CASTLE (4-1) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Reitz Bowl.
COACHES: Doug Hurt, 138-75 in 19th season at Castle. Cory Brunson, 34-16 in fifth season at Evansville Reitz, 68-56 in 12th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Castle beat Vincennes Lincoln, 43-30. Evansville Reitz beat Evansville Central, 60-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Evansville Reitz, 38-17, on September 22, 2023.
UP NEXT: Castle hosts Jasper (2-3). Evansville Reitz plays at Evansville Memorial (5-0).
TOP PERFORMERS: Boden Morgan was 8-of-11 for 118 yards with a touchdown for the Knights against Vincennes Lincoln. Landon McClarney ran eight times for 109 yards with two scores for the No. 2 (Class 4A) Panthers against Evansville Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We are going to have to play good football. The kicking game will be huge. We need to win the turnover battle. With impending weather, field position will be key. It is going to take a total team effort to get a win against a very good football team.” – Castle’s Doug Hurt.
“Castle is a very good football team. They are playing well, so we will definitely need to take care of the football and play smart. We need to limit their big plays.” – Evansville Reitz’s Cory Brunson.
CENTERVILLE (5-0) AT NORTHEASTERN (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Knights Stadium.
COACHES: Ryan Cole, 21-4 in third season at Centerville, 21-12 in fourth season overall. Wes Oler, 35-20 in sixth season at Northeastern.
LAST CONTEST: Centerville beat Tri, 35-14. Northeastern beat Union City, 70-28.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Centerville, 32-14, Sep. 22, 2023.
UP NEXT: Centerville entertains Union County (0-5). Northeastern goes to Shenandoah (3-2).
TOP PERFORMERS: Jace Hollendonner went 12-of-18 for 197 yards with three touchdowns for the Bulldogs against Tri. Colten Creech hauled in seven receptions for 216 yards with three scores for the Knights against Union City.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This week’s game between Centerville and Northeastern is the type of matchup that makes high school football so great. It is rivalry week. Both teams are 5-0 and this game will have (Tri-Eastern) conference championship implications on the line. We are on the road and know that we will be playing in a tough environment. We are going to have to shut out the noise and play a disciplined game of football. In order to be successful, we will need to eliminate the big plays from their offense and get pressure on their quarterback (Blake Waters). Offensively, we will have to take care of the football and execute at a high level. This game will come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes and who is the more physical football team.” – Centerville’s Ryan Cole.
“A big key for us in our matchup with Centerville this Friday night is to win the turnover battle. We have to take care of the ball on offense and be opportunistic on defense. They have a lot of talent and are a really well-coached football team, so we are going to be leaning on our seniors and their experience in a big game like this one.” – Northeastern’s Wes Oler.
CROWN POINT (5-0) AT VALPARAISO (4-1)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EDT, Viking Field.
COACHES: Craig Buzea, 33-7 in fourth season at Crown Point, 249-96 in 32nd season overall. Bill Marshall, 65-15 in seventh season at Valparaiso.
LAST CONTEST: Crown Point beat Portage, 58-20. Valparaiso beat Chesterton, 22-21, OT.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Crown Point, 19-14, on September 22, 2023.
UP NEXT: Crown Point goes to LaPorte (0-5). Valparaiso travels to Merrillville (4-1).
TOP PERFORMERS: Jacob Soley accumulated five catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns for the No. 4 (Class 6A) Bulldogs against Portage. Thomas Burda tallied 15 carries for 57 yards with a score for the No. 3 (Class 5A) Vikings against Chesterton.
COACHES’ CORNER: “For the second time in three weeks, we are playing the No. 1 team in Class 5A and this looks to be an even bigger challenge. Valpo possesses a huge offensive line, the best runner back (Thomas Burda) we have seen to date, and an outstanding dual-threat quarterback (Kellan Hosek). Defensively, Valpo is always the most prepared team we face year in and year out. Going to play at their place for their Homecoming will be our biggest test to date. Our keys to our success remain the same every week. No pre-snap penalties, win the turnover battle, and execute on third and fourth down conversion attempts, both offensively and defensively.” – Crown Point’s Craig Buzea.
