FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER (0-0) AT BROWNSBURG (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Roark Stadium.
COACHES: Jason Garrett, 54-20 in seventh season at Bishop Dwenger. John Hart, 69-18 in ninth season at Brownsburg, 336-99 in 40th season overall.
2023 RECORD: Bishop Dwenger 6-6, Brownsburg 9-1.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Brownsburg, 51-7, on August 18, 2023.
UP NEXT: Bishop Dwenger entertains Cincinnati Moeller (Ohio), Brownsburg goes to Indianapolis Cathedral.
TOP PERFORMERS: Pete Theil tallied 48 tackles with 10 for loss, four sacks, and two fumble recoveries for the Saints. Alex Burke came up with 51 tackles with six for loss for the No. 3 (Class 6A) Bulldogs.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We know this will be both a tremendous challenge and an outstanding opportunity for our team. We will need to execute at an extremely high level in all three facets, have a high tackling efficiency rating, and win the turnover battle. We must limit big plays from Brownsburg on offense and special teams as well as move the chains consistently on offense.” Bishop Dwenger’s Jason Garrett.
“We are talented, but really young on offense. We will make frustrating mistakes, but we cannot afford to turn over the ball or make big mistakes in critical times. Defensively, we are experienced and had a lot of success at the end of last year. If we are gonna play championship football, we will need for them to play well early.” – Brownsburg’s John Hart.
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (0-0) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Gorsuch Complex.
COACHES: Michael Kelly, 35-10 in fifth season at Hamilton Southeastern, 49-26 in eighth season overall. Doug Dinan, 110-49 in 15th season at Carroll.
2023 RECORD: Hamilton Southeastern 9-3, Carroll (Fort Wayne) 7-3.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Hamilton Southeastern, 28-14, on August 18, 2023.
UP NEXT: Hamilton Southeastern hosts North Central (Indianapolis), Carroll (Fort Wayne) plays at Center Grove.
TOP PERFORMERS: Chandler Weston went 99-of-169 for 1,415 yards with 18 touchdowns and carried the ball 59 times for 295 yards with four scores for the No. 9 (Class 6A) Royals. Nate Starks ran 87 times for 382 yards with two touchdowns and eight catches for 34 yards for the Chargers.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Carroll has a three-year returning quarterback (Jimmy Sullivan), running back (Nate Starks), and several other key positions players. They are well-coached team that has a lot of experience. We need to win the line of scrimmage, be disciplined, win the turnover battle, and be relentless in all areas to be successful.” – Hamilton Southeastern’s Michael Kelly.
“Hamilton Southeastern is a very good football team that we have had some very good games with the last two seasons. The team that takes care of the ball and wins the line of scrimmage will be successful Friday night.” – Carroll’s Doug Dinan.
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (0-0) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Straley Field.
COACHES: Terry Peebles, 69-37 in 11th season at Harrison. Shane Fry, 116-23 in 12th season at West Lafayette.
2023 RECORD: Harrison (West Lafayette) 9-2, West Lafayette 9-4.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Harrison, 42-6, on August 18, 2023.
UP NEXT: Harrison hosts Plainfield, West Lafayette travels to McCutcheon.
TOP PERFORMERS: Chris Ferguson accumulated 101 carries for 659 yards with 10 touchdowns and 13 receptions for 259 yards with five scores for the Raiders. Benny Speaker registered 88 catches for 968 yards with 10 touchdowns and completed a 60-yard pass for the No. 8 (Class 3A) Red Devils.
COACHES’ CORNER: “On offense, it will come down to limiting turnovers and running the ball effectively on first and second down. Just like any team in the state, we are always focused on taking care of the ball. When you lose the turnover battle, more often than not you lose the game. Taking care of the ball and pairing it with the ideology of effectively running our option offense on first and second down to give us easier third downs, would carry us into the fourth quarter and have us in a great position to win the football game. On defense, we must force turnovers to win the aforementioned turnover battle. West Lafayette loves to go up-tempo, so we need to be able to tackle well in the open field and force them into mistakes. Our defense is led by a group of linebackers that have to set the tone early with stopping the run and limiting their athletic quarterbacks.” – Harrison assistant coach Kyle Holderfield.
