THE INDIANA FOOTBALL DIGEST'S TOP GAMES – 2015 STATE FINALS
BY PAUL CONDRY AND MATT KOPSEA
NO. 1 LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (14-0) VS. NO. 3 LINTON-STOCKTON (13-1)
WHAT: Class 1A state championship
KICKOFF: Noon ET, Friday, Lucas Oil Stadium.
COACHES: Kevin O'Shea, 101-9 in eighth season at Lafayette Central Catholic, 201-72 in 23rd season overall. Brian Oliver, 37-4 in third season at Linton-Stockton.
LAST OUTING: Lafayette Central Catholic beat Northfield, 45-6. Linton-Stockton beat North Vermillion, 56-27.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First meeting.
LAST TRIP TO INDIANAPOLIS: Lafayette Central Catholic (2012), Linton-Stockton (first time)
DID YOU KNOW: Lafayette Central Catholic is 6-0 in state title games and won four straight crowns between 2009 and 2012, while Linton-Stockton captured its lone semistate last week.
TOP PERFORMERS: Lafayette Central Catholic senior running back has 219 carries for 2,097 yards with 55 total touchdowns. Linton-Stockton junior quarterback Tyler Meurer has thrown for 1,211 yards and 19 touchdowns and run for 1,190 yards and 26 scores.
NO. 6 WHITING (13-1) VS. NO. 3 MONROVIA (13-1)
WHAT: Class 2A state championship
KICKOFF: Noon ET, Saturday, Lucas Oil Stadium.
COACHES: Jeff Cain, 164-76 in 22nd season at Whiting. Kevin Hutchins, 61-27 in seventh season at Monrovia, 78-60 in 12th season overall.
LAST OUTING: Whiting beat Woodlan, 14-7. Monrovia beat Indianapolis Howe, 37-31.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First meeting.
LAST TRIP TO INDIANAPOLIS: Whiting (first trip), Monrovia (2009)
DID YOU KNOW: Whiting won its first semistate a week ago, while Monrovia was state runner-up in 2009.
TOP PERFORMERS: Whiting junior quarterback Stuart Glascow has tossed for 1,766 yards and 17 scores and rushed for 1,050 yards and 14 touchdowns. Monrovia senior back Jaden Rhea is one of three players to rush for over 1,000 yards. He leads the pack with 1,926 yards and 30 touchdowns.
NO. 3 WEST LAFAYETTE (13-1) VS. NO. 5 INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD (10-3)
WHAT: Class 3A state championship
GAME TIME: 3:30 pm ET, Friday, Lucas Oil Stadium.
COACHES: Shane Fry, 32-6 in third season at West Lafayette. Vince Lorenzano, 150-33 in 13th season at Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 210-102 in 25th season overall.
LAST OUTING: West Lafayette beat Mishawaka Marian, 14-10. Indianapolis Bishop Chatard beat Gibson Southern, 29-20.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Bishop Chatard, 35-7, Nov. 23, 1984, Class 2A state final.
LAST TRIP TO INDIANAPOLIS: West Lafayette (2009), Bishop Chatard (2012)
DID YOU KNOW: West Lafayette earned the state championship in 2009, while Bishop Chatard won in 2010, 2011, and 2012.
TOP PERFORMERS: West Lafayette junior signal caller Mikey Kidwell is the first player to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season. He has accounted for 3,063 yards and 39 touchdowns so far. Bishop Chatard junior back Gabe Coleman has accumulated 1,769 yards on the ground with 15 touchdowns.
NO. 3 FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER (13-1) VS. NO. 9 EAST CENTRAL (12-2)
WHAT: Class 4A state championship
GAME TIME: 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, Lucas Oil Stadium.
COACHES: Ernie Bojrab (interim), 13-1 in first season at Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, 27-28 in fifth season overall. Justin Roden, 24-13 in third season at East Central.
LAST OUTING: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger beat South Bend St. Joseph, 41-7. East Central beat Indianapolis Roncalli, 21-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First meeting.
LAST TRIP TO INDIANAPOLIS: Bishop Dwenger (2013), East Central (1994)
DID YOU KNOW: The last of Bishop Dwenger's three Class 3A state titles took place in 1991, while East Central claimed the Class 4A crown in 1994.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bishop Dwenger junior back Amaun Clark has scampered for 1,719 yards and 23 touchdowns. East Central senior quarterback Luke Patton has rushed for 1,808 yards and 33 touchdowns and passed for 1,404 yards and nine scores.
NO. 5 FORT WAYNE SNIDER (12-1) VS. NO. 1 NEW PALESTINE (13-0)
WHAT: Class 5A state championship
GAME TIME: 7:05 pm ET, Friday, Lucas Oil Stadium.
COACHES: Kurt Tippmann, 73-19 in seventh season at Fort Wayne Snider. Kyle Ralph, 41-1 in third season at New Palestine.
LAST WEEK: Fort Wayne Snider beat Kokomo, 56-20. New Palestine beat Castle, 56-6.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First meeting
LAST TRIP TO INDIANAPOLIS: Fort Wayne Snider (2012), New Palestine (2014)
DID YOU KNOW: Snider's lone Class 5A crown came in 1992, while New Palestine captured the Class 4A title a year ago.
TOP PERFORMERS: Snider senior quarterback Isaac Stiebeling has tossed for 2,657 yards and 27 touchdowns. New Palestine senior signal caller Alex Neligh has thrown for 2,351 yards and 32 scores and ran for 1,931 yards and 33 touchdowns.
NO. 3 PENN (12-1) VS. NO. 1 CENTER GROVE (13-0)
WHAT: Class 6A state championship
KICKOFF: 7:05 pm ET, Saturday, Lucas Oil Stadium.
COACHES: Cory Yeoman, 142-28 in 13th season at Penn. Eric Moore, 160-54 in 17th season at Center Grove, 208-59 in 21st season overall.
LAST OUTING: Penn beat Carmel, 16-10. Center Grove beat Avon, 35-34, in two overtimes.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Penn, 21-0, Nov. 25, 2000, Class 5A state final.
LAST TRIP TO INDIANAPOLIS: Penn (2011), Center Grove (2008)
DID YOU KNOW: Penn has won five state titles with the last coming in 2000. Center Grove's lone state crown came in 2008.
TOP PERFORMERS: Penn senior quarterback Camden Bohn has rushed for 1,209 yards and 24 touchdowns and passed for 1,268 yards and 13 scores. Center Grove junior back Titus McCoy has rambled 1.720 yards and 25 touchdowns.
