SCOUTING TONIGHT’S HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SECTIONAL SEMIFINALS
Class 6A
Center Grove (9-0) at Franklin Central (4-5)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. tonight
Live video: IHSAATV.org/CGSportsNetwork
Recent history: The Trojans have claimed all three sectional meetings, most recently a 49-14 triumph in 2019.
Sagarin ratings: Center Grove 112.65 (first in Indiana and in Class 6A), Franklin Central 79.17 (27th overall, 15th in 6A)
Players to watch: Center Grove — QB Tayven Jackson, RB Drew Wheat, DL Caden Curry, DL James Schott, LB Trei Specker; Franklin Central — QB Nevan Tutterow, RB Aataeveon Jordan, DL Julius Parker, LB Wyatt Penney, DB Jayon Harvey
What to look for: The Flashes have steeled themselves against the ninth most difficult schedule in the state, per Sagarin, but the Trojans are still a cut above anything that they’ve seen. Coach Jayson West, formerly at Warren Central, is familiar with Center Grove and should be able to devise a good enough game plan, but the talent gap here should simply be too much to overcome. Throwing a freshman quarterback (Tutterow) against the state’s most fearsome defense feels like a mismatch that the Trojans can and will exploit.
Class 5A
Franklin (3-6) at New Palestine (6-3)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. tonight
Live video: IHSAATV.org/NewPalestine
Radio: NewPalRadio.com
Recent history: The Dragons rallied for a 31-27 sectional semifinal victory last season, eliminating the Grizzly Cubs for the second year in a row.
Sagarin ratings: Franklin 69.22 (66th overall, 15th in Class 5A), New Palestine 74.90 (47th overall, 11th in 5A)
Players to watch: Franklin — QB Clay Pinnick, RB Titus Phillips, RB John Shepard, WR Max Clark, OL/DL Reece Byerly; New Palestine — QB Damon Hockett, RB Grayson Thomas, WR/DB Blaine Nunnally, DL Michael Thacker, LB Eli Hook
What to look for: The Dragons, who have roared back from a 1-3 start by feasting on the softer back half of their schedule, are a first-quarter team, outscoring foes 145-38 during that period this season. Weathering that opening salvo will be a key for the Grizzly Cubs, who did rally from a 13-0 deficit to win at Plainfield in Week 7 but certainly prefer not to play from behind. Franklin hasn’t had great luck on New Pal’s home field the last two postseasons; it’ll take a season-best defensive effort and avoiding big mistakes on offense to reverse that trend — but this is as beatable as the Dragons have been in quite a few years, and the Grizzly Cubs have the ability to take advantage.
Columbus East (4-5) at Whiteland (5-3)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. tonight
Live video: IHSAATV.org/MidState/WhitelandCommunity
Radio: KORN Country 100.3
Recent history: The Warriors opened the season with a 28-7 victory over the Olympians, their second straight and third out of the last four in the series.
Sagarin ratings: Columbus East 57.10 (105th overall, 22nd in Class 5A), Whiteland 77.66 (32nd overall, sixth in 5A)
Players to watch: Columbus East — QB Ethan Duncan, RB Tryce Villareal, LB Caaden Gault, LB Chase Harrison, DB Devon Tekulve; Whiteland — QB Kevin Denham, RB Peyton Emberton, RB/DB Quinn Warweg, WR/DB Jacob Smith, LB Daniel Adams
What to look for: The Warriors’ Week 1 win feels like a lifetime ago with all of the injuries that they’ve been hit with since — but Whiteland has also hit its usual October stride, with a road upset of Mooresville starting the team’s current three-game win streak. The Olympians are also playing their best ball in recent weeks, but against a far weaker conference slate than the one the Warriors face. Denham has found a connection with Smith of late, and that aerial dynamic in tandem with the usual strong ground game should be enough to get through to another sectional final.
Class 4A
Lebanon (7-3) at Roncalli (10-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. tonight
Live video: youtube.com/user/roncallihigh
Radio: CBS Sports 1430, roncallimedianetwork.com
Recent history: The Royals are 9-0 all-time against the Tigers with sectional wins in four of the last six years. Roncalli was a 42-7 victor last season.
Sagarin ratings: Lebanon 70.75 (62nd overall, 13th in Class 4A), Roncalli 95.41 (eighth overall, first in 4A)
Players to watch: Lebanon — QB Landon Fouts, RB Trevor Winkles, WR Hunter Crew, WR/DB Kaden Lark, OL/DL Drew Terrill; Roncalli — QB Aidan Leffler, RB Caden Gore, WR Kyle Lockard, LB Tyson Garrett, DB Michael Hegwood
What to look for: The Tigers have a dynamic dual-threat offense that has hit the 40-point mark four times during its current seven-game win streak, but that unit has struggled against tougher opposition, scoring just one total touchdown in early-season losses to Mooresville and Zionsville. The Royals, obviously, qualify as tougher opposition, so Lebanon will have its work cut out for it both in scoring and in preventing Roncalli and its dominant offensive line from owning the field. Avoiding a running clock would have to be considered a win of sorts for the visitors.
Class 3A
Danville (9-1) at Indian Creek (3-7)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. tonight
Recent history: This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
Sagarin ratings: Danville 75.90 (39th overall, 4th in Class 3A), Indian Creek 31.53 (219th overall, 44th in 3A)
Players to watch: Danville — QB Kale Payne, WR Tyler Dostin, WR B.J. Wuest, OL/DL Trey Morrell; Indian Creek — QB Aidan Neathery, RB/LB Brandon Murray, WR Sam Creek, LB James Kelly, LB Wyatt Reason
What to look for: The Braves added some luster to the end of a down season with a solid first-round victory over Indianapolis Washington last week. Following up with an upset of the fourth-ranked Warriors, who own a win over Franklin and have a loss to 4A power Mooresville as the lone blemish on their record, will take nothing short of a perfect performance. Payne is approaching 2,000 yards passing on the season and has thrown just three interceptions against 20 touchdowns, so he isn’t going to beat himself. Indian Creek’s defense will need to force the issue and play aggressively, and the offense will need to find at least the same level of productivity it got last Friday in order to stay in this one.
