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THE INDIANA FOOTBALL DIGEST'S TOP GAMES – WEEK 3
By PAUL CONDRY AND MATT KOPSEA
BREBEUF JESUIT (2-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS CARDINAL RITTER (2-0)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, Marian College.
COACHES: Mic Roessler, 2-0 in 1st year at Brebeuf Jesuit. Ty Hunt, 82-14 in 8th year at Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter.
LAST OUTING: Brebeuf Jesuit beat Crawfordsville, 78-0. Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter beat Indianapolis Lutheran, 38-6.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Brebeuf Jesuit 1-3, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter 1-3.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Brebeuf Jesuit, 6-4.
LAST MEETING: Brebeuf Jesuit, 25-7, Sep. 4, 2009.
COACHES COMMENTS: "In order for us to win, we need to learn from our mistakes, play aggressively, and fly to the football. I look forward to a hard hitting game." – Brebeuf Jesuit coach Mic Roessler.
"One of our main goals is to compete and make adjustments in every game. We will have to pick up their blitz package going into the game and be willing to adjust to any assignments that not allowing our quarterback and running backs to run and throw. We must match their physical play and stay away from any yellow flags. Our defense will have to contain their running back (LeVante) Bellamy while working to stop their quarterback (Aaron) Banks. They both bring an added dimension to the field of play." Cardinal Ritter coach Ty Hunt.
CENTER GROVE (2-0) AT CARMEL (1-1)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, Greyhound Stadium.
COACHES: Eric Moore, 130-49 in 15th year at Center Grove, 178-54 in 19th year overall. Kevin Wright, 32-6 in 4th year at Carmel, 166-60 in 20th year overall.
LAST OUTING: Center Grove beat Whiteland, 56-0. Carmel lost to Louisville Trinity (Ky.), 42-35.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Center Grove 2-2, Carmel 1-1.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Carmel, 11-6.
LAST MEETING: Carmel, 31-21, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "This year's addition of the Copper Kettle hopefully will be another showdown to the end. At least, we hope we can stay with the mighty Hounds that long. Our keys to this game are as follows. We have to get the mighty Carmel offense off the field and do not let them convert third downs. We, on the other hand, must move the chains at every possession. We have to make a big play in the kicking game, whether it be blocked kick or fake a kick return. The Trojans must stop the big physical Carmel run offense, as well as running the ball successfully when we have the ball on offense. We must not let them have a big play that allows a score in one play." – Center Grove coach Eric Moore.
"Center Grove is a complete team in all three phases of the game. They have playmakers on both sides of the ball and an outstanding kicking game. They are a senior-led group who has played a lot of varsity football. To be successful on Friday, we will have to be efficient with the football on offense, and try and get them in third down and long passing situations from a defensive standpoint. We took a big step last week against Louisville Trinity even though we didn't win the game. This week we will have to continue to improve to beat a very good football team." – Carmel coach Kevin Wright.
DECATUR CENTRAL (0-2) AT WHITELAND (1-1)
GAME TIME: 7:00 pm ET, James Sleighter Field.
COACHES: Justin Dixson, 21-21 in 5th year at Decatur Central. Darrin Fisher, 58-36 in 9th year at Whiteland, 119-108 in 23rd year overall.
LAST OUTING: Decatur Central lost to Perry Meridian, 83-78. Whiteland lost to Center Grove, 56-0.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Decatur Central 3-1, Whiteland 2-2.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Whiteland, 4-3.
LAST MEETING: Decatur Central, 38-21, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "Whiteland is a very good team with multiple weapons. We must continue to stay balanced offensively and tackle much better defensively to be successful." – Decatur Central coach Justin Dixson.
"We have to bounce back emotionally from a tough loss to Center Grove last week. We need to be able to "Play the Next Play" on Friday when Decatur Central makes a play. This should be a back and forth game. We have to play disciplined assignment football versus their option. We must have a four yard mentality on offense. Move the chains, sustain drives, and score touchdowns in the red zone." – Whiteland coach Darrin Fisher.
