My stretch of success continued as I went 22-1 (96 percent) last week. My overall record is now 151-31, which has now me at 83 percent.
CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 1
Portage (4-5) at Crown Point (9-0): The No. 2 Bulldogs earned a 58-20 win over Portage on September 20. Kodie Young went 7-of-12 for 169 yards with two touchdowns in the Indians’ 35-14 win over LaPorte. Jacob Soley managed six catches for 93 yards with a score in Crown Point’s 35-8 win over Michigan City. Matt’s pick: Crown Point 48, Portage 10.
Lake Central (3-6) at Penn (7-2): The Kingsmen crowned Lake Central, 33-3, in the 2013 regional final. Cameron Reddick threw for 115 yards and two touchdowns in the Indians’ 21-14 loss to Valparaiso. Vinny Freeman snatched an interception in Penn’s 27-0 win over Saint Joseph. Matt’s pick: Penn 36. Lake Central 8.
CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 2
Fort Wayne Snider (7-2) at Elkhart (8-1): Jordan Davis rambled 14 times for 100 yards with a score in the Panthers’ 21-8 win over Fort Wayne Wayne, Novell Miller carried the ball 16 times for 47 yards with a touchdown in the No. 6 Lions’ 55-14 win over Adams. Matt’s pick: Fort Wayne Snider 20, Elkhart 17.
Carroll (Fort Wayne) (7-2) at Fort Wayne Northrop (2-7): The No. 10 Chargers blanked Fort Wayne Northrop, 52-0, on October 11. Jimmy Sullivan completed 11-of-20 for 137 yards with a touchdown and ran 17 times for 68 yards with another tally in Carroll’s 38-22 win over Fort Wayne North. Legend Relue tallied 19 carries for 93 yards with a score in the Bruins’ 24-19 win over Fort Wayne South. Matt’s pick: Carroll (Fort Wayne) 46, Fort Wayne Northrop 12.
CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 9
Hammond Morton (4-4) at Munster (2-7): The Mustangs stomped Hammond Morton, 35-6, during the 2022 campaign. Dashawn Woods came up with a 14-yard scamper for a score in the Governors’ 56-0 win over East Chicago Central. Xavier Rodriguez finished with five carries for 36 yards with a touchdown as well as five tackles in Munster’s 29-13 loss to Kankakee Valley. Matt’s pick: Hammond Morton 49, Munster 15.
Hammond Central (3-6) at Merrillville (8-1): The No. 3 Pirates claimed a sectional crown in 2022 with a 52-8 win over Hammond Central. Bryce Brandon ran eight times for 58 yards in the Wolves’ 48-26 loss to Hanover Central. Jordan Sanders completed 10-of-23 for 199 yards with a touchdown in Merrillville’s 29-23 win over Chesterton. Matt’s pick: Merrillville 44, Hammond Central 7.
CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 10
Michigan City (3-6) at Chesterton (5-4): The Wolves clawed past Chesterton, 20-0, on September 6. Michael Crawford racked up 19 tackles for Michigan City against Crown Point. Louis Raffin scampered three times for 28 yards with a score for the Trojans against Merrillville. Matt’s pick: Chesterton 18, Michigan City 16.
LaPorte (0-9) at Valparaiso (6-3): The No. 9 Vikings rolled to a 42-7 win over LaPorte on September 6. Vann Warner hauled in a 70-yard touchdown pass for the Slicers against Portage. Thomas Burda came up with 25 carries for 228 yards with a touchdown for Valparaiso against Lake Central. Matt’s pick: Valparaiso 39, LaPorte 3.
CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 11
Goshen (0-9) at Warsaw (6-3): The No. 9 Tigers cruised to a 56-7 win over Goshen on September 6. Gabe Janisse managed three tackles and an interception in the RedHawks’ 42-0 loss to NorthWood. Ethan Egolf’s 25-yard touchdown catch lifted Warsaw to a 42-13 win over Northridge. Matt’s pick: Warsaw 45, Goshen 6.
Concord (9-0) at Fort Wayne North (5-4): The top-ranked Minutemen posted a 28-19 win over Fort Wayne North in the 2015 sectional semifinals. Mark Herman caught a 23-yard pass for a score in the Concord’s 42-14 win at Plymouth. Caleb Kiengele scampered 11 times for 90 yards with a touchdown for the Legends against Carroll (Fort Wayne). Matt’s pick: Concord 29, Fort Wayne North 11.
CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 12
Lafayette Jeff (9-0) at Adams (2-7) (Everwise School Field): The No. 2 Bronchos raced past Adams, 59-13, during the 2004 season. Antwoine Richmond raced 13 times for 101 yards with a touchdown in Lafayette Jeff’s 21-14 win over McCutcheon. Quincy Tootoo finished with two receptions for 13 yards with a score for the Eagles against Elkhart. Matt’s pick: Lafayette Jeff 42, Adams 9.
