ALL CONTESTS ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 UNLESS NOTED
CLASS 6A
WESTFIELD (10-2) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (9-3)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Gorsuch Complex.
COACHES: Josh Miracle, 22-4 in second season at Westfield. Doug Dinan, 128-55 in 16th season at Carroll.
LAST CONTEST: Westfield beat Fishers, 20-10. Carroll beat Penn, 41-30.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Westfield beat Carroll (Fort Wayne), 37-14, on November 12, 2021 in Class 6A regional final.
UP NEXT: Winner meets No. 11 Warren Central (8-4) or No. 1 Brownsburg (12-0) for Class 6A state championship on November 28.
TOP PERFORMERS: Asher Wagoner tallied five rushes for 40 yards with three touchdowns for the No. 10 Chargers against No. 5 Penn. Cooper Melvin had five carries for 83 yards and completed 6-of-9 for 41 yards for the No. 6 Shamrocks against No. 9 Fishers.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We look forward to this week’s semistate matchup against an extremely talented and well-coached Fort Wayne Carroll team. Coach Dinan and his staff have our utmost respect as we know that they will be well prepared in all three phases of the game. In order for us to be successful this week, we will need to continue to prioritize winning both the takeaway and explosive play battles, executing in clutch situations, and handling the road trip. Our program is extremely grateful for the opportunity to compete and represent the Westfield community for the fifth time in the past six years in the semistate championship game.” – Westfield’s Josh Miracle.
“As any team that is playing for a semistate championship, we are excited for the opportunity to be one of the final four teams playing in Class 6A and looking forward to hosting the game at home. We are very proud of the performance at Penn High School where our kids showed great resolve, character, and determination in the face of adversity to come back and win the regional championship. Westfield is a very strong program with a good running game led by a senior-laden offensive line. Their defense has very good pass rushers and they play multiple fronts. Westfield has a history of competing at a high level as they were the 2024 Class 6A state championship runner-up, losing to Brownsburg. For us to be successful, we need control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. We need to win the turnover battle and we need to make a difference with special teams.” – Carroll’s (Fort Wayne) Doug Dinan.
WARREN CENTRAL (8-4) AT BROWNSBURG (12-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Roark Stadium.
COACHES: J.T. Whitaker, 8-4 in first season at Warren Central. John Hart, 94-19 in 10th season at Brownsburg, 361-100 in 41st season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Warren Central beat Center Grove, 24-21. Brownsburg beat Decatur Central, 47-23.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Warren Central beat Brownsburg, 14-6, on November 13, 2009 in Class 5A regional final.
UP NEXT: Winner takes on No. 6 Westfield (10-2) or No. 10 Carroll (Fort Wayne).
TOP PERFORMERS: Zechariah Wallace came up with three catches for 51 yards with a score for the No. 11 Warriors against No. 4 Center Grove. Drew Bostic totaled six tackles and an interception for the top-ranked and defending state champion Bulldogs against No. 8 and defending Class 5A state champion Decatur Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Brownsburg is a great team, so it will take our best performance of the year. For that to happen, we need to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, execute at a high level for four quarters, play clean on all of our special teams, be explosive, and play physical.” – Warren Central’s J.T. Whitaker.
“Warren Central’s head coach (J.T. Whitaker) was my offensive coordinator for the past nine years and their offensive coordinator (Jared Johnson) was our offensive line coach for the last two years. This will be a challenge schematically for our staff. (Defensive lineman Jerimy) Finch and (linebacker Sean) Fox are two of the very best players in the state and will create challenges for our offense. Their quarterback (Jack) Quillen has gotten better every week and has (NCAA) D-1 offers and their running back (Keyon) Thomas is the best we have seen all year. When these four guys are all on the field, Warren Central is 8-0 this year.” – Brownsburg’s John Hart.
CLASS 5A
CONCORD (11-1) AT MERRILLVILLE (10-2)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Demaree Stadium.
COACHES: Craig Koehler, 83-36 in 11th season at Concord. Brad Seiss, 93-39 in 11th season at Merrillville, 106-56 in 14th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Concord beat Lafayette Jeff, 47-45. Merrillville beat Michigan City, 34-14.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First time playing football.
