CLASS 6A
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (8-3) AT PENN (11-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Everwise Freed Field.
COACHES: Doug Dinan, 127-55 in 16th season at Carroll (Fort Wayne). Pete Riordan, 19-3 in second season at Penn.
LAST CONTEST: Carroll (Fort Wayne) beat Fort Wayne Northrop, 42-23. Penn beat Crown Point, 28-24.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Carroll (Fort Wayne) beat Penn, 35-7, on October 28, 2022 in sectional semifinal.
UP NEXT: Carroll (Fort Wayne) hosts No. 6 Westfield (9-2) or No. 9 Fishers (8-3). Penn entertains Westfield or travels to Fishers.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jackson Rhodes rambled 20 times for 97 yards for the No. 10 Chargers against Fort Wayne Northrop. Brock Donat hauled in four passes for 69 yards for the No. 5 Kingsmen against No. 2 Crown Point.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Penn High School is a very good football team that has a storied history in Indiana. We will have to continue playing at a high level in all three phases if we desire to be successful.” – Carroll’s (Fort Wayne) Doug Dinan.
“In order for us to beat Carroll, we will have to contain their speed and handle their tempo. Offensively, they spread the ball to a number of receivers and have a number of backs that can carry the ball. Additionally, their quarterback (Gabe Frisinger) runs the ball very well and is great at extending plays, so we will need to contain him. Defensively, they will give us multiple looks and blitzes and fly around the field. We will need to win the line of scrimmage to be able to run the ball as well.” – Penn’s Pete Riordan.
BROWNSBURG (11-0) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (9-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Devere Stadium.
COACHES: John Hart, 93-19 in 10th season at Brownsburg, 360-100 in 41st season overall. Kyle Enright, 90-29 in 10th season at Decatur Central.
LAST CONTEST: Brownsburg beat Avon, 53-29. Decatur Central beat Lawrence Central, 17-14.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Decatur Central beat Brownsburg, 14-12, on October 10, 1993.
UP NEXT: Brownsburg welcomes No. 4 Center Grove (10-1) or No. 11 Warren Central (7-4). Decatur Central plays at Warren Central or hosts Center Grove.
TOP PERFORMERS: Avin Robinson totaled four receptions for 89 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 1 and defending state champion Bulldogs against Avon. Braylon Morris carried the ball six times for 71 yards and caught two passes for 21 yards for the No. 8 and defending Class 5A state champion Hawks against Lawrence Central.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Decatur Central has four dynamic kids who go both ways. If we can limit their big plays, then limit their big play touchdowns, we believe our depth and physicality will give us the edge.” – Brownsburg’s John Hart.
“We look forward to competing this Friday against Coach Hart and the Bulldogs. Brownsburg is a very well-coached team that has a plethora of talented players. We know it will be a battle and our young men will leave it all out on the field. For starters, we have to win the turnover battle. 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. We take pride in our style of play. Our strength and conditioning coach, Adam Lane, is an amazing developer of athletes and our kids have worked very hard to gain speed and power through his program. We want to overwhelm teams with our speed and physicality, especially in the third and fourth quarters when it’s crunch time and other teams aren’t trained the same or in the same condition that our young men are in. We have to establish the run game and stop the run game by winning the line of scrimmage. In order to be successful, our offensive and defensive lines must win the battle up front. In high school football in Indiana in November, you have to be able to run the ball even when the other team knows you are running the ball and you have to be able to stop the run. This will be paramount to our success. Brownsburg has very good running backs and a good offensive line and it is imperative that we fit our gaps, block destruct, and tackle. We must weather the storm and play the next play. The emotions of a big game against a battle tested team 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. Our standard is being mentally and physically tough and playing for the person next to you. We can’t commit pre-snap penalties and we have to play the next play. Good or bad, we have to keep playing and not let success or failure hinder the next snap. I have confidence that we will play smart, disciplined football on Friday night.” – Decatur Central’s Kyle Enright.
