Gridiron Digest Indiana Football Report - Week 9

[crimsonace1]

Kokomo, Jeff meet in Week 9 clash

Andrew Smith
GridironDigest.com

The Kokomo Wildkats are one of 23 teams chasing an unbeaten regular season this week. 

The Lafayette Jeff Bronchos stand in the way. 

Two of the North Central Conference’s premier programs meet this Friday at Lafayette Jeff, with the Wildkats seeking at least a piece of the NCC title and the Bronchos looking to play spoiler and build more momentum going into sectional play. 

Class 4A No. 4 Kokomo is 6-0 in the NCC, as is 5A No. 6 Harrison, which plays winless Richmond this week. Due to the league’s rotation of opponents, the two don’t play each other this year, so they could share the title as unbeatens in conference play. Jeff, which is 5-1 in league play and 6-2 overall with losses to Indianapolis Cathedral and Harrison, is a formidable foe that has won five straight meetings with the Wildkats. It’s also a solid tune-up for sectional play. 

“Games like this week are fun to play in,” Kokomo coach Austin Colby said. “You don’t get meaningful game with these kinds of implications every week. Starting week 10 in the tournament, every game has massive implications that come with getting beat. So to be able to get into that mindset early and to prepare the way you are supposed to helps.” 

“Kokomo will be playing for a championship on Friday, and we are hoping to play the role of the spoiler,” Jeff coach Pat Shanley added. “It is great to have a game Week 9 against an extremely well-coached and senior-laden team as we prepare for the playoffs.  We know that no matter the outcome of this contest, that this game and this opponent will help further prepare us for the postseason.” 

Kokomo has had a strong recent football tradition. The Wildkats posted three unbeaten regular seasons under Colby’s father, Brett, most recently in 2015. Two years later, they were the 5A state runner-up. Kokomo is competing in Class 4A this season for the first time. Austin returned to his alma mater in 2020 and led them to 4-4 and 8-3 seasons. 

“Not many coaches get that opportunity to coach back home and then to have success on top of that is very special,” Colby said. “ My dad had a lot of success here and I got to be a part of it playing and coaching for him. So to carry on the legacy has been a dream of mine all along. To be compared to his success means you are doing something right. It is also special to have him and my brother on the sidelines each Friday night.” 

This year’s Wildkat squad is keyed by a powerful running game - the double-tight, double-wing offense spreads the ball around to multiple backs. Junior Darrian Story has run for 774 yards, senior Keegan Name 620 and senior quarterback Evan Barker 610. They’ve combined for 28 touchdowns on the ground, running behind a line Colby says “has so much camaraderie and unselfishess as a group.” 

Defensively, the Wildkats are allowing eight points per game and have held six of their eight opponents below 10 points, including two shutouts. Their biggest win so far was a 14-0 victory over 6-2 Logansport in Week 3, shutting down an offense that’s scoring 34 ppg. It’s led by returning All-State linebacker Shayne Spear, as well as linebakers Jaquan East and Tracy Dowling. Up front, 6-6 Brandon Bennett leads a strong defensive line. 

“We have had exceptional play on the defensive side of the ball,” Colby said. “Returning seven starters on that side of the ball has helped us in understanding the expectations and how we need to execute at a high level each night and each week in order to be successful. “

Lafayette Jeff has also been a top team under Shanley, who is in his seventh season. The Bronchos posted undefeated regular seasons in 2017, 2019 and 2020 and are 57-15 under his tutelage. 

The Bronchos are one of the state’s top-scoring teams, tallying 45.8 ppg, led by quarterback Ethan Smith, who stepped into the starting role in Week 5 and is completing 79 percent of his passes for 748 yards and 10 touchdowns. Asa Koeppen (21-461), Abram Ritchie (19-375) and Brandon Jackson (18-247) are all weapons in the receiving game. 

“Ethan Smith is a true champion,” Shanley said. “Throughout the off-season, he prepared week to week as if he was going to be the starter, despite knowing that he could not play until Week 5.  When Keyen (Crowder) was starting Weeks 1-4, Ethan was dialed into everything that was taking place both during practice and in-game.  Because of this, he has hit the ground running within our offense.  This week will be another great test for Ethan and our offense.” 

