Things went quite well in the sectional championship round as I went 20-4 (83 percent) last week. As we hit the midway point of the tournament, my overall record is 159-38, which has me at 81 percent for the year. All games are on Friday unless noted.
CLASS 6A
Warsaw (9-2) at Merrillville (10-1): The Tigers and No. 4 Merrillville are meeting for the first time on the gridiron. Wyatt Amiss scampered 25 times for 153 yards in Warsaw’s 35-18 win over Penn. Austin Pupek converted the game-winning 30-yard field goal in the Pirates’ 10-9 win over Crown Point. Matt’s pick: Merrillville 34, Warsaw 30.
Carmel (8-3) at Homestead (11-0): The No. 5 Greyhounds claimed the 2016 regional with a 42-7 win over No. 2 Homestead. Christian Williams completed all nine of his passes for 193 yards with two scores and rushed nine times for 33 yards and another tally in Carmel’s 35-7 win over Westfield. Ryan Burton rumbled 25 times for 159 yards in the Spartans’ 38-14 decision over Carroll (Fort Wayne). Matt’s pick: Homestead 23, Carmel 20.
Ben Davis (7-4) at Zionsville (5-6): The No. 10 Giants cruised to a 34-10 win over Zionsville in the 2011 Class 5A sectional quarterfinals. Trent Gipson went 10-of-13 for 132 yards and two scores in Ben Davis’ 50-10 decision over Southport. Cole Wiseman was 13-of-26 for 295 yards and three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 44-41 upset of No. 8 Brownsburg. Matt’s pick: Ben Davis 33, Zionsville 21.
Center Grove (6-5) at Warren Central (8-3): The No. 7 and defending state champion Warriors were a 21-14 winner over Center Grove on August 23. Brandon Wheat had four carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns in the Trojans’ 49-14 win over Franklin Central. Randy Wells exploded for 18 carries for 208 yards and three touchdowns in Warren Central’s 34-7 win over Lawrence North. Matt’s pick: Warren Central 24, Center Grove 18.
CLASS 5A
Valparaiso (11-0) at Mishawaka (8-3): The No. 2 Vikings are looking to avenge a 29-20 loss to Mishawaka last year. Matt Tomczak recorded four rushes for 49 yards and two touchdowns in Valparaiso’s 45-0 blanking of Valparaiso. Justin Fisher raced 21 times for 156 yards and six scores in the Cavemen’s 42-36 win over No. 9 Elkhart Central. Matt’s pick: Valparaiso 36, Mishawaka 28.
Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (10-1) at Harrison (West Lafayette) (9-2): The No. 4 Saints are taking on No. 7 Harrison for the first time in football. Tobe Eke ran seven times for 53 yards and two scores in Bishop Dwenger’s 42-0 win over Fort Wayne Northrop. Omarion Dixon labored 18 times for 268 yards with four touchdowns in the Raiders’ 45-7 win over McCutcheon. Matt’s pick: Bishop Dwenger 30, Harrison (West Lafayette) 19.
Indianapolis Cathedral (9-2) at New Palestine (11-0): The No. 3 Irish rolled to a 45-6 win over top-ranked and defending state champion New Palestine in the 2009 Class 4A regional final. Jake Langdon tallied 10 carries for 142 yards and a score and also caught a pass for another tally in Cathedral’s 42-12 win over No. 5 Decatur Central. Lincoln Roth was 14-of-16 for 141 yards with two touchdowns and ran nine times for 57 with another score in New Palestine’s 49-14 win over No. 9 Franklin. Matt’s pick: New Palestine 40, Indianapolis Cathedral 35.
Floyd Central (9-2) at Bloomington South (7-4): The Highlanders and Bloomington South have never met on the gridiron before. Colin Cummins registered 12 carries for 76yards and a touchdown in Floyd Central’s 31-7 win over Jeffersonville. Maveric Thiery ran 28 times for 241 yards with a score in the Panthers’ 32-6 win over Castle. Matt’s pick: Bloomington South 39, Floyd Central 29.
CLASS 4A
New Prairie (11-1) at Hobart (10-2): The Brickies captured a sectional crown in 2016 with a 35-14 win over No. 4 New Prairie. Wyatt Kmiecik accounted for four rushes for 27 yards in the Cougars; 35-27 win over Plymouth, D.J. Lipke recorded 24 carries for 132 yards and two scores in Hobart’s 20-0 blanking of Lowell. Matt’s pick: New Prairie 28, Hobart 25.
East Noble (12-0) at Mississinewa (11-1): The No. 2 Knights and No. 5 Mississinewa are getting together for the first time in football. Hayden Jones caught five passes for 76 yards with a score in East Noble’s 14-7 win over No. 10 Leo. Cade Campbell ran 47 times for 310 yards in the Indians’ 31-28 win over No. 7 Marion, Matt’s pick: East Noble 32, Mississinewa 31.
Indianapolis Roncalli (7-5) at Mount Vernon (Fortville (10-2): The Rebels picked up a regional crown in 1999 with a 27-6 win over Mount Vernon (Fortville). Baron Huebler racked up 14 carries for 143 yards in Roncalli’s 34-14 win over Lebanon. Gehrig Sluanker completed 12-of-17 for 258 yards with a touchdown in the Marauders’ 21-14 decision over Pendleton Heights. Matt’s pick: Mount Vernon (Fortville) 35, Indianapolis Roncalli 26.
Mooresville (10-2) at Evansville Memorial (10-1): The No. 8 Pioneers and No. 3 Evansville Memorial are playing football for the first time. Kalija Perry was 10-of-20 for 139 yards with a score in Mooresville’s 17-14 win over No. 1 East Central. Brock Combs racked up 11 carries for 136 yards with a touchdown in the Wildcats’ 38-14 win over No, 6 Evansville Central. Matt’s pick: Evansville Memorial 22, Mooresville 20.