“For us to be successful against Harrison, we need to have the stamina to compete for four quarters. We will need to slow down their run game on defense. On offense, we must be able to establish a running game and avoid turnovers. Special teams are always important, but in week one, they can be a game changer. To compete with Harrison, we have to be great on special teams.” – West Lafayette’s Shane Fry.
HERITAGE HILLS (0-0) AT SOUTHRIDGE (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Raider Field.
COACHES: Todd Wilkerson, 96-43 in 13th season at Heritage Hills. Scott Buening, 103-34 in 12th season at Southridge, 115-62 in 16th season overall.
2023 RECORD: Heritage Hills 13-2, Southridge 7-4.
LAST MEETING: Heritage Hills, 23-20, on October 27, 2023 in Class 4A sectional semifinal.
UP NEXT: Heritage Hills goes to Christian Academy (Kentucky), Southridge plays at Boonville.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tyler Ruxer accounted for 27 catches for 545 yards with 10 touchdowns as well as 58 tackles and three interceptions for the No. 1 and defending Class 3A state runner-up Patriots. Davis Schwartz mustered 82 tackles with four for loss for the Raiders.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We have a ton of respect for Coach Buening and the Southridge Raiders. We’ve played each other four times in the last two seasons, so we are familiar with each other and understand that it will take great effort and execution to come out with a win this week. For us to be successful on Friday night, we will need to establish our running game and be efficient in our passing game. Defensively, we need to be disciplined and assignment conscious as we face the Raiders’ ‘Shotgun Wing-T’ offense. We always look to our special teams to create some positive momentum for us on Friday nights. We’re excited to be playing football this Friday.” – Heritage Hills’ Todd Wilkerson.
“Heritage Hills returns most of their entire team from their state finals team last season and most, rightfully so, we consider them the favorite to represent the south again. They are always tremendously well-prepared physically and their coaching staff does a great job of getting the ball in the hands of their best players on offense. They are always very disciplined and physical defensively. We aren’t young by most measures, but we do have a lot of guys who will be either starting their first games or playing meaningful minutes, so we are going to have to manage those emotions and try to make the Patriots snap it as many times as we can on offense. They have explosive players in both the run game and pass game and their line is a difference make at this level. If that isn’t enough of a challenge, we are going to have to figure out how to generate some explosive plays on offense as they aren’t a team that you can expect to put long drives together consistently. The great thing about this game early in the season is we are going to find out real quick what it is going to take to be a tournament contender and where we need to improve.” – Southridge’s Scott Buening.
HOMESTEAD (0-0) AT CARMEL (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Greyhound Stadium.
COACHES: Chad Zolman, 162-58 in 21st season at Homestead. John Hebert, 79-32 in 10th season at Carmel.
2023 RECORD: Homestead 5-5, Carmel 5-5.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Carmel, 14-7, on August 18, 2023.
UP NEXT: Homestead travels to Noblesville, Carmel plays at Westfield.
TOP PERFORMERS: Michael White completed 84-of-147 for 1,060 yards with nine touchdowns and ran 81 times for 214 yards with six scores for the Spartans. Collin Johnson scampered 93 times for 424 yards with a pair of touchdowns for the No. 8 (Class 6A) Greyhounds.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Carmel is a big physical football team. They have great athleticism at the skill positions on both sides of the ball. We will need to play efficient football on offense, stay in front of the sticks, and have no turnovers or pre-snap penalties. We must play assignment sound football on defense, don’t give big plays, cause some turnovers, and tackle well. Those are the things we will need to do to be successful Friday night.” – Homestead’s Chad Zolman.
“Based on Homestead’s scrimmage with Snider and our game in week one of 2023, we know that Michael White is a very good quarterback. We will need to limit the plays he makes with his feet while still getting good pressure on him. He is a very accurate passer, so our coverage and tackling will be very important. We need to establish control of the line scrimmage and turn that into an advantage for our offense. Homestead’s special teams are always very good, so our play on those units could be a major factor. We must win, or at least neutralize them, in the field position battle in order to control the game. Chad Zolman and his staff are great, so we will need to get a lot out of our game plan and our week of practice.” – Carmel’s John Hebert.