Northeast 8 title on the line as Eagles, Knights meet

Conference championships will be decided all over the state this week, but one of the more intriguing matchups comes in the Northeast 8 Conference, where 7-1 Columbia City visits 8-0 Norwell. 

Both teams are 6-0 in conference play and seeking to win the trophy in a league that’s been dominated by Leo and East Noble in recent years. Columbia City is ranked No. 9 in Class 4A, Norwell No. 4 in Class 3A. 

“This Friday is going to be electric,” Columbia City coach Brett Fox said. “To have the last game of the season decide a conference title is a dream for any team.  The atmosphere will be unreal and we will have to play a great game to come out on top.” 

“It's going to be a lot of fun,” Norwell coach Josh Gerber added. “Coach Fox and his staff at Columbia City have a really nice team. They have gotten better with each week. It should be a great environment Friday.  That big game atmosphere should help us with big games in the tournament.” 

Norwell is led by a defense that’s allowed just four touchdowns all season. The Knights have posted five shutouts, including last week’s 56-0 victory at Huntington North. They had three straight shutouts of Heritage, Leo and Bellmont earlier in the season. 

Senior Luke Graft has five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Senior Brody Bolyn has 12.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, while senior Aydan Rusu has 63 tackles and 10.5 for loss. 

“Our defense has been lights out,” Gerber said. “Matt Taylor, our defensive coordinator, does a great job of developing a game plan every week. We play an aggressive attacking style of defense, and our kids love it. Aydan, Luke and Brody are guys that set the tone for us with attitude and effort. We're lucky to have those guys. They want to be the best defense in the state. Hopefully, that success can continue for a while.” 

Norwell’s offense has been incredibly balanced, led by senior QB Lleyton Bailey, who has thrown for 722 yards. Graft, his younger brother Drew Graft, Drew Ringger and Timothy Bonjour all have at least 300 rushing yards. 

When Gerber took over in 2016, the Knights were coming off a 1-9 season. After a few building seasons, things began to turn in 2019 when the Knights went 5-6. They’ve since gone 10-2, 11-2 and now 8-0. A year ago, they won their first sectional since 2014. Now, they seek their first conference title since 2009. 

“It has taken the hard work of a lot of people,” Gerber said. “I'm biased, but I think we have the best coaching staff in the state. We have a supportive administration and community. I also get to coach a great group of kids every day. We have focused on building our feeder program in hopes of being a program that can win consistently. It hasn't been easy, but we are now starting to see the fruits of our labor. Having a lot of talent really helps too.” 

Columbia City is in the midst of its best season since 2010, when the Eagles went 10-2. After a week 2 loss to Delta, the Eagles rolled up back-to-back shutouts to open conference play, beating Bellmont 49-0 and Huntington North 41-0. They scored 40-plus points in their first five conference games before a 28-13 victory over Leo last week, putting them in a spot to play for the NE8 title. 

“I am extremely proud of how our team has played up to this point,” Fox said. “It's really fun having a different person step up each week and lead us offensively and defensively. The guys are playing for each other and really putting together a nice season.” 

Senior Colten Pieper leads the offense with 865 passing yards - 545 to Stratton Fuller. The Eagles are spreading the ball around on the ground, averaging 405 yards per game of total offense. Four backs - senior Justice Goree, junior James Getts, senior Ethan Sievers and senior Josh Arntz - tally between 325 and 600 yards on the ground. 

“Colten has done a great job of just being himself, trusting his teammates in situations, and just playing with confidence,” Fox said. “Stratton is a dangerous player and having him on our side just makes us a better team.The offensive line has been playing great with us averaging over 300 yards rushing a game. Having six guys rotating on offensive line, five of them seniors and the sixth a junior, allows us to be aggressive on offense.” 

Defensively, Fuller has four interceptions. Dominic Chacon leads the defense with 54 tackles, while Arntz has 48 stops and seven TFLs. 

South Putnam facing No. 1, then No. 1 again

The Class A No. 6 South Putnam Eagles will see a No. 1 team this week - and then do it again next week. 

The Eagles close the regular season with a home game against 2A No. 1 Linton, which is their final tune-up before next week’s Sectional 47 opener at Class A No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran, the defending state champion. 

