SCOUTING TONIGHT’S MATCHUPS
Franklin at New Albany
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Recent history: The Grizzly Cubs rolled to a 42-3 home win in last year’s season opener, the first and only time the two teams have ever met.
Sagarin ratings (2023): Franklin 62.59 (90th), New Albany 36.71 (198th)
Players to watch: Franklin — QB Greyson Betts, RB Alex Leugers, OL/DL Blake Smythe, LB Harjot Singh, DB Landen Basey; New Albany — QB/DB Kenny Watson, RB/LB Klay Kaiser, WR/DB Gavin Rand
What to look for: The Grizzly Cubs dominated this matchup last year and should be favored again in the series finale despite graduating several key contributors. Leugers, one of the state’s top running backs, should keep opposing defenses honest and open the field up for Betts, who will need to show more consistency as a passer to take advantage. Franklin’s defense was vulnerable to big plays last season but has a veteran secondary that expects to be better in that department. This should be a good week for Chris Coll’s squad to work out some kinks before the schedule toughens significantly.
Seymour at Greenwood
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Recent history: The Woodmen have been Week 1 winners each of the last two years, pulling out a 51-49 victory on the road last season.
Sagarin ratings (2023): Seymour 62.67 (88th), Greenwood 62.05 (92nd)
Players to watch: Seymour — QB Mikey Wright, RB Nick Wheeler, DL Curtis Burke, LB Mitch Mellencamp; Greenwood — QB Aiden Houseman, RB/DB Gunner Ruppert, WR Josh Carroll, WR/DB Daveon Jones, OL Alex Kramer
What to look for: Last year’s opener was a full-blown shootout, with the two sides combining for 100 points. With several new faces in key positions, including Houseman at quarterback, it remains to be seen whether the Woodmen can be that explosive right out of the gate again. The Owls can lean on a veteran running back in Wheeler; will Greenwood’s defense prove to be more stingy than it was in 2023, when it gave up more than 40 points six times? It’ll probably have to be if coach Justin Boser wants to see his team start the season off with a win again.
Jeffersonville at Whiteland
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Recent history: Last year’s opener was the first time the teams have squared off; the Warriors were a 52-20 victor on the road.
Sagarin ratings (2023): Jeffersonville 26.39 (245th), Whiteland 71.07 (53rd)
Players to watch: Jeffersonville — QB Cordell Thomas, WR Cam Hollaway, WR/DB Tre Martin, TE/DL Raijon Laird, OL Chance Johnson; Whiteland — QB Oliver Taylor, RB Slate Valentine, FB/LB Jordan Palmer, OL Jonah McIntosh, DB Clayton Ratliff
What to look for: Whiteland faces a different group of Red Devils tonight than it did a year ago. Joe Washington III, a longtime assistant in the Louisville area, has taken the reins and given a shot of energy to a team that brings a 14-game losing streak into the season. Jeffersonville has some new talent at the skill positions and a Division I line prospect in Johnson; the question is whether it can slow the Warriors’ potent ground game, led by the state’s top returning rusher in Valentine (1,940 yards). Expect Whiteland to wear the visitors down over four quarters.
Cascade at Indian Creek
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Recent history: The Braves have taken all three meetings by 25 points or more, with the most recent a 45-14 home win in 2018.
Sagarin ratings (2023): Cascade 54.60 (123rd), Indian Creek 59.92 (102nd)
Players to watch: Cascade — QB Brady Trebley, RB/DB Marcus Hobson, RB/DB Toby Savini, WR/DB J.T. Roshong; Indian Creek — QB Evan Clark, RB Malachi Mink, WR/DB Jaxon Ramey, WR/DB Levi Pappas, OL/DL Landon Thomas
What to look for: The Cadets lost a 1,900-yard rusher and their top tackler in Liam Farmer, but they return a strong sophomore core that got thrown into the deep end together last year and survived. Trebley and Savini profile as the top threats in the backfield. Indian Creek, meanwhile, brings back a wealth of skill-position talent but has a freshman QB in Clark and some new faces at the line of scrimmage. We’ll see what new wrinkles first-year Braves coach Max Goodin, the defensive coordinator at Decatur Central, might have up his sleeve on that side of the ball.
