long way in determining the Summit Athletic Conference champion. Two of the last three matchups between the schools have been decided by one point. Sophomore quarterback Jimmy Sullivan threw for 234 yards and three scores in Carroll’s win over Luers, completing passes to six different receivers. Snider coach Kurt Tippmann described the Chargers as a team that is very well-coached by Doug Dinan, plays extremely hard and has a quick, disruptive defense. For Snider, Luke Haupert returns at quarterback and led the Panthers to an early two-score lead before they held off a late North comeback last week. The Panthers return their top three receivers. “Game 1 is always a bit sloppy and certainly was the case for us,” Snider coach Kurt Tippmann said. “However, we were extremely proud of our players toughness and willingness to fight in a tight game and come away with a victory. I think North Side is a good team and will make tough competition for the SAC opponents.” This is the final time the SAC will play a nine-game conference schedule, as the league will split into divisions next season. Thus, each week in the 10-team conference has title implications. Snider, Carroll and Luers shared the league title with 8-1 regular-season records a year ago. “I think our schedule is great and does do a great job preparing for the playoff season,” Tippmann said. “Each week we face players that can take over a game and score any time they touch the ball. The coaching is good and provides a great challenge every week. Next year will be different and we look forward to facing some non-conference opponents to get experience with other teams.” Milestone win Mooresville coach Mike Gillin reached a milestone last week in the Pioneers’ 38-13 victory over Bloomington North. The victory was Gillin’s 350th in a career that has spanned 44 seasons. He is in his sixth season at Mooresville after stints at Indian Creek, Decatur Central and Tri-West. Gillin led Tri-West to the Class 2A State Finals in 1989. Most recently, he took Mooresville to the semistate in 2020. “I’ve had a lot of good support and some good kids,” Gillin told the Martinsville Reporter-Times. “The formula’s pretty obvious. If you’ve got kids who want to compete, practice and work hard, you’ll win. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of those.” Gillin is the fourth-winningest coach in Indiana, behind Sheridan’s Bud Wright (436 wins), Knox’s Russ Radtke (380 wins) and former Jasper coach Jerry Brewer (368 wins). Mooresville hosts Danville this week. Quick hits Roncalli running back Luke Hansen ran for 335 yards and five touchdowns Friday in the Royals’ 46-7 victory over Southport. That broke a 20-year-old school record previously held by Marcus Nally. … Two teams broke long skids last week. Rushville snapped a 24-game losing steak with a 41-35 win over Milan. It was the Lions’ first victory since Sept. 20, 2019, and the first career head coaching win for Isaac Sliger, a former Rushville player. The Lions face Shelbyville this week. North Miami beat Manchester 14-12, snapping an 18-game skid that had dated back to Aug. 28, 2020. … Tri-West’s Ty Owens threw for 380 yards in a 20-14 victory over Western, completing 27-of-40 passes. The Class 3A No. 4 Bruins face 4A No. 9 Brebeuf Jesuit this Friday. Braves QB Nolan Buckman threw for 2,993 yards in leading Brebeuf to the Class 3A State Finals last year. … Guerin Catholic’s Ryan Zimmerman also had a stellar season-opening passing performance, completing 26-of-39 for 363 yards in a 45-21 victory over McCutcheon. … There were two changes atop the IFCA poll. In Class 4A, Roncalli moved to No. 1 after its win over Southport and Noblesville’s 43-35 victory over previous No. 1 Mt. Vernon. In Class 2A, Evansville Mater Dei moved to No. 1 with a 35-0 victory over Evansville Central. Previous No. 1 Andrean fell 27-7 to 5A No. 1 Merrillville. … Center Grove (6A), Merrillville (5A), Indianapolis Chatard (3A) and Indianapolis Lutheran (1A) remained No. 1 after season-opening wins. Other key games this week 6A #9 Lawrence North at 5A #3 Whiteland 3A #6 Guerin Catholic at 2A #5 Lafayette Central Catholic 5A #7 Castle at 2A #1 Evansville Mater Dei South Bend St. Joseph at 5A #6 Mishawaka 4A #4 East Central at Harrison (Ohio) 4A #9 Brebeuf at 3A #4 Tri-West East Noble at 4A #7 NorthWood Tech at 3A #1 Indianapolis Chatard Speedway at 2A #7 Scecina Indianapolis Ritter at 1A #1 Indianapolis Lutheran

It appears someone clicked New Prairie on the drop-down menu instead of New Palestine (which checks out - New Prairie got 9 votes, and a second-place vote for New Pal would've been 9 points ... it appears NP got 7 first-place and 2 second-place votes, which is 88 points). Same thing happened last week when Martinsville got a first-place vote that appeared to be meant for Mooresville.