“For us to have success this week, we have to be able to win the line of scrimmage with our offensive and defensive lines. Defensively, we have to minimize the big play action plays that Crown Point has had against other teams. Offensively, we have to be sound with our blocking assignments and cannot afford to go three and out too often against them.” – Valparaiso’s Bill Marshall.
DECATUR CENTRAL (2-2) AT PLAINFIELD (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Red Pride Field.
COACHES: Kyle Enright, 72-27 in ninth season at Decatur Central. Tyler Bless, 11-4 in second season at Plainfield.
LAST CONTEST: Decatur Central beat Mooresville, 55-14. Plainfield beat Greenwood, 28-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Decatur Central, 26-23, on September 22, 2023.
UP NEXT: Decatur Central hosts Greenwood (2-3). Plainfield plays at Franklin (2-3).
TOP PERFORMERS: Bo Polston completed 10-of-18 for 175 yards with a touchdown for the No. 9 (Class 5A) Hawks against Mooresville. Luke Starnes raced 15 times for 117 yards with two scores for the No. 2 (Class 5A) Quakers against Greenwood.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Plainfield is a very well-coached team led by Tyler Bless. They do not beat themselves and force opponents to make mistakes. They are big up front on both sides of the ball and are built to run the football and stop the run. A great recipe for success in high school football. No. 7 (Luke Starnes) and No. 22 (Westyn Weyrich) are workhorses in the backfield and combine for 80 percent of their offensive output. On defense, they put three or four giant defensive linemen on the field that eat up gaps and let their linebackers make tackles. No. 34 (Tyler Simek) is a very good outside linebacker and the others are good as well. It will be a battle on Friday night and we are looking forward to the opportunity to compete against a good program on the road. We need to weather the storm because the emotions of a big game on the road on their Homecoming will be at a high level. We must play with extreme focus, play disciplined and smart football, and never allow our demeanor to be too high or too low. We have to win the turnover battle because the team that takes care of the ball usually wins. This is especially true in big games. We must not turn the ball over and we must get some turnovers to be successful. We need to play fast and physical. It’s not a secret that Plainfield is bigger than us, but battles aren’t always won by the biggest gentleman on the field. We must use our speed and physicality to negate their size. It will be a battle. Our lads will bring their big boy shoulder pads and will be ready to fight.” – Decatur Central’s Kyle Enright.
“As for Friday, we will need to be able to have a good start vs. Decatur Central in all three phases of the game. Our defense will need to pressure the quarterback (Bo Polston) and the defensive backs will need to disrupt their wide receivers in the passing game. Our linebackers will need to have great read keys especially vs. Decatur’s multiple formations and personnels. Offensively, we will need to handle Decatur’s multiple pressures and coverages while maintaining the line of scrimmage and sustaining our blocks in the run game. Special teams will be a huge factor for both teams, so we will need to achieve our game breakers goals and make a positive impact in this phase of the game.” – Plainfield’s Tyler Bless.
GARRETT (5-0) AT WEST NOBLE (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Charger Field.
COACHES: Chris DePew, 72-63 in 13th season at Garrett, 149-105 in 24th season overall. Monte Mawhorter, 122-136 in 26th season at West Noble.
LAST CONTEST: Garrett beat Eastside, 37-7. West Noble beat Fairfield, 31-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: West Noble, 34-15, on September 22, 2023.
UP NEXT: Garrett goes to Fairfield (2-3). West Noble travels to Lakeland (4-1).
TOP PERFORMERS: Camren Ruble recorded 25 carries for 151 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 7 (Class 3A) Railroaders against Eastside. Seth Pruitt had 22 rushes for 100 yards with two scores for the No. 5 (Class 3A) Chargers against Fairfield.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We are glad to be involved in a game like this. West Noble is fast and athletic. They run the ball a variety of ways from spread formations and present defenses a lot of problems. Defensively, they play sound and fast and their special teams keep you on your toes as well.” – Garrett’s Chris DePew.