“We love the challenge of playing the No. 1 team in 2A and then the No. 1 team in 1A,” Eagles coach Chuck Sorrell said. “We knew that Linton would be a tough game when we signed up to play them. We have to play physical. They are a very physical team and they have a lot of talent. Coach (Brian) Oliver does a great job of getting his teams ready to play.  It will be a fun and exciting night at Wildman Stadium. Two ranked teams, both with the same goals of winning a state championship.” 

Linton is 8-0 and scoring 51 ppg, led by senior dual-threat QB Hunter Gennicks, who is a 1,000-yard passer and rusher this season. Oliver will be seeking his 100th career victory at the helm of the Miners this week. He has led the Miners to a state title in 2016, a state runner-up appearance in 2015 and a regional title in 2013. A year ago, the Miners went unbeaten in the regular season, then dropped a 28-27 decision to eventual 2A runner-up Evansville Mater Dei in the sectional semifinal. 

South Putnam comes into the game with a 7-1 mark - the lone blemish a 57-34 loss to unbeaten 3A No. 8 Owen Valley in Week 2 - and is coming off an impressive 49-20 victory at Heritage Christian, which was ranked in Class 2A. 

“We talked all week about going to someone else's neighborhood and being able to win the fight,” Sorrell said. “We had the best week of practice that we have had in my four years here. We talk every day about earning respect. Our goal was to get off the bus and be completely focused and ready to play.”  

Sophomore QB Wyatt Mullin has thrown for more than 1,100 yards, running an uptempo, no-huddle offense that is scoring 52 ppg. Senior RB Luke Switzer is closing in on the 1,000-yard mark rushing, while sophomore Wyatt Switzer and junior Drew Hill are the top receivers, both with more than 20 catches. Seniors Ethan Harcourt and Brock Heavin lead a talented offensive line. 

“When we installed this offense this summer, we wanted to get all of our skill players involved,” Sorrel said. “We have had multiple games where five or more players have scored touchdowns. We go into each game with the mentality that we will run power and counter with Luke Switer and Peyton Crickmore and screens to Wyatt Switzer and Drew Hill. Once that is established we are able to take a few chances down field to Zach Dorsett and Logan Tomaw.” 

Both teams have great football traditions. Linton has won 14 sectional and 10 regional titles in its history. South Putnam has 12 sectional and six regional titles. Both teams have a state championship trophy in the case - South Putnam’s from 1986, Linton’s from 2016. That success breeds success. 

“South Putnam is a football community,” Sorrel said. “Everyone that stands along the fence on Friday nights played here. Most of the kids that play for us, their families played for us. They want to win and all of our programs from first grade up through varsity win. While a lot of programs are struggling to increase the number of kids playing football, every level of football here the numbers increased.”

Top 6As to face off 

It’s not the Final Four, but for the second time this season, the top four teams in Class 6A meet on the same weekend, as No. 1 Brownsburg travels to No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern with the Hoosier Crossroads Conference title on the line. Both teams are 8-0. Meanwhile, No. 3 Cathedral (6-1) travels to No. 2 Center Grove (7-1) in their annual Week 9 game. The teams have met annually in Week 9 since 2014, and every game but two has been decided by one score. Last year, CG won 21-6. Both have won back-to-back state titles: Center Grove in 6A, Cathedral in 5A. The Irish are back in Class 6A due to the IHSAA’s Tournament Success Factor. 

Tourney time

The IHSAA drew the pairings for the upcoming state tournament Sunday. Classes A-4A will all begin Friday, Oct. 21 with seven and eight-team sectional fields. Classes 5A and 6A, because they have 32 teams each, will have a bye week and kick off their four-team sectional tournaments Friday, Oct. 28. Indianapolis Lutheran (Class A), Andrean (Class 2A), Indianapolis Chatard (Class 3A), Mt. Vernon (Fortville) (Class 4A) and Center Grove (Class 6A) will look to defend their titles. There will be a new champion in 5A as Indianapolis Cathedral is now in 6A.

