The Indiana Football Digest's Insider – 2015 Playoffs Volume 1
BY PAUL CONDRY AND MATT KOPSEA
HOT OFF THE PRESS
In Fort Wayne Bishop Luers' 82-52 win over Northwestern in a Class 3A Sectional 27 opener, the teams combined for the most points (134) in an IHSAA tournament game. The two teams combined for more 1,300 total yards of offense. This broke the previous mark of 133 points established in Andrean's 67-66 five-overtime win over Lewis Cass in a 2012 Class 2A regional final and Richmond's 87-46 win over Connersville in a 1998 Class 5A sectional opener.
Riverton Parke ended its 27-game losing streak with a 29-19 win over Covenant Christian in the opening round of Class 1A Sectional 45 play.
South Bend Riley had its 18-game losing streak come to an end with a 12-8 win over Kankakee Valley in a Class 4A Sectional 18 opener.
Portage saw its school-record 12-game losing streak halted with a 36-14 win at Lake Central in a Class 6A Sectional semifinal contest.
Centerville ended a 10-game losing streak with a 21-0 blanking of Switzerland County in Class 2A Sectional 38 play.
Penn and Jimtown extended their opening round playoff winning streak to 31 games. Since the IHSAA opened up the tournament to everyone in 1985, the Kingsmen and Jimmies are the only two schools to win their first sectional game.
Culver Academy's Andy Dorrel and Chad Zolman of Homestead both earned their 100th career win this past Friday. With the Eagles' 24-21 triumph over Fairfield in a Class 3A Sectional 26 opener, Dorrel improved to 100-93 over 18 seasons. As a result of the Spartans' 48-14 win over Fort Wayne Northrop in Class 6A Sectional 3 play, Zolman moved to 100-31 in his 12th season.
Heritage's 42-35 loss to Lakeland in a Class 3A sectional 26 opener marked the end of the line for Dean Lehrman, who announced his retirement prior to the 2015 campaign. Over his six seasons, Lehrman was 40-26, including a 6-4 mark this fall. He guided the Patriots to a sectional crown in 2012.
AWARDS GALORE
The 2016 Griddys Awards program will take place on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at the Indianapolis Colts' Indiana Farm Bureau Center. There will be more details coming on the ninth annual affair that celebrates the heroes and champions of the 2015 Indiana high school football campaign.
HIGHS AND LOWS
Here is the last time these clubs started 10-0: Bloomington South (9-0-1999), Center Grove (1975), Columbus East (2014), Eastbrook (2010), Eastern Hancock (2013), Evansville Mater Dei (2014), Gibson Southern (2013), Kokomo (9-0- 2010), Lafayette Central Catholic (2011), Lowell (2008), New Palestine (9-0-2014), Northview (first time), Pioneer (2005), Tri-Central (first time), West Washington (9-0-1976), Woodlan (first time).
Here is the last time these clubs opened 0-10: Blackford (2012), Clarksville (first time), Fort Wayne Wayne (2011), Frontier (0-9-2012), Hammond Bishop Noll (first time), Hammond Clark (2004), Indianapolis Marshall (first time), Madison (2010), Marion (first time), Martinsville (0-9-first time), North Central (Indianapolis) (2014), Prairie Heights (2009), Switzerland County (first time), Wood Memorial (2014).
Here is the last time these Class 6A teams won a sectional championship: Merrillville (2014), Portage (2003), Penn (2014), Chesterton (never), Carroll (Fort Wayne) (2014), Homestead (2006), Fishers (2012), Carmel (2014), Ben Davis (2014), Avon (2010), Lawrence North (1990), Indianapolis Cathedral (2014), Warren Central (2014), Southport (2014), Jeffersonville (2007), Center Grove (2014).
HEAD OF THE CLASS
Here are some of the teams who made big improvement during the regular season from 2014 to 2015.
