Frozen Tundra

This is 100% true. North fans won’t admit it but the stats as well as the eye test prove that they are at their best the first few weeks of the season. It’s all downhill from there.

Final Scores: Whiteland 28, Columbus East 21 Floyd Central 41, Jeffersonville 6 Martinsville 13, BNL 6 New Albany 47, Bloomington South 35 Covenant Christian 52, Jennings County 14 Paola 28, Madison 27 South Dearborn 36, Seymour 21

Not trying to take anything away from New Albany but I wonder how Bloomington South looks now that Mo Moriarity is retired. You’d assume there’d be some sort of drop-off after losing a coaching legend.

Honestly, we’re just spoiled. If we don’t look like a top four team in our class, if we can’t beat Columbus North, or if we don’t win our conference games by 28+ points each then we get frustrated. I’ll admit those last two Markell Jones years really had me spoiled. If we weren’t beating HHC teams by 42 points or more then I thought there was something wrong with us. Lol

I personally think the talent pool at East isn’t as good as it once was. For several years, the talent across the field on both sides of the ball was very high. However, the last few years it seems like we have holes in certain places and we’ve also had slow starts to the season. Seems like it takes three or four weeks for us to get into a rhythm. Maybe it’s from the dependence on guys whose primary sport is baseball but I don’t know. Just my opinion. Take it or leave it.

Dang. You stole my thunder. These are my exact picks for tonight. Normally, I’d give a summary for the reasons why I’m picking these teams but this is the least I’ve known about any of the teams heading into the season.

@Fkfootball This article from The Republic in Columbus contains a preview of Jennings County. http://www.therepublic.com/2020/08/16/area_football_teams_seek_winning_seasons/

Never would’ve guessed Madison would have turf before BNL but here we are.

Elkhart Central consolidated with Elkhart Memorial. They are now Elkhart High School. But they have Elkhart Central’s coach (former Seymour coach Josh Shattuck) and I believe they’re using the old Elkhart Central building and facilities for the school.

Hopefully they improve before the Whiteland game. The Warriors are always really tough. Hoping I’ll be able to get to some games this year. Depends on the COVID situation obviously.

Canceled Scrimmages Silver Creek at Seymour Friday Scrimmages Jennings County at Brownstown Central BNL at Mitchell Saturday Scrimmages Martinsville at Columbus East Floyd Central at Madison Jeffersonville at Whiteland New Albany at East Central

No. 3A is heavy on teams in the southern half of the state. Chatard and Brebeuf Jesuit were moved to the north as a result, although Brebeuf has been in the north the last few years.

New Palestine is like 1980s Hulk Hogan and their opponents are like the revolving door of Heenan Family members that The Brain would throw out each time the previous guy would lose. Big John Studd? Loses. Paul Orndorff? Loses. King Kong Bundy? Loses. Harley Race? Loses. Hercules? Loses. Andre the Giant? Loses.

I just hope folks stop overlooking teams like New Palestine for playing "weak schedules" and start paying attention to what actually goes on out on the field. Your schedule doesn't mean a freaking thing. Executing on the football field, being disciplined, and having players/coaches that are 100% bought in does. Every time I think New Palestine has finally earned everyone's respect, they play a new tough opponent which brings out another group of clueless doubters. Stop it.

Week 13 Prediction Floyd Central (9-2) at Bloomington South (7-4): The Highlanders look to win their first ever regional championship while the Panthers look to win their first since 2016 (and 11th overall). Bloomington South struggles to play to its full potential at times despite its amount of talent and legendary head coach. However, I don't think they have much to worry about in this one. Their big defensive line will make it hard for Floyd Central to move the ball while their offensive line will allow for Maveric Thiery to break some big runs for long touchdowns. The season ends for the HHC as Bloomington South wins by at least three touchdowns.

"The dude at Central." Is that what you call him now? lol

Sounds like they were the worst team in the sectional. Just proves what I've said all along. They might be the better team in Columbus in week 2 but they never improve. They either flat-line or get worse. By season's end, we're better than them. Bloomington South in 2016 and Terre Haute North in 2017 implied the same thing.

Good to know. Columbus North fans were giving us crap last week. At least we lost to you guys and not Franklin Central.

Was East a tougher opponent than Franklin Central? Seems like it based on the score but we all know that doesn't tell the whole story.

That's not what Randy told me.

I know a 6A school playing for a regional championship that lost to both teams during the regular season. Hint: It's the team your boys are playing next Friday.

For the first time since 2010, an HHC team has advanced further than Columbus East in the state tournament. Floyd Central was the lone team to do so in 2010. This year they are joined by Jeffersonville who has outlasted East for the first time since 2005. Congrats to both schools. It's nice to know there will still be activity in this thread for at least one more week. Week 12 Prediction Jeffersonville (4-6) at Floyd Central (8-2): Floyd Central is looking for its first sectional title since 2009. Jeffersonville is looking for its first sectional title since 2007. Just like last week, the Highlanders will be repeating a match-up from earlier in the year. They pulled away in the second half to beat the Red Devils 23-6 back in week 5. Jeff has definitely improved with the new coach and doesn't seem to be having the same issues that they are infamously known for. Could they pull the upset here? It's possible. However, the cold weather favors Floyd's effective ground game. Therefore, I think the Highlanders get the win.

Yeah I picked Andrean over Boone Grove in the bracket challenge. Some games I struggled with trying to decide a winner but this wasn't one of them. Therefore, not an upset in my mind.

The visitor side used to be the home side but they switched when bigger bleachers were put in. They moved the home fans over there so that we could finally avoid the sun being in our eyes in the early season games. Four decades of the sun in our eyes sucked.

Week 11 Predictions Center Grove (4-5) at Columbus East (7-2): It's been nine years since these two teams last played. The Olympians avenged a 2009 2nd round loss by defeating the Trojans in the 1st round in 2010. Center Grove is still one of the best football programs in the state but they're not as big and scary without their star RB Carson Steele. They're vulnerable but my gut tells me they'll have an easier time moving the ball than East will. Center Grove wins. Seymour (4-5) at Franklin (7-2): Another HHC vs Mid-State match-up. Those didn't end well for Jennings County and Madison last week. The Owls are coming off five straight losses but, even if they weren't, it wouldn't be enough to stop all of the superior attributes this Grizzly Cubs team has. Franklin gets the W. New Albany (4-5) at Jeffersonville (3-6): The Red Devils won the week 3 match-up 32-13 but the Bulldogs have rattled off three straight wins and don't seem to be the same team as they were earlier in the year. My gut is weighing in again and it's telling me the old Jeffersonville rears its ugly head at the worst time. Steve Cooley's experience as a head coach will have the boys prepared. New Albany wins. Bedford North Lawrence (3-6) at Floyd Central (7-2): Yet another repeat HHC match-up. The Stars have shown flashes of brilliance this year as well as flashes of awfulness, sometimes within the same game. BNL gets another crack at the Highlanders in Floyds Knobs except, this time, the weather will be dry. I think that actually favors the Highlanders with their speed and ability to pass the ball. Floyd Central gets the win.