It proved to be an average performance as I went 18-6 (75 percent) last week. With just two weeks left, my overall mark is 176-41, which leaves me at 81 percent for the season.
CLASS 6A
Hamilton Southeastern (12-0) at Carroll (Fort Wayne) (12-0): Clayton Allen recorded 12 tackles in the top-ranked Royals’ 20-0 win against No. 9 Westfield. Camden Hershberger managed two catches for 34 yards with a score in the No. 5 Chargers’ 21-20 win at Lafayette Jeff. Matt’s pick: Hamilton Southeastern 23, Carroll (Fort Wayne) 17.
Center Grove (10-2) at Indianapolis Cathedral (10-1): The No. 2 Irish earned a 40-29 win at No. 4 Center Grove on October 14. Matthew Neff returned an interception 55 yards for a score in the Trojans’ 42-32 win over Warren Central. Gabriel Bragg came up with a fumble recovery in Cathedral’s 14-7 win at No. 3 Brownsburg. Matt’s pick: Cathedral 33, Center Grove 28.
CLASS 5A
Valparaiso (9-3) at Fort Wayne Snider (11-1): The top-ranked Panthers posted a 28-17 victory against No. 9 Valparaiso in the 2002 northern semistate. Tyler VerSchure’s interception helped the Vikings to a 15-14 win over No. 6 Merrillville. Lincoln Firks accounted for two receptions for 29 yards with a touchdown in Fort Wayne Snider’s 41-27 win over No. 4 Mishawaka. Matt’s pick: Fort Wayne Snider 38, Valparaiso 14.
Whiteland (11-1) at Castle (8-4): Nyrius Moore-Smith scampered 33 yards for a touchdown and returned an interception 31 yards for another score in the No. 2 Warriors’ 49-14 win over Plainfield. Weston Aigner had three catches for 115 yards with a touchdown in the Knights’ 31-14 win over No. 3 Bloomington South. Matt’s pick: Whiteland 24, Castle 10.
CLASS 4A
New Prairie (12-1) at Kokomo (12-1): Kole Staley racked up nine tackles in the No. 6 Cougars’ 55-7 win over Northridge. John Curl accounted for a 25-yard scoring reception in the No. 7 Wildkats’ 42-13 win over No. 9 Columbia City. Matt’s pick: Kokomo 37, New Prairie 34.
Indianapolis Roncalli (12-1) at East Central (11-2): The No. 2 Royals escaped with a 21-19 win over No. 4 East Central on October 14. Andrew Baugh tallied a three-yard scoring run in Roncalli’s 20-7 win over top-ranked New Palestine. Eli Ashton mustered three catches for 21 yards with a touchdown in the Trojans’ 35-21 win over Evansville Memorial. Matt’s pick: Roncalli 30, East Central 22.
CLASS 3A
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (9-4) at West Lafayette (13-0): The No. 6 Trojans marched past No. 1 West Lafayette, 42-14, in the 2019 sectional finale. Jack Weybright registered 11 carries for 89 yards with a score in Bishop Chatard’s 42-14 win over Yorktown. Max Mullis was 12-of-17 for 260 yards with three touchdowns and ran five times for 123 yards with two scores in the Red Devils’ 55-14 win at Knox. Matt’s pick: West Lafayette 35, Bishop Chatard 32.
Monrovia (6-7) at Lawrenceburg (12-1): Dustin Kostrzewski tallied three receptions for 57 yards with a touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 26-21 win at No. 8 Owen Valley. Jake Pierce ended with 11 tackles in the No. 9 Tigers’ 31-7 win at No. 10 Southridge. Matt’s pick: Lawrenceburg 31, Monrovia 19.
CLASS 2A
Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (8-5) at Andrean (9-3): The No. 5 and defending state champion 59ers slipped by Bishop Luers, 17-15, in the 2014 Class 3A northern semistate. RJ Hogue raced nine times for 62 yards with a score in the Knights’ 35-6 win over Bluffton. Billy Henry tossed for 133 yards and two touchdowns in Andrean’s 30-12 win against No. 9 Lafayette Central Catholic. Matt’s pick: Andrean 19, Bishop Luers 12.
Linton-Stockton (13-0) at Evansville Mater Dei (10-3): The No. 6 Wildcats claimed a 28-27 win over top-ranked Linton-Stockton in last season’s sectional semifinals. Paul Oliver had a 32-yard touchdown reception in the Miners’ 60-24 win against Lapel. Ethan Stoltz hauled in three passes for 100 yards with two scores in Mater Dei’s 35-28 win over No. 4 Triton Central. Matt’s pick: Linton-Stockton 26, Mater Dei 18.
CLASS 1A
Adams Central (13-0) at North Judson (12-1): The No. 2 Flying Jets soared to a 42-7 win over No. 4 North Judson in last year’s northern semistate. Max Kaehr recorded a blocked punt in Adams Central’s 35-0 win over No. 8 Carroll (Flora). Brock Benson accounted for 16 carries for 150 yards with four scores in the Bluejays’ 49-13 win over Park Tudor. Matt’s pick: Adams Central 34, North Judson 15.
Indianapolis Lutheran (13-0) at North Decatur (13-0): The No. 1 and defending state champion Saints rolled to a 27-12 win over No. 3 North Decatur in the 2018 sectional opener. Micah Mackay registered seven catches for 150 yards with a touchdown in Lutheran’s 49-7 win over Providence, Cooper Parmer managed nine tackles in the Chargers’ 29-14 win over No. 6 Sheridan. Matt’s pick: Lutheran 43, North Decatur 26.