North Harrison (2-6 to 9-0), Lafayette Jeff (1-8 to 7-2), Wabash (1-8 to 7-2), Eastbrook (4-5 to 9-0), Peru (3-6 to 8-1), Valparaiso (2-7 to 7-2), Jennings County (1-8 to 6-3), Goshen (0-9 to 5-4), Indianapolis Northwest (0-9 to 5-4), River Forest (0-9 to 5-4), Lowell (5-4 to 9-0), West Washington (5-4 to 9-0), Adams Central (4-5 to 8-1), Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (4-5 to 8-1), Hamilton Southeastern (4-5 to 8-1), Shelbyville (4-5 to 8-1), Evansville Harrison (3-6 to 7-2), North Judson (3-6 to 7-2), Princeton (3-6to 7-2), North Decatur (2-7 to 6-3), West Vigo (2-7 to 6-3), Carroll (Flora) (1-8 to 5-4), Forest Park (1-8 to 5-4), Clinton Prairie (2-6 to 6-3), South Bend Washington (3-6 to 6-3), Springs Valley (1-7 to 5-4), Center Grove (6-3 to 9-0), Kokomo (6-3 to 9-0), Lafayette Central Catholic (6-3 to 9-0), Woodlan (6-3 to 9-0), North White (5-4 to 8-1), North Putnam (4-5 to 7-2), Boonville (3-6 to 6-3), Elwood (2-7to 5-4), Frankfort (2-7 to 5-4), Lakeland (2-7 to 5-4), Perry Meridian (2-7 to 5-4), Plainfield (2-7 to 5-4), Cascade (1-8 to 4-5), Frankton (1-8 to 4-5), Gary West (1-8 to 4-5), Greensburg (1-8 to 4-5), Knox (1-8 to 4-5), New Albany (1-8 to 4-5), Traders Point Christian (0-9 to 3-6), Taylor (0-9 to 3-6)
Here were some of the best offenses in the state through the regular season.
New Palestine (averaged 66 points per game), Gibson Southern (59.3), North Vermillion (57.2), Monrovia (55.9), Pioneer (54.9), Lafayette Central Catholic (53.4), Linton-Stockton (51.1), Northview (50.6), North White (48.8), Brownstown Central (47.4), Eastbrook (47), Kokomo (46.9), Fort Wayne Snider (46.7), West Lafayette (46.7), Indianapolis Howe (45.2), Columbus East (44.2), Fountain Central (43.9), Princeton (43.9), Brownsburg (43.2), Indiana Deaf (42.6), Tri-West (42.4), West Washington (42.3), Whiting (42.1), Attica (41.6), Evansville Mater Dei (41.1), Wheeler (40.8), North Montgomery (40.7), Sullivan (40.7), New Prairie (40.2), North Harrison (40).
Here were some of the best defenses in the state through the regular season.
Pioneer (allowed 4.6 points per game), Lafayette Central Catholic (5.1), Gibson Southern (6.6), Northview (7.6), Bloomington South (8.1), Whiting (9), Adams Central (9.1), Monrovia (9.4), North White (10), Leo (10.1), Tri-Central (10.3), Woodlan (10.3), Lowell (10.4), Linton-Stockton (10.6), Eastbrook (10.7), Penn (10.8), West Washington (10.9), Monroe Central (11.2), New Palestine (11.2), Chesterton (11.3), Northfield (11.3), Jasper (11.4), North Vermillion (11.6), Northeastern (11.6), Wabash (11.6), Heritage Hills (11.9), Indiana Deaf (12.1), Eastern Hancock (12.7), Bellmont (12.8), Columbus East (12.8), Perry Central (12.8), Whitko (12.8), Batesville (13).
Here are some of the teams with the largest margin of victory in the state through the regular season.