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (0-0) AT BEN DAVIS (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Giant Stadium.
COACHES: Bill Peebles, 60-17 in seventh season at Cathedral, 134-82 in 20th season overall. Russ Mann, 13-1 in second season at Ben Davis.
2023 RECORD: Cathedral 8-4, Ben Davis, 13-1.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Ben Davis, 27-24, on November 10, 2023 in Class 6A regional final.
UP NEXT: Cathedral hosts Brownsburg, Ben Davis goes to Avon.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Lockhart ended with 53 tackles for the No. 7 (Class 6A) Irish. Alijah Price accumulated 158 carries for 1,000 yards with 12 touchdowns and 31 receptions for 282 yards with four scores for the top-ranked and defending Class 6A state champion Giants.
COACHES’ CORNER: “I think this team has a lot of questions right now. We will learn a lot in week one vs. Ben Davis. For us to be successful, we will need to run the ball well and then limit the big play.” – Cathedral’s Bill Peebles.
“We will need to make early adjustments because the Cathedral offense that we saw in their scrimmage vs. Franklin Central is about 10 percent of what we will see Friday night. As a staff, we have tried to piece together the remaining 90 percent of Cathedral’s offense but need to be ready for early wrinkles. We have to survive knockout punch attempts because Coach Peebles and the Cathedral coaching staff will have moments planned where they can change the momentum of the game. We need to be prepared for them so we are poised when they are attempted Friday night. We also need to get into a rhythm on offense. We have quite a few things that are brand new, our quarterback, our offensive coordinator, and our offensive scheme. Getting into a rhythm as quickly as we can will help. On defense, we need to ride the success of our 2023 defense because an early rhythm will help us carry that momentum.” – Ben Davis’s Russ Mann.
INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD (0-0) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Wilhelm Field.
COACHES: Rob Doyle, 78-20 in eighth season at Bishop Chatard. Matt Geske, 30-17 in fifth season at Brebeuf Jesuit.
2023 RECORD: Bishop Chatard 15-0, Brebeuf Jesuit 6-5.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Bishop Chatard, 49-23, on August 18, 2023.
UP NEXT: Bishop Chatard entertains Hanover Central, Brebeuf Jesuit travels to Tri-West.
TOP PERFORMERS: Declan Hostetler tallied 75 tackles, one sack, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery for the No. 2 (Class 4A) and two-time defending Class 3A state champion Trojans. CJ Harris scampered 161 times for 1,285 yards with 11 touchdowns and 27 catches for 164 yards with two scores for the No. 6 (Class 4A) Braves.
COACHES’ CORNER: The Brebeuf offense is loaded with talent and speed. They are very efficient in the pass game. We will have to find a way to slow them down and control the football. It is important that this 2024 team shows up with the physicality that has been a staple of Chatard football.” – Bishop Chatard’s Rob Doyle.
“For us to have success against Chatard, we will have to pursue the football on defense and force a turnover or two. On offense it will be about executing our plan and taking care of the football. On special teams, we will need to win some field position battles and avoid big plays by their return game. All in all, this is a good team we play, but I believe our group is up for the challenge. We have some very good players and experience that should make this year a special one.” – Brebeuf’s Matt Geske.
KNOX (0-0) AT NORTH JUDSON (0-0)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EDT, Liberty Field.
COACHES: Russ Radtke, 33-17 in fifth season at Knox, 404-154 in 48th season overall. Brett Lambert, 46-19 in sixth season at North Judson.
2023 RECORD: Knox 13-1, North Judson 9-5.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Knox, 22-18, on September 8, 2023.
UP NEXT: Knox entertains Pioneer, North Judson goes to LaVille.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kegan Everage racked up 18 tackles with two for loss, a sack, and an interception for the No. 5 (Class 3A) Redskins. Cole Kozecar finished with 92 tackles, including eight for loss, and 3.5 sacks for the No. 1 (Class 1A) Bluejays.
