–CLASS 6A
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (9-2) AT CROWN POINT (11-0)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Dog Pound.
COACHES: Doug Dinan, 119-51 in 15th season at Carroll. Craig Buzea, 39-7 in fourth season at Crown Point, 255-96 in 32nd season overall.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Never met on the gridiron.
LAST CONTEST: Carroll beat Fort Wayne Snider, 21-10. Crown Point beat Penn, 35-0.
UP NEXT: Carroll hosts No. 3 Westfield (10-1) or Fishers (7-4) in semistate. Crown Point travels to Westfield or entertains Fishers.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jimmy Sullivan went 5-of-13 for 84 yards with two scores and ran 10 times for 54 yards for the No. 10 Chargers against defending Class 5A state champion Fort Wayne Snider. Trevor Gibbs had two receptions for 20 yards with a touchdown and intercepted a pass for the No. 2 Bulldogs against Penn.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Crown Point is a very good football team amassing an 11-0 record. Coach Buzea has done a tremendous job of building the program to a very high level. The Bulldogs play very fast and physical. If we are to come away with a victory, then we must win the line of scrimmage, win the turnover battle, be efficient in the red zone, and play great special teams.” – Carroll’s Doug Dinan.
“Carroll presents problems that we have seen this year. Offensively they are dynamic with a true dual-threat quarterback (Jimmy Sullivan) at the helm and weapons all over the field. Even a bigger problem is their outstanding offensive line. By far, the best we’ve seen thus far. Defensively, they are solid and aggressive. They do a great job of keeping the ball in front of them and rally to the football. Carroll is an outstanding team with outstanding players that are very well-coached. To compete with them, we must take care of the football, avoid penalties, and execute on both sides of the ball on third and fourth down.” – Crown Point’s Craig Buzea.
CLASS 6A
LAWRENCE NORTH (11-0) AT BROWNSBURG (10-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Roark Stadium.
COACHES: Patrick Mallory, 53-72 in 12th season at Lawrence North, 67-80 in 14th season overall. John Hart, 79-19 in ninth season at Brownsburg, 346-100 in 40th season overall.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Lawrence North, 34-13, on August 25, 2017.
LAST CONTEST: Lawrence North beat Indianapolis Cathedral, 24-7. Brownsburg beat Indianapolis Ben Davis, 38-35.
UP NEXT: Carroll hosts No. 2 Westfield (10-1) or Fishers (7-4) in semistate. Crown Point travels to Westfield or entertains Fishers.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tanner Aspeslet was 8-of-16 for 93 yards with a touchdown and carried the ball six times for 23 yards for the top-ranked Wildcats against No. 9 Cathedral. Shakovon Sumpterbey carried the ball 16 times for 63 yards with a score for the No. 4 Bulldogs against defending state champion Ben Davis.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We have to be us Friday, which means playing fast and physical. We also must minimize mistakes and play the next play as hard as the previous ones. Our special teams must be also be special and make something happen.” – Lawrence North’s Pat Mallory.
“There are three keys for us to have success on Friday. We need them to turn the ball over, but we can’t afford to fumble anymore. They have incredible speed and skill players, so we need to contain their big plays. They aggressive on defense, so we need to have a hat on a hat.” – Brownsburg’s John Hart.
CLASS 5A
VALPARAISO (8-3) AT MERRILLVILLE (10-1)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Demaree Stadium.
COACHES: Bill Marshall, 69-17 in seventh season at Valparaiso. Brad Seiss, 82-36 in 10th season at Merrillville, 95-53 in 13th season overall.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Merrillville, 35-7, on October 4, 2024.
LAST CONTEST: Valparaiso beat Chesterton, 28-21. Merrillville beat Hammond Morton, 55-14.
UP NEXT: Valparaiso goes to No. 2 Lafayette Jeff (11-0) or entertains Warsaw (8-3). Merrillville goes to Lafayette Jeff or Warsaw.
TOP PERFORMERS: Julian Stokes hauled in three passes for 128 yards with two scores for the No. 7 Vikings against Chesterton. Jordan Sanders tossed four touchdown passes for the No. 3 Pirates against Hammond Morton.
COACHES’ CORNER: “In order for us to come away with a victory, we have to continue the process we have been on since we lost to Merrillville the last time. Throughout practice, we have to pay attention to details, play with an unmatched sense of urgency, and play a clean game in regards to mental mistakes.” – Valparaiso’s Bill Marshall.