ELKHART CENTRAL (2-0) AT PENN (2-0)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, Freed Field (WGCS, 91.1 FM; WTRC, 95.3 FM).
COACHES: Levon Johnson, 13-20 in 4th year at Elkhart Central. Cory Yeoman, 108-25 in 11th year at Penn.
LAST OUTING: Elkhart Central beat Goshen, 42-14. Penn beat Portage, 32-0.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Elkhart Central 0-4, Penn 1-3.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Penn, 16-0.
LAST MEETING: Penn, 21-0, Oct. 8, 2010.
COACHES COMMENTS: "For us to win Friday against Penn there are a couple of things that have to happen. First, we need to focus on what we do and do well. We need to withstand the ups and downs of the football game and remain patient within our game plan. It is also important that we avoid the self-inflicted setbacks that stall drives like we have had the first two weeks of the season." – Elkhart Central coach Levon Johnson.
"We have to find a way to score points against one of the stingiest defenses in Northern Indiana." – Penn coach Cory Yeoman.
EVANSVILLE REITZ (1-1) AT CASTLE (1-1)
GAME TIME: 7 pm CT, Castle Field.
COACHES: Andy Hape, 1-1 in 1st year at Evansville Reitz. Doug Hurt, 59-27 in 8th year at Castle.
LAST OUTING: Evansville Reitz beat Paducah Tilghman (Ky.), 28-16. Castle beat New Albany, 14-7.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Evansville Reitz 0-0, Castle 2-2.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Evansville Reitz, 13-8.
LAST MEETING: Castle, 33-13, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "Anytime Reitz and Castle compete on the football field you can expect a battle. Our players know that we have to have a great week of preparation and come ready to play Friday night in Paradise IN. Establishing the run is going to be important for us because if we can do that, it will open up other parts of our offense we think might be valuable." – Evansville Reitz coach Andy Hape.
"We are going have to play very well to beat Reitz. They are a sound team and do a great job of taking away what you do well. We will need to play great run defense as they have been very effective on the ground. On offense, our passing game is going to need to be better than it has been in the first couple of weeks and we must eliminate turnovers. It should be a close contest, and I feel that special teams could ultimately decide the game." – Castle coach Doug Hurt.
FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER (2-0) AT FORT WAYNE NORTH (1-1)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, Chambers Field.
COACHES: Chris Svarczkopf, 118-31 in 12th year at Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger. Ryan Hall, 23-13 in 4th year at Fort Wayne North.
LAST OUTING: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger beat Fort Wayne Concordia, 34-10. Fort Wayne North lost to Delta, 42-40.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 0-4, Fort Wayne North 2-2.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, 11-4.
LAST MEETING: Fort Wayne North, 26-13, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "We will have to play great defense. They have a quarterback, #2, Mike Lovett, who can absolutely produce points instantly from anywhere on the field. He is very difficult to catch and tackle. He also has a great arm and throws a nice ball. His best receiver, #8, Zach McKinstry, is a good a receiver as we will face all season. Last Friday against Delta, they combined for nearly all of North Side's 40 points. Our offense must be productive against the always tough and aggressive North Side 3-4 defense. We hope our punting, kicking, and return games play well enough to give us an edge. It should be a great one, as always." – F.W. Bishop Dwenger coach Chris Svarczkopf.
HOMESTEAD (2-0) AT EAST NOBLE (2-0)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, East Noble Field.
COACHES: Chad Zolman, 82-20 in 10th year at Homestead. Luke Amstutz, 9-3 in 2nd year at East Noble, 35-18 in 6th year overall.
LAST OUTING: Homestead beat Valparaiso, 21-10. East Noble beat Warsaw, 49-14.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Homestead 0-4, East Noble 2-2.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Homestead, 11-4.
LAST MEETING: Homestead, 65-21, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "To win, we must not turn the ball over. We cannot give a very good East Noble team extra possessions. We have had many mental errors that are common with a young squad that we must correct this week. Defensively, we must find a way to slow down their strong running game. They have several weapons capable of scoring quickly." – Homestead coach Chad Zolman.