COACHES’ CORNER: “The kids are working hard and we’ve had good workouts all summer long. It’s going to be up to our front nine guys on defense because we graduated our two guys in the secondary. We’ve got some experience on our offensive line, but we need our two younger guys to step up and perform for us,” – Knox’s Russ Radtke.
In order for us to be successful against Knox, we will have to be the more physical team up front. They have two very talented backs, but if they can’t find a running lane, then we will be victorious. Offensively, we need Brock Benson, Kole Wilcox, Jesiah McDaniel, and the other backs to find some running room behind Cole Kozecar, CJ Sanchez, and the other lineman up front. Lastly, our special teams need to be a net positive for us.” – North Judson’s Brett Lambert.
LAWRENCEBURG (0-0) AT EAST CENTRAL (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Trojan Field.
COACHES: Ryan Knigga, 120-40 in 14th season at Lawrenceburg. Jake Meiners, 57-9 in sixth season at East Central.
2023 RECORD: Lawrenceburg 8-3, East Central 15-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: East Central, 42-7, on August 18, 2023.
UP NEXT: Lawrenceburg hosts Taylor (Ohio), East Central plays at Harrison (Ohio),
TOP PERFORMERS: Noah Knigga recorded 51 tackles with 11 for loss and two sacks for the No. 7 (Class 3A) Tigers. Brayden Becknell ended with 46 tackles with six for loss, four sacks, and one fumble recovery for the No. 5 (Class 5A) and two-time defending Class 4A state champion Trojans
COACHES’ CORNER: “We are excited to get the 2024 season underway. It is always an exciting time of year and we are looking forward to our Friday night matchup with East Central. The first thing about week one is being able to adjust to the unknowns. East Central is a much different team this year than what they have been the past few years. They still have tons of talent and are definitely going to be good. However, when you lose what they did after last year, sometimes that takes a minute to figure out what you got and what you can do. So, for us, on the other side, you gotta plan for a few more things because for us, there are some unknowns. We know they will want to run the ball. We know they will try to test us vertically, but at the end of the day, what are they going to hang their hat on offensively? Defensively, they are very aggressive, move around a lot. They fly to the ball. They play a ton of games up front which makes it hard to ID their guys. We will need to settle in fast. The past few years, it has taken us awhile to settle in and by then, we’re behind the eight ball. We will need to take care of the ball. We gotta get our running game going early. We have playmakers and experienced players, so we gotta find a way to put points on the board. We need to put our defense in a good position to do what they can do. We believe our defense can be really good. With that being said, we can’t put them in bad positions. Special teams as always are huge the first couple of weeks, so we will need to be sound and execute in that phase of the game. We know what we are getting into. The kids will be ready for the atmosphere and the great game environment they have at St. Leon. It has been awhile since we have been on the right side of this contest. Hopefully we show up and deliver a few blows and come back home to Tiger town victorious. – Lawrenceburg’s Ryan Knigga.
“There is no better way to kick off the 2024 season than competing against a great program like Lawrenceburg. The Tigers are very well-coached and have a lot of great players. They are accustomed to playing in big time games. In order for us to win on Friday, we are going to have to manage our emotions, take care of the football, and be great tacklers. We have a younger group who are talented, but we need to make sure that we don’t let the emotions of the game get to us and just play ball. If we can do this, we will give ourselves an opportunity to win the game.” – East Central’s Jacob Meiners.
LEO (0-0) AT FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Luers Field.
COACHES: Jason Doerffler, 19-7 in third season at Leo, 42-65 in 11th season overall. Kyle Lindsay, 85-60 in 12th season at Bishop Luers.
2023 RECORD: Leo 11-3, Bishop Luers 12-3.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Bishop Luers, 21-20, on September 12, 2014.
UP NEXT: Leo travels to Angola, Bishop Luers goes to New Haven.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brock Schoff recorded 36 receptions for 744 yards with six scores for the No. 6 (Class 4A) Lions. Jacob Felger managed 80 tackles with 13 for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, and a blocked punt for the No. 6 (Class 3A) and defending Class 2A state champion Knights.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Bishop Luers will challenge us in a variety of ways. First of all, they are big and physical up front on both sides of the ball. Additionally, they have some really good skill players that are very dangerous with the ball in their hands. We will have to do a better job of taking care of the football than we did in our controlled scrimmage last week and match their physicality on both sides of the football. As always in season openers, the kicking game will be huge. This will be a huge test for us and we will need some of our new younger guys to step up and play well.” – Leo’s Jason Doeffler.