“We are both very familiar with each other. It’s the third straight year we’ve met in the regional. We know how difficult it is to beat a team twice, especially one as well-coached as Valparaiso. We’ve got to play well to advance and move on.” – Merrillville’s Brad Seiss.
CLASS 5A
EAST CENTRAL (8-3) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (8-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Devere Stadium.
COACHES: Jake Meiners, 65-12 in sixth season at East Central. Kyle Enright, 78-27 in ninth season at Decatur Central.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First contest in football.
LAST CONTEST: East Central beat Franklin, 21-0. Decatur Central beat Plainfield, 35-7.
UP NEXT: East Central hosts Bloomington South (7-4) or travels to No. 8 Castle (9-2). Decatur Central plays at Bloomington South or Castle.
TOP PERFORMERS: Carson Pieczonka raced five times for 85 yards with a touchdown for the No. 9 and two-time defending Class 4A state champion Trojans against Franklin. Kasmir Hicks carried the ball seven times for 66 yards with a score for the No. 4 and defending state runner-up Hawks against No. 5 Plainfield.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We are excited to be playing in the regional championship against a very tough Decatur Central team. They bring back a lot of really nice pieces from last year’s team and have had some new faces step up in a big way for them. In order to win on Friday, we are going to have to limit the big play defensively. We also must win third downs and get off of the field. Offensively, we are going to have to take care of the football and score points when we have the opportunity. Decatur Central is an impressive football team, and we are going to have to play well in all phases of the game.” – East Central’s Jacob Meiners.
“We must win the turnover battle. The team that takes care of the ball usually wins. This is especially true in big games. We must not turn the ball over and we must get some turnovers to be successful. We must play fast and physical. It’s not a secret that East Central wants to run the ball and has a very tough front seven on defense. No. 9 (Ryan Minges) is a great running back and it will be imperative for us to swarm to the ball and get him on the ground. We must use our speed and physicality to negate their size. It will be a battle. Our young men will bring their big boy shoulder pads and will be ready to fight. We have to establish the run game and stop the run game by winning the line of scrimmage. In order to be successful, our offensive and defensive lines must win the battle up front. In high school football in Indiana in November, you have to be able to run the ball even when the other team knows you are running the ball and you have to be able to stop the run. This will be paramount to our success. We also must weather the storm. The emotions of a big game against a battle-tested team will be at a high level. We must play with extreme focus, play disciplined and smart football, and never allow our demeanor to be too high or too low. We look forward to competing this Friday for a regional championship against a very well-coached team that has a ton of tradition. We know it will be a battle and our young men will leave it all out on the field.” – Decatur Central’s Kyle Enright.
CLASS 4A
NEW PRAIRIE (9-3) AT MISHAWAKA (10-2)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Steele Stadium.
COACHES: Casey McKim, 48-16 in fifth season at New Prairie. Keith Kinder, 64-20 in seventh season at Mishawaka.
PREVIOUS MEETING: New Prairie, 28-27, on September 20, 2019.
LAST CONTEST: New Prairie beat Hanover Central, 35-23. Mishawaka beat NorthWood, 22-21.
UP NEXT: New Prairie or Mishawaka goes to Huntington North (9-3) or entertains No. 2 East Noble (11-1).
TOP PERFORMERS: Zak Henrich managed 11 carries for 53 yards with a score for the Cougars against Hanover Central. Landon Snyder completed 3-of-8 for 46 yards with a touchdown, ran 13 times for 54 yards with a score, and converted the game-winning two-point conversion for the No. 6 Cavemen against defending state runner-up NorthWood.
COACHES’ CORNER: “In order to come away with a victory, we must win: at the line of scrimmage. Whoever is more physical along the offensive and defensive line will have a major advantage in the outcome of the game. We must win up front if we want to come out with a victory. We must execute at a high level. We must make sure we are gap sound on defense and do our individual jobs to the best of our ability. On offense, we must get to our assignment and win our individual matchups. We cannot have penalties that extend drives on defense or stall drives on offense. We must win in the red zone and on short yardage plays. Both offensively and defensively, we must win on crucial downs. We must convert touchdowns in the red zone and we must try to force field goals on defense. On short yardage plays that will extend or shut down drives, we need to win more than we lose.” – New Prairie’s Casey McKim.
“New Prairie is extremely well-coached and talented. Their quarterback (Reed Robinson) is a fantastic player, but he’s not alone. They are very solid up front and have several dangerous weapons with the ball in their hands. Defensively, they have been stingy all year. They do not give up a bunch of points. They are physical and tackle very well. For us to have a chance to win the game, we must be more disciplined on both sides of the ball this week. We had mental lapses last week that cost us. We must take care of the ball and tackle well.” – Mishawaka’s Keith Kinder.
