SCOUTING TONIGHT’S CLASS 6A SEMISTATE
Center Grove (11-1) at Ben Davis (11-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Recent history: The Trojans have won the last eight meetings, most recently a 35-34 victory in Week 4 of last season; the streak also includes Center Grove semistate wins in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The teams’ regular-season meeting this fall was scratched so that the Giants could play Florida superpower IMG Academy.
Sagarin ratings: Center Grove 101.23 (fourth in Indiana, third in Class 6A), Ben Davis 107.05 (first overall and in 6A)
Players to watch: Center Grove — QB Tyler Cherry, RB Matthew Yoder, WR Noah Coy, WR Brevin Holubar, TE T.J. Williams, DL Kobe Cherry, DL Ryder Woolwine, LB Owen Bright, LB Kaden McConnell, DB Luke Barrett, DB Brody Boswell; Ben Davis — QB Thomas Gotkowski, RB Alijah Price, WR Nate Williams, WR/DB Mark Zackery, DL Chris Green, DL Jalen Harris, LB Nylan Brown, LB Toreeq Oyesigi, DB/P Alvin Contreras
What to look for: The de facto Class 6A state championship game. The Giants had the more difficult road here, with a three-point triumph over No. 1 Brownsburg in the sectional opener and another in last week’s regional against seventh-ranked Cathedral. Center Grove rode its defense to a difficult 14-0 regional win over Warren Central (which also played Ben Davis tough in a 31-28 Week 5 loss), and that unit will need to be strong once again with the Giants boasting a 2,000-yard passer in Gotkowski and an array of talented receivers. On the other side of the ball, Cherry has also thrown for over 2,000 yards, but he was intercepted twice last week and faces another athletic secondary tonight led by Zackery, the state’s top junior prospect. Both teams have faced grueling schedules and are unbeaten against in-state competition; Center Grove has won 11 straight since a season-opening loss to St. Edward in Ohio, while the Giants have reeled off eight in a row since the IMG setback. There’s no shortage of offensive firepower on either side, so there is always the possibility of a shootout, but with two opportunistic defenses in the way, this game could well be decided by a key turnover on one side or the other.
