CLASS 6A
CROWN POINT (12-0) AT WESTFIELD (11-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Riverview Health Stadium.
COACHES: Craig Buzea, 40-7 in fourth season at Crown Point, 256-96 in 32nd season overall. Josh Miracle, 11-1 in first season at Westfield.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Crown Point, 38-31 (2OT), on November 17, 2023 in Class 6A semistate.
LAST CONTEST: Crown Point beat Carroll (Fort Wayne), 38-21. Westfield beat Fishers, 42-28.
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 4 Brownsburg (11-1) or Center Grove (8-4) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Noah Ehrlich was 10-of-15 for 84 yards with a touchdown for the No. 2 Bulldogs against No. 10 Carroll (Fort Wayne). Carsen Melvin went 7-of-11 for 79 yards with two scores and ran 10 times for 49 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 3 Shamrocks against Fishers.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Westfield is the best complete team we have played in my four years at Crown Point. They are the complete package. It will be a monumental task to travel down there and come away with a victory. We must eliminate all pre-snap penalties, handle the football, create some turnovers, and be very efficient on third and fourth downs.” – Crown Point’s Craig Buzea.
“Our Westfield football program is grateful to be celebrating our fourth regional title in the past five seasons. With that said, we are turning our attention to prepare for our highly anticipated semistate rematch with Crown Point. Coach Buzea and his staff do an outstanding job and have our utmost respect. Our staff and players understand that we must execute at a high level and maintain a fundamental focus heading into the week. We are thankful for this opportunity and look forward to hosting Crown Point at home this Friday night.” – Westfield’s Josh Miracle.
BROWNSBURG (11-1) AT CENTER GROVE (8-4)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Ray Skillman Stadium.
COACHES: John Hart, 80-19 in ninth season at Brownsburg, 347-100 in 40th season overall. Eric Moore, 255-80 in 26th season at Center Grove.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Center Grove, 38-14, on September 14, 1990.
LAST CONTEST: Brownsburg beat Lawrence North, 22-21. Center Grove defeated Warren Central, 23-15.
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 2 Crown Point (12-0) or No. 3 Westfield (11-1) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Iosua Stephens carried the ball 13 times for 130 yards with two touchdowns and completed 2-of-4 for 24 yards for the No. 4 Bulldogs against top-ranked Lawrence North. Cooper Pio registered four tackles and a pair of interceptions for the Trojans against No. 5 Warren Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “They are a fast, physical, and very disciplined team. They know how to win in the tournament and in cold weather. We will need to protect the ball better, be disciplined, and win the special teams’ battle.” – Brownsburg’s John Hart.
“Brownsburg and Center Grove might be the best story in Indiana high school football. You have two small rural Indiana farm communities who have watched their football teams grow into state powers. Brownsburg, coached by the state’s best high school football coach in John Hart, has made football great again in Brownsburg, as they were the number one team for about seven straight weeks in the IFCA (Indiana Football Coaches Association) poll. Both teams have played tremendous difficult schedules. Both teams have suffered some injuries that would stop most programs. Both teams have overachieved of what they had anticipated for this season. Both teams in August thought that next year would be the big year. However, both teams are now standing at the door of the championship, when they were the unlikely suspects. Center Grove will have to figure out a way to replace the starting senior running back Jack Browning, who had a season-ending injury in the game vs. Warren Central. So, the Trojans will have to rely on Austin Hennessey and Nolan Rees for the ground game. This will be another contest where the Center Grove offense will need to convert third downs. Moving the chains will be vital for the success of the Trojans in this game. Obviously, there can be no turnovers because we can’t give Brownsburg a short field or a turnover to start their engines. We must make them earn every yard. With that said, the much-improved Center Grove defense will need to create some hysteria of its own by forcing some big turnovers and getting their powerful offense off the field on third downs. We will have to limit their offense of its big play capability and yet, our offense needs to make some of those big plays of its own. Special teams will be huge as well as both teams are capable of making the game changer plays on special teams. That aspect can really make the difference in a big semistate game like this. Both teams have been in some close games, so we are both battle-tested for the game to come down to one or two plays at the end. We are no stranger to the semistate as we are playing for a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium for the seventh time in a row, 13 times in 14 years, and 18 times in the last 25 yards.” – Center Grove’s Eric Moore.