Who are the 8-man programs? I see Blackhawk Christian, Rock Creek Academy, Indiana Deaf and Dugger are confirmed for this year from perusing news stories. Waldron and Irvington Prep are two more I've seen who were planning to have programs. Any others?

No. The Success Factor "stay-up" points *only* apply to schools that have moved up. Merrillville was 6A due to enrollment, therefore, it did not accumulate Success Factor points. It is properly placed in 5A. Now, I'm sure someone will propose a bylaw change if they win state this year, but that's how things are for now.

Last week of non-conference play Decatur Central at New Palestine: (IHSAAtv.org & NewPalRadio.com): Fresh off their 42-28 win over Westfield, the Dragons host another ranked team in a larger enrollment class in Decatur Central. The Hawks jumped out to a 31-17 halftime lead before the Dragons held them scoreless in the second half. A late touchdown pass and an onside kick recovery gave NP a chance to win, but a last-second field goal went wide in a 31-29 Hawks win. DC lost a lot to the diploma but KC Berry had a huge week last week. Mt. Vernon at Franklin: The Marauders lost to Noblesville in their opener for the second straight year, falling in a 43-35 barnburner. Looks like MV won't have much problem scoring with Eli Bridenthal and George Burhenn providing offense, but MV struggled to stop Noblesville's power running game last week. Things won't get much easier with a trip to Franklin, which posted an impressive win over Danville in Week 1 and possesses an excellent athlete at WR - and the nation's top baseball prospect - in Max Clark. Shelbyville at Rushville (WSVX-1520 - Giant.FM): An old rivalry that went away when Rushville left the HHC in 2013 is back. Both programs have struggled of late. Rushville snapped a 24-game losing streak last week with a 41-35 win over Milan. Shelbyville has won two games since 2018. The Bears had a halftime lead against Greensburg last week but fell 35-21. Triton Central at New Castle (WLTI-1550): The Trojans knocked off Franklin County 18-12 in OT last week, their second win over the Wildcats since the series began in 2014. It's an all-green matchup as New Castle faces Tim Able's Triton Central squad. TC has been one of the stronger teams in Class 2A in recent years and beat Cascade 42-14 last week. Anderson at Pendleton Heights (WEEM-91.7): A cross-county matchup that's been pretty lopsided in the Arabians' favor. PH has won six straight meetings and 10 of the 11 matchups since the series began in 2011. Both teams are coming off Week 1 losses. Columbia City at Delta: A matchup of Eagles. Delta's Eagles dispatched Muncie Central 34-28 last week. Columbia City's won 31-7 over Churubusco. Delta won last year's meeting 14-10. An intriguing inter-regional matchup. Greensburg at Greenfield-Central (WRGF-89.7): G-C posted a big 30-28 win at Plainfield that raised a lot of eyebrows in Central Indiana. Coach Travis Nolting faces his alma mater in a game where the Cougars should be a favorite. The Cougars are seeking their first 2-0 start since 2015. Muncie Central at Yorktown (WXFN.com & IHSAAtv.org): The Tigers dispatched Anderson 20-0 last week, but face an improved Muncie Central squad that pushed Delta to a one-score game in Week 1. Yorktown is seeking its sixth consecutive 2-0 start to the season.

Basically, this. IHSAAtv.org is essentially a clearinghouse for a lot of independent broadcasters (and the fees go directly to each broadcaster), so it's difficult to have a blanket charge and figure out who it needs to go to.

Week 1 scores. HHC goes 5-3 in the first of two non-conference weeks. Delta 34, Muncie Central 28 Greenfield-Central 30, Plainfield 28 Greensburg 35, Shelbyville 21 Lebanon 26, Pendleton Heights 12 New Castle 18, Franklin County 12, OT New Palestine 42, Westfield 28 Noblesville 43, Mt. Vernon 35 Yorktown 20, Anderson 0

You probably figured this out, but NewPalRadio.com is an audio stream. We provide the audio for the IHSAAtv video stream.