CLASS 4A
NEW PALESTINE (11-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD (9-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Chatard Stadium.
COACHES: Kyle Ralph, 138-14 in 12th season at New Palestine. Rob Doyle, 87-22 in eighth season at Bishop Chatard.
PREVIOUS MEETING: New Palestine, 27-14, on November 15, 2013 in Class 4A regional final.
LAST CONTEST: New Palestine beat Pendleton Heights, 41-7. Bishop Chatard beat Indianapolis Roncalli, 28-24.
UP NEXT: New Palestine hosts Evansville Reitz (10-2) or No. 3 Martinsville (11-1). Bishop Chatard plays at Evansville Reitz or entertains Martinsville.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jacob Davis went 6-of-7 for 92 yards with a touchdown and ran three times for 28 yards with another score for the No. 1 Dragons against Pendleton Heights. Daniel Adams registered 20 carries for 74 yards with a touchdown for the No. 5 and two-time Class 3A state champion Trojans against Roncalli.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This is one of the great matchups in the state this week. The regional round usually produces a lot of great matchups and this will be mentioned among those for sure. Chatard is one of the historic programs in Indiana with a rich tradition and tremendous coaching. It is going to take a tremendous effort from our program to go on the road and try to play winning football. We need a great week of prep and practice and are looking forward to a heck of a game Friday night.” – New Palestine’s Kyle Ralph.
“New Pal is an excellent team that has been dominant since week three of this season. They have as efficient an offense as you will see in high school and their defense presents multiple problems. They have several high level (NCAA) D-1 players, so we will need to be efficient offensively, perfect on special teams, and find ways to get their offense off the field. Their quarterback (Jacob Davis) is excellent and they throw it as well as they run it. Our guys will need to remain physical.” – Bishop Chatard’s Rob Doyle.
CLASS 3A
FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS (8-4) AT MACONAQUAH (12-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Mac Stadium.
COACHES: Kyle Lindsay, 93-64 in 12th season at Bishop Luers. Michael Fenters, 12-0 in first season at Maconaquah.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, 20-12, on October 24, 2003, in Class 3A sectional quarterfinal.
LAST CONTEST: Bishop Luers beat Mississinewa, 34-28. Maconaquah beat West Lafayette, 17-14.
UP NEXT: Bishop Luers entertains Knox (9-3) or No. 4 Garrett (12-0). Maconaquah plays at Knox or hosts Garrett.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jayce White went 11-of-19 for 141 yards with a touchdown and carried the ball four times for 15 yards for the defending Class 2A state champion Knights against No. 2 Mississinewa. Fuddy Kile hauled in eight passes for 76 yards for the No. 8 Braves against West Lafayette.
COACHES’ CORNER: “To win a regional title on the road against an undefeated Maconaquah team, we’ll need to manage our emotions and nerves. I imagine the stadium will be noisy and packed with excitement, so finding ways to maintain focus, particularly in the opening minutes of the game, will be crucial. They have a very explosive offense that has the ability to hurt you in both the pass and run game. We’ll need to continue playing at a high physical level and force them into being one dimensional by making it difficult to run the ball. We need to get their young quarterback (Aiden Robinson) out of rhythm with a disciplined pass rush. Ultimately, we will need to tackle well in space against their speed and athleticism (which they are not short of). Offensively, we need to find ways to move the chains through a balanced approach. They are athletic on the back end and strong and scrappy up front. Patience will be a key offensively as will ball security and discipline. We need to be content with taking what they give us, while not getting ourselves into long distance situations because of penalties. Special teams can often be the difference maker in games like this. We must use our kicking game as a weapon to improve our field position and to pin them back on the flip end.” – Bishop Luers’ Kyle Lindsay.
“At this point in the season, all competition is excellent. Our players are aware of the speed and pedigree of the Bishop Luers program and have continued their level of scholarship accordingly. While we are admittedly still learning how to continue football into November, I continue to be impressed by the energy and dedication of our football team. They are a defense that is highly sophisticated and loves to bring pressure with a myriad of coverage tags on the backend. For us offensively, it is about recognition of defenses and being able to efficiently take care of the football. This is once again a team riddled with talent that jumps off the screen. A multi-purpose quarterback (Jayce White) identity with a 1,000-yard running back (Dee Hogue) and dangerous speed in multiple locations can provide a team like Bishop Luers potent to strike at any given snap of the ball. On the defensive side, we will need to remain disciplined and remain able and willing to outlast the opposing offense. We have committed to using our underclassmen throughout our special teams’ units. We have been fortunate to not have this stressed throughout the season, but as the tournament carries forwards, these units will continue to be tested and will need to be mistake-free in order to secure a regional win.” – Maconaquah’s Michael Fenters.