CLASS 5A
LAFAYETTE JEFF (10-1) AT CONCORD (10-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Elkhart’s Rice Field.
COACHES: Pat Shanley, 86-23 in 10th season at Lafayette Jeff. Craig Koehler, 82-36 in 11th season at Concord.
LAST CONTEST: Lafayette Jeff beat Kokomo, 57-0. Concord beat Fort Wayne North, 34-29.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First contest on the football field.
UP NEXT: Lafayette Jeff entertains No. 5 Merrillville (9-2) or No. 12 Michigan City (8-3). Concord travels to Merrillville or Michigan City.
TOP PERFORMERS: Darrontae Harris ran 11 times for 72 yards with a touchdown and caught an eight-yard pass for another score for the No. 2 Bronchos against Kokomo. Bo Brunner went 5-of-8 for 62 yards and ran three times for 85 yards with a score for the No. 6 Minutemen against Fort Wayne North.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Their offensive rushing attack is incredible. They have a three-headed monster with No. 1 (Reese Breveard), No. 5 (Bo Brunner), and No. 10 (Derek Gomez) that are all very explosive. Additionally, their offensive line that is very good. It is important to our success that we are able to get them off schedule and do our best to limit their explosive plays. We must tackle at a very high level and be very disciplined with our assignments. Their defense is very sound and very disciplined. We will have to work hard to take care of the football and stay ahead of the chains in order to have success offensively. They have an elite kicker (Nathan Potter) with a strong leg, so special teams will have an impact on the outcome of this game. We have to make it count.” – Lafayette Jeff’s Pat Shanley.
“We will need to play our best game of the season to have an opportunity to win. They are as advertised. It is very difficult to find a weakness. That being said, there are only eight teams left and everyone from this point on is going to be very good. We have done a good job of taking care of the ball and that trend must continue. We need to control the pace of the game offensively. They are a high speed and high-powered offense that no one to this point has slowed down. We will need to force some turnovers which can only be done with effort. Both teams are good on special teams, so that will be an underlying story that may tip the scales.” – Concord’s Craig Koehler.
NEW PALESTINE (11-0) AT EAST CENTRAL (9-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Trojan Field.
COACHES: Kyle Ralph, 152-14 in 13th season at New Palestine. Jake Meiners, 74-15 in seventh season at East Central.
LAST CONTEST: New Palestine beat Indianapolis Cathedral, 20-15. East Central beat Whiteland, 35-0.
LAST MEETING: East Central beat New Palestine, 49-0, on November 17, 2023 in semistate final.
UP NEXT: New Palestine welcomes No. 4 Bloomington South (10-1) or No. 7 Floyd Central (10-1). East Central travels to Floyd Central or hosts Bloomington South.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cameron Rollyson accumulated 12 tackles with three for loss for the top-ranked and defending Class 4A state champion Dragons against No. 2 Cathedral. Nolan Maple was 3-of-5 for 54 yards and carried the ball four times for 31 yards with a touchdown for the No. 9 Trojans against No. 8 Whiteland.
COACHES’ CORNER: “East Central is one of the traditional powerhouse programs in the state. They have a rich tradition of winning and that is the same again this season. Coach Meiners runs an incredible program and having to play them at their place is not an easy task. It’s another massive challenge for our kids and program to take on an elite and ranked team for the third week in a row.” – New Palestine’s Kyle Ralph.
“Interestingly enough, this is only the second time our schools have faced each other with the first meeting occurring in 2023. New Pal is an incredible football team with very few, if any, weaknesses. Many people consider them to be the best football team this year regardless of class. Kyle Ralph simply does an outstanding job. We are certainly glad to play this game in St. Leon. We are going to have to be great tacklers in space and hopefully create a turnover or two. Offensively, we have to keep the chains moving, take care of the football, and score when we get the opportunity. New Pal’s defense has barely given up any touchdowns this season, so we must convert when we get the opportunity. Special teams will also play a huge role in this game. It should be a great night for high school football!” – East Central’s Jake Meiners.
