My good luck in the post-season continued as I went 13-3 (81 percent) last week. Heading into week three, my overall record is 139-34, which keeps me at 80 percent for the season.
CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 1
Merrillville (9-1) at Crown Point (6-4): The No. 4 Pirates needed overtime to earn a 27-24 win over Crown Point on September 6. Damian Dixon ran nine times for 27 yards with two scores in Merrillville’s 27-20 win over No. 2 Lafayette Jeff. Jake Woods racked up 12 tackles in the Bulldogs’ 22-7 win over Lake Central. Matt’s pick: Merrillville 35, Crown Point 14.
SECTIONAL 2
Penn (6-4) at Warsaw (8-2): The Kingsmen escaped with a 16-7 win over Warsaw in last year’s sectional semifinals. Tiegan Bothun hauled in three passes for 73 yards in Penn’s 13-6 win over Portage. Wyatt Amiss completed both of his passes for 30 yards and ran 16 times for 48 yards and two touchdowns in the Tigers’ 35-28 win at Chesterton. Matt’s pick: Penn 24, Warsaw 21.
SECTIONAL 3
Carroll (Fort Wayne) (7-3) at Homestead (10-0): The No. 2 Spartans rolled to a 42-15 win over Carroll (Fort Wayne) on October 4. Mason Englert caught eight passes for 143 yards with a score in the Chargers’ 42-31 win against Fort Wayne Snider. Gunnar Fry connected on the game-winning 23-yard field goal in overtime of Homestead’s 24-21 win over Noblesville. Matt’s pick: Homestead 33, Carroll (Fort Wayne) 13.
SECTIONAL 4
Westfield (6-4) at Carmel (7-3): The No. 5 Greyhounds posted a 28-7 win over Westfield in last season’s sectional semifinals. Eli Patchett scampered 17 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns in the Shamrocks’ 42-14 win over No. 6 Fishers. John Rogers rambled four times for 67 yards with a score in Carmel’s 28-14 win against Hamilton Southeastern. Matt’s pick: Carmel 31, Westfield 23.
CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 9
Valparaiso (10-0) at LaPorte (3-7): The No. 2 Vikings blanked LaPorte, 35-0, on September 6. Matt Tomczak raced seven times for 53 yards with a score in Valparaiso’s 69-6 win over Munster. Robbie Kiner went 7-of-10 for 101 yards and a touchdown in the Slicers’ 14-10 win at Michigan City. Matt’s pick: Valparaiso 42, LaPorte 12.
SECTIONAL 10
Mishawaka (7-3) at Elkhart Central (9-2): The Cavemen held on for a 22-17 win over No. 9 Elkhart Central on September 28. Ethan Fowler came up with four rushes for 16 yards and two touchdowns in Mishawaka’s 38-6 win over Elkhart Memorial. Mark Brownlee accumulated 31 rushes for a school-record 307 yards and five scores in the Blazers’ 38-31 win over No. 6 Concord. Matt’s pick: Elkhart Central 34, Mishawaka 30.
SECTIONAL 11
Fort Wayne Northrop (5-5) at Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (9-1): The No. 4 Saints slipped past Fort Wayne Northrop, 9-7, on October 18. Jeremiah Green accounted for 110 yards rushing with a score in the Bruins’ 24-6 win over Goshen. Patrick Finley had eight rushes for 108 yards and two touchdowns in Bishop Dwenger’s 35-22 win over Fort Wayne North. Matt’s pick: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 32, Fort Wayne Northrop 10.
SECTIONAL 12
McCutcheon (6-4) at Harrison (West Lafayette) (8-2): The No. 7 Raiders marched past McCutcheon, 42-14, on October 4. Brayden Stull registered 18 carries for 123 yards with a score in the Mavericks’ 30-6 win over Kokomo. Omarion Dixon tallied six carries for 112 yards in Harrison’s 35-0 blanking of Anderson. Matt’s pick: Harrison (West Lafayette) 27, McCutcheon 15.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 17
Lowell (7-4) at Hobart (9-2): The Brickies cruised to a 38-7 win over Lowell on October 18. Joseph Heuer racked up 28 rushes for 221 yards with five touchdowns in the Red Devils’ 55-20 win at Griffith. Zachary Vode had two receptions for 98 yards with a score in Hobart’s 35-0 victory over Highland. Matt’s pick: Hobart 36, Lowell 11.
SECTIONAL 18
Plymouth (9-2) at New Prairie (10-1): The No. 4 Cougars claimed a sectional crown in 2014 with a 37-35 win at Plymouth. Ivan Winkle recorded 18 carries for 131 yards and three touchdowns in the Rockies’ 28-12 win over Saint Joseph. Chris Mays ran 15 times for 89 yards and two scores in New Prairie’s 49-3 win over Culver Academy. Matt’s pick: New Prairie 40, Plymouth 35.
SECTIONAL 19
Leo (10-1) at East Noble (11-0): The No. 2 Knights stormed past No. 10 Leo, 35-7, on September 20. Jackson Barbour went 5-of-10 for 38 yards in the Lions’ 10-6 win over NorthWood. Nick Munson registered four receptions for 62 yards with a touchdown in East Noble’s 42-14 win over DeKalb. Matt’s pick: East Noble 39, Leo 16.