CLASS 3A
TRI-WEST (8-4) AT BATESVILLE (8-3)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Dawg Pound.
COACHES: Jason Ward, 53-18 in sixth season at Tri-West. Evan Ulery, 60-41 in ninth season at Batesville.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First get together on the gridiron.
LAST CONTEST: Tri-West beat Guerin Catholic, 21-12. Batesville beat Lawrenceburg, 21-7.
UP NEXT: Tri-West travels to North Harrison (9-3) or hosts No. 3 Heritage Hills (11-1). Batesville plays at North Harrison or Heritage Hills.
TOP PERFORMERS: Derek Reid recorded 42 carries for 253 yards with a score for the Bruins against Guerin Catholic, Gage Pohlman ran for a touchdown and caught a 40-yard pass for another tally for the Bulldogs against No. 5 Lawrenceburg.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We kind of change our offense from week to week, so we will be going spread more this week because of injuries and their defense presents problems with our small size. We are a ‘4-3’ defense that is undersized all year long. We will not stop the run with pure size and power. but our defense is fast and at times cause issues with bigger slower offensive linemen. If they catch us, we may be going for a ride. We are very good tackling teams and pride ourselves in gang tackling and open field tackling. We’ve been very up and down all season because of injuries, so at this point, we are just surviving week by week. Younger players are having to be put into the fire the further we go along. We have not looked ahead at any point. We are just looking for players that have survived the week before and doing the best we can with what we got.” – Tri-West’s Jason Ward.
“Offensively, we have to establish our run game and play with great balance. When we have had balance and found ways to get explosive plays, then our offense has been really hard to stop. Defensively, we have to stop the run. We have done better the last three games of stopping the run. Once we get to third down, we must win it. We did well against Lawrenceburg of getting off the field on third down, but we have been inconsistent this year. As always, we need to play clean penalty-free football, win the turnover margin, and be solid in special teams. Lastly, we must play physical as this game will be won in the trenches.” – Batesville’s Evan Ulery.
CLASS 2A
ANDREAN (8-4) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (11-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, LaRocca Field.
COACHES: Chris Skinner, 77-36 in ninth season at Andrean. Brian Nay, 60-27 in seventh season at Central Catholic.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Andrean, 30-12, on November 11, 2022 in Class 2A regional final.
LAST CONTEST: Andrean beat Bremen, 35-0. Lafayette Central Catholic beat North Montgomery, 60-6.
UP NEXT: Andrean or Lafayette Central Catholic goes to Eastern (Greentown) (8-4) or entertains No, 4 Adams Central (11-1).
TOP PERFORMERS: Ethan Reyna racked up seven rushes for 75 yards with a touchdown for the 59ers against Bremen. Jackson Cain managed four catches for 38 yards with two scores for the No. 1 Knights against North Montgomery.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This matchup is what playoff football is about! Two programs with a lot of tradition and pride. We have nothing but respect for LCC and their history of success. I think our two programs are similar in many ways. I’ve gotten to know Coach Nay over the last few years as we’re both on the IFCA Ratings Board. He’s a good dude, and I think we take similar approaches to running our programs. From a matchup perspective, they have talent across the board. Every level of offense and defense has playmakers. Their quarterback, Bobby Metzger is a baller. They have weapons all over on offense, but Metzger is the engine that makes it all work. He’s impressive on film. Their spread attack can exploit a variety of gaps and windows, so we’ll have our work cut out for us this week on the defensive side of the ball. Their defense is aggressive and physical. It’s difficult to single out a couple players specifically, but I love the way Jackson Cain and Ryan Delgatto play on film. They appear to be the emotional and physical leaders of that defense. Both are very impressive. We’re excited for the matchup. You work all off-season for November Friday nights!” – Andrean’s Chris Skinner.
“The Knights will have to play their best and most complete game of the season in order to get past Andrean. Coach Skinner and the 59ers are elite. We must continue to sharpen our technical skills and play together in order to be in position to win in the fourth quarter.” – Lafayette Central Catholic’s Brian Nay.
