Penn’s loss to Carroll (Fort Wayne) was my lone miscue as I went 17-1 (94 percent) last week. Heading into the sectional finals, my overall mark is 148-31, which has me at 83 percent for the season.
CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 1
Lafayette Jeff (8-2) at Crown Point (10-0): Ethan Smith went 8-of-17 for 186 yards with a touchdown in the Bronchos’ 34-28 win over Lake Central. Seamus Malaski caught a pair of touchdown passes in the No. 6 Bulldogs’ 44-14 win over Portage. Matt’s pick: Crown Point 33, Lafayette Jeff 19.
CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 2
Warsaw (8-2) at Carroll (Fort Wayne) (10-0): The No. 5 Chargers blanked Warsaw, 36-0, in last year’s sectional finale. Drew Sullivan’s two-yard scoring run was the difference in the Tigers’ 14-9 win over Elkhart. Jayden Hill came up with four receptions for 90 yards with a touchdown in Carroll’s 35-7 win at No. 10 Penn. Matt’s pick: Carroll (Fort Wayne) 32, Warsaw 13.
CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 3
Hamilton Southeastern (10-0) at Fishers (7-3): The top-ranked Royals needed overtime to escape with a 28-27 win over Fishers on September 9. Ty Bradle went 9-of-15 for 154 yards with two touchdowns in Hamilton Southeastern’s 35-0 win over Homestead. Khobie Martin scampered 11 times for 110 yards with three scores in the Tigers’ 49-7 win over Fort Wayne Northrop. Matt’s pick: Hamilton Southeastern 30, Fishers 20.
CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 4
Noblesville (4-6) at Westfield (7-3): The No. 9 Shamrocks slipped past Noblesville, 34-33, on September 9. Logan Shoffner had 11 carries for 151 yards with two scores in the Millers’ 35-10 win over Zionsville. Kendall Garnett raced 25 times for 143 yards with a pair of touchdowns in Westfield’s 28-9 win at No. 7 Carmel. Matt’s pick: Westfield 36, Noblesville 14.
CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 9
Merrillville (8-2) at Hammond Central (8-2): Timmothy Kirkwood racked up seven tackles in the No. 6 Pirates’ 55-20 win over Munster. Ahkeem Harrington tallied 19 carries for 74 yards with a touchdown in the Wolves’ 27-26 win over Hammond Morton. Matt’s pick: Merrillville 40, Hammond Central 18.
CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 10
Valparaiso (7-3) at Chesterton (5-5): The No. 9 Vikings claimed a 19-13 win over Chesterton on September 16. Thomas Burda managed 19 rushes for 196 yards with three scores in Valparaiso’s 42-3 win against LaPorte. Devin Sain registered 12 tackles in the Trojans’ 28-20 win at Michigan City. Matt’s pick: Valparaiso 27, Chesterton 23.
CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 11
Mishawaka (9-1) at Concord (5-5): The No. 4 Cavemen edged Concord, 15-11, on October 7. Ethan Bryce caught a 33-yard touchdown pass in Mishawaka’s 35-6 win over Adams. Titus Hackworth rambled 15 times for 117 yards with a score in the Minutemen’s 31-6 win at Goshen. Matt’s pick: Mishawaka 31, Concord 17.
CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 12
Fort Wayne North (8-2) at Fort Wayne Snider (9-1): The top-ranked Panthers downed No. 7 Fort Wayne North, 20-18, on August 19. Bohde Dickerson went 5-of-9 for 175 yards with a pair of touchdowns in the Legends’ 49-9 win over Anderson. Langston Leavell ran 12 times for 159 yards with two scores in Fort Wayne Snider’s 41-6 win over No. 10 Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger. Matt’s pick: Fort Wayne Snider 22, Fort Wayne North 15.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 17
New Prairie (10-1) at Hobart (8-3): The Brickies rolled to a 36-7 win over No. 6 New Prairie in the 2019 regional final. Hayden Scott recorded 10 tackles in the Cougars’ 42-6 win over Lowell. Cody Johnston caught five passes for 108 yards with two touchdowns in Hobart’s 42-25 win over Highland. Matt’s pick: New Prairie 38, Hobart 32.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 18
Northridge (7-4) at NorthWood (11-0): The No. 3 Panthers claimed a 42-7 win over Northridge on September 9. Qade Carrington went 18-of-25 for 260 yards with a touchdown in the Raiders’ 34-24 win over Logansport. Wes Yoder scampered 10 times for 132 yards with two scores in NorthWood’s 52-24 win against Saint Joseph. Matt’s pick: NorthWood 41, Northridge 21.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 19
Leo (8-3) at Columbia City (10-1): The No. 9 Eagles soared to a 28-13 win over Leo on October 7. Max Loeffler tallied 24 carries for 219 yards with three scores in the Lions’ 42-13 win over East Noble. Ethan Sievers ran nine times for 113 yards in Columbia City’s 49-7 win over DeKalb. Matt’s pick: Columbia City 23, Leo 21.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 20
Mississinewa (8-3) at Kokomo (10-1): Hayden Nelson registered 24 rushes for 268 yards with four touchdowns in the Indians’ 62-35 win over Huntington North. Evan Barker accumulated 20 carries for 149 yards with three scores in the Wildkats’ 28-8 win over Western. Matt’s pick: Kokomo 34, Mississinewa 22.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 25
