SCOUTING TONIGHT’S MATCHUPS
NOTE: Some kickoff times have been pushed back due to an excessive heat warning in the area. Please take note of updated times below.
Oakland (Tenn.) (1-0) at Center Grove (0-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Recent history: This will be the first-ever meeting between the two reigning state champions.
Sagarin ratings: Center Grove 101.16 (first)
Players to watch: Oakland — RB Aivery Haynesworth, TE Duce Hewitt, OL Kaden Mowl, OL Jake Riggs, DB Stephen Ellison; Center Grove — QB Tyler Cherry, WR Noah Coy, DL Ryder Woolwine, LB Owen Bright, LB Kaden McConnell
What to look for: After taking it on the chin in Saturday’s 27-10 loss to Ohio powerhouse St. Edward, the Trojans turn around and face another reigning state champion — this time against a Patriots team that has won 44 of its last 45 games and gone 98-5 since the start of the 2016 season in Tennessee’s largest class. Oakland’s offensive line won’t be quite as overpowering as St. Ed’s was, but it ain’t no joke, either; Center Grove’s relatively small and young defensive line will need to step its game up. On offense, can the normally lethal Cherry-to-Coy connection get untracked tonight?
Franklin (1-0) at Mt. Vernon (0-1)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Recent history: The sides have split a pair of meetings, with the Grizzly Cubs holding on for a 20-17 triumph last season.
Sagarin ratings: Franklin 75.73 (37th), Mt. Vernon 72.59 (53rd)
Players to watch: Franklin — QB Clay Pinnick, RB Alex Leugers, WR Cooper Taylor, DL Blake Smythe, LB Lance Jones; Mt. Vernon — QB Luke Ertel, RB Joliba Brogan, WR Chris Edmonds, LB Aidan Lindstrom, DB D.J. Johnson
What to look for: The Marauders put 30 points on the board last week at Lucas Oil Stadium, but they were also gashed for 48 points and 595 total yards (405 of those on the ground) by Noblesville. Franklin’s backfield duo of Leugers and Kaleb Owens combined for 221 yards in the season-opening win over New Albany and could do similar damage this week. The key for the Grizzly Cubs will be slowing a Mt. Vernon offense that will be significantly more potent than the one they faced in Week 1; the secondary will get tested by Ertel (251 yards passing against Noblesville).
Greenwood Christian (0-1) at Covenant Christian (0-1)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Recent history: The Cougars played the Warriors’ JV team last fall; this will be the first varsity clash between the two.
Sagarin ratings: GCA 17.85 (298th), Covenant Christian 57.06 (133rd)
Players to watch: GCA — QB/DB Trey Dobson, RB/DB Nathan Goins, RB/LB Evan McIntire, OL/DL Luke Chitty; Covenant Christian — QB Connor Cruz, RB Noah Bryant, WR/DB Landen Ross, OL/DL Logan Reffeitt, LB Nolan Jones
What to look for: Well, nobody can accuse the Cougars of playing a cupcake schedule. One week after facing a rugged Park Tudor squad, they’re going up against a school that won the Class A state title in 2020 before being ousted by state champ Indianapolis Lutheran the last two seasons. GCA flashed some big-play potential in the opener on a 72-yard TD pass from Dobson to McIntire — but to hang with the Warriors, it’ll need to prove it can not only hit on home-run plays, but sustain drives and get stops.
Roncalli (1-0) at Franklin Central (1-0)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Live audio: athletics.roncalli.org/roncalli-media-network
Recent history: The Royals’ 17-0 victory last season was their third straight against the Flashes.
Sagarin ratings: Roncalli 80.99 (22nd), Franklin Central 80.44 (23rd)
Players to watch: Roncalli — QB Collin Ash, RB Henry Adams, RB/LB Ben Brandenburg, WR Christian Swiezy, LB J.J. Prendergast; Franklin Central — QB Nevan Tutterow, RB Trey Hamilton, WR Jayon Harvey, DL Elijah Shankle, DB Jeremy Cox Jr.
What to look for: This will be the first real test for the Royals and Flashes after they beat up on southside doormats Southport and Perry Meridian, respectively, in Week 1. Will Tutterow and Harvey be able to connect with the same ease (171 yards, 2 TDs) against the Roncalli secondary? Can Adams (105 yards rushing) and the rest of the Royals backfield make the same headway against a much tougher Franklin Central defense? The openers didn’t tell us a whole lot about these teams; we’ll have a lot more knowledge after tonight.
Greenwood (1-0) at Indian Creek (0-1)
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
Radio: KORN Country (100.3 FM)
Recent history: The Braves snapped a seven-game series skid with a 21-20 road victory last August.
Sagarin ratings: Greenwood 55.71 (137th in Indiana), Indian Creek 51.68 (162nd)
Players to watch: Greenwood — QB Brock Riddle, RB Alan Burnett, DL Gabe Folco, LB Cole Basey, DB Tanner Crouch; Indian Creek — QB Jalen Sauer, RB/DB Malachi Mink, WR Bobby Emberton, WR/DB Levi Pappas, LB Carson Volz
What to look for: A lot of passing. The Woodmen showed an entirely new look in coach Justin Boser’s debut, with Riddle torching the Seymour secondary for 434 yards passing and six touchdowns in a 51-49 triumph. The air has always been Casey Gillin’s preferred means of travel at Indian Creek, and that didn’t change much with new QB Sauer under center (13-20, 177 yards, 4 TDs). The difference in the game could be the change of pace that the powerful Burnett (139 yards rushing) provides for Greenwood; can the Braves keep him in check.
Kokomo (1-0) at Whiteland (1-0)
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
Recent history: This marks the first time that these two schools have played one another.
Sagarin ratings: Kokomo 74.53 (42nd); Whiteland 80.17 (24th)
Players to watch: Kokomo — QB/DB Reis Beard, RB/LB Darrian Story Jr., WR Eric Thomas, TE/DE Andrew Barker, LB Tracy Dowling; Whiteland — RB Slate Valentine, WB/DB Maalik Perkins, WR Gunnar Hicks, LB Jordan Palmer, DB Andrian Kolleigbo
What to look for: The Wildkats have been a force in recent years, making the Class 5A state final in 2017 and a 4A semistate last fall, so they should provide a stiffer test than the Warriors faced last Friday at Jeffersonville. Beard is a two-way threat whose late 79-yard TD pass to Thomas ignited a 16-14 comeback win over Leo; if the Warriors’ inexperienced defense can keep him contained, Darrin Fisher’s squad should be able to take its home opener. If it can’t, then this one could come down to the wire.
Edinburgh (0-1) at Cloverdale (0-1)
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
Recent history: The Lancers won last year’s matchup, 42-14, its second victory in as many tries against the Clovers.
Sagarin ratings: Edinburgh 20.66 (288th), Cloverdale 15.49 (301st)
Players to watch: Edinburgh — QB Caleb Murphy, RB/DB Connor Ramey, WR/DB Jackson Hartwell, WR/DB Gabe Bennett, OL/DL Dakota Graw
What to look for: Edinburgh coach Tyler DeSpain highlighted five or six games on the schedule as winnable, and this might be the most gettable in the bunch. The Lancers have dominated this series the last two years — but in order to extend that dominance, they’ll need to show a little more consistent offensive punch than they did in last week’s loss to Tindley. Moving the ball, especially on the ground, wasn’t an issue; finishing drives was. The hope is that the Clovers, who took a 69-0 loss at South Putnam in their opener, won’t offer as much in the way of red-zone resistance.