Other Week 9 games to watch

• 6A No. 5 Carroll (Fort Wayne) (8-0) at Fort Wayne Wayne (2-6)

• Lawrence Central (4-4) at 6A No. 7 Carmel (5-3)

• 6A No. 10 Elkhart (7-1) at 4A No. 8 New Prairie (7-1)

• 2A No. 8 Fort Wayne Luers (4-4) at 5A No. 1 Fort Wayne Snider (7-1)

• 5A No. 2 Merrillville (7-1) at Chesterton (3-5)

• 5A No. 5 Bloomington South (6-1) at Seymour (6-2)

• 5A No. 9 Valparaiso (5-3) at Lake Central (4-4)

• Delta (3-5) at 4A No. 1 New Palestine (8-0)

• 4A No. 2 Roncalli (7-1) at 4A No. 3 East Central (7-1)

• 4A No. 6 Evansville Reitz (8-0) at 2A No. 4 Evansville Mater Dei (6-2)

• Mt. Vernon (Fortville) (5-3) at Yorktown (6-2)

• 3A No. 1 West Lafayette (8-0) at Western (5-3)

• 3A No. 2 Gibson Southern (8-0) at Boonville (6-2)

• 3A No. 3 Indianapolis Chatard (5-3) at Cincinnati Elder

• 3A No. 5 Western Boone (7-1) at Lebanon (6-2)

• 3A No. 6 Hanover Central (8-0) at Calumet (8-0)

• 3A No. 7 Lawrenceburg (7-1) at South Dearborn (7-1)

• Southmont (6-2) at 3A No. 10 Tri-West (6-2)

• Lowell (5-3) at 2A No. 2 Anderan (6-2)

• 2A No. 3 LaVille (8-0) at Culver (5-3)

• 2A No. 6 Lafayette Central Catholic (6-2) at Hamilton Heights (6-2)

• Speedway (5-3) at 2A No. 7 Triton Central (6-2)

• 2A No. 9 Eastbrook (6-2) at Mississinewa (5-3)

• 2A No. 10 Eastside (6-2) at Angola (6-2)

• Rochester (7-1) at Maconaquah (6-2)

• Traders Point Christian (4-4) at 1A No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran (8-0)

• 1A No.2 Adams Central (8-0) at Woodlan (4-4)

• 1A No. 10 Sheridan (7-1) at 1A No. 4 Carroll (Flora) (8-0)

 

[Muda69]

Quote

Two of the North Central Conference’s premier programs meet this Friday at Kokomo, with the Wildkats seeking at least a piece of the NCC title and the Bronchos looking to play spoiler and build more momentum going into sectional play. 

...

This year’s Wildkat squad is keyed by a powerful running game - the double-tight, double-wing offense spreads the ball around to multiple backs.

NCC: The Conference of Champions

Is this basically the same "wing-t in a phone booth" offense that the elder Mr. Colby ran during his stint at Frankfort?

[crimsonace1]

7 hours ago, Muda69 said:

NCC: The Conference of Champions

Is this basically the same "wing-t in a phone booth" offense that the elder Mr. Colby ran during his stint at Frankfort?

Yep. 

[Yuccaguy]

10 hours ago, crimsonace1 said:

Kokomo, Jeff meet in Week 9 clash

Andrew Smith
GridironDigest.com

The Kokomo Wildkats are one of 23 teams chasing an unbeaten regular season this week. 

The Lafayette Jeff Bronchos stand in the way. 

Two of the North Central Conference’s premier programs meet this Friday at Kokomo, with the Wildkats seeking at least a piece of the NCC title and the Bronchos looking to play spoiler and build more momentum going into sectional play. 

Class 4A No. 4 Kokomo is 6-0 in the NCC, as is 5A No. 6 Harrison, which plays winless Richmond this week. Due to the league’s rotation of opponents, the two don’t play each other this year, so they could share the title as unbeatens in conference play. Jeff, which is 5-1 in league play and 6-2 overall with losses to Indianapolis Cathedral and Harrison, is a formidable foe that has won five straight meetings with the Wildkats. It’s also a solid tune-up for sectional play. 

“Games like this week are fun to play in,” Kokomo coach Austin Colby said. “You don’t get meaningful game with these kinds of implications every week. Starting week 10 in the tournament, every game has massive implications that come with getting beat. So to be able to get into that mindset early and to prepare the way you are supposed to helps.” 