CLASS 4A
HOBART (10-2) AT SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH (11-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Father Bly Field at Leighton Stadium.
COACHES: Eric Schreiber Jr., 16-7 in second season at Hobart, 24-16 in fourth season overall. Ben Downey, 76-46 in 10th season at Saint Joseph.
LAST CONTEST: Hobart beat Lowell, 35-15. Saint Joseph beat Mishawaka, 13-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Saint Joseph beat Hobart, 19-7, on October 20, 2017 in sectional quarterfinal.
UP NEXT: Hobart entertains No. 8 Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (10-2) or Lebanon (10-2). Saint Joseph goes to Bishop Dwenger or welcomes Lebanon.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bryce Tolliver managed five catches for 68 yards with two touchdowns for the Brickies against No. 12 Lowell. Dallas Downey scampered six times for 67 yards with a score and caught three passes for 21 yards for the No. 7 Huskies against No. 2 Mishawaka.
COACHES’ CORNER: “South Bend Saint Joseph poses a unique opportunity for our program and community. Traveling to South Bend will be no easy task, so our focus and preparation this week will be even more important. At this point in the season, it’s all about staying healthy and maintaining a competitive edge. It’s a team we haven’t seen in a long time ,but we remember our last four meetings haven’t gone our way. If we can take care of the football, maintain drives, be dominate on defense, and execute on special teams, we will give ourselves the best opportunity to succeed.” – Hobart’s Eric Schreiber Jr.
“In order to defeat Hobart, we need to win the special teams’ field position battle and make a big play Our defense needs to use their speed, aggressiveness, and intelligence to overcome Hobart’s size and strength. Our offense needs to sustain and finish drives with points and kicks.” – Saint Joseph’s Ben Downey.
MARTINSVILLE (6-6) AT HERITAGE HILLS (11-1)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, The Jungle.
COACHES: Brian Dugger, 45-28 in sixth season at Martinsville. Todd Wilkerson, 121-45 in 14th season at Heritage Hills.
LAST CONTEST: Martinsville beat Bedford North Lawrence, 49-35. Heritage Hills beat Jasper, 38-8.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First time playing football.
UP NEXT: Martinsville hosts No. 13 Yorktown (9-2) or travels to No. 6 Indianapolis Roncalli (9-3). Heritage Hills goes to Yorktown or Roncalli.
TOP PERFORMERS: Grady Gardner had two rushes for 29 yards, two tackles, and an interception for the Artesians against Bedford North Lawrence. Tyce Winchell totaled six rushes for 67 yards with a touchdown and five tackles for the No. 4 and defending Class 3A state champion Patriots against No. 11 Jasper.
COACHES’ CORNER: “The Artesians are honored and excited to compete for a regional championship again this year. Heritage Hills is a very talented and extremely well-coached team. They are solid in all phases of the game. For the Artesians to be successful on Friday night, we are going to have to play our brand of football. We have to take care of the football and take what’s given on offense. We can’t force things or try to create big plays. They do a great job of not giving up big plays. We will have to match their physicality up front and get our ground game going which has been very successful this season. Defensively, we have to stay gap sound and fly to football. We have to gang tackle. They have some special players that we are just going to have to team tackle this week to get them down. They are a very good football team and we are going to have to handle the two-hour trip and play solid football to beat them at their place.” – Martinsville’s Brian Dugger.