“We will have to limit penalties and turnovers and win special teams. We will also have to match Garrett’s physicality and be able to tackle in the open field.” – West Noble’s Monte Mawhorter.
GIBSON SOUTHERN (4-1) AT HERITAGE HILLS (4-1)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EDT, The Jungle.
COACHES: Nick Hart, 130-25 in 13th season at Gibson Southern. Todd Wilkerson, 100-44 in 13th season at Heritage Hills.
LAST CONTEST: Gibson Southern beat Southridge, 31-22. Heritage Hills beat North Posey, 43-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Heritage Hills, 23-20, on November 17, 2023 in Class 3A semistate.
UP NEXT: Gibson Southern hosts Washington (4-1). Heritage Hills entertains Mount Vernon (Posey) (3-2).
TOP PERFORMERS: Zach Foster threw for 243 yards with three scores for the No. 3 (Class 3A) Titans against Southridge. Hunter Meredith scampered 10 times for 62 yards with a touchdown for the No. 2 (Class 3A) Patriots against No. 5 (Class 2A) North Posey.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Heritage Hills is a very talented football team. They have a lot of fire power offensively that makes them very difficult to defend. They run the ball very well but also have some very good receivers. Their defense always makes it tough on teams to score. We are going to have to play at a very high level in order to get a win on Friday.” – Gibson Southern’s Nick Hart.
“We expect an amazing high school football atmosphere in the Jungle this Friday. For us to be successful Friday night, we will need to play great defense. Gibson Southern’s fast-paced, no-huddle offense is difficult to simulate in practice. We will need to adjust to the pace, communicate well, and be disciplined. On the offensive side of the ball, our offensive line will need to be locked in. Gibson Southern has a talented defensive line with players who can wreck your game plan. Our offensive line will need to crank it up a notch this Friday. We look to our special teams to create positive momentum. We have not made a huge impact with our special teams this year, so it’s time for our special teams to start impacting the game in a positive way.” – Heritage Hills’ Todd Wilkerson.
GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (5-0) AT NEW PALESTINE (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Kelso Stadium.
COACHES: Travis Nolting, 33-24 in sixth season at Greenfield-Central, 93-52 in 14th season overall. Kyle Ralph, 131-14 in 12th season at New Palestine.
LAST CONTEST: Greenfield-Central beat Shelbyville, 49-6. New Palestine beat Pendleton Heights, 56-17.
PREVIOUS MEETING: New Palestine, 35-0, on October 27, 2023 in Class 4A sectional semifinal.
UP NEXT: Greenfield-Central entertains Yorktown (3-2). New Palestine travels to Shelbyville (1-4),
TOP PERFORMERS: Cooper Hinton registered two catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns for the No. 5 (Class 4A) Cougars against Shelbyville. Jacob Davis was 9-of-14 for 168 yards with two scores and ran seven times for 78 yards with another touchdown for the top-ranked (Class 4A) Dragons against Pendleton Heights.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We have to play a complete 48-minute game and be sharp in all three phases of the game. We also have to win the line of scrimmage battle on both sides of the ball. We also have to minimize mistakes and penalties.” – Greenfield-Central’s Travis Nolting.
“This is a big rivalry game for both schools. There is a lot on the line this week. Conference lead, traveling helmet, and undefeated records. We need a great week of prep and a sharp performance from our team to beat Greenfield-Central.” – New Palestine’s Kyle Ralph.
LAWRENCEBURG (4-1) AT BATESVILLE (4-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Dawg Pound.
COACHES: Ryan Knigga, 124-41 in 14th season at Lawrenceburg. Evan Ulery, 56-39 in ninth season at Batesville.
LAST CONTEST: Lawrenceburg beat Franklin County, 35-27. Batesville lost to East Central, 24-13.
LAST MEETING: Batesville, 20-14, on October 27, 2023 in Class 3A sectional semifinal
UP NEXT: Lawrenceburg hosts Rushville (3-2). Batesville plays at Greensburg (0-5).