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (1-1) VS INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD (1-1)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, Indianapolis Tech HS.
COACHES: Bruce Scifres, 210-74 in 24th year at Indianapolis Roncalli. Vince Lorenzano, 124-24 in 11th year at Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 184-93 in 23rd year overall.
LAST OUTING: Indianapolis Roncalli beat Franklin Central, 30-28. Indianapolis Bishop Chatard beat Indianapolis Broad Ripple, 47-20.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Indianapolis Roncalli 3-1, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 2-2.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 9-8.
LAST MEETING: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 28-25, 2 overtimes, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "We will be successful if we can win the time of possession and turnover battles. We are very similar in philosophies, and our players are similar too. I believe the team with the fewest mental mistakes will win!!" – Roncalli coach Bruce Scifres.
"This game this week is all about getting better. We need to play fundamental football in all three areas. Offensively, we need ball security, so we must eliminate the turnovers. We must eliminate wasted penalties that cause loss of yardage, and our individual blocking must improve. Defensively, we must tackle better, be more physical, and force turnovers. Our specialty teams must hit all of our attempts on field goal and PAT's. We must also change field position in our favor and play more physical." Bishop Chatard coach Vince Lorenzano.
LEO (2-0) AT ADAMS CENTRAL (2-0)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, Jets Stadium.
COACHES: Jared Sauder, 60-21 in 8th year at Leo. Michael Mosser, 27-21 in 5th year at Adams Central.
LAST OUTING: Leo beat Angola, 44-0. Adams Central beat Union County, 26-13.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Leo 1-3, Adams Central 0-4.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Leo, 9-6.
LAST MEETING: Leo, 34-0, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "Adams Central is always a very sound and disciplined football team. They are well-coached and don't make mistakes. They are also a very physical football team. They really try to establish a run game and then use play action to catch you off guard. We will have to play mistake free football and win the battle on the line of scrimmage to win the game." – Leo coach Jared Sauder.
"The Jets will have to play our best to beat the bigger, faster, and stronger Lions. It really is a David vs. Goliath sort of scenario. They are 4A and we are 1A. We have small numbers, they have many. However, if we can slow the game down, run the clock, and sustain drives, we may be in a position in the fourth quarter to have a chance. If they score fast, and we go three and out, and three and out, etc., they will win big. We have to play smart, keep to our game plan, and not be intimidated by their size. I know our guys have heart, so we will see how much of that plays into the equation by the end of the game. Another hurdle to face is the fact that we have many guys going both ways, and our senior quarterback is out of commission. We will be starting a freshman quarterback this week, so our hands are definitely full. Senior leadership will have to step up big for us." – Adams Central coach Michael Mosser.
LOUISVILLE TRINITY (KY) (1-1) AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL (2-0)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, Smysor Field.
COACHES: Bob Beatty, 92-14 in 9th year at Louisville Trinity. Jed Richman, 2-0 in 1st year at Lawrence Central, 27-9 in 4th year overall.
LAST OUTING: Louisville Trinity beat Carmel, 42-35. Lawrence Central beat North Central (Indianapolis), 34-31.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Louisville Trinity (Ky.) 3-1, Lawrence Central 0-4.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: No meetings.
COACHES COMMENTS: "Trinity is a very good football team. They are every bit of their reputation as a national power and we have a tremendous amount of respect for them. If we are going to be successful, we must control the line of scrimmage and be sound in our responsibilities. We have to eliminate costly mistakes we made a week ago and learn from them." – Lawrence Central coach Jed Richman.
MERRILLVILLE (1-1) AT CROWN POINT (2-0)
GAME TIME: 7 pm CT, Bulldog Turf (WEFM, 95.9 FM).
COACHES: Zac Wells, 68-24 in 8th year at Merrillville. Kevin Enright, 10-4 in 2nd year at Crown Point.
LAST OUTING: Merrillville lost to Andrean, 34-32. Crown Point beat Mishawaka, 30-7.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Merrillville 2-2, Crown Point 0-4.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Merrillville, 13-9.
