My good fortune continued as I went 22-2 (92 percent) last week. My overall record is now 174-35, which has me at 83 percent for the season.
CLASS 6A
Crown Point (11-0) at Penn (10-1): The No. 8 Kingsmen clubbed No. 4 Crown Point, 33-3, in the 2017 regional final. Noah Ehrlich completed all nine of his passes for 193 yards with four touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 42-7 win over Lake Central. Nolan McCullough ran 12 times for 118 yards with a touchdown and completed 5-of-7 for 81 yards with a score in Penn’s 31-10 win over Warsaw. Matt’s pick: Penn 21, Crown Point 13.
Hamilton Southeastern (9-2) at Westfield (10-1): The No. 5 Shamrocks tallied a 30-28 win against No. 6 Hamilton Southeastern on September 15. Jalen Alexander recorded 23 carries for 184 yards with three scores in the Royals’ 38-21 win over Fishers. Jackson Gilbert was 12-of-18 for 115 yards in Westfield’s 24-12 win against Noblesville. Matt’s pick: Westfield 32, Hamilton Southeastern 23.
Indianapolis Ben Davis (10-1) at Indianapolis Cathedral (8-3): The No. 3 Giants marched to a 51-21 win over No. 7 Cathedral in the 2016 regional finale. Isaiah Rogers went 8-of-18 for 148 yards with two touchdowns in Ben Davis’s 53-0 win over Indianapolis Pike. Jalen Bonds carried the ball 32 times for 262 yards with two scores in the Irish’s 20-3 win over Lawrence North. Matt’s pick: Ben Davis 24, Cathedral 17.
Warren Central (5-6) at Center Grove (10-1): The No. 2 and three-time defending state champion Trojans racked up a 42-32 win over Warren Central in the regional final a year ago. Jaylan McMoore rambled 10 times for 97 yards with two touchdowns and caught an 11-yard pass in the Warriors’ 47-0 win over Southport. Tyler Cherry went 16-of-17 for 179 yards with two scores in Center Grove’s 35-12 win over Columbus North. Matt’s pick: Center Grove 38, Warren Central 16.
CLASS 5A
Valparaiso (9-2) at Merrillville (9-2): The No. 4 and defending state champion Vikings edged No. 6 Merrillville, 26-24, on September 28. Justin Clark ran 24 times for 146 yards with three touchdowns and completed 10-of-15 for 129 yards with a score in Valparaiso’s 26-7 win against Michigan City. Dontae Pope went 8-of-10 for 130 yards with a touchdown in the Pirates’ 42-18 win over Hammond Morton. Matt’s pick: Merrillville 27, Valparaiso 21.
Fort Wayne Snider (10-1) at Mishawaka (9-2): The No. 2 Panthers rallied for a 41-27 win over No. 9 Mishawaka in last season’s regional finale. Ka’ron Billingsley was 5-of-6 for 94 yards and ran three times for 40 yards with two scores in Fort Wayne Snider’s 49-14 win over Fort Wayne North. Brady Fisher ran 16 times for 103 yards with a score in the Cavemen’s 20-14 win against Concord. Matt’s pick: Fort Wayne Snider 33, Mishawaka 30.
Whiteland (7-4) at Decatur Central (9-2): The No. 7 Hawks claimed a 31-15 win over Whiteland on September 1. Slate Valentine rambled 37 times for 247 yards with two touchdowns in the Warriors’ 34-10 win over Terre Haute South. KC Berry tallied 14 carries for 141 yards in Decatur Central’s 34-17 win over No. 5 Harrison (West Lafayette). Matt’s pick: Decatur Central 26, Whiteland 22.
Evansville North (8-3) at Bloomington South (10-1): The No. 3 Panthers managed a 49-20 win over Evansville North in the 2019 sectional semifinals. Jason Rucker recorded 14 rushes for 294 yards with four touchdowns in the Huskies’ 60-50 win over No. 10 Castle. Gavin Adams carried the ball 10 times for 100 yards and a score in Bloomington South’s 49-14 win over Seymour. Matt’s pick: Bloomington South 34, Evansville North 19.