Bumping as we're now at Game 1 of the 2022 season. Lots of intriguing matchups in the league this week. Only two matchups with NCC schools, when there used to be so many, the first two weeks might as well have been the HHC-NCC challenge (which the HHC dominated every year). To follow Westfield at New Palestine: NewPalRadio.com, 107.5 The Fan & IHSAAtv.org/NewPalestine Greenfield-Central at Plainfield: WRGF-89.7 (available on TuneIn) Greensburg at Shelbyville: WSVX-1520 (giant.fm) New Castle at Franklin County: WLTI-1550 (no webcast) Pendleton Heights at Lebanon: WEEM-91.7 (link) Delta at Muncie Central: WXFN-1340 (WXFN.com), video webcast on IHSAAtv.org Yorktown at Anderson: WHBU-1240 (1240whbu.com) Mt. Vernon at Noblesville: Looks like it will be on IHSAAtv.org via Hamilton County TV

... I'll be at Westfield at New Palestine, doing the play-by-play for NewPalRadio.com & IHSAAtv.org. Looking forward to an intriguing matchup - both teams have multiple Div. I players. Westfield has a lot of talent even though it graduated a lot last year. New Pal is talented and experienced and generally punches above its weight pretty well. The two coaches are very good friends and the programs mirror each other in a lot of ways.

It's Week 1 of the season. Where are you going, which games are you watching, what are you looking for?

This is awesome. I've used AlmanacSports as a resource for years, so to have all of this in one spot and easy-to-reference form is great. I've ordered a copy.

When I coached girls hoops, we took our team to Anderson University for a one-day shootout, and one of the teams we played was from Florida (coached by a former New Castle coach who was bringing his team north for some competition). They were a school of 3,000 students and had gone something like 16-5 the year before, but were at about the level of an average 2A/small 3A team here. Their coach told us the coaching is about a decade behind where we are in Florida and basketball just isn't a big deal (soccer is a winter sport there and they lose a lot of girls to that sport).

The thing with the scrimmage is it falls on the 11th day of practice. Players need a minimum of 10 days of practice to play, so if you have *any* injuries that cause a kid to miss, he's missing the first game (you can compete in the scrimmage with 5 practices, and IIRC, the scrimmage *does* count as a practice day) ... I know the summer is largely open now, but two "install weeks" before having to gameplan makes a lot of sense.

Here's the audio version. Any radio station/broadcaster is free to download and use on your broadcasts either in pregame or halftime. It runs five minutes (or DM me and I'll put you on my email list for a direct copy). If you use it, please let me know so I can have an idea of where our content is running (and if you DM me your email address, I'll put you on the list to get a direct file).

There will be a live (PPV) video stream on New Palestine's IHSAAtv.org channel, with yours truly on PXP. If you want the free audio broadcast, you can find it at NewPalRadio.com. Radio pregame begins at 6 p.m.

They're still playing a MIC schedule, but their ouster from the league was effective this summer.

The plan is for this to be a weekly feature as we're coming up with ways to use TGD to drive professional, high-quality content. Thanks for the heads-up - made the edit.

I did a long time ago, but I realized being able to afford to eat was important :).

Of note, any newspaper or website who wishes to use the TGD Indiana Football Report may do so free of charge. Just make sure to credit the writer & website.