“This is the first ever matchup between Heritage Hills and Martinsville, so to be successful this Friday night, we must play great defense. Martinsville has a big offensive line and their offense has had success in both the running game and the passing game. We will need to get to the football and tackle well to limit senior running back Lucas Dewey. We will look for leadership from linebacker Hayden Smith (73 tackles), safety Aiden Fischer (67 tackles) ,defensive lineman Tyler Raven (49 tackles with 15 for loss and 5.5 sacks), and cornerback Peyton Gray (five interceptions and three passes defended). Offensively, we need to be patient and take what the defense gives us. We need our playmakers to make plays in quarterback Jett Goldsberry (an Ole Miss commit with 1,106 rushing yards with 28 touchdowns and 1,835 passing yards and 23 touchdowns), wide outs Tyler Ruxer (an Oklahoma commit with 48 receptions for 761 yards and eight touchdowns), Peyton Gray (30 receptions for 551 yards and 12 touchdowns), and Micah Toler (10 receptions for 314 yards and four touchdowns), and running backs Dalton Pledger (105 rushes for 712 yds and eight touchdowns) and Tyce Winchell (48 rushes for 474 yards and eight touchdowns, Our senior group of offensive linemen (Trenton Collins, Hayden Smith, Peyton Martin, Austin Braun, and Gabe Jackson and H-back (Hayden Coop) also need to have a great night(3061 rushing yards and 50.1 points per game through 12 games). We always look for our special teams to create positive momentum in the game as kicker Carter Payne (6 of 8 field goals, 67-of-69 extra-points, and 90 touchbacks on 98 kickoffs) has been outstanding this year.” – Heritage Hills’ Todd Wilkerson.
CLASS 3A
FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS (7-5) AT TWIN LAKES (10-2)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EST, Price Field.
COACHES: Kyle Lindsay, 102-70 in 13th season at Bishop Luers. Kevin O’Shea, 20-13 in third season at Twin Lakes, 259-123 in 33rd season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Bishop Luers beat Mississinewa, 23-10. Twin Lakes beat Western, 35-19.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Have never met on the football field.
UP NEXT: Bishop Luers entertains No. 4 Knox (12-0) or Angola (7-5). Twin Lakes plays at Knox or Angola.
TOP PERFORMERS: Darin Baker contributed six carries for 50 yards with a score and nine tackles for the No. 13 Indians against Western. Dereon Carswell came up with three catches for 75 yards with a touchdown and four tackles for the defending state runner-up Knights against No. 6 Mississinewa.
COACHES’ CORNER: “To come away with a win Friday, we will need to do the following. Stay on schedule offensively (we had three possessions, five sets of downs in total, in which we had third down and 11 or longer). We can’t expect to be as good on these downs as we were last week. (remarkably, we converted three of these downs and converted on fourth down and short the other two times). When we are efficient on first and second downs, we can be a very good, explosive offense. Tackle in the open field better than we did last week. We gave up a long run on our first defensive drive after a couple of missed tackles (which has been a relative strength of our defense). Get pressure on the quarterback with discipline in our rush lanes. This quarterback (Cooper Dold) is a very good athlete and playmaker who excels on plays where he has to create. Make them a pass-oriented team. While he has a very strong and accurate arm, it’s a lot tougher on an offense to consistently move the ball without running the ball effectively. Special teams coverage has to be on its game. Twin Lakes may have the best kickoff return team we’ve seen all season. This has also been a unit that has struggled periodically this season. I like our chances much better when we force opponents to work a long field to score. Finally, we must play with discipline. Nine penalties each of the last few weeks is not a recipe for championship football.” – Bishop Luers’ Kyle Lindsay.
“Bishop Luers is well-coached, big, and athletic. We’ll need to adjust to their size and speed early in the game. To be successful, our defense will need to get off the field on third down, and our offense will need to keep the chains moving. Creating turnovers and not turning the ball over will also be a key.” – Twin Lakes’ Kevin O’Shea.
CASCADE (12-0) AT LAWRENCEBURG (10-1)
KICKOFF: 8 p.m. EST, Neary Field.
COACHES: Connor Simmons, 40-26 in sixth season at Cascade. Ryan Knigga, 140-43 in 15th season at Lawrenceburg.
LAST CONTEST: Cascade beat Guerin Catholic, 49-21. Lawrenceburg beat Greensburg, 41-3.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First get-together on the gridiron.
UP NEXT: Cascade welcomes Indian Creek (8-3) or No. 3 Gibson Southern (11-1). Lawrenceburg travels to Indian Creek or hosts Gibson Southern.
