Former local players in playoff games today

<p>Former Center Grove offensive lineman Austin Smogor knows what it’s like to play meaningful college football games in November.</p><p>Smogor, the starting left guard for two-time defending NAIA national champion St. Francis (Fort Wayne), is one of nine former Johnson County football players expected to start in playoff games today.</p><p>The 6-foot-3, 304-pound senior can look to his right to see one of the others — Greenwood product Ryder Burchett, a sophomore, is the Cougars’ starter at right tackle. St. Francis, ranked eighth nationally, hosts No. 10 Grand View (Iowa) in a first-round game starting at noon.</p><p>Smogor became accustomed to deep tournament runs as part of the Center Grove program, helping lead the Trojans to semistate both as a junior and senior. Today’s contest will be the eighth college playoff game he participated in, and Smogor says it never gets old.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]<p>“I love this time of year. Mid-November football means playoffs,” he said. “The attitude kind of changes and the stress level is through the roof because we’re trying to get the best game plan possible and the tensions are high.</p><p>“You’re guaranteed great football games, and you’re going up against the best of the best. I consider myself very fortunate to be part of a program that has been so successful in the postseason. I just want to give everything I can.”</p><p>Eleventh-ranked Indianapolis has three local starters for its Division II home playoff game against No. 17 Fort Hays State.</p><p>Sophomore Clay Hadley, another Center Grove product, makes his 23rd consecutive start at right tackle for the Greyhounds, while redshirt freshman Tarnjeet Singh (Whiteland) is the team’s left tackle. Defensively, redshirt soph Connor Steeb (Center Grove) starts at safety.</p><p>Undefeated Trine, ranked No. 10 in Division III, opens play at home against St. Norbert (Wisconsin) in Division III. Starters for the Thunder include tight end Damon Munn (Franklin) and cornerback James Starks (Indian Creek).</p><p>Second-ranked Marian starts sophomore linebacker Bailey Bennett (Center Grove) against No. 17 St. Xavier (Illinois), while former Greenwood receiver Jackson Daugherty is the leading receiver for Hanover leading into its Division III playoff game at ninth-ranked North Central (Illinois).</p>