Welcome to The Gridiron Digest Indiana Football Report. This weekly feature will run throughout the season and highlight big games and big storylines throughout Indiana. This brings us back to the roots Tim Adams began this site with, as a place to bring together and presenting news from around the state. "Battle of Broadway" a matchup of No. 1 vs. No. 1 By Andrew Smith The Gridiron Digest One and a half miles of Broadway is all that physically separates Merrillville and Andrean High Schools. But when the two meet up in the aptly-named “Battle of Broadway” matchup Friday night at Merrillville’s Demaree Stadium, the matchup won’t just pit neighbors against each other. It will also pit No. 1 vs. No. 1. Merrillville begins the year as the No. 1 team in Class 5A after winning three straight regional titles in Class 6A, while Andrean begins atop the 2A poll as the defending state champion. “There will be a lot of excitement for the ‘Battle of Broadway’ as expectations are high for both programs. It's always a fun physical game where both teams play hard,” Merrillville coach Brad Seiss said. “We both have a lot of respect for each other's football teams.” Andrean ran the table in Class 2A last season, ending with a 21-9 victory over Evansville Mater Dei in the State Finals. But the 59ers have quickly turned the page. “We haven't talked about last year much except maybe in the context of prepping the body for the grind of a season,” Andrean coach Chris Skinner said. “The seniors are motivated to leave their own unique mark on the program. Everyone is stepping into at least a slightly different role compared to last season. It's a new team with a new leadership group.” Merrillville moved to 5A during the summer’s reclassification due to the school’s enrollment. The Pirates have had recent success, going 33-5 over the last three seasons and advancing to the semistate each year, but falling one step short of Lucas Oil Stadium. “Everyone wants to talk about us going into 5A because of the success that we've had over the last few years in 6A,” Merrillville coach Brad Seiss said. “We aren't really concerned about that until we get to the tournament. We've got the same 2 non-conference games in Andrean and Hobart then we get into DAC play. Getting better weeks 1-9 is the most important thing we can do as we prepare for the tournament in October.” Meanwhile, the entirety of Andrean’s schedule consists of teams in the top three classes. Merrillville is a premier opponent to begin the year. “I love competition. It doesn't matter if it's competition within our program or against competitive opponents,” Skinner said. “I believe in the ‘iron sharpens iron’ mantra. There are certainly challenges in playing a schedule like ours in which every opponent is at least two classes higher than us, but our players accept those challenges. We will certainly be exposed in certain areas by playing that level of competition, but it allows us to make adjustments that end up in growth down the road. I have a lot of respect for Merrillville specifically. Coach Seiss has been able to reload year after year. It's a fantastic Week 1 game that typically draws a good crowd and gets the attention of college coaches and scouts as well.” The scouts will have plenty of top players to see - Merrillville sports two of the top seniors in Indiana in Colorado State commit Justin Marshall - who had 1,088 receiving yards a year ago - and safety Phillip Roche. Andrean features Notre Dame commit Drayk Bowen, who had 965 rushing yards, 105 tackles and three interceptions a year ago. Andrean also has junior QB Scott Ballentine returning after completing 68 percent of his passes for 2,860 yards and junior WR Patrick Clacks, who had 753 yards last year. “Drayk is an amazing talent and certainly one that does a lot for us,” Skinner said. “He rarely comes off the field. He's also a great role model for how to train, how to prep, how to take care of the body.” Opening the year in Indy Another cross-town rivalry will kick off 2022 - but 70 miles down the road at Lucas Oil Stadium. For the first time since 2004, Harrison and West Lafayette - two schools less than five miles apart - will meet on the gridiron. The 6 p.m. kickoff will begin the IHSAA football season at the annual Horseshoe Classic. Beginning the season at Lucas Oil Stadium is always a treat, but both programs have designs on finishing it there, too. “We are excited to start the season in Lucas Oil Stadium,” said West Lafayette coach Shane Fry, whose teams are 94-18 in nine seasons. “This is the first time we have played Harrison since 2004. It is a fierce rivalry in other sports, and most of the players know each other. It is a unique situation with our football fields being two miles apart and us traveling 65 miles to play on the big stage and kickoff the 2022 season. This is a great opportunity for our program, both to play at Lucas Oil and to matchup against Harrison.” Fry’s squad won the 2018 state title and was the 2015 3A runner-up. The Red Devils posted a 9-1 record last season and have won at least seven games in each of the last nine years. Harrison is coming off an 8-2 season. The Raiders won sectional titles in 2018 and 2019, but fell to eventual 5A state runner-up