TOP PERFORMERS: Marcus Hobson hauled in a 61-yard touchdown pass and added three tackles for the No. 2 Cadets against Guerin Catholic. Isaiah Williams accounted for four touchdowns for the No. 5 Tigers against Greensburg.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Lawrenceburg is a tough opponent with a great tradition of football down south. We know the environment is going to be intense and in favor of the Tigers. To win a regional championship on the road at Lawrenceburg, we have to play for each other and play with pride. It’s about keeping our composure, execution, and believing in who we are, while playing with a relentless mindset. Lawrenceburg will have a size advantage, so we have to win first down, get them to second down and third down and longs, take away the big plays, and tackle well. Offensively, we need to stay true to who we are playing fast, physical, and efficient football. Winning the turnover battle, line of scrimmage, and explosive play battle will give us a strong chance Friday night. This group has earned the right to be here. Now, it’s about finishing the job and playing the way we know how to play. I’m excited to go watch our young men compete against one of the top Class 3A teams in the state.” – Cascade’s Connor Simmons.
“Cascade is a very good team. They are very solid in all three phases. They are fast and are very explosive on offense. They make you keep it simple with their tempo. Defensively, they fly around and create turnovers. They have a nice group of players who are playing really well. We will need to execute and play Tiger football. We are who we are and we have a really nice team. We will need to take care of the ball and lock in on defense. The regional championship game is always a great experience for your student-athletes, your school, and your community. There are eight teams left, so to still be playing is quite the accomplishment. We are excited to be back home this Friday and look forward to playing a really good football team.” – Lawrenceburg’s Ryan Knigga.
CLASS 2A
EASTBROOK (12-0) AT ADAMS CENTRAL (12-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Minnich Field.
COACHES: Jeff Adamson, 331-106 in 37th season at Eastbrook. Michael Mosser, 167-50 in 17th season at Adams Central.
LAST CONTEST: Eastbrook beat Eastern (Greentown), 31-28. Adams Central beat Eastside, 53-32.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First matchup on the gridiron.
UP NEXT: Eastbrook hosts No. 5 Andrean (10-1) or goes to Southmont (11-1). Adams Central travels to Andrean or Southmont.
TOP PERFORMERS: Curtis White registered 13 tackles and a fumble recovery for the No. 4 Panthers against No. 12 Eastern (Greentown). Xander Schwartz registered 10 tackles for the No. 1 and defending state champion Flying Jets against No. 14 Eastside.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Adams Central is an exceptional team and the model program for small school football right now. Coach Mosser does a great job year after year. Offensively, (Jamison) Roach is a very good quarterback and he allows them to be very balanced between run and pass. (Braylend) Reber is a scary receiver with big play potential. Defensively, they get to the ball better than anyone we have seen all year. They can transition into different fronts without substituting because they are so athletic.” – Eastbrook’s Jeff Adamson.
“Eastbrook concerns me a great deal. They are well-coached and play hard. They have a lot of talent too. We will have to play disciplined defense to beat them. We are a lot alike in a lot of ways. We run a similar offense and like to slowly move down the field and drain clock. We will obviously have to do the same and out score them if we are going to win. We also must be efficient and not make a lot of mistakes. Eastbrook likes to take advantage of mistakes made by their opponents.” – Adams Central’s Michael Mosser.
LAPEL (12-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (11-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Meyer Field.
COACHES: Tim Miller, 96-67 in 14th season at Lapel. Dave Pasch, 174-56 in 18th season at Lutheran, 239-113 in 29th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Lapel beat Triton Central, 28-15. Lutheran beat Heritage Christian, 28-24.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Lutheran beat Lapel, 35-0, on November 15, 2024 in regional final.