UP NEXT: Winner meets No. 4 Bloomington South (11-1) or No. 1 New Palestine (12-0) for Class 5A state title on November 28.
TOP PERFORMERS: Carson Weirich accounted for 10 tackles for the No. 6 Minutemen against No. 2 Lafayette Jeff. JQ Johnson raced 23 times for 98 yards and hauled in three passes for 15 yards for the No. 5 Pirates against No. 12 Michigan City.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Merrillville is incredibly explosive on offense. We will need some timely stops and hopefully some takeaways to have an opportunity to win the game. Our offense must continue to execute and limit turnovers. We were minus-one last week vs. Lafayette Jeff in turnover margin. We need to win that stat this week. Both teams are explosive in special teams, so whoever wins that battle will have a distinct advantage in the game.” – Concord’s Craig Koehler.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to play Concord to earn a berth in the Class 5A state championship. We know it won’t be easy as Concord is an excellent team that is well-coached and has a very talented roster. Managing our excitement and playing in a game with the pressure that comes with this game will be extremely important. Demaree Stadium will be electric and we’re excited to play the game at home.” – Merrillville’s Brad Seiss.
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (11-1) AT NEW PALESTINE (12-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Kelso Stadium.
COACHES: Gabe Johnson, 51-17 in sixth season at Bloomington South, 65-27 in eighth season overall. Kyle Ralph, 153-14 in 13th season at New Palestine.
LAST CONTEST: Bloomington South beat Floyd Central, 55-7. New Palestine beat East Central, 20-6.
PREVIOUS MEETING: New Palestine beat Bloomington South, 45-0, on November 22, 2019 in Class 5A southern semistate finale.
UP NEXT: Winner takes on No. 6 Concord (11-1) or No. 5 Merrillville (10-2).
TOP PERFORMERS: Shaun Cooper recorded 10 rushes for 33 yards with two scores and a 13-yard reception for the No. 4 Panthers against No. 7 Floyd Central. Jacob Davis totaled 14 carries for 98 yards and completed 2-of-12 for 15 yards for the No. 1 and defending Class 4A state champion Dragons against No. 9 East Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “It will take a tremendous effort by our players and staff. We are ready. We know they are very good, but we feel like we are very good too. They are as well-coached and talented a team as we have seen.” – Bloomington South’s Gabe Johnson.
“This is another massive challenge for our program as we continue to advance. We take on the No. 3 team in the state with a much larger enrollment than us. Bloomington South is a tremendous program with historic and recent tournament success. It will take our best effort this Friday night.” – New Palestine’s Kyle Ralph.
CLASS 4A
SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH (12-1) AT FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER (11-2)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Shields Field.
COACHES: Ben Downey, 77-46 in 10th season at Saint Joseph. Jason Garrett, 71-28 in eighth season at Bishop Dwenger.
LAST CONTEST: Saint Joseph beat Hobart, 10-7. Bishop Dwenger beat Lebanon, 39-27.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Bishop Dwenger beat Saint Joseph, 41-7, on November 20, 2015 in Class 4A northern semistate final.
UP NEXT: Winner meets No. 4 Heritage Hills (12-1) or No. 6 Indianapolis Roncalli (10-3) for Class 4A state championship on November 29.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ryder Place converted a 36-yard field goal for the No. 7 Huskies against Hobart. AJ Shefferly had 10 carries for 90 yards, two catches for 18 yards, nine tackles, and a quarterback sack for the No. 8 Saints against Lebanon.
COACHES’ CORNER: “A victory would take our special teams winning the field position battle and our kicking game remaining a weapon. Our defense needs to continue attacking as usual and focusing on the next play. Our offense has to focus on eating the clock and finishing drives with points.” – Saint Joseph’s Ben Downey.
“South Bend Saint Joseph is an outstanding opponent. They are solid in all three facets and play extremely hard and physical. We must execute well in all three facets and win the line of scrimmage and turnover battle. We must also limit penalties and be efficient in all red-zone opportunities.” – Bishop Dwenger’s Jason Garrett.
HERITAGE HILLS (12-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (10-3)
KICKOFF: 8 pm ET, Tully Field.
COACHES: Todd Wilkerson, 122-45 in 14th season at Heritage Hills. Sam Otley, 16-8 in second season at Roncalli.