“Kokomo will be playing for a championship on Friday, and we are hoping to play the role of the spoiler,” Jeff coach Pat Shanley added. “It is great to have a game Week 9 against an extremely well-coached and senior-laden team as we prepare for the playoffs.  We know that no matter the outcome of this contest, that this game and this opponent will help further prepare us for the postseason.” 

Kokomo has had a strong recent football tradition. The Wildkats posted three unbeaten regular seasons under Colby’s father, Brett, most recently in 2015. Two years later, they were the 5A state runner-up. Kokomo is competing in Class 4A this season for the first time. Austin returned to his alma mater in 2020 and led them to 4-4 and 8-3 seasons. 

“Not many coaches get that opportunity to coach back home and then to have success on top of that is very special,” Colby said. “ My dad had a lot of success here and I got to be a part of it playing and coaching for him. So to carry on the legacy has been a dream of mine all along. To be compared to his success means you are doing something right. It is also special to have him and my brother on the sidelines each Friday night.” 

This year’s Wildkat squad is keyed by a powerful running game - the double-tight, double-wing offense spreads the ball around to multiple backs. Junior Darrian Story has run for 774 yards, senior Keegan Name 620 and senior quarterback Evan Barker 610. They’ve combined for 28 touchdowns on the ground, running behind a line Colby says “has so much camaraderie and unselfishess as a group.” 

Defensively, the Wildkats are allowing eight points per game and have held six of their eight opponents below 10 points, including two shutouts. Their biggest win so far was a 14-0 victory over 6-2 Logansport in Week 3, shutting down an offense that’s scoring 34 ppg. It’s led by returning All-State linebacker Shayne Spear, as well as linebakers Jaquan East and Tracy Dowling. Up front, 6-6 Brandon Bennett leads a strong defensive line. 

“We have had exceptional play on the defensive side of the ball,” Colby said. “Returning seven starters on that side of the ball has helped us in understanding the expectations and how we need to execute at a high level each night and each week in order to be successful. “

Lafayette Jeff has also been a top team under Shanley, who is in his seventh season. The Bronchos posted undefeated regular seasons in 2017, 2019 and 2020 and are 57-15 under his tutelage. 

The Bronchos are one of the state’s top-scoring teams, tallying 45.8 ppg, led by quarterback Ethan Smith, who stepped into the starting role in Week 5 and is completing 79 percent of his passes for 748 yards and 10 touchdowns. Asa Koeppen (21-461), Abram Ritchie (19-375) and Brandon Jackson (18-247) are all weapons in the receiving game. 

“Ethan Smith is a true champion,” Shanley said. “Throughout the off-season, he prepared week to week as if he was going to be the starter, despite knowing that he could not play until Week 5.  When Keyen (Crowder) was starting Weeks 1-4, Ethan was dialed into everything that was taking place both during practice and in-game.  Because of this, he has hit the ground running within our offense.  This week will be another great test for Ethan and our offense.” 

Northeast 8 title on the line as Eagles, Knights meet

Conference championships will be decided all over the state this week, but one of the more intriguing matchups comes in the Northeast 8 Conference, where 7-1 Columbia City visits 8-0 Norwell. 

Both teams are 6-0 in conference play and seeking to win the trophy in a league that’s been dominated by Leo and East Noble in recent years. Columbia City is ranked No. 9 in Class 4A, Norwell No. 4 in Class 3A. 

“This Friday is going to be electric,” Columbia City coach Brett Fox said. “To have the last game of the season decide a conference title is a dream for any team.  The atmosphere will be unreal and we will have to play a great game to come out on top.” 

“It's going to be a lot of fun,” Norwell coach Josh Gerber added. “Coach Fox and his staff at Columbia City have a really nice team. They have gotten better with each week. It should be a great environment Friday.  That big game atmosphere should help us with big games in the tournament.” 

Norwell is led by a defense that’s allowed just four touchdowns all season. The Knights have posted five shutouts, including last week’s 56-0 victory at Huntington North. They had three straight shutouts of Heritage, Leo and Bellmont earlier in the season. 

Senior Luke Graft has five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Senior Brody Bolyn has 12.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, while senior Aydan Rusu has 63 tackles and 10.5 for loss. 