CLASS 4A
New Prairie (10-2) at NorthWood (10-2): The Cougars earned a Class 3A sectional crown in 2004 with a 14-11 win over NorthWood. Reed Robinson had 14 rushes for 127 yards with two touchdowns in New Prairie’s 43-14 win against Culver Academy. Nitro Tuggle came up with seven catches for 117 yards with a score in the Panthers’ 17-14 win against No. 8 Northridge. Matt’s pick: NorthWood 20, New Prairie 16.
Leo (10-2) at Mississinewa (12-0): Kyler Decker went 12-of-18 for 234 yards with two touchdowns and ran six times for 27 yards in the No. 10 Lions’ 31-13 win against Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger. Mississinewa’s Nolan Quaderer completed 10-of-18 for 264 yards with three touchdowns and ran five times for 20 yards in the No. 5 Indians’ 31-24 win against No. 9 Kokomo. Matt’s pick: Mississinewa 30, Leo 25.
Mooresville (7-5) at New Palestine (10-2): The Pioneers blanked No. 3 New Palestine, 34-0, during the 2004 campaign. Hogan Denny had 24 carries for 239 yards with two touchdowns and was 17-of-31 for 237 yards with two scores in Mooresville’s 40-39 win against Brebeuf Jesuit. Grayson Thomas managed 20 carries for 116 yards with two scores in the Dragons’ 42-0 win over Mount Vernon (Fortville). Matt’s pick: New Palestine 45, Mooresville 21.
East Central (12-0) at Evansville Memorial (9-3): The No. 1 and defending state champion Trojans were a 35-21 winner over Evansville Memorial in last year’s regional final. Josh Ringer ran 15 times for 148 yards with two scores and caught a 19-yard touchdown pass in East Central’s 47-0 win over Greenwood. Dylan Kendrick had 27 carries for 106 yards with a touchdown and caught a 70-yard pass for another tally in the Tigers’ 21-16 win over No. 2 Evansville Reitz. Matt’s pick: East Central 38, Evansville Memorial 18.
CLASS 3A
Knox (12-0) at West Lafayette (9-3): The Red Devils cruised to a 55-14 win over No. 9 Knox in the regional final last year. Myles McLaughlin accounted for five touchdowns on the ground and threw for another score in the Redskins; 60-37 win over Glenn. Dawson Martin tallied 36 carries for 135 yards with four touchdowns and caught seven passes for 105 yards in West Lafayette’s 42-41 overtime win over No. 2 Hanover Central. Matt’s pick: Knox 41, West Lafayette 39.
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (12-0) at Delta [8-4): Aidan Arteaga went 14-of-35 for 188 yards in the top-ranked and defending state champion Trojans’ 28-8 win against No. 5 Hamilton Heights. Bronson Edwards was 7-of-13 for 103 yards with a touchdown and ran for another tally in the Eagles’ 21-15 win against Garrett. Matt’s pick: Bishop Chatard 46, Delta 12.
Gibson Southern (10-2) at Tri-West (11-1) (Saturday): On the way to the 2021 state championship, the No. 6 Titans registered a 44-7 win over No. 8 Tri-West in the southern semistate final. Tanner Boyd finished 24-of-29 for 187 yards with a touchdown and ran 20 times for 110 yards with two scores in Gibson Southern’s 27-13 win over Vincennes Lincoln. Malachi Walden rambled 17 times for 155 yards with three scores and went 8-of-15 for 103 yards with another touchdown in the Bruins’ 28-21 win over Monrovia. Matt’s pick: Gibson Southern 31, Tri-West 29.
Heritage Hills (11-1) at Batesville (11-1): The No. 7 Patriots recorded a 46-12 win over Batesville in the 2005 regional finale. Hunter Meredith had eight carries for 135 yards with a touchdown in Heritage Hills’ 51-10 win against Scottsburg. Gage Pohlman ended with 144 yards on the ground and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 29-13 win over Indian Creek. Matt’s pick: Heritage Hills 43, Batesville 35.
