BDGiant93

Historically, the favorite has at times a tough time in this one. If we look at the seven Semi-State meetings between the two teams, it's rarely cut and dry. 1987-Ben Davis 49, Center Grove 0 (BD's first Semi-State triumph) 2000-Center Grove 30, Ben Davis 28 (Awful weather. I believe Banks threw five INTs, but the Giants still had a chance to win it. Center Grove avenged an earlier season loss) 2002-Ben Davis 21, Center Grove 3 (Dick Dullaghan's 300th win. Giants avenged the earlier regular season loss) 2008-Center Grove 49, Ben Davis 21 (A game that was closer than the final indicated. Again, another cold weather game) 2014-Ben Davis 49, Center Grove 45 (Still one of the most unbelievable games I've ever seen. BD had won 28-0 in the regular season) 2016-Center Grove 42, Ben Davis 22 (This game was never really close. CG dominated BD. Giants went to work in the offseason and this loss helped motivate them to the 2017 finish) 2019-Center Grove 17, Ben Davis 10 (A fun, hard-nosed football game. BD fumbled on the final drive that could have potentially stopped a game-tying TD)

Ben Davis is a completely different team than they were before. That said, Center Grove is what BD 2017 and Warren 2018 were...one of the best teams in history. They are loaded. BD has to play some mistake-free football, but I think they can keep it closer than most believe. They are playing with no pressure right now and are playing motivated football.

Good call on the score the first time. That was my mistake.

Oof.

Never miss a chance to stick it to the Giants.

Roncalli is not Cathedral. They are tied to parishes...just like Chatard, Ritter, Guerin, etc.

For the eighth time in the history of these two programs, Ben Davis and Center Grove meet in the Semi-State. Obviously, Center Grove is an amazing football team who is playing sensational football. The first time these two met earlier this year, the Trojans "mercy ruled" the Giants in a 35-14 win. It's going to be a high hill to climb, but BD has some balance that many of the other teams in the MIC did not. J'uan Swanson has emerged and the defense is playing stout football. Will it be enough to conquer Mr. Jackson, Mr. Steele, Mr. Delp and the amazing Trojans' D? Here we go!

This was a great win for the Giants. Amazing how far the team has come since losing to Carmel made them 2-5 on October 2. Kudos to Jason Simmons and his staff for keeping the boat afloat. They're playing their best football right now.

They were missing QB1 for sure. They had some guys banged up, but the Giants jumped on them early minus the kickoff return.

The coldest I've ever been a part of was probably the 2000 Semi-State at Ben Davis. I believe the temps were in the mid 20's with a strong wind. It snowed during the game. I think the only way games get postponed (by weather) is in the case of like Biblical rain or snow or in warmer times, lightning.

You make a great point.

And Marion County has a briefing tomorrow which could drive a lot of decisions within Indy.

They shared the same superintendent when they left. Have you ever talked to anyone at Perry about the move? I have. Perry wanted to leave CI and did. Southport is happy with the status quo...though they now have a new AD.

Perry left Conference Indiana. They are not going back.

BD couldn't finish drives in that game.

Warren has a very strong defense. That can keep them in any game. Center Grove, though, also has a great defense. Can Warren score enough to beat CG? I don't think so. Great finish to the year for WC, but I think Center Grove moves on.

Warren is the shocker of the group, but they beat a very good LN and a very good NC squad to make it back to the Regional. BD did exactly what it was supposed to do as did Center Grove, and it's no surprise why Carmel is where they are. Good bet that one of these four will win the State Championship.

The series between BD and Carmel is dead even. It's dead even too in the tournament. The remarkable thing is the number of times these two teams have been tied over the last 25 years in this series, but Carmel has never been ahead in the series since 1995. I think the Giants come in as the underdogs, but that's happened before most namely the 2014 State Championship Game. The last time these two played, BD actually played decently well defensively for a lot of the game. Carmel hit a number of big plays, and the Giants were not good on the offensive side of the football. I know that they were very disappointed with how they played. Carmel is playing good football, and I think they are a definite threat to Center Grove. It's going to be a challenge, but it would not surprise me one iota to see Ben Davis come out and play next week.

Sometimes I wonder why I even open these. Oh well. Got me again.

Carmel and Ben Davis in the Regional! Should be an interesting matchup.

BD's J'uan Swanson had five in the first half last week, and I thought that was pretty amazing. Eight is at another level.

I am in rare complete and total agreement with you DT. Mark the tape.

Should be a very good game. Cathedral's the heavy favorite, but the Hawks have some nice players who can make you think!

I have a soft spot for IPS Athletics. My father coached at School 75 in the 1970's and was an teacher, counselor, and administrator in IPS for 35 years. He taught in the middle schools and was in admin/counseling at Wood, Howe, and Broad Ripple. He also played football in the 1950's at Washington, and he had a shot to be principal there when it closed in the 1990's. He likely would have been the last principal had they chosen him. They didn't, and he stayed at Ripple until his retirement in 1997. Anyway, I always loved all the games I attended as a kid. I remember the energy of the Ripple/Tech or Ripple/Arlington games.

It's hard to build a program in these circumstances. They also went through a coaching change. That's tough anytime let alone at this moment. If the stat that 30 percent have not logged in, that means that there were probably a lot of "F's" as well.