New Palestine (54.8 points per game), Gibson Southern (52.8), Pioneer (50.3), Lafayette Central Catholic (48.3), Monrovia (46.4), North Vermillion (45.7), Northview (43), Linton-Stockton (40.6), North White (38.8), Eastbrook (36.3), Whiting (33.1), West Lafayette (32.6), Columbus East (31.4), West Washington (31.4), Kokomo (30.9), Indiana Deaf (30.4), Indianapolis Howe (29.7), Brownstown Central (29.4), Fort Wayne Snider (29.2), Fountain Central (28.6), Penn (27.6), Woodlan (27.1), Leo (26.7), Northfield (26), Wheeler (25.6), Hammond (25.1), Eastern Hancock (24.9), Adams Central (24), Winchester (23.8), Evansville Reitz (23.7), North Montgomery (23).
DANDY DOZEN
Here are the all-time leaders in playoff wins (records through 10/23/15).
Fort Wayne Bishop Luers - 121-21 (.852)
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard – 112-23 (.830)
Carmel – 111-31 (.782)
Indianapolis Cathedral – 110-21 (.840)
Penn – 107-31 (.775)
Jimtown – 98-29 (.772)
Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 98-31 (.760)
Ben Davis - 97-23 (.808)
Indianapolis Roncalli - 97-26 (.789)
Fort Wayne Snider – 94-32 (.746)
Sheridan – 94-27 (.777)
Hobart - 92-33 (.736)
UPS AND DOWNS
LONGEST CURRENT WINNING STREAKS
Indianapolis Cathedral has won 31 straight tournament contests.
Ben Davis, Tri-West, and North Vermillion have captured seven consecutive playoff games.
New Palestine has six tournament wins in a row.
New Palestine has won 24 games in a row.
Center Grove, Columbus East Eastbrook, Eastern Hancock, Evansville Mater Dei, Gibson Southern, Lafayette Central Catholic, Lowell, Northview, Pioneer, Tri-Central, and Woodlan have a 10-game winning streak.
Bloomington South, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Kokomo, Monrovia, and West Washington have won nine straight games.
LONGEST CURRENT LOSING STREAKS
North Central (Indianapolis) and Wood Memorial have 20 straight losses
Cloverdale has lost 19 straight games on the field.
Frontier and Clarksville have a 15-game losing streak.
Hammond Bishop Noll has lost 14 straight games.
Indianapolis Marshall has dropped 13 straights contests.
Hammond Clark and Prairie Heights have suffered 12 losses in a row.
Blackford, Fort Wayne Wayne, Madison, and Marion have lost 11 consecutive games.
Martinsville and Switzerland County have lost 10 straight games.
ALL-TIME SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (Through 2014)
Carmel 26, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 24, Fort Wayne Snider 23, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 22, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers 22, Jimtown 22, Penn 21, Indianapolis Ben Davis 20, Indianapolis 20, Hobart 19, Sheridan 19, Evansville Mater Dei 18, Adams Central 17, Andrean 17, Indianapolis Roncalli 17, NorthWood 17, Lawrenceburg 16, East Central 15, Evansville Reitz 15, Griffith 15, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter 15, Warren Central 15, Bremen 13, Jasper 13, Heritage Hills 12, Linton-Stockton 12, North Judson 12, Eastbrook 11, Lowell 11, Tri-West 11, Zionsville 11, Bloomington South 10, Brownstown Central 10, Center Grove 10, Columbus East 10, Eastern Hancock 10, Evansville Memorial 10, Hamilton Southeastern 10, Merrillville 10, South Putnam 10, Valparaiso 10, West Lafayette 10.
COACHING MILESTONES
CLOSING IN ON 400:Larry Wright (Sheridan) 395
CLOSING IN ON 300:Mike Gillin (Indian Creek) 299
CLOSING IN ON 200:Mark Bless (Avon) 197, Kevin O'Shea (Lafayette Central Catholic) 197
CLOSING IN ON 100:Andy Thomas (Angola) 97, Tom Dilley (Guerin Catholic) 97, John Barron (Plymouth) 96, Mike Roeder (Northeastern) 96, Brian Glesing (Floyd Central) 95