CLASS 3A
Marian (11-1) at Knox (11-1): The No. 4 Knights cruised to a 31-6 win over Knox in last season’s sectional semifinals. Eddie Murphy came up with a 31-yard touchdown catch in Marian’s 14-13 win over Jimtown. Zac Rose ran for the game-winning 10-yard score in overtime of the Redskins’ 19-12 win over Calumet, Matt’s pick: Knox 21, Marian 19,
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (11-1) at Fort Wayne Concordia (7-5): The No. 1 Trojans are playing Fort Wayne Concordia for the first time on the football field. Daylen Taylor ran 31 times for 324 yards and three scores in Bishop Chatard’s 42-14 win over No, 5 and defending state champion West Lafayette. Amir Drew registered 17 carries for 238 yards and four touchdowns in the Cadets’ 56-6 win over Peru. Matt’s pick: Bishop Chatard 44, Fort Wayne Concordia 24.
Danville (7-5) at Vincennes Lincoln (8-4): The Warriors and Vincennes Lincoln have never met before on the gridiron. Dominic Wynn returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown in Danville’s 34-17 win over Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter. Raekowon Haislip rambled 18 times for 259 yards and four scores in the Alices’ 34-21 win over Princeton. Matt’s pick: Danville 19, Vincennes Lincoln 17.
Heritage Hills (12-0) at Lawrenceburg (11-1) (Saturday): The No. 2 Patriots and No. 9 Lawrenceburg have never played on the football field before. Phoenix Rodgers raced 20 times for 101 yards and four touchdowns in Heritage Hills’ 27-7 win over No. 10 Southridge. Garrett Yoon completed 10-of-13 for 226 yards and two scores in the Tigers’ 35-14 win over Greensburg. Matt’s pick: Heritage Hills 45, Lawrenceburg 39.
CLASS 2A
Lewis Cass (11-1) at Andrean (9-3): The 59ers needed five overtimes to post a 66-65 win against No. 1 Lewis Cass in the 2012 regional final. Gabe Eurit ran 16 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns in the Kings’ 56-21 win over LaVille. Noah Hamilton went 6-of-7 for 124 yards and two scores in Andrean’s 44-34 win over No. 10 Rensselaer Central. Matt’s pick: Lewis Cass 31, Andrean 16.
Eastside (10-2) at Eastbrook (10-2): The Blazers are getting together with No. 8 Eastbrook for the first time on the football field. Laban Davis went 8-of-12 for 123 yards and two touchdowns and ran 13 times for 37 yards and a score in Eastside’s 34-0 blanking of Fairfield. Isaiah Dalton rumbled 14 times for 125 yards with a score for the Panthers in their 42-12 win over No. 9 Eastern (Greentown). Matt’s pick: Eastbrook 38, Eastside 13.
Heritage Christian (11-1) at Western Boone (11-1): The No. 2 and defending state champion Stars soared to a 24-7 win against No. 7 Heritage Christian in the 2006 sectional quarterfinals. Maxwell Milton went 11-of-19 for 85 yards with three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 27-8 win over Indianapolis Scecina. Robby Taylor rambled 14 times for 94 yards and three scores in Western Boone’s 56-14 win over South Vermillion. Matt’s pick: Western Boone 37, Heritage Christian 17.
Evansville Mater Dei (10-2) at Triton Central (9-3) (Saturday): The No, 4 Wildcats claimed a regional championship in 2014 with a 28-14 win over Triton Central. Jalen McGrew accounted for a pair of scores in Evansville Mater Dei’s 35-6 win over North Knox. Hayden Kermode tallied a pair of touchdowns in the Tigers’ 20-0 blanking of Providence. Matt’s pick: Evansville Mater Dei 41, Triton Central 21.
CLASS 1A
North Judson (7-4) at Lafayette Central Catholic (9-3): The Bluejays and No. 8 Lafayette Central Catholic have never gotten together before on the gridiron. Eli Blount ran 10 times for 40 yards and two touchdowns in North Judson’s 15-14 win over Culver. Evan Munn registered nine carries for 54 yards with a score in the Knights’ 34-16 decision over Traders Point Christian. Matt’s pick: Lafayette Central Catholic 42, North Judson 12.
South Adams (12-0) at Adams Central (11-1): The No. 2 Starfires cruised to a 42-14 win over No. 4 Adams Central on September 27. Trey Schoch hauled in three passes for 173 yards with three touchdowns in South Adams’ 47-20 win over Madison-Grant. Blake Heyerly romped 31 times for 174 yards with a score in the Flying Jets’ 38-28 win over Northfield. Matt’s pick: South Adams 30, Adams Central 28.
North Vermillion (11-1) at Indianapolis Lutheran (11-0): The No. 5 Falcons claimed a spot in the 2018 Class 1A state title game with a 14-7 win against No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran in the semistate. Wyatt Reynolds ran 37 times for 248 yards and three scores in North Vermillion’s 42-40 win over No. 6 Parke Heritage. Blake White completed 8-of-10 for 150 yards with two touchdowns and ran for another tally in the Saints’ 49-6 win over Park Tudor. Matt’s pick: Indianapolis Lutheran 27, North Vermillion 19.
North Decatur (11-1) at West Washington (11-1): The No. 7 Chargers dropped a 64-14 decision to No. 9 West Washington in the 2016 sectional semifinals. Logan Koehne recorded seven catches for 120 yards and a score in the Chargers’ 21-20 win over Milan. Holden Bowsman threw and ran for touchdowns in the Senators’ 20-0 win over Perry Central. Matt’s pick: West Washington 25, North Decatur 22.