CLASS 5A
MERRILLVILLE (11-1) AT WARSAW (9-3)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Fisher Field.
COACHES: Brad Seiss, 83-36 in 10th season at Merrillville, 96-53 in 13th season overall. Bart Curtis, 57-20 in seventh season at Warsaw, 258-122 in 34th season overall.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Merrillville, 42-28, on November. 15, 2019 in Class 6A regional final.
LAST CONTEST: Merrillville beat Valparaiso, 44-14. Warsaw beat Lafayette Jeff, 44-27.
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 4 Decatur Central (9-2) or Bloomington South (8-4) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cameron Jordan raced 10 times for 113 yards with two scores for the No. 3 Pirates against No. 7 Valparaiso. Quinton Brock threw a touchdown pass, ran for a score, and caught a pass for another tally for the No. 9 Tigers against No. 2 Lafayette Jeff.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We’re looking forward to the opportunity to go to Warsaw and a play a really good football team that is really hot at the moment. Coach Curtis has done an excellent job and we know we’ll have to play a great four quarters of football in all three phases to earn a trip to represent the Class 5A North at Lucas Oil Stadium.” – Merrillville’s Brad Seiss.
“We must match Merrillville’s physicality on their offensive line and defensive front seven. We have to take care of the football when we have it because ball security is job security. We have to eliminate foolish drive-stopping penalties because we cannot survive if we do not. We must get off blocks much better defensively than we have at anytime this season. We have to tackle much better in the open field vs. Merrillville’s highly skilled ball handlers. Finally, we need to kick to the ball well and cover all kicks well in order to have a chance Friday night.” – Warsaw’s Bart Curtis.
DECATUR CENTRAL (9-2) AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (8-4)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Huff Field.
COACHES: Kyle Enright, 79-27 in ninth season at Decatur Central. Gabe Johnson, 40-15 in fifth season at Bloomington South, 54-25 in seventh season overall.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Decatur Central, 24-12, on November 17, 2023 in Class 5A semistate.
LAST CONTEST: Decatur Central beat East Central, 21-16. Bloomington South beat Castle, 28-21.
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 3 Merrillville (11-1) or No. 9 Warsaw (9-3) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bo Polston completed 9-of-20 for 178 yards with a score for the No. 4 Hawks against No. 9 East Central. Sam Giles caught seven passes for 100 yards with a touchdown for the Panthers against No. 8 Castle.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We need to 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 were minus-three against East Central and that allowed them to have a shot at the end of the game. We must be better in this area this week. We must play fast and physical. We take pride in our style of play. Our strength and conditioning coach, Adam Lane, is an amazing developer of athletes and our kids have worked very hard to gain speed and power through his program. We want to overwhelm teams with our speed and physicality, especially in the third and fourth quarters when it’s crunch time and other teams aren’t trained the same or in the same condition that our young men are in. We must 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. Bloomington South has a very good running back in Braylen Townsend and it is imperative that we fit our gaps, block, destruct, and tackle him. We’ll need to weather the storm and be ready to play the next play. The emotions of a big game against a battle-tested team on the road 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. Our standard is being mentally and physically tough and playing for the person next to you. We had too many pre-snap penalties against East Central and our young men must look within to get that fixed. I have confidence that they will play smart, disciplined football on Friday night. We look forward to competing this Friday for a chance to go to Lucas Oil Stadium Thanksgiving weekend. Bloomington South is 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.
“We need to continue doing the things we have done in the tournament defensively, which is tackle the football and be gap sound. Offensively, we are going to have to put up points.” – Bloomington South’s Gabe Johnson.
CLASS 4A
EAST NOBLE (12-1) AT MISHAWAKA (11-2)
KICKOFE: 7:30 p.m. EST, Steele Stadium.
COACHES: Alex Stewart, 12-1 in first season at East Noble, 66-40 in 10th season overall. Keith Kinder, 65-20 in seventh season at Mishawaka.
PREVIOUS MEETING: East Noble, 34-29, on August 30, 2019.
LAST CONTEST: East Noble beat Huntington North, 52-17. Mishawaka beat New Prairie, 21-7.