CLASS 2A
LaVille (11-1) at Lafayette Central Catholic (9-3): Cody Allen ran 26 times for 194 yards with three touchdowns and also intercepted a pass in the No. 5 Lancers’ 28-14 win over Bremen. Mason Meister accumulated 22 carries for 111 yards in the No. 10 Knights’ 33-3 win over Seeger. Matt’s pick: Lafayette Central Catholic 35, LaVille 28.
Bluffton (10-2) at Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (9-3): The No. 7 Knights claimed a 35-6 win over No. 8 Bluffton in the 2022 regional final. Khamel Moore had 16 rushes for 99 yards with a touchdown in the Tigers’ 41-6 win over Eastern (Greentown). Giovanni Jimenez raced 11 times for 103 yards with three touchdowns in Bishop Luers’ 42-0 win against Manchester. Matt’s pick: Bishop Luers 36, Bluffton 33.
Eastern Hancock (8-4) at Southmont (7-5): Mark Kube registered 21 carries for 227 yards and two scores in the Royals’ 47-14 win over Winchester. Wyatt Woodall rambled 25 times for 136 yards with four scores and caught an 18-yard pass in the Mounties’ 36-34 win over No. 2 Linton-Stockton. Matt’s pick: Eastern Hancock 42, Southmont 36.
North Posey (11-1) at Triton Central (11-1): Jed Galvin recorded 12 carries for 97 yards with four touchdowns and caught a 33-yard pass for another score in the No. 4 Vikings’ 35-14 win against Paoli. Jace Stuckey was 8-13 for 139 yards with a score and ran three times for 25 yards and two touchdowns in the top-ranked Tigers’ 49-0 win against Eastern (Pekin). Matt’s pick: Triton Central 39, North Posey 25.
CLASS 1A
Park Tudor (12-0) at North Judson (8-4): The Bluejays soared to a 49-13 win over No. 5 Park Tudor in last year’s regional final. DJ Gordon went 15-of-23 for 246 yards with two touchdowns and ran nine times for 124 yards with three scores in the Panthers’ 41-28 win against North Vermillion. Brock Benson tallied 32 rushes for 198 yards with four scores in North Judson’s 33-7 win over No. 9 Triton. Matt’s pick: North Judson 25, Park Tudor 24.
Adams Central (12-0) at Carroll (Flora) (12-0): The No. 2 Flying Jets shut out No. 3 Carroll (Flora), 35-0, in last season’s regional finale. Jack Hamilton managed seven carries for 125 yards with two touchdowns and completed 3-of-4 for 115 yards with three scores in Adams Central’s 56-14 win over Madison-Grant. Keegan Ellis contributed 13 rushes for 158 yards with four touchdowns in the Cougars’ 42-0 win against Tri-Central. Matt’s pick: Adams Central 41, Carroll (Flora) 20.
North Decatur (9-3) at Sheridan (9-3): The Chargers posted a 29-14 win over Sheridan in the regional final a season ago. Mason Morris was 6-of-10 for 91 yards with a touchdown and ran 11 times for 30 yards in North Decatur’s 31-28 win over No. 10 Milan. Eli Kolb accounted for 22 rushes for 141 yards with two scores in the Blackhawks’ 27-22 win over Monroe Central. Matt’s pick: North Decatur 40, Sheridan 32.
Providence (12-0) at Indianapolis Lutheran (10-0): The top-ranked and two-time defending state champion Saints cruised to a 49-7 win over No. 4 Providence in the regional finale a year ago. Carter Lannan went 9-of-11 for 225 yards with four touchdowns in the Pioneers’ 41-8 win over No. 8 Springs Valley. Braydon Hall romped 27 times for 246 yards with five touchdowns in Indianapolis Lutheran’s 57-14 win against Covenant Christian. Matt’s pick: Indianapolis Lutheran 45, Providence 15.