TOP PERFORMERS: Crue Gilmour accounted for 18 carries for 145 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 7 (Class 3A) Tigers against Franklin County. Will Jaisle went 11-of-23 for 127 yards and ran for a touchdown for the No. 10 (Class 3A) Bulldogs against No. 8 (Class 5A) East Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Batesville is a very solid team. They bring back a ton of players who helped them win the sectional last year. They have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball. We will need to execute up front and take care of the ball. Both teams want to run the ball, so there will be limited possessions. We must make every possession count. Defensively, we must get off the field. We can’t let their quarterback (Will Jaisle) extend plays and we must tackle. There is no doubt we will need to play well. It will be a great environment and both teams are playing at a high level. It should be fun.” – Lawrenceburg’s Ryan Knigga.
“The key to this game will be who controls the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Both teams want to run the football, so whoever can better establish their run game, find explosive plays, and protect the football will win the game. As always, the kicking game will be paramount in field position, but I can see a field goal or extra-point conversion being the difference in this game.” – Batesville’s Evan Ulery.
NORTH JUDSON (5-0) AT TRITON (4-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Trojan Field.
COACHES: Brett Lambert, 51-19 in sixth season at North Judson. Zach Whittaker, 12-5 in second season at Triton.
LAST CONTEST: North Judson beat Culver, 70-0. Triton beat Winamac, 28-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: North Judson, 33-7, on November 5, 2023 in Class 1A sectional final.
UP NEXT: North Judson entertains Winamac (2-2). Triton travels to Caston (1-4).
TOP PERFORMERS: Kole Wilcox tallied five rushes for 150 yards with two scores for the No. 1 (Class 1A) Bluejays against Culver. Jayden Overmyer recorded 23 carries for 97 yards for the No. 6 (Class 1A) Trojans against Winamac.
COACHES’ CORNER: “This year, Triton has a complete ball club that takes pride in the success of their defense. We’re going to have to combat the aggressiveness of their defense with even more aggression from our offense. Turnovers and penalties could play a major role for both teams. Last year, we embarrassed ourselves in the regular season against Triton, which was a low point for our program. However, we rebounded with a sectional championship at their place. We need to bring that same championship mentality this week if we’re going to be victorious.” – North Judson’s Brett Lambert.
“Obviously, this week is a week that we have been looking forward to. Anytime you get No. 1 to come to town it’s an exciting opportunity, and we look forward to the challenge. We have a ton of respect for that team and the success they have had over the last couple of years. It is going to take our best this Friday. We are going to have to execute on all three levels of the game and be extremely physical up front. They are a strong physical football team and for us to have any chance, we have to match their physicality and give our best effort every single play.” – Triton’s Zach Whittaker.
NORTH PUTNAM (5-0) AT CASCADE (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Cascade Stadium.
COACHES: Scott Moore, 11-13 in third season at North Putnam. Connor Simmons, 23-25 in fifth season at Cascade.
LAST CONTEST: North Putnam beat Crawfordsville, 57-21. Cascade beat Sullivan, 42-6.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Cascade, 49-39, on September 22, 2023.
UP NEXT: North Putnam hosts West Vigo (2-3). Cascade entertains Northview (5-0).
TOP PERFORMERS: Christian Kramer completed 19-of-27 for 306 yards with three touchdowns and raced 26 times for 207 yards with two scores for the Cougars against Cloverdale. Brady Trebley came up with nine carries for 147 yards with three scores and went 2-of-5 for 36 yards for the Cadets against Sullivan.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Cascade is a very well-coached team. Coach Simmons and his staff are doing a great job. They are fast and explosive on offense, so we will have to be sound in our keys and come off the ball at the point of attack. They have a unique system and we need to trust our reads, play fast, and match their physicality. Last year, we had a fourth quarter lead and after a lot of back and forth scoring wise, we were not able to get the job done. We have been in a lot of close games this year against quality opponents, so our experience and poise will have to lead us in this game again. We must stick together, trust in each other, and play at our best. Offensively, we have to take care of the football, continue to be able to run the ball, and take advantage of our passing game when it is there, as well as getting our playmakers their touches. We have had a great week of practice thus far and need to continue that trend the rest of the week. We are excited for the opportunity and hope to put ourselves in a position to win a football game on Friday.” – North Putnam’s Scott Moore.