Zionsville in the sectional each of the last two years. The second game will be another marquee matchup, as last year’s 3A runner-up Brebeuf Jesuit faces 3A No. 1 Bishop Chatard in a matchup of top teams from the Circle City Conference. Chatard, which has won 15 state championships, returns to 3A after spending a year in Class 4A due to the Tournament Success Factor. The two squads have been frequent sectional foes, but they will not meet in the tourney this year, as Brebeuf has moved to Class 4A and begins the season ranked No. 5 New coach in Columbus One of the most high-profile coaching changes over the offseason came in Columbus, where Tim Bless retired after 22 years at the helm of the Columbus North Bull Dogs. Logan Haston, a former standout quarterback at Avon and Manchester University, takes over. It’s Haston’s first head coaching position, but he had previously been on staff at Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers and his college alma mater, Manchester. “I am very thankful to be taking over such a well-established program,” Haston said. “Coach Bless has built a strong reputation at Columbus North with tough, hard-working athletes who play the game the right way. I am excited to build upon the tradition & success that has come before me, while also implementing my own cultural identity that meshes with the players & coaching staff.” Haston played for two standout coaches at Avon - Dave Shelbourne and Mark Bless - Tim’s brother - before matriculating to Manchester, where he played for Shannon Griffith. “I'm not sure if I'd be where I am today without my experience at Avon,” Haston said. “Between two years with Dave Shelbourne, to my final two years under Mark Bless, I was mentored by some incredible coaches. I learned what the standard of excellence looks like, and how to compete in a first class manner. I will forever be grateful for my time as an Oriole.” Haston takes over a squad that went 6-4 last season and won its second straight Conference Indiana title. It has a strong non-conference schedule, beginning with a Week 1 matchup at Decatur Central. “I'm very pleased with our growth this summer as a team,” Haston said. “Our players have really bought in to what we're trying to accomplish, particularly the seniors. Their leadership has thoroughly impressed me, and we're going to lean on it during the season. Decatur Central is well-coached and will be a very tough Week 1 opponent, but we're excited for the challenge.” Marauders building off a title Another defending champion is Mt. Vernon (Fortville), where first-year coach Vince Lidy led the Marauders to a 14-1 record and the Class 4A title. It was the Marauders’ first football State Finals appearance after advancing to the regional and semistate the two years prior. MV graduated several key players, but has a pair of building blocks in WR George Burhenn - a Purdue commit - and QB/WR Eli Bridenthal to lead the way. The duo combined for 1,064 receiving yards a year ago. Burhenn and senior linebacker Kellen La Belle are the top returning tacklers, each with 44. La Belle also had eight tackles for loss. “The success of last year is a result of great work and weekly improvement from the players and coaches as we worked through each week,” Lidy said, noting the Marauders’ 37 wins over the last three seasons are third-most in the state behind Center Grove and Cathedral. That has built as the Marauders have more than 110 players in four grades on the roster this fall. “A huge benefit of playing so long in the postseason is the amount of reps and practice our younger players were able to experience as we moved through the tournament. The success was also a great springboard into winter training. Excitement has stayed at an elevated level and this next group of players wants to continue to build on the success of the past three seasons and add to their legacy in the MV football program.” The Marauders open the season at Noblesville, which gave them their lone blemish last season, a 57-36 defeat in Week 1. It will be the first game in the Millers’ new stadium. Lidy said the Millers will bring a challenge with their power running game and large offensive line. “We always aim to play the 'perfect' game each Friday, but the most important thing in Indiana high school football is to find ways to get a little better each week and be playing your best football towards the end of the season. “I feel as though you don't win the state championship based on the result of Week 1. Our program lived through that in 2021. Before we can worry about conference championships, sectional and playoff championships, we have to take care of ourselves and focus on week 1 first.” Other key games 6A No. 5 Warren Central at 6A No. 1 Center Grove 6A No. 4 Brownsburg at 6A No. 7 Ben Davis 6A No. 6 Westfield at 4A No. 2 New Palestine 5A No. 8 Mishawaka at 3A No. 5 Mishawaka Marian 4A No. 6 Evansville Memorial at Jasper 3A No. 3 GIbson Southern at Terre Haute South 6A No. 2 Cathedral at Lafayette Jeff 1A No. 1 Lutheran at Beech Grove 2A No. 2 Evansville Mater Dei at Evansville Central Louisville Trinity at 6A No. 3 Carmel Elkhart at 5A No. 9 Concord 3A No. 6 Lawrenceburg at 4A No. 7 East Central

CG is playing a MIC school this week.