BY PAUL CONDRY AND MATT KOPSEA
CARMEL (0-0) AT LOUISVILLE TRINITY (KY.) (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Marshall Stadium.
COACHES: John Hebert, 20-7 in third season at Carmel; Bob Beaty, 209-35 in 17th season at Louisville Trinity.
LAST SEASON: Carmel 10-4, Trinity 15-0.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Carmel, 10-7, on August 29, 2014.
DID YOU KNOW: Trinity captured the Kentucky Class 6A state title last year, while Carmel ended on a six-game winning streak to claim the Class 6A crown in Indiana.
CENTER GROVE (0-0) AT WARREN CENTRAL (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Warrior Stadium.
COACHES: Eric Moore, 173-56 in 19th season at Center Grove, 221-61 in 23rd season overall. Jayson West, 38-12 in fifth season at Warren Central, 90-24 in 10th season overall.
LAST SEASON: Center Grove 12-2, Warren Central 10-2.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Center Grove, 28-7, on November 11, 2016 in Class 6A regional final.
DID YOU KNOW: Warren Central scored 35 or more points on eight occasions in 2016, while Center Grove allowed seven or less points seven times.
CROWN POINT (0-0) AT LOWELL (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CDT, The Inferno.
COACHES: Kevin Enright, 29-25 in sixth season at Crown Point. Keith Kilmer, 51-29 in eighth season at Lowell.
LAST SEASON: Crown Point 6-6, Lowell 9-5.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Crown Point, 9-3, in two overtimes on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: In the battle for the “Old Leather Helmet”, Crown Point has won six of the last seven meetings against Lowell.
EAST CENTRAL (0-0) AT LAWRENCEBURG (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Neary Field.
COACHES: Justin Roden, 35-17 in fifth season at East Central. Ryan Knigga, 50-21 in seventh season at Lawrenceburg.
LAST SEASON: East Central 11-3, Lawrenceburg 13-2.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: East Central, 27-14, on September 28, 2012.
DID YOU KNOW: East Central finished as Class 4A state runner-up in 2015, while Lawrenceburg was Class 3A state runner-up last fall.
EAST NOBLE (0-0) AT PLYMOUTH (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 pm ET, The Rockpile.
COACHES: Luke Amstutz, 39-15 in sixth season at East Noble, 65-30 in 10th season overall. John Barron, 103-43 in 14th season at Plymouth.
LAST SEASON: East Noble 8-3, Plymouth 5-6.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: East Noble, 40-22, on October 28, 2016 in Class 4A sectional semifinal.
DID YOU KNOW: Both clubs now have field turf as Plymouth converted its playing surface from grass this past summer.
FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS (0-0) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Charger Field.
COACHES: Kyle Lindsay, 27-24 in fifth season at Fort Wayne Bishop Luers. Doug Dinan, 56-25 in eighth season at Carroll (Fort Wayne).
LAST SEASON: Bishop Luers 6-6, Carroll 6-4.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Carroll (Fort Wayne), 38-27, on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: Since 2000, Bishop Luers has experienced just one losing season (2-10 in 2013), while Carroll’s last below .500 campaign came in 2010.
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (0-0) AT KOKOMO (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Cross Field.
COACHES: Scott May, 83-28 in 11th season at Hamilton Southeastern, 86-47 in 13th season overall. Brett Colby, 81-26 in 11th season at Kokomo, 196-93 in 28th season overall.
LAST SEASON: Hamilton Southeastern 6-4, Kokomo 8-3.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Hamilton Southeastern, 49-0, on October 21, 2005 in Class 5A sectional opener.
DID YOU KNOW: After not winning a sectional title since 1985, Kokomo is now in pursuit of its third straight title, while Hamilton Southeastern’s last sectional crown came in 2011.
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (0-0) AT WESTFIELD (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Stanley Stadium.
COACHES: Terry Peebles, 17-14 in fourth season at Harrison (West Lafayette). Jake Gilbert, 46-27 in seventh season at Westfield, 76-63 in 13th season overall.
LAST SEASON: Harrison 6-4, Westfield 12-2.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Westfield, 38-17, on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: After enduring a 38-game losing streak between 2010 and 2014, Harrison is looking for its second straight winning season and third in the last four years. Westfield’s reward for capturing the Class 5A state title is being bumped up to Class 6A for the next two years.
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (0-0) AT LOUISVILLE ST. XAVIER (KY.) (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Brother Thomas More Page Stadium.
COACHES: Rick Streiff, 214-71 in 23rd season at Indianapolis Cathedral, 235-103 in 28th season overall. Wil Wolford, 31-18, in fifth season at Louisville St. Xavier.
LAST SEASON: Cathedral 7-5, St. Xavier 10-4.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: First meeting.
DID YOU KNOW: Despite capturing a pair of Class 6A sectional championships, Cathedral is back competing in Class 5A for the next two seasons, while St. Xavier was the Kentucky Class 6A champion in 2009.
INDIANAPOLIS CARDINAL RITTER (0-0) AT MONROVIA (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Monrovia Field.
COACHES: Ty Hunt, 117-30 in 12th season at Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter. Kevin Hutchins, 71-32 in ninth season at Monrovia, 88-65 in 14th season overall.
LAST SEASON: Cardinal Ritter 11-4, Monrovia 9-5.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Indianapolis Ritter, 14-13, on November 18, 2016 in Class 2A semistate.