McCutcheon (4-5) at Kokomo (4-4): The Wildkats edged McCutcheon, 28-20, on October 11. Keegun Rice ended with 13 carries for 96 yards with a score for the Mavericks against Lafayette Jeff. Baris Moore accumulated 90 yards on the ground on 17 attempts in Kokomo’s 29-28 loss to Harrison (West Lafayette). Matt’s pick: Kokomo 26, McCutcheon 23.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 17
Kankakee Valley (5-5) at Hanover Central (8-2): The Wildcats roared to a 34-20 win over Kankakee Valley on September 20. Van Koostra managed two catches for 66 yards with a score in the Kougars’ 52-14 win against Highland. Tommy Bonner went 6-of-8 for 103 yards with two touchdowns and ran for another tally in Hanover Central’s 71-30 win over East Chicago Central. Matt’s pick: Hanover Central 35, Kankakee Valley 10.
New Prairie (7-3) at Hobart (6-4): The Cougars registered a 49-20 win over Hobart in last year’s sectional quarterfinals. Trenton Mamazza raced four times for 99 yards with a touchdown in New Prairie’s 60-14 win over Gary West. Willy Shearer totaled 19 carries for 71 yards in the Brickies’ 38-13 win over Lowell. Matt’s pick: New Prairie 33, Hobart 13.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 18
Plymouth (6-4) at Mishawaka (8-2): The No. 6 Cavemen clubbed Plymouth, 34-10, on October 11. Carter Bush accumulated nine tackles in the Rockies’ 38-13 win over Wawasee. Jackson Snyder mustered an eight-yard scoring run in Mishawaka’s 23-10 win at Northridge. Matt’s pick: Mishawaka 38, Plymouth 12.
NorthWood (5-5) at Saint Joseph (6-4): The Panthers recorded a 52-20 win over Saint Joseph in last season’s sectional quarterfinals. Landon Perry ran 10 times for 129 yards with two scores and caught two passes for 70 yards with two touchdowns in NorthWood’s 60-28 win over Washington. AJ LaSane threw three touchdown passes in the Huskies’ 35-0 win over Riley. Matt’s pick: NorthWood 25, Saint Joseph 22.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 25
Jimtown (7-3) at Marian (5-5): The Knights celebrated a sectional title in 2021 with a 40-7 win over Jimtown. Owen Glass accounted for a one-yard scoring run in the Jimmies’ 37-7 win over Glenn. Simon Smith amassed two tackles and a fumble recovery in Marian’s 35-6 win over Calumet. Matt’s pick: Marian 31, Jimtown 26.
Griffith (9-1) at Knox (7-3): Jaxson Lawson returned an interception for a score in the Panthers’ 61-0 win over Hammond Bishop Noll. Noah Bolen registered six tackles in the Redskins’ 38-13 win over River Forest. Matt’s pick: Knox 40, Griffith 30.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 26
Garrett (10-0) at Tippecanoe Valley (7-3): The Vikings came away with a 22-8 win over No. 4 Garrett in the 2021 sectional quarterfinals. Alex Guzman scampered nine times for 103 yards in the Railroaders’ 50-26 win over Lakeland. Hunter Stage completed all three of his passes for 54 yards and ran five times for 12 yards with a score in Tippecanoe Valley’s 51-25 win over Woodlan. Matt’s pick: Garrett 34, Tippecanoe Valley 18.
Fairfield (5-5) at West Noble (9-1): The No. 10 Chargers marched past Fairfield, 31-0, on September 20. Kahler Maust went 3-of-4 for 64 yards with a score and ran twice for 38 yards with another touchdown in the Falcons’ 48-34 win over Fort Wayne Concordia. Trey Shisler was 4-of-6 for 79 yards with two touchdowns in West Noble’s 42-14 win over Angola. Matt’s pick: West Noble 41, Fairfield 14.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 33
Rensselaer Central (3-6) at Bremen (6-4): The Bombers racked up a regional title in 2014 with a 48-13 win over Bremen. Carter Ogborn recorded 17 carries for 81 yards in Rensselaer Central’s 39-6 loss to Logansport. Jace Pippenger had three rushes for 30 yards with a score in the Lions’ 61-0 win over Lake Station. Matt’s pick: Bremen 32, Rensselaer Central 28.
Andrean (6-4) at Wheeler (8-2): The Bearcats suffered a 44-6 loss to Andrean in the 2021 sectional quarterfinals. Jeremiah Gonzales came up with nine rushes for 126 yards with a touchdown in the 59ers’ 41-0 win over Whiting. Caleb Klimczak completed 10-of-23 for 99 yards in Wheeler’s 13-7 overtime win at Boone Grove. Matt’s pick: Andrean 23, Wheeler 16.
CLASS 1A SECTIONAL 41
North Judson (10-0) at Culver (2-8): The No. 1 Bluejays soared to a 70-0 win over Culver on September 20. Jesiah McDaniel went 2-of-2 for 25 yards with two touchdowns and carried the ball twice for 47 yards with another tally in North Judson’s 71-20 win over South Newton. Jonas McCuen tossed three touchdown passes in the Cavaliers’ 44-15 win over South Central. Matt’s pick; North Judson 56, Culver 6.
North Newton (3-7) at LaVille (5-5): The Lancers slipped by North Newton, 3-0, in the 2017 season. With their 46-40 win over Bowman Academy, the Spartans registered their first post-season victory since 2017. Braedyn Foster finished with 11 tackles in LaVille’s 41-6 win over West Central Matt’s pick: LaVille 47, North Newton 7.