LAST CONTEST: Heritage Hills beat Martinsville, 35-19. Roncalli beat Yorktown, 31-27.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Heritage Hills beat Roncalli, 27-0, on November 17, 2000 in Class 3A southern semistate final.
UP NEXT: Winner takes on No. 7 Saint Joseph (12-1) or No. 8 Bishop Dwenger (11-2).
TOP PERFORMERS: Dalton Pledger tallied 19 carries for 84 yards with a touchdown and 16 tackles with 1.5 for loss for the No. 4 and defending Class 3A state champion Patriots against Martinsville. Casey Horton racked up nine tackles for the No. 6 Royals against No. 13 Yorktown.
COACHES’ CORNER: “It’s been 25 years since Heritage Hills and Roncalli have met on the football field. In 2000, Jay Cutler led the Patriots to our first-ever semistate championship in a 27-0 victory. I remember the joy and pride our community felt as we finally earned an opportunity to play in (and eventually win) the 2000 Class 3A state championship. This year, Roncalli’s spread-option offense makes them very difficult to defend. Roncalli’s quarterback, Collin Ash, is excellent in both the option run-game and the passing game. We will need a physical, disciplined effort and leadership from our defense. Offensively, we need to continue to produce. Our playmakers and offensive linemen will need to have a great night and continue to make plays. Our special teams have been outstanding this year and we always look for them to create positive momentum in the game.” – Heritage Hills’ Todd Wilkerson.
“Offensively, we have to start fast, take care of the football, control the line of scrimmage, and take advantage of explosive play opportunities. Defensively, we have to play sound, physical football and tackle by rallying to the ball. On special teams, we need to score points and control field position.” – Roncalli’s Sam Otley.
CLASS 3A
KNOX (13-0) AT FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS (8-5)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Luers Field.
COACHES: Russ Radtke, 55-21 in sixth season at Knox, 426-158 in 49th season overall. Kyle Lindsay, 103-70 in 13th season at Bishop Luers.
LAST CONTEST: Knox beat Angola, 28-21. Bishop Luers beat Twin Lakes, 14-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First matchup on the gridiron.
UP NEXT: Winner meets No. 3 Gibson Southern (12-1) or No. 2 Cascade (13-0) for Class 3A state title on November 28.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cain Weber accounted for six tackles and a two-yard run for the No. 4 Redskins against Angola. Terrance Epperson carried the ball 17 times for 82 yards and caught an eight-yard pass for the defending state runner-up Knights against No. 13 Twin Lakes.
COACHES’ CORNER: “To come away with a win Friday, we are going to have to execute and carry out our game plan. We can’t make mistakes and everyone has to do their job.” – Knox’s Russ Radtke.
“Ball security on offense is going to be important. They don’t turn the ball over (five turnovers total on the season!) and churn out the clock with long, sustained drives (when Myles McLaughlin isn’t busting long ones). Possessions may be at a premium, so we can’t afford to turn the ball over or have penalties that make first down conversions tough. We have to capitalize in the red zone because their defense gets tougher in the red zone (Angola failed on two second half drives to either tie or take the lead at regional). We have to take advantage of every scoring opportunity. Possessions will likely be limited. We have to do a good job of gang tackling because McLaughlin is strong and fast (evident to anyone who’s seen him in person or on film). However, I think his greatest attributes are his patience, vision, and balance while running the ball. When you think you have him gobbled up, he rolls off a tackle and takes off. We need to hit him from all angles on the field and be relentless in our pursuit to the ball. We must dominate on special teams because field position is so crucial at this point in the season. Our defense has proven to be tough to move the ball on, down after down after down, the length of the field. In my opinion, our coverage teams need to be on point and our return teams need to have a great opportunity to make some good things happen and give us solid field position.” – Bishop Luers’ Kyle Lindsay.
GIBSON SOUTHERN (12-1) AT CASCADE (13-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Saturday, Cascade Stadium.
COACHES: Nick Hart, 145-28 in 14th season at Gibson Southern. Connor Simmons, 41-26 in sixth season at Cascade.
LAST CONTEST: Gibson Southern beat Indian Creek, 42-14. Cascade beat Lawrenceburg, 37-33.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Have never before on the football field.