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 3 Martinsville (12-1) or No. 1 New Palestine (12-0) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Rylee Biddle went 6-of-9 for 129 yards with two touchdowns and carried the ball five times for 27 yards for the No. 2 Knights against Huntington North. Kadyn O’Neal rambled 18 times for 90 yards with a score for the No. 6 Cavemen against New Prairie.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Mishawaka is a very well-coached team that we have a lot of respect for. Coach Kinder and his staff do an outstanding job. We are excited for the opportunity to compete with a great program with a trip to Lucus Oil Stadium on the line. To win, we will need to continue to do what we have done well all season, which is play great defense, win the turnover battle, run the ball effectively, convert on timely passes, and execute at a high level on special teams.” – East Noble’s Alex Stewart.
“We are extremely excited for the opportunity to play a very talented East Noble team. They are extremely talented, physical, and well-coached. They are solid in all three phases and really have no weaknesses. We must play disciplined Mishawaka football on both sides of the ball and in the kicking game to have a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter. I believe our coaching staff will have our kids ready to play and compete.” – Mishawaka’s Keith Kinder.
MARTINSVILLE (12-1) AT NEW PALESTINE (12-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Kelso Stadium.
COACHES: Brian Dugger, 39-21 in fifth season at Martinsville. Kyle Ralph, 139-14 in 12th season at New Palestine.
PREVIOUS MEETING: New Palestine, 70-6, on October 30, 2015 in Class 5A sectional semifinal.
LAST CONTEST: Martinsville beat Evansville Reitz, 35-28. New Palestine beat Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 28-21 (OT).
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 2 East Noble (12-1) or No. 6 Mishawaka (11-2) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Grady Gardner racked up 14 tackles for the No. 3 Artesians against Evansville Reitz. Jacob Davis was 10-of-12 for 80 yards with a touchdown and ran 19 times for 108 yards with a score for the top-ranked Dragons against No. 5 Bishop Chatard.
COACHES’ CORNER: “New Pal is a force! Coach Ralph has built one of the most impressive programs in the state. His kids are tough and they play even tougher. They are extremely good upfront on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they run the ball well like usual, but I’m also very impressed with the quarterback (Jacob Davis). Defensively, they play physical and fly around to the ball. I know a lot of coaches talk about getting 11 hats to the football every play, but New Pal lives that on defense. They swarm the ball. We are going to have to match their physicality up front on both sides of the ball because they are impressive. If we can do that, we will have a ball game. Then it comes down to making the big play and taking care of the football, just like any other game.” – Martinsville’s Brian Dugger.
“Martinsville is a very good and well-coached football team. Both of us just came off emotional wins last Friday. It is going to take a great effort to refocus and regroup for another big night Friday night. This time of year, the old football sayings are always most critical. We have to protect the football, play great defense, and win up front against a very good Martinsville team.” – New Palestine’s Kyle Ralph.
CLASS 3A
GARRETT (13-0) AT FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS (9-4)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Luers Field.
COACHES: Chris DePew, 80-63 in 13th season at Garrett, 157-105 in 24th season overall. Kyle Lindsay, 94-64 in 12th season at Bishop Luers.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, 54-6, on November 7, 2014 in Class 3A sectional final.
LAST CONTEST: Garrett beat Knox, 41-40. Bishop Luers beat Maconaquah, 31-28.
UP NEXT: Winner plays Batesville (9-3) or No. 3 Heritage Hills (12-1) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brayden Nusbaum had two receptions for 87 yards with a touchdown for the No. 4 Railroaders against Knox. Daryea Williams raced 20 times for 135 yards with a score and caught a 14-yard pass for the Knights against No. 8 Maconaquah.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We need to avoid giving up big plays on defense and that we run the ball consistently on offense.” – Garrett’s Chris DePew.
“Garrett is a team riding a wave of momentum, energy, and confidence heading into this semistate game. They’ve won a couple of tough, emotional games in dramatic fashion to get to this point. The Railroaders have arguably the best offensive line we’ve seen this season, a physical and agile defensive front, and a talented offensive backfield led by a senior quarterback (Calder Hefty) who seems unfazed by the big moments. If we are going to survive, we need to control what we can control, which are our effort, our attitude, and our focus. We cannot commit 11 penalties (as we did in the regional championship) and expect to advance. We cannot cough the ball up four times (as we did in the sectional championship) and expect to advance. We cannot miss tackles and blow assignments (as we did a few times the past couple of weeks) and expect to advance. All of these things are correctable, but the question will be if we can do these things amidst adversity. Ball security, discipline, and gang tackling are at the forefront of what it will take to win this Friday.” – Bishop Luers’ Kyle Lindsay.