“To come out with a victory against a tough Leo team, we have to find a way to neutralize a stout defensive front featuring size and strength (plus a power five athlete in Brock Schott). We have to find ways to churn out first downs and keep our defense fresh. We’re going up against a team that is equally adept at throwing the ball as it is running the ball, so our communication at all three levels is paramount. Ultimately, we’ll have to win the turnover battle, play strong special teams, and play the game with energy and discipline to have a chance.” – Bishop Luers’ Kyle Lindsay.
WARREN CENTRAL (0-0) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Spuller Stadium.
COACHES: Mike Kirschner, 16-17 in fourth season at Warren Central, 155-87 in 22nd season overall. Kurt Tippmann, 150-37 in 16th season at Fort Wayne Snider.
2023 RECORD: Warren Central 5-7, Fort Wayne Snider 13-1.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Fort Wayne Snider, 42-20, on August 18, 2023.
UP NEXT: Warren Central hosts Warsaw, Fort Wayne Snider entertains East Noble.
TOP PERFORMERS: Damien Shankin totaled 66 tackles with 17 for loss, three sacks, and one interception for No. 4 (Class 6A) Warriors. Landen Fry registered 85 tackles with three for loss, two sacks, and two interceptions for the No. 10 (Class 6A) and defending Class 5A state champion Panthers.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We are facing the defending Class 5A state champions and one of the best coaching staffs in Indiana. We have to find a way to win the war in the trenches on both sides of the ball.” – Warren Central’s Mike Kirschner.
“Warren Central is one of the premier high school football programs in the state of Indiana and a huge challenge for our team. They return many players from last year’s team and are extremely talented. No more so than on the defensive side of the ball. Their defensive line might be the best I have seen in my coaching career. We have to find a way to block their guys and keep them from disrupting our offensive scheme. We can’t turn the ball over and need to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers. Defensively, we have to stop the run game first and then keep good coverage on their talented wide receivers. Special teams will be huge in determining this game, so we have to cover kicks and not give up big chunks of field position in the kicking game.” – Fort Wayne Snider’s Kurt Tippmann.
WESTFIELD (0-0) AT CENTER GROVE (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Ray Skillman Field.
COACHES: Josh Miracle, 0-0 in first season at Westfield. Eric Moore, 247-76 in 26th season at Center Grove.
2023 RECORD: Westfield 11-2, Center Grove 11-2.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Center Grove, 27-21, on November 27, 2021, in Class 6A state final.
UP NEXT: Westfield hosts Carnel, Center Grove entertains Carroll (Fort Wayne),
TOP PERFORMERS: Gabe Aramboles hauled in 41 receptions for 583 yards with six touchdowns and 10 rushes for 56 yards for the No. 6 (Class 6A) Shamrocks. TJ Williams racked up 18 catches for 141 yards with a score for the No. 2 (Class 6A) Trojans.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Our players and staff have the utmost respect for what Center Grove has been able to accomplish over the years. They are extremely well-coached and rarely make mistakes. The keys to the game will still revert back to winning the fundamentals in regards to taking care of the football, blocking, and tackling at a high level. The team that wins the turnover and explosive play battle will be critical for success on Friday night.” – Westfield’s Josh Miracle.
“The number one key in trying to beat Westfield will be not beating yourself. Turnovers and controlling their big plays will be huge. Obviously, we will have to tackle well and try to keep their powerful offense off the field. Possession of the football will be key in this game. They have outstanding players led by their quarterback (Carsen Melvin). We will have to make big plays on special teams as well as a big play somewhere early in the game. We will have to have a strong physical running game to be successful, mixed in with our speed specialist on the perimeter. Westfield will be one of the best teams in the state this season and it will be a very tough opening game for our young team. But like the rest of our schedule, we hope to improve each week to have success in the sectional.” – Center Grove’s Eric Moore.