West Lafayette (11-0) at Hanover Central (11-0): Wyatt Curl caught a 57-yard pass for a score in the No. 1 Red Devils’ 52-12 win over Calumet. Matt Koontz went 10-of-10 for 226 yards with four touchdowns and ran twice for 21 yards and two scores in the No. 5 Wildcats’ 42-21 win over Griffith. Matt’s pick: West Lafayette 39, Hanover Central 19.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 26
Knox (8-3) at Jimtown (9-2): The Redskins downed Jimtown, 21=14, in the 2018 sectional opener. Cohen Watson found the end zone twice in Knox’s 22-0 win over West Noble. Bishop Williams came up with a pair of scores in the Jimmies’ 28-7 win over Glenn. Matt’s pick: Knox 19, Jimtown 16.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 27
Yorktown (8-3) at Norwell (10-1): Jalen Thomas rambled 23 times for 206 yards with two touchdowns in the Tigers’ 22-13 win over Garrett. Stuart McCabe finished with five tackles in the No. 4 Knights’ 37-0 win over Fort Wayne Concordia. Matt’s pick: Norwell 37, Yorktown 24.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 28
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (7-4) at Guerin Catholic (7-4): The No. 6 Trojans posted a 31-30 win over Guerin Catholic on September 23. Drew VanVleet was 16-of-23 for 162 yards with a score in Bishop Chatard’s 41-14 win against Hamilton Heights. Justin Zdobylak managed 23 carries for 241 yards with two touchdowns in the Golden Eagles’ 34-14 win over Tippecanoe Valley. Matt’s pick: Bishop Chatard 35, Guerin Catholic 26.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL
Andrean (7-3) at Bremen (7-4): Drayk Bowen amassed 26 carries for 218 yards with three touchdowns and racked up 15 tackles in the No. 5 and defending state champion 59ers’ 28-6 win over No. 2 LaVille, A.J. Ton came up with a 28-yard catch for a score in the Lions’ 53-7 win over Lake Station. Matt’s pick: Andrean 44, Bremen 16.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 34
Lafayette Central Catholic (8-3) at Rochester (10-1): Ben Mazur completed 19-of-42 for 295 yards with six touchdowns and ran for another tally in the No. 9 Knights’ 48-27 win over Lewis Cass. Brant Beck had 11 rushes for 173 yards with a score in the No. 7 Zebras’ 50-23 win at Benton Central. Matt’s pick: Lafayette Central Catholic 25, Rochester 21.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 35
Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (6-5) at Eastside (9-2): The No. 8 Blazers earned a sectional crown last season with a 21-16 win over Bishop Luers. Isaac Zay accounted for seven catches for 85 yards in the Knights’ 42-9 win over Churubusco. Dax Holman ended with six rushes for 69 yards with three touchdowns in Eastside’s 42-21 win over Manchester. Matt’s pick: Bishop Luers 26, Eastside 25.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 36
Eastbrook (8-3) at Bluffton (7-4): The Panthers roared to a 35-14 win over Bluffton in the 2006 sectional quarterfinals. Bodie Howell finished with two carries for 60 yards with a touchdown in Eastbrook’s 42-14 win over Alexandria. Anthony Cruz scampered for 205 yards and a pair of scores in the Tigers’ 29-18 win over Tipton. Matt’s pick: Eastbrook 38, Bluffton 17.
CLASS 1A SECTIONAL 41
Culver (7-4) at North Judson (10-1): The No. 4 Bluejays flew past Culver, 45-12, on August 19. Jason Cadle threw for 41 yards with a touchdown and ran for 73 yards and two scores in the Cavaliers’ 61-0 win over South Central. Aldric Harper tallied 10 carries for 120 yards with a touchdown in North Judson’s 25-6 win over Triton. Matt’s pick: North Judson 43, Culver 11.
CLASS 1A SECTIONAL 42
Traders Point Christian (6-5) at Park Tudor (8-3): The Panthers got past Traders Point Christian, 47-42, on September 9. Phillip Moran caught nine passes for 165 yards in the Knights’ 48-28 win over North Vermillion. Charlie Perine managed six receptions for 101 yards in Park Tudor’s 42-26 win over Fountain Central. Matt’s pick: Park Tudor 42, Traders Point Christian 38.
CLASS 1A SECTIONAL 43
West Central (10-1) at Carroll (Flora) (10-1): Connor Marlatt tossed for 95 yards with two scores and ran for 64 yards with another touchdown in the Trojans’ 40-0 blanking of Taylor. Luke Tanner completed 9-of-11 for 160 yards in the No. 8 Cougars’ 35-7 win over Tri-Central. Matt’s pick: Carroll (Flora) 33, West Central 23.
CLASS 1A SECTIONAL 44
Adams Central (11-0) at Northfield (6-5): The No. 2 Flying Jets earned the 2019 sectional crown with a 38-28 win over Northfield. Gavin Cook mustered six carries for 84 yards with a touchdown in Adams Central’s 55-20 win over No. 9 South Adams. Joseph Delgado managed 20 rushes for 77 yards with a score in the Norsemen’s 21-14 win over Madison-Grant. Matt’s pick: Adams Central 45, Northfield 17.