CLASS 3A
BATESVILLE (9-3) AT HERITAGE HILLS (12-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, The Jungle.
COACHES: Evan Ulery, 61-41 in ninth season at Batesville. Todd Wilkerson, 108-44 in 13th season at Heritage Hills.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Heritage Hills, 24-21, on November 10, 2023 in Class 3A regional final.
LAST CONTEST: Batesville beat Tri-West, 41-37. Heritage Hills beat North Harrison, 50-7.
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 4 Garrett (13-0) or Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (9-4) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Gage Pohlman accumulated 27 rushes for 201 yards with a touchdown for the Bulldogs against Tri-West. Anderson Smith returned an interception 35 yards for a score for the No. 3 Patriots against North Harrison.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This game will come down to which team can be the most efficient at running the football, protecting the football, prevent or create explosive plays, and be sound in the special teams’ department. If we limit mistakes, avoid big plays by (Heritage Hills quarterback) Jett Goldsberry, and have great balance with our run and pass game, then I really like our chances to pull what many will see as an upset.” – Batesville’s Evan Ulery.
“For us to be successful Friday night, we will need to play great defense. Batesville brings a physical running game and an efficient play action passing game. Their quarterback, Will Jaisle (6-foot-2, 220-pounds), does a great job of running their offense. Our defensive line (Trey Willard, Trenton Collins, Hayden Smith, Jacob Hockenberry, Peyton Martin, Gabe Jackson, Jobe Quinn, Austin Braun, Tyler Raven) and linebackers (Parker Hart, Hunter Meredith, Kaden Frakes) will need to be physical up front. Our defensive backs (Tyler Ruxer, Jett Goldsberry, Andersen Smith, Dalton Pledger, Alex Smith, Tyce Winchell) will need to be disciplined in run support and pass defense. On the offensive side of the ball, our offensive line (Parker Hart, Austin Braun, Hayden Smith, Gabe Jackson, Jobe Quinn, Peyton Martin, Trenton Collins) will need to be locked in. Our goal is to establish the run in order to get our offensive firing on all cylinders. Our passing game must be efficient as well as connect on some big play opportunities. The importance of ball security is magnified this time of year. We must take care of the football. We look to our special teams to create positive momentum in the game.” – Heritage Hills’ Todd Wilkerson.
CLASS 2A
ADAMS CENTRAL (12-1) AT ANDREAN (9-4)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Eckert Field.
COACHES: Michael Mosser, 153-50 in 16th season at Adams Central. Chris Skinner, 78-36 in ninth season at Andrean.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First get-together on the gridiron.
LAST CONTEST: Adams Central beat Eastern (Greentown), 42-7. Andrean beat Lafayette Central Catholic, 20-17.
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 7 Linton-Stockton (11-2) or No. 3 Indianapolis Lutheran (12-1) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Matt Heiser scampered 17 times for 132 yards with two touchdowns and recovered a fumble for the No. 4 Flying Jets against Eastern (Greentown), James Finley recorded five tackles and two interceptions for the 59ers against top-ranked Lafayette Central Catholic.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We are going to have to play our best game. We must limit their offense from scoring by slowing down their run game. This will be a difficult task for they outsize our defensive line. We are going to have to play tough, physical defense. We also must be able to match them offensively. We must be methodical, drain clock, score points, and not turn the ball over. It is imperative that we eliminate mistakes on both sides of the ball. If we do that, we may have a shot at winning. If we can’t slow them down and we can’t move the ball, we will be in for a long night.” – Adams Central’s Michael Mosser.
“It will take an entire team effort to get the victory. Adams Central is impressive. They play hard. They play with physicality. They are coached very well. Defending their offense will take sustained discipline for four quarters, which is easier said than done. Our scout offense has had two good days of practice this week, but we realize that it cannot be fully replicated to the speed and efficiency of what we’ll see Friday, so we’re still making tweaks to the game plan as we review practice film. We are excited to host Friday. This is a special moment in the lives of our young men and their families. We’ll be ready on the emotional front. Just need to keep repping in practice and hope it’s good enough come Friday.” – Andrean’s Chris Skinner.
LINTON-STOCKTON (11-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (12-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Meyer Field.