UP NEXT: Winner takes on No. 4 Knox (13-0) or Bishop Luers (8-5).
TOP PERFORMERS: Noah Kuester amassed five catches for 53 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 3 Titans against Indian Creek. Lucas Farmer managed nine carries for 53 yards, an 80-yard touchdown reception, and five tackles for the No. 2 Cadets against No. 5 Lawrenceburg.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Cascade is a tremendous football team. They have great players and are very well-coached in all three phases of the game. We are going to have to limit their big plays, take care of the football, and find a way to manufacture some points against their defense.” – Gibson Southern’s Nick Hart.
“We are excited to be playing for our first semistate and to compete for a chance to play for another week against another top Class 3A team in the state. Coach Hart has done an unbelievable job at Gibson Southern since his arrival turning it into a perennial power. Our kids are playing loose and free right now and we want them to continue to play that way. We focus on three things to look at in each game, win the line of scrimmage, win the turnover game, and win the explosive play game (plus-15 yards). Up front, Gibson Southern has one of the best defensive lines in Class 3A, so our offensive line must be up for the challenge of playing fundamental football and executing at a high level to give our backs room to run. Defensively, we have forced 30-plus takeaways this year that have setup our offense with momentum and short fields, so we will need to create havoc for their offense, slow their run game, and continue to be a force in that department. Lastly, our offense thrives off of explosive plays, so we will need to create big plays on offense and special teams. Our kids are up for the big challenge ahead. We are excited to host Coach Hart and Gibson Southern on Saturday night!” – Cascade’s Connor Simmons.
CLASS 2A
ADAMS CENTRAL (13-0) AT ANDREAN (11-1)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Father Eckert Field.
COACHES: Michael Mosser, 168-50 in 17th season at Adams Central. Chris Skinner, 89-38 in 10th season at Andrean.
LAST CONTEST: Adams Central beat Eastbrook, 42-28. Andrean beat Southmont, 52-32.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Adams Central beat Andrean, 20-13, on November 22, 2024 in Class 2A northern semistate finale.
UP NEXT: Winner meets No. 2 Brownstown Central (13-0) or No. 3 Lapel (13-0) for Class 2A state championship on November 29.
TOP PERFORMERS: Braylend Reber hauled in a 32-yard pass for a score along with an interception for the top-ranked and defending state champion Flying Jets against No. 4 Eastbrook. Javier McCoy carried the ball six times for 62 yards with a touchdown and racked up six tackles and an interception for the No. 5 59ers against Southmont.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Well, obviously this will be a big challenge for us as they outsize us for sure. They are very good and powerful on both sides of the ball. If we are going to win, we will have to find a way to control the line of scrimmage, which is a daunting task. We will have to fly to the ball, so our linebackers and secondary must make plays. Offensively, we have to be efficient and not turn the ball over. It is imperative that we drain clock and score points.” – Adams Central’s Michael Mosser.
“Adams Central is a true program in that they continue to achieve high levels of success year over year. And when you watch them play, it is obvious as to why. They play with great technique across the board. They play football the right way, physical and relentless. We have a lot of respect for them and hopefully, they recognize some of those same qualities in our program. Offensively, they are a machine. They are really good at what they do. It seems like they have an answer to every possible alignment. We’ll do our best to put our defense in position to make plays, but at the end of the day, we need to read keys and complete assignments. We saw on Friday against Southmont that a single player out of position will be exposed. From our offensive perspective, we need to be efficient. We know the number of possessions will be less than a normal game for us. We need complementary football to get this done. It will take success in all three phases.” – Andrean’s Chris Skinner.
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (13-0) AT LAPEL (13-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, The Boneyard.
COACHES: Reed May, 325-65 in 33rd season at Brownstown Central. Tim Miller, 97-67 in 14th season at Lapel.
LAST CONTEST: Brownstown Central beat Linton-Stockton, 43-18. Lapel beat Indianapolis Lutheran, 38-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First time playing football.
UP NEXT: Winner takes on No. 1 Adams Central (13-0) or No. 5 Andrean (11-1).