“Our defense has been lights out,” Gerber said. “Matt Taylor, our defensive coordinator, does a great job of developing a game plan every week. We play an aggressive attacking style of defense, and our kids love it. Aydan, Luke and Brody are guys that set the tone for us with attitude and effort. We're lucky to have those guys. They want to be the best defense in the state. Hopefully, that success can continue for a while.” 

Norwell’s offense has been incredibly balanced, led by senior QB Lleyton Bailey, who has thrown for 722 yards. Graft, his younger brother Drew Graft, Drew Ringger and Timothy Bonjour all have at least 300 rushing yards. 

When Gerber took over in 2016, the Knights were coming off a 1-9 season. After a few building seasons, things began to turn in 2019 when the Knights went 5-6. They’ve since gone 10-2, 11-2 and now 8-0. A year ago, they won their first sectional since 2014. Now, they seek their first conference title since 2009. 

“It has taken the hard work of a lot of people,” Gerber said. “I'm biased, but I think we have the best coaching staff in the state. We have a supportive administration and community. I also get to coach a great group of kids every day. We have focused on building our feeder program in hopes of being a program that can win consistently. It hasn't been easy, but we are now starting to see the fruits of our labor. Having a lot of talent really helps too.” 

Columbia City is in the midst of its best season since 2010, when the Eagles went 10-2. After a week 2 loss to Delta, the Eagles rolled up back-to-back shutouts to open conference play, beating Bellmont 49-0 and Huntington North 41-0. They scored 40-plus points in their first five conference games before a 28-13 victory over Leo last week, putting them in a spot to play for the NE8 title. 

“I am extremely proud of how our team has played up to this point,” Fox said. “It's really fun having a different person step up each week and lead us offensively and defensively. The guys are playing for each other and really putting together a nice season.” 

Senior Colten Pieper leads the offense with 865 passing yards - 545 to Stratton Fuller. The Eagles are spreading the ball around on the ground, averaging 405 yards per game of total offense. Four backs - senior Justice Goree, junior James Getts, senior Ethan Sievers and senior Josh Arntz - tally between 325 and 600 yards on the ground. 

“Colten has done a great job of just being himself, trusting his teammates in situations, and just playing with confidence,” Fox said. “Stratton is a dangerous player and having him on our side just makes us a better team.The offensive line has been playing great with us averaging over 300 yards rushing a game. Having six guys rotating on offensive line, five of them seniors and the sixth a junior, allows us to be aggressive on offense.” 

Defensively, Fuller has four interceptions. Dominic Chacon leads the defense with 54 tackles, while Arntz has 48 stops and seven TFLs. 

South Putnam facing No. 1, then No. 1 again

The Class A No. 6 South Putnam Eagles will see a No. 1 team this week - and then do it again next week. 

The Eagles close the regular season with a home game against 2A No. 1 Linton, which is their final tune-up before next week’s Sectional 47 opener at Class A No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran, the defending state champion. 

“We love the challenge of playing the No. 1 team in 2A and then the No. 1 team in 1A,” Eagles coach Chuck Sorrell said. “We knew that Linton would be a tough game when we signed up to play them. We have to play physical. They are a very physical team and they have a lot of talent. Coach (Brian) Oliver does a great job of getting his teams ready to play.  It will be a fun and exciting night at Wildman Stadium. Two ranked teams, both with the same goals of winning a state championship.” 

Linton is 8-0 and scoring 51 ppg, led by senior dual-threat QB Hunter Gennicks, who is a 1,000-yard passer and rusher this season. Oliver will be seeking his 100th career victory at the helm of the Miners this week. He has led the Miners to a state title in 2016, a state runner-up appearance in 2015 and a regional title in 2013. A year ago, the Miners went unbeaten in the regular season, then dropped a 28-27 decision to eventual 2A runner-up Evansville Mater Dei in the sectional semifinal. 

South Putnam comes into the game with a 7-1 mark - the lone blemish a 57-34 loss to unbeaten 3A No. 8 Owen Valley in Week 2 - and is coming off an impressive 49-20 victory at Heritage Christian, which was ranked in Class 2A. 

“We talked all week about going to someone else's neighborhood and being able to win the fight,” Sorrell said. “We had the best week of practice that we have had in my four years here. We talk every day about earning respect. Our goal was to get off the bus and be completely focused and ready to play.”  