Tindley at Edinburgh
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Recent history: The Tigers’ 12-7 triumph last year gave them a 3-2 series edge over the last five years; all five meetings have been decided by eight points or less.
Sagarin ratings (2023): Tindley 12.18 (277th), Edinburgh minus-8.48 (309th)
Players to watch: Tindley — RB/LB Kevin Getter, RB/LB Asaph Mozee, WR/DB Henri Maye, WR/DB Jai’Nelle Miller; Edinburgh — QB Caleb Murphy, RB/DB Luke Fowler, RB/LB Irving Luis-Orosco, OL/DL Milas Burkman, OL/DL Dakota Graw
What to look for: Probably a one-score game, since that’s all these two ever seem to have. Edinburgh has an experienced quarterback in Murphy and a veteran line in front of him; the question is which skill players will emerge on offense. The Lancers should have an advantage in the trenches, while the Tigers usually have the edge in speed. Whichever side is able to better limit the turnovers and bad penalties — flags are always an issue in these meetings — will have the upper hand.
Park Tudor vs. Greenwood Christian
(at Beech Grove MS)
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Recent history: The Panthers opened the 2023 season and the head-to-head series with a 65-6 home rout of the Cougars.
Sagarin ratings (2023): Park Tudor 46.71 (163rd), GCA 22.25 (255th)
Players to watch: Park Tudor — QB/LB Nathan Harris, WR/DB M.J. Gaines, WR/DB Landon Guerra, WR/DL Grant Ludwig; GCA — QB/DB Trey Dobson, RB/DB Danny Honeycutt, RB/LB Evan McIntire, WR/DB Zach Haynes, OL/DL Eli Jackson
What to look for: The Cougars took it on the chin in its first crack at Park Tudor, but they’ll try again with Dobson back as a third-year starting QB and two-way standout McIntire healthy again after a basketball injury last winter. The Panthers lost almost all of their 2023 offensive production, with star quarterback D.J. Gordon now at Harvard; will they be able to seamlessly replace all of their stars? GCA still doesn’t have much in the way of depth, so it will take some doing to run with the Panthers for four quarters, but there’s enough big-play potential to at least keep it interesting for a bit.
Roncalli at Southport
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Recent history: The Royals coasted to a 43-20 victory in last year’s opener, their third straight double-digit victory over the Cardinals.
Sagarin ratings (2023): Roncalli 70.27 (59th), Southport 44.78 (175th)
Players to watch: Roncalli — QB Colin Ash, RB/DB Henry Adams, WR/DB A.J. Richardson, WR/DB Rudy Schoettle, TE/DL Sam Neu; Southport — QB Gavin Cummins, RB Jeremiah Stanovic, RB Tony Taylor, DL Charlie Hansell, LB Fabian Tapscott
What to look for: This will be the last go-round for a while in what was a tremendously competitive series at one point; the Cardinals will open with Franklin next fall. Roncalli had a down year by its lofty standards last season, but alumnus Sam Otley is now at the helm and looking to restore glory. Both Ash and Jayden Buchanan took snaps under center in 2023; will one establish himself as the clear No. 1 guy? The Royals will be looking to develop an offensive identity, and this game should give them an opportunity to do so under less pressure than they’ll face in later weeks.
Westfield at Center Grove
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Recent history: The two teams played for the Class 6A state championship in 2020 and 2021, with the Trojans winning those games by respective scores of 38-14 and 27-21.
Sagarin ratings (2023): Westfield 96.04 (seventh in Indiana), Center Grove 103.11 (fourth)
Players to watch: Westfield — QB Carsen Melvin, WR Gabe Aramboles, DL Avery Huggins, LB Mikeah Webster, LB Lennox Williams; Center Grove — QB Gabe McWilliams, RB Austin Hennessy, WR Tristan Baxter, DL Lincoln Bright, DL Ryder Woolwine
What to look for: Hardly any of the players taking the field tonight were in uniform the last time these two teams squared off at Lucas Oil Stadium, but there’s still plenty of buildup for this one. The Trojans will be counting on plenty of new faces, especially at the offensive skill positions, though Hennessy and Baxter both saw regular action last fall. Center Grove’s schedule never allows much of a grace period, and tonight is no exception — the Bowling Green-bound Melvin is one of several Division I prospects in the Shamrocks’ lineup. Whoever wins will carry a ton of momentum into Week 2.