SECTIONAL 20
Mississinewa (10-1) at Marion (9-2): The No. 7 Giants picked up a sectional crown in 2018 with a 26-9 victory over No. 5 Mississinewa. Cade Campbell accounted for 16 rushes for 137 yards and two scores in the Indians’ 30-6 win over Huntington North. J.K. Thomas returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown and also ran 60 yards for a score in Marion’s 27-12 win over New Haven. Matt’s pick: Marion 23, Mississinewa 21.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 25
Knox (10-1) at Calumet (9-1): The Warriors eliminated Knox, 20-18, in the 2014 sectional semifinals. Payton Baugh rumbled 14 times for 178 yards and four touchdowns in the Redskins’ 36-7 win over Twin Lakes. Justin Barker took an interception back 45 yards for a score in Calumet’s 32-13 win over River Forest. Matt’s pick: Knox 20, Calumet 18.
SECTIONAL 26
Jimtown (7-4) at Marian (10-1): The No. 4 Knights were a 17-3 winner over Jimtown on September 20. Trey Washington rambled 12 times for 56 yards with a score in the Jimmies’ 30-7 win over Tippecanoe Valley. Malcom Anderson had 14 rushes for 53 yards with two touchdowns in Marian’s 42-20 win at No. 7 West Noble. Matt’s pick: Marian 26, Jimtown 13.
SECTIONAL 27
Fort Wayne Concordia (6-5) at Peru (6-5): The Cadets claimed a 52-34 victory over Peru in the 2005 sectional semifinals. Brandon Davis completed 18-of-32 for 222 yards in Concordia’s 17-14 win over Norwell. Brandon Masters had eight carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns in the Bengal Tigers’ 37-7 win over Heritage. Matt’s pick: Fort Wayne Concordia 30, Peru 9.
SECTIONAL 28
West Lafayette (9-2) at Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (10-1): The top-ranked Trojans won the 2015 state title with a 31-7 decision over No. 5 West Lafayette. Spencer Blankman ran 19 times for 104 yards in the Red Devils’ 34-31 win over Guerin Catholic. Kyle Cheek was 13-of-21 for 199 yards with three touchdowns in Bishop Chatard’s 49-12 win over North Montgomery. Matt’s pick: Bishop Chatard 37, West Lafayette 36.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 33
Rensselaer Central (9-2) at Andrean (8-3): The 59ers earned a sectional championship in 2012 with a 28-21 win over No. 10 Rensselaer Central. Dalton Kidd scampered three times for 117 yards and a touchdown in the Bombers’ 35-0 blanking of North Newton. Robert Stanley managed 10 rushes for 39 yards with a score in Andrean’s 27-0 victory over No. 6 Boone Grove. Matt’s pick: Andrean 25, Rensselaer Central 17.
SECTIONAL 34
LaVille (9-2) at Lewis Cass (10-1): The No. 1 Kings crowned LaVille, 49-6, during the 2004 season. Andrew Dill had four rushes for 47 yards with two touchdowns and hauled in five passes for 64 yards with another score in the Lancers’ 34-14 win over Bremen. Easton Good came up with two receptions for 52 yards with two touchdowns in Lewis Cass’ 53-9 win at Rochester. Matt’s pick: Lewis Cass 43, LaVille 18.
SECTIONAL 35
Fairfield (6-5) at Eastside (9-2): The Falcons soared to a 55-28 win over Eastside in the 2013 campaign. Cory Lantz tallied six carries for 58 yards with three scores in Fairfield’s 35-0 win over Prairie Heights. Wade Miller came up with a 52-yard touchdown catch in the Blazers’ 13-6 win over Fort Wayne Bishop Luers. Matt’s pick: Eastside 27, Fairfield 7.
SECTIONAL 36
Eastbrook (9-2) at Eastern (Greentown) (11-0): The No. 8 Panthers opened the 2017 post-season with a 56-7 win over No. 9 Eastern (Greentown). Wyatt Stephson rumbled 25 times for 132 yards and three touchdowns in Eastbrook’s 34-7 win over Tipton. Zane Dowling ran 25 times for 147 yards and two scores in Eastern’s 20-7 win at Alexandria. Matt’s pick: Eastbrook 38, Eastern (Greentown) 30.
CLASS 1A SECTIONAL 41
Culver (7-4) at North Judson (6-4): The Bluejays got past Culver, 28-24, on August 23. Zac Ditmire had 26 rushes for 108 yards with a touchdown in the Cavaliers’ 14-6 win over South Central. Eli Blount ran one yard for a score in North Judson’s 16-0 win over Winamac. Matt’s pick: Culver 19, North Judson 10.
SECTIONAL 42
Lafayette Central Catholic (8-3) at Traders Point Christian (9-1): This is the first meeting on the gridiron between the No. 8 Knights and Traders Point. Evan Munn came up with a pair of interceptions and returned one of them 38 yards for a touchdown in Lafayette Central Catholic’s 45-14 win over Clinton Prairie. Gabe Sink tossed a 28-yard touchdown pass in the Knights’ 51-6 win over North White. Matt’s pick: Lafayette Central Catholic 44, Traders Point Christian 22.
SECTIONAL 43
Madison-Grant (4-7) at South Adams (11-0): The Argylls won a 2006 Class 2A sectional crown with 26-20 overtime triumph over No. 2 South Adams. Clayton Powell accumulated nine rushes for 113 yards with two scores in Madison-Grant’s 55-27 win against Union City. Nic Stuber tallied 20 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown in the Starfires’ 28-6 win over Monroe Central. Matt’s pick: South Adams 46, Madison-Grant 8.
SECTIONAL 44
Adams Central (10-1) at Northfield (7-4): The No. 4 Flying Jets flew past Northfield, 34-23, in the 2018 sectional quarterfinals. Blake Heyerly came up with 15 carries for 89 yards and two touchdowns in Adams Central’s 48-22 win against North Miami. Graydon Holmes managed four rushes for 14 yards with a score in the Norsemen’s 14-6 win over No. 3 Southwood. Matt’s pick: Adams Central 41, Northfield 14.