Sophomore QB Wyatt Mullin has thrown for more than 1,100 yards, running an uptempo, no-huddle offense that is scoring 52 ppg. Senior RB Luke Switzer is closing in on the 1,000-yard mark rushing, while sophomore Wyatt Switzer and junior Drew Hill are the top receivers, both with more than 20 catches. Seniors Ethan Harcourt and Brock Heavin lead a talented offensive line. 

“When we installed this offense this summer, we wanted to get all of our skill players involved,” Sorrel said. “We have had multiple games where five or more players have scored touchdowns. We go into each game with the mentality that we will run power and counter with Luke Switer and Peyton Crickmore and screens to Wyatt Switzer and Drew Hill. Once that is established we are able to take a few chances down field to Zach Dorsett and Logan Tomaw.” 

Both teams have great football traditions. Linton has won 14 sectional and 10 regional titles in its history. South Putnam has 12 sectional and six regional titles. Both teams have a state championship trophy in the case - South Putnam’s from 1986, Linton’s from 2016. That success breeds success. 

“South Putnam is a football community,” Sorrel said. “Everyone that stands along the fence on Friday nights played here. Most of the kids that play for us, their families played for us. They want to win and all of our programs from first grade up through varsity win. While a lot of programs are struggling to increase the number of kids playing football, every level of football here the numbers increased.”

Top 6As to face off 

It’s not the Final Four, but for the second time this season, the top four teams in Class 6A meet on the same weekend, as No. 1 Brownsburg travels to No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern with the Hoosier Crossroads Conference title on the line. Both teams are 8-0. Meanwhile, No. 3 Cathedral (6-1) travels to No. 2 Center Grove (7-1) in their annual Week 9 game. The teams have met annually in Week 9 since 2014, and every game but two has been decided by one score. Last year, CG won 21-6. Both have won back-to-back state titles: Center Grove in 6A, Cathedral in 5A. The Irish are back in Class 6A due to the IHSAA’s Tournament Success Factor. 

Tourney time

The IHSAA drew the pairings for the upcoming state tournament Sunday. Classes A-4A will all begin Friday, Oct. 21 with seven and eight-team sectional fields. Classes 5A and 6A, because they have 32 teams each, will have a bye week and kick off their four-team sectional tournaments Friday, Oct. 28. Indianapolis Lutheran (Class A), Andrean (Class 2A), Indianapolis Chatard (Class 3A), Mt. Vernon (Fortville) (Class 4A) and Center Grove (Class 6A) will look to defend their titles. There will be a new champion in 5A as Indianapolis Cathedral is now in 6A.

Other Week 9 games to watch

• 6A No. 5 Carroll (Fort Wayne) (8-0) at Fort Wayne Wayne (2-6)

• Lawrence Central (4-4) at 6A No. 7 Carmel (5-3)

• 6A No. 10 Elkhart (7-1) at 4A No. 8 New Prairie (7-1)

• 2A No. 8 Fort Wayne Luers (4-4) at 5A No. 1 Fort Wayne Snider (7-1)

• 5A No. 2 Merrillville (7-1) at Chesterton (3-5)

• 5A No. 5 Bloomington South (6-1) at Seymour (6-2)

• 5A No. 9 Valparaiso (5-3) at Lake Central (4-4)

• Delta (3-5) at 4A No. 1 New Palestine (8-0)

• 4A No. 2 Roncalli (7-1) at 4A No. 3 East Central (7-1)

• 4A No. 6 Evansville Reitz (8-0) at 2A No. 4 Evansville Mater Dei (6-2)

• 3A No. 1 West Lafayette (8-0) at Western (5-3)

• 3A No. 2 Gibson Southern (8-0) at Boonville (6-2)

• 3A No. 3 Indianapolis Chatard (5-3) at Cincinnati Elder

• 3A No. 5 Western Boone (7-1) at Lebanon (6-2)

• 3A No. 6 Hanover Central (8-0) at Calumet (8-0)

• 3A No. 7 Lawrenceburg (7-1) at South Dearborn (7-1)

• Southmont (6-2) at 3A No. 10 Tri-West (6-2)

• Lowell (5-3) at 2A No. 2 Anderan (6-2)