CLASS 2A
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (12-0) AT LINTON-STOCKTON (10-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Williams Field.
COACHES: Reed May, 312-64 in 32nd season at Brownstown Central. Brian Oliver, 124-27 in 12th season at Linton-Stockton.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First meeting in football.
LAST CONTEST: Brownstown Central beat Tell City, 49-3. Linton-Stockton beat Greencastle, 42-39.
UP NEXT: Brownstown Central hosts Lapel (9-3) or No. 3 Indianapolis Lutheran (11-1). Linton-Stockton goes to Lapel or Indianapolis Lutheran.
TOP PERFORMERS: Lane Pendleton hauled in a 29-yard touchdown for the No. 2 Braves against Tell City. Russell Goodman accumulated 11 rushes for 63 yards with a score for the No. 7 Miners against Greencastle.
COACHES’ CORNER: “As always, Coach Oliver and his staff has done a great job. They have an outstanding team and we are looking forward to traveling to Linton and playing in that environment. In any big game, it’s going to come down to who makes the fewest mistakes and who wins the special team area. On offense, they have quite a few playmakers, so we will need to be disciplined and play our assignments. Our offense will need to control the ball and limit their possessions for us to be successful on Friday.” – Brownstown Central’s Reed May.
“Brownstown Central is one of the premier programs in the state. Coach May has done a tremendous job creating a winning culture. This regional game will come down to line play, turnovers, and not giving up the big play.” – Linton-Stockton’s Brian Oliver.
CLASS 1A
NORTH MIAMI (10-2) AT SOUTH ADAMS (7-5)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Starfire Field.
COACHES: Joe Grant, 31-54 in eighth season at North Miami, 31-64 in ninth season overall. Grant Moser, 79-37 in 10th season at South Adams.
PREVIOUS MEETING: South Adams, 20-14, on October 22, 2010 in Class 1A sectional quarterfinal.
LAST CONTEST: North Miami beat Triton, 28-21. South Adams beat Madison-Grant, 43-36.
UP NEXT: North Miami entertains No. 1 North Judson (12-0) or Taylor (7-5). South Adams travels to North Judson or hosts Taylor.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kody Whann managed 17 rushes for 109 yards with a score for the No. 10 Warriors against Triton. Caiden Neuenschwander totaled six receptions for 114 yards with two touchdowns for the Starfires against No. 5 Madison-Grant.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This week brings another great opponent. South Adams really does some nice things on offense that not a lot of Class 1A teams across the state are able to do. They run their offense very effectively and have many weapons. For us to come away with a win, we will need to be very disciplined on defense. We will need to tackle well and not give up big plays in the passing game. Offensively, we need to do what we do. We need to be able to run the ball to set up our pass game and control the tempo of the game. We feel like if we do these things we can have success.” – North Miami’s Joe Grant.
“They run their option very well. They are fundamental and well-coached. They are in double digit wins for a reason, so we need to play assignment defense. Our offense has been on fire lately with Tytus Lehman playing really well at quarterback spreading the ball around. We are excited for a great atmosphere in Berne on Friday!” – South Adams’ Grant Moser.
CLASS 1A
SHERIDAN (7-5) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (10-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Wildman Field.
COACHES: Larry Wright, 463-215 in 59th season at Sheridan, 464-218 in 60th season overall. Chuck Sorrell, 51-17 in sixth season at South Putnam, 55-43 in ninth season overall.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Sheridan, 49-12, on October 21, 2016 in Class 1A sectional quarterfinal.
LAST CONTEST: Sheridan beat Cloverdale, 42-14. South Putnam beat Riverton Parke, 44-6.
UP NEXT: Sheridan plays at Milan (8-4) or hosts No. 3 Providence (11-0). South Putnam goes to Milan or Providence.
TOP PERFORMERS: Alex Cravens exploded for 106 yards on 24 carries for the Blackhawks against Cloverdale. Wyatt Mullin went 6-of-7 for 152 yards with two scores for the No. 6 Eagles against Riverton Parke.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Sheridan is a very well-coached team and has been for many years. They have been running this offense forever, so we have to try and take away their best three plays on defense. Offensively, we have been clicking. We need to continue to take advantage of what defenses are giving us. If they play man, we need to win those battles with our receivers. If they go two high, we need to be able to run power and counter. We have about 15 guys that will be running their offense this week. They were huge in our win last week versus a Wing-T team. South Putnam has not won a regional since 2002, so this would be a big deal for a football community that always shows big-time support.” – South Putnam’s Chuck Sorrell.