COACHES: Brian Oliver, 125-27 in 12th season at Linton-Stockton. Dave Pasch, 163-54 in 17th season at Indianapolis Lutheran, 228-111 in 28th season overall.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Linton-Stockton, 43-14, on November 18, 2016 in Class 1A semistate.
LAST CONTEST: Linton-Stockton beat Brownstown Central, 22-21. Indianapolis Lutheran beat Lapel, 35-0.
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 4 Adams Central (12-1) or Andrean (9-4) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jesse Voigtschild ran 10 tines for 97 yards and had two receptions for 95 yards with a touchdown for the No. 7 Miners against No. 2 Brownstown Central. Hudson Mills came up with five catches for 97 yards with two scores, nine tackles, and a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown for the No. 3 Saints against Lapel.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This is a huge opportunity for our team. Lutheran is a very top-notch program with great talent. Lutheran has great speed and size which causes some mismatches for us. We will definitely have to use proper technique. Our keys to victory are taking care of the football and not giving up the big play.” – Linton-Stockton’s Brian Oliver.
“Linton is well-coached and very disciplined with a load of talented players. We have to match them with an ability to avoid mistakes and have great mental preparedness. Linton has tremendous team speed. They are physical and very fundamental. They have a defense that attacks and an offense that can wear you down while explosive enough to score a bunch of points. We will have to execute the game plan to have success in all three phases of the football game.” – Indianapolis Lutheran’s Dave Pasch.
CLASS 1A
SOUTH ADAMS (8-5) AT NORTH JUDSON (13-0)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Liberty Field.
COACHES: Grant Moser, 80-37 in 10th season at South Adams. Brett Lambert, 59-19 in sixth season at North Judson.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First matchup on the football field.
LAST CONTEST: South Adams beat North Miami, 40-21. North Judson beat Taylor, 70-6.
UP NEXT: Winner plays No. 6 South Putnam (11-2) or No. 3 Providence (12-0) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Will Patterson accounted for 10 carries for 115 yards with two touchdowns and two catches for 28 yards for the Starfires against No. 10 North Miami. Trey McGowen accounted for three tackles and an interception for the top-ranked Bluejays against Taylor.
COACHES’ CORNER: “They are the number one team in the state for a reason. They are big, fast, and fundamental. We will need to play a near perfect game to win.” – South Adams’ Grant Moser.
“In order for the Bluejays to come away with a victory on Friday night, we will have to be all-in with a championship mindset. There can be no doubt that we will execute our assignments properly, play with mental discipline, and bring a physicality like we haven’t brought all season. We have been to the semistate before, but now is the time for us to finish the job!” – North Judson’s Brett Lambert.
SOUTH PUTNAM (11-2) AT PROVIDENCE (12-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Murphy Stadium.
COACHES: Chuck Sorrell, 52-17 in sixth season at South Putnam, 56-43 in ninth season overall. Daniel McDonald, 42-16 in fifth season at Providence.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Have never played before in football.
LAST CONTEST: South Putnam beat Sheridan, 60-19. Providence beat Milan, 28-10.
UP NEXT: Winner plays South Adams (8-5) or No. 1 North Judson (13-0) for state championship.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ty Benton registered 32 rushes for a school-best 326 yards with six scores for the No. 6 Eagles against Sheridan. Cooper Ross totaled 15 carries for 65 yards for the No. 3 Pioneers against Milan.
COACHES’ CORNER: “After winning our school’s first regional since 2002, we are not satisfied. We have been talking about one goal and that is to play at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 30. Providence has had the same goal, I assume too. We have to mentally and physically prepare for a really good Providence team that has a dynamic offense like ours and a really good defense. Tuesday and Wednesday’s practices will be very important this week as we have to prepare to stop their quarterback (Preston Kempf). We must try and control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball as we have done now for 10 weeks in a row. We need to be able to throw the ball to loosen their box so we can get our power-counter running game going. We have been good enough that if you load the box on us, we can throw and if you cover the pass, we have been gashing teams in the run game. We need to continue that philosophy this week.” – South Putnam’s Chuck Sorrell.
“South Putnam is big, fast, and really good at football. In order to win this game, we will have to be the more physical football team. We have to take care of the ball and play excellent defense. We cannot let their receivers get behind us, and we cannot allow their running back (Ty Benton) to have open creases to run. Hidden yardage in special teams will make a huge difference in the outcome of this game.” – Providence’s Daniel McDonald.