DID YOU KNOW: Defending Class 2A state champion Cardinal Ritter and 2015 Class 2A state titlist Monrovia will both be participating in the Class 3A playoffs for the next two years.
JIMTOWN (0-0) AT NORTHWOOD (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Andrews Field.
COACHES: Mike Campbell, 86-28 in 10th season at Jimtown. Nate Andrews, 28-10 in fourth season at NorthWood, 68-49 in 11th season overall.
LAST SEASON: Jimtown 7-5, NorthWood 14-1.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: NorthWood, 46-30, on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: Mike Campbell is a 1995 graduate of Jimtown, while Nate Andrews is a 1996 alumni of NorthWood.
LAFAYETTE JEFF (0-0) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, LaRocca Field.
COACHES: Pat Shanley, 6-4 in second season at Lafayette Jeff. Don Coller, 10-12 in third season at Lafayette Central Catholic, 83-71 in 16th season overall.
LAST SEASON: Lafayette Jeff 6-4, Lafayette Catholic 12-1.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: First meeting.
DID YOU KNOW: Don Coller was the director of football operations and recruiting coordinator at Purdue for 11 seasons, while Pat Shanley is a 2007 Purdue graduate.
NEW PALESTINE (0-0) AT WHITELAND (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Sleighter Field.
COACHES: Kyle Ralph, 50-3 in fifth season at New Palestine. Darrin Fisher, 87-50 in 13th season at Whiteland, 148-122 in 27th season overall.
LAST SEASON: New Palestine 9-1, Whiteland 6-5.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: New Palestine, 38-26, on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: New Palestine is going for its fifth consecutive season-opening win, while Whiteland is looking for its fifth straight winning season.
NEW PRAIRIE (0-0) AT LAPORTE (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CDT, Kiwanis Field.
COACHES: Russ Radtke, 49-12 in sixth season at New Prairie, 339-132 in 41st season overall. Dave Sharpe, 15-6 in third season at LaPorte, 27-16 in fifth season overall.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: LaPorte, 21-20, on August 19, 2016.
LAST SEASON: New Prairie 9-3, LaPorte 9-2.
DID YOU KNOW: Both teams finished as state runner-up in 2014 with New Prairie doing the honors in Class 4A and LaPorte in Class 5A.
SOUTH DECATUR (0-0) AT NORTH DECATUR (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Kaelin Field.
COACHES: Tony Bell, 11-9 in third season at South Decatur. Steve Stirn, 14-9 in third season at North Decatur, 101-58 in 15th season overall.
LAST SEASON: South Decatur 6-4, North Decatur 6-5.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: South Decatur, 33-8, on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: South Decatur has not won a sectional championship since 2001, while North Decatur won its last trophy in 1998.
SOUTHPORT (0-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Roncalli Stadium.
COACHES: Brandon Winters, 6-5 in second season at Southport. Scott Marsh, 0-0 in first season at Indianapolis Roncalli, 27-55 in ninth season overall.
LAST SEASON: Southport 6-5, Roncalli 15-0.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Indianapolis Roncalli, 25-21, on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: Southport scored 28 or more points on seven occasions a year ago, while defending Class 4A state champion Roncalli allowed 14 or less points nine times.
SOUTHRIDGE (0-0) AT LINTON-STOCKTON (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Williams Field.
COACHES: Scott Buening, 35-13 in fifth season at Southridge, 47-41 in ninth season overall. Brian Oliver, 52-5 in fifth season at Linton-Stockton.
LAST SEASON: Southridge 10-2, Linton-Stockton 15-0.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Southridge, 26-14, on October 20, 1995 in Class 2A sectional opener.
DID YOU KNOW: Southridge has not finished with a below .500 record since 2005, while defending Class 1A state champ Linton-Stockton’s last losing mark came in 1996.
WEST LAFAYETTE (0-0) AT TRI-WEST (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Tri-West Field.
COACHES: Shane Fry, 42-10 in fifth season at West Lafayette. Tyler Bruce, 0-0 in first season at Tri-West.
LAST SEASON: West Lafayette 10-3, Tri-West 9-2.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: West Lafayette, 55-27, on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: West Lafayette was Class 3A state runner-up in 2015, while Tri-West won the Class 3A state crown in 2014.
WINAMAC (0-0) AT KNOX (0-0)
KICKOFF: 6:30 p.m. CDT, Community Field.
COACHES: Craig Barr, 0-0 in first season at Winamac, 130-95 in 21st season overall. John Hendryx, 15-9 in third season at Knox, 190-85 in 25th season overall.
LAST SEASON: Winamac 8-5, Knox 9-3.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Knox, 14-12, on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: Craig Barr is a 1981 graduate of Winamac, while John Hendryx earned his diploma from Winamac in 1980.
ELKHART MEMORIAL (0-0) AT ELKHART CENTRAL (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Saturday, Rice Field.
COACHES: Scot Shaw, 4-16 in third season at Elkhart Memorial, 202-84 in 29th season overall. Josh Shattuck, 0-0 in first season at Elkhart Central, 33-48 in ninth season overall.
LAST SEASON: Memorial 2-8. Central 2-8.
PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Elkhart Memorial, 21-20, on August 19, 2016.
DID YOU KNOW: In the battle for the “Mangy Lion”, Memorial beat its city rival Central four straight times between 2008 and 2011.