TOP PERFORMERS: Preston Garrison returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown, ran 10 times for 21 yards, and caught a one-yard pass for the No. 2 Braves against No. 10 and defending state runner-up Linton-Stockton. Jack Miller accounted for 21 carries for 85 yards with two scores and two tackles for the No. 3 Bulldogs against No. 6 Indianapolis Lutheran.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Lapel is a great football team with a great quarterback (Devin Craig). To be successful, we will need to limit the big plays, try to control the football, do a great job on special teams, and win the turnover battle.” – Brownstown Central’s Reed May.
“We have to find a way to slow down their offense and try to figure out who has the ball. It is a tall task this season that no one has been able to do so far. Offensively, we need to take care of the football move the chains and take our shots when they are there.” – Lapel’s Tim Miller.
CLASS 1A
PIONEER (12-1) AT SOUTH ADAMS (10-3)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Starfire Field.
COACHES: Adam Berry, 100-26 in 10th season at Pioneer. Grant Moser, 90-41 in 11th season at South Adams.
LAST CONTEST: Pioneer beat LaVille, 34-14. South Adams beat North Miami, 25-22.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Pioneer beat South Adams, 62-7, on November 21, 2014 in Class 1A northern semistate finale.
UP NEXT: Winner meets No. 5 South Putnam (11-2) or Milan (7-4) for Class 1A state title on November 28.
TOP PERFORMERS: Juan Solano totaled eight tackles for the No. 3 Panthers against LaVille. Nathan Plattner amassed 16 tackles for the No. 12 Starfires against North Miami.
COACHES’ CORNER: “South Adams is a great football program and have a ton of respect for their coach and team. Our offense is going to have to recognize what they are in on defense as they like to switch it up. Our line will have to have their best game to date and our backs are going to have to keep hold of the ball to fully take advantage of our possessions. We will have to cover the entire field on defense. Their quarterback (Tytus Lehman) can throw the ball in all areas of the field. They have tremendous receivers who run great routes and can catch the ball in traffic. A good pass rush will be key as well as not giving up the big play and we need to make them drive the length of the field.” – Pioneer’s Adam Berry.
“Pioneer is a machine. Coach Berry’s resume speaks for itself. We are excited to host a semistate game and are going to throw everything we have at them. It should be a great atmosphere.” – South Adams’ Grant Moser.
SOUTH PUTNAM (11-2) AT MILAN (7-4)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, The Teepee.
COACHES: Chuck Sorrell, 63-20 in seventh season at South Putnam, 67-46 in 10th season overall. Ryan Langferman, 126-82 in 18th season at Milan.
LAST CONTEST: South Putnam beat Sheridan, 26-6. Milan beat Providence, 22-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First contest on the gridiron.
UP NEXT: Winner takes on No. 3 Pioneer (12-1) or No. 12 South Adams (10-3).
TOP PERFORMERS: Drew Cline completed 6-of-12 for 60 yards, ran six times for 40 yards with two touchdowns, and registered nine tackles for the No. 5 Eagles against No. 11 Sheridan. Grant Langferman rambled five times for 46 yards, caught a 15-yard pass, and added six tackles and an interception for the Indians against No. 5 and defending start champion Providence.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Milan is a very good team that runs their offense and defense very efficiently. We can tell from the film that they are very well-coached as they find what teams are doing and try to take advantage. We will need to get off the field on defense and not allow them to control the clock. Stops on first downs are the keys this week. If we get the ball, we have to have scoring drives. Obviously, this game may come down to special teams, so whoever makes the biggest play or makes the most plays on special teams may decide the winner. It should be a great game to decide who will represent the south bracket in Class 1A football.” – South Putnam’s Chuck Sorrell.
“To come away with a victory against a very well-coached South Putnam team, we’ll need to be disciplined in all three phases of the game. Defensively, our priority is containing their run game, especially No. 23 Ty Benton, and eliminating big plays. They’re explosive on the ground, so we have to stay sound in our fits and tackle well. Offensively, South Putnam creates challenges with the multiple fronts and alignments they show. We’ll need to trust our blocking rules, establish the run game, and take care of the football. All post-season, our focus has been on not hurting ourselves and that will continue to be a major key. Our passing game will also need to be efficient to keep their defense honest. As always in the tournament, special teams will play a huge role. Our units have been excellent the last two weeks and that’s been a big part of our success. We’ll need that level of execution again on Friday night.” – Milan’s Ryan Langferman.