• 2A No. 3 LaVille (8-0) at Culver (5-3)

• 2A No. 6 Lafayette Central Catholic (6-2) at Hamilton Heights (6-2)

• Speedway (5-3) at 2A No. 7 Triton Central (6-2)

• 2A No. 9 Eastbrook (6-2) at Mississinewa (5-3)

• 2A No. 10 Eastside (6-2) at Angola (6-2)

• Rochester (7-1) at Maconaquah (6-2)

• Traders Point Christian (4-4) at 1A No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran (8-0)

• 1A No.2 Adams Central (8-0) at Woodlan (4-4)

• 1A No. 10 Sheridan (7-1) at 1A No. 4 Carroll (Flora) (8-0)

 

No, Mount Vernon @ Yorktown? 

[crimsonace1]

 

41 minutes ago, Yuccaguy said:

No, Mount Vernon @ Yorktown? 

Added it in for you. Should be a great game. 

[MonkeyButt]

9 hours ago, Yuccaguy said:

No, Mount Vernon @ Yorktown? 

Honestly, after watching Yorktown give NP a first half challenge (admittedly that was probably the worst first half of ball we played all year) I was shocked to see them lose to GC. I still expect them to give MV a challenge and possibly pull out a win.

[crimsonace1]

2 hours ago, MonkeyButt said:

Honestly, after watching Yorktown give NP a first half challenge (admittedly that was probably the worst first half of ball we played all year) I was shocked to see them lose to GC. I still expect them to give MV a challenge and possibly pull out a win.

Yorktown is solid. Moulton is a very good QB and Nanko does everything. Thomas is a homerun hitter in the backfield. I can see them making some noise in the tourney, although Norwell is going to be a very tough out in the sectional. I'm glad to see them having a good year. They're the smallest school in the HHC by a good bit and it's always a bit tough to compete with some of the larger schools just because they don't have the numbers, but Mike Wilhelm is one of my favorite people in football and he's a heck of a coach, even if the record doesn't always reflect that because they're the smallest school in every game they play in the regular season. 

[MonkeyButt]

19 minutes ago, crimsonace1 said:

Yorktown is solid. Moulton is a very good QB and Nanko does everything. Thomas is a homerun hitter in the backfield. I can see them making some noise in the tourney, although Norwell is going to be a very tough out in the sectional. I'm glad to see them having a good year. They're the smallest school in the HHC by a good bit and it's always a bit tough to compete with some of the larger schools just because they don't have the numbers, but Mike Wilhelm is one of my favorite people in football and he's a heck of a coach, even if the record doesn't always reflect that because they're the smallest school in every game they play in the regular season. 

I did not know. That is pretty impressive.

 

[Purdue Pete]

20 hours ago, MonkeyButt said:

I did not know. That is pretty impressive.

 

If Chalk holds in sectional 27 I believe Yorktown will travel to Norwell.

[ragdoll]

undefeated sectional rivals Hanover Central and Calumet should be engaging. Any region folks thoughts?

[Bobref]

5 hours ago, ragdoll said:

undefeated sectional rivals Hanover Central and Calumet should be engaging. Any region folks thoughts?

HC by 3 scores.

[foxbat]

On 10/12/2022 at 11:18 AM, crimsonace1 said:

“Kokomo will be playing for a championship on Friday, and we are hoping to play the role of the spoiler,” Jeff coach Pat Shanley added. “It is great to have a game Week 9 against an extremely well-coached and senior-laden team as we prepare for the playoffs.  We know that no matter the outcome of this contest, that this game and this opponent will help further prepare us for the postseason.” 

Jeff couldn't have played spoiler in a better fashion.  As the Harrison game ended and we were leaving the stadium, the last score we'd heard was 30-14 with Kokomo leading and we all figured that Harrison would be sharing the NCC title with Kokomo.  Jeff came back and scored a go-head TD with under a minute left, but left the door open with getting the PAT blocked making the score 32-30, committing a personal foul that was assessed on the kickoff, forcing them to kick from their own 25, and then kicking the ball out of bounds giving Kokomo the ball on the 50.  A pick though sealed the game for Jeff.  Jeff dangled that win out in front of Kokomo all the way up until the end and then snatched it out from under them.  That's a spoiler all right!