“It should be a great game Friday night vs. North Putnam. Over the course of this season, the two things we say each game that will be the key to victory from an overall team standpoint is ‘win the explosive play battle’ and ‘win the turnover battle’. We must be able to create big plays on Friday Night (plus 15-yard plays). Our offense must possess the ball and take care of the ball, while our defense has to create havoc and get some takeaways. We have seen if we do these two things better than our opponent, we have a high chance to be successful on Friday night.” – Cascade’s Connor Simmons.
WESTFIELD (5-0) AT BROWNSBURG (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Roark Stadium.
COACHES: Josh Miracle, 5-0 in first season at Westfield. John Hart, 74-18 in ninth season at Brownsburg, 341-99 in 40th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Westfield beat Hamilton Southeastern, 21-14 (OT). Brownsburg beat Fishers, 31-30.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Brownsburg, 37-7, on September 22, 2023.
UP NEXT: Westfield hosts Avon (1-4). Brownsburg travels to Zionsville (3-2).
TOP PERFORMERS: Carsen Melvin went 11-of-19 for 125 yards with a score for the No. 1 (Class 6A) Shamrocks against No. 8 (Class 6A) Hamilton Southeastern. Branden Sharpe accounted for nine catches for 128 yards with a touchdown for the No. 2 (Class 6A) Bulldogs against No. 10 (Class 6A) Fishers.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Our players and staff have the utmost respect for Coach Hart and his staff. Brownsburg’s program has been one of the premiere programs in the state of Indiana for numerous years. They are extremely well-coached and talented on both sides of the ball. The keys to the game will still revert back to winning with 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. We are looking forward to this highly anticipated HCC (Hoosier Crossroads Conference) matchup.” – Westfield’s Josh Miracle.
“Westfield is a very, very physical team. It will be a challenge if we can match their physicality. Mother Nature will be a factor as well.” – Brownsburg’s John Hart.
WHITELAND (3-1) AT MARTINSVILLE (5-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Siderewicz Field.
COACHES: Darrin Fisher, 140-79 in 20th season at Whiteland, 201-151 in 34th season overall. Brian Dugger, 32-20 in fifth season at Martinsville.
LAST CONTEST: Whiteland beat Perry Meridian, 48-28. Martinsville beat Franklin, 40-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Whiteland, 34-22, on September 22, 2023.
UP NEXT: Whiteland plays at Mooresville (1-4). Martinsville entertains Perry Meridian (2-3).
TOP PERFORMERS: Ollie Taylor went 3-of-6 for 115 yards with two touchdowns and carried the ball five times for 24 yards with two scores for the No. 6 (Class 5A) Warriors against Perry Meridian. Hunter Stroud racked up 14 catches for 144 yards with a score for the No. 3 (Class 4A) Artesians against Franklin.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Starting fast is critical. We have not started fast the past three weeks defensively, but have adjusted very well into the second half. Martinsville has a balanced and explosive offense. Another slow start will be difficult to overcome. Offensively, we have been effective both running the ball and the play-action passing game thus far. We will need to manufacture a few explosive plays of our own. Special teams have been a deciding factor in our matchups over time, and 2024 will probably be no different.” – Whiteland’s Darrin Fisher.
“Whiteland is one of the most well-coached teams we will see all year. Coach Fisher is a (Indiana Football) Hall of Fame coach and his kids will be extremely prepared. For us to win, we have to play our brand of football. Offensively, we have to take care of the football and do a great job of identifying their fronts and coverages. We have to continue to take what the defense gives us. We can’t get greedy and force things. Defensively, we have to have our blinders on and read our keys. We can’t get caught peaking and watching. We have to read our keys, fly to the football, and team tackle. We can’t allow any big plays and make them sustain drives.” – Martinsville’s Brian Dugger.