UP NEXT: Lapel welcomes No. 2 Brownstown Central (12-0) or No. 10 Linton-Stockton (9-3). Lutheran goes to Brownstown Central or entertains Linton-Stockton.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brayden Parsley recorded three catches for 48 yards with a score for the No. 3 Bulldogs against No. 7 Triton Central. Mason Shrum tossed the game-winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter for the No. 6 Saints against Heritage Christian.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Lutheran has had our number over the years and it’s going to take a great effort for us to come away with a win. Defensively, we need to be able to stop their running game and run-pass-option game. Offensively, we need to be aggressive with their big defensive line and focusing on moving the chains. On special teams, Lutheran is aggressive, so we cannot let them have any big plays.” – Lapel’s Tim Miller.
CLASS 1A
SOUTH ADAMS (9-3) AT NORTH MIAMI (9-3)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, DuBois Field.
COACHES: Grant Moser, 89-41 in 11th season at South Adams. Joe Grant, 40-58 in ninth season at North Miami, 40-68 in 10th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: South Adams beat Hagerstown, 42-14. North Miami beat Fremont, 51-7.
PREVIOUS MEETING: South Adams beat North Miami, 40-21, on November 15, 2024 in regional final.
UP NEXT: South Adams hosts No. 3 Pioneer (11-1) or plays at LaVille (8-4). North Miami travels to Pioneer or LaVille.
TOP PERFORMERS: Will Patterson registered three receptions for 76 yards with two touchdowns and ran five times for 39 yards for the No. 12 Starfires against Hagerstown. Hartley Hoover ran for three scores and threw a pass for another tally for the Warriors against Fremont.
COACHES’ CORNER: “They have an unbelievable run game with multiple guys who are athletic and run hard. They have one of the best coaching staffs in the state and will be well-prepared for us. It is also a tough environment to win., but it should be a fun game.” – South Adams’ Grant Moser.
“We will need to play fast and physical all night. We will need to control the clock and continue to play clean football on offense with no penalties. We need to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and we need to be aggressive on both sides of the ball. On defense, we will need to make sure to be physical with them. We also need to stop their third and fourth down conversations and get them off of the field.” – North Miami’s Joe Grant.
SHERIDAN (8-2) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (10-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EST, Mark Wildman Field.
COACHES: Jake Chesney, 8-2 in first season at Sheridan. Chuck Sorrell, 62-20 in seventh season at South Putnam, 66-46 in 10th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Sheridan beat Cloverdale, 14-7. South Putnam beat Riverton Parke, 29-21 (OT).
PREVIOUS MEETING: South Putnam beat Sheridan, 60-19, on November 15, 2024 in regional final.
UP NEXT: Sheridan hosts No. 5 Providence (9-2) or Milan (6-4). South Putnam welcomes Providence or goes to Milan.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jonathan Barnes carried the ball eight times for 22 yards with a touchdown, racked up six tackles, and recovered a fumble for the No. 11 Blackhawks against Cloverdale. Drew Cline completed 3-of-8 for 43 yards, ran five times for nine yards with a score, and racked up 15 tackles for the No. 5 Eagles against No. 3 Riverton Parke.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We’re traveling to a very good South Putnam team. They are a big, strong, and athletic team. Coach Sorrell has created quite a program there. A game like this Friday will come down to the more disciplined team and who can control the line of scrimmage. We can’t afford to shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties and must be the lower man at the point of contact. They’ve got a great run game, so we must anchor down and close running lanes. Mentally, we also have to be prepared for a decent drive into their great home field atmosphere. We are going to have to bring some of our own energy. We are also going to embrace the weather we get to play in. Rarely do people get to play in these snowy conditions. We’re going to make the most of it, have fun, and be aware that playing in these conditions means we’ve done something right to play this this far into the year.” – Sheridan’s Jake Chesney.
“This team has been working hard since January to reach their second straight regional game. We need to continue to be good in all three phases of the football game. We lost the first half in all three phases last week, but held on to win the game. We can’t lose the first half in any of these three phases and expect a win at this point in the season. Winning a second straight regional would be great for these young men that have worked so hard for months, but also for the South Putnam community who continue to show so much support week in and week out. We expect a huge home crowd as both of these teams have a lot of football history and this should be a great football game Friday night at Mark Wildman field.” – South Putnam’s Chuck Sorrell.