LAST MEETING: Merrillville, 24-14, sectional, Nov. 2, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "Offensively, Crown Point has some dangerous skill players with the return of their tailback, some good receivers and a quarterback (Jake Jatis) that can get the ball to them. Our defense will need to limit the big plays and try to keep them out of the end zone. Defensively, Crown Point returns 10 of 11 starters from last year, and this group will present a challenge to every offense they face. Overall, this is a very solid Crown Point team, and we will need to limit our mistakes and play good fundamental football is order to come out on top." – Merrillville coach Zac Wells.
NOBLESVILLE (2-0) AT ZIONSVILLE (1-1)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, Eagles Stadium.
COACHES: Lance Scheib, 19-35 in 6th year at Noblesville, 117-101 in 22nd year overall. Larry McWhorter, 148-55 in 18th year at Zionsville.
LAST OUTING: Noblesville beat Brownsburg, 26-6. Zionsville lost to McCutcheon, 30-6.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Noblesville 2-2, Zionsville 2-2.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Zionsville, 12-0.
LAST MEETING: Zionsville, 28-0, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "To win on Friday vs. Zionsville, the Millers need to continue to be physical and play fast on defense and we need to finish drives in the red zone. Zionsville is well-coached and plays hard and does not beat itself. We need raise the level of our play by having a great week of practice." – Noblesville coach Lance Scheib.
"We must limit the big play ability of the Noblesville quarterback (T.C. McKierman). He has really hurt other teams by keeping drives alive by running and passing. Our offense has to find ways to move the ball consistently and score, two things that we have not done well this year." – Zionsville coach Larry McWhorter.
PENDLETON HEIGHTS (2-0) AT NEW PALESTINE (2-0)
GAME TIME: 7:30 pm ET, Kelso Stadium.
COACHES: John Broughton, 215-166 in 38th year at Pendleton Heights. Kyle Ralph, 2-0 in 1st year at New Palestine.
LAST OUTING: Pendleton Heights beat Anderson, 34-12. New Palestine beat Richmond, 46-2.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Pendleton Heights 1-3, New Palestine 1-3.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: New Palestine, 10-7.
LAST MEETING: Pendleton Heights, 43-13, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "New Pal, under first year head coach Kyle Ralph, is a fast pace, no-huddle offense. They have scored 67 points in game one vs. Danville and 46 points vs. Richmond last Friday night. We will need to control the tempo and slow down their fast pace offense with good solid defensive play and get some three and outs and keep our offense on the field. This should be a great matchup as both teams are 2-0 to start the season in non-conference play. The rest of the season is all HHC play and should be a great, exciting race to the championship. We have played New Pal 24 times in school history with both teams winning 12. We will have to cut down on our mistakes and play our best game to this point in the season to win." – Pendleton Heights coach John Broughton.
YORKTOWN (2-0) AT MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (2-0)
GAME TIME: 7 pm ET, Mount Vernon (Fortville) Field.
COACHES: Mike Wilhelm, 45-43 in 9th year at Yorktown. Doug Armstrong, 18-7 in 3rd year at Mount Vernon (Fortville), 70-63 in 13th year overall.
LAST OUTING: Yorktown beat Indianapolis Northwest, 67-0. Mount Vernon (Fortville) beat Marion, 55-26.
OPPONENTS' RECORDS: Yorktown 0-4, Mount Vernon (Fortville) 0-4.
SERIES LAST 15 YEARS: Mount Vernon (Fortville), 15-5.
LAST MEETING: Mount Vernon (Fortville), 52-14, Aug. 31, 2012.
COACHES COMMENTS: "I do believe that it could be one of the most important conference games of the year, especially for us, in trying to get over that hump against good conference teams. To win Friday's game, we have to do the following three things. The first is we have to stop their offense. They have a very productive running offense. We have to get them off the field in order to let our offense do its work. This is the only time this year that we will play against the Double Wing-T offense. We will have to prepare well during the week to simulate their game speed. In the past, we have allowed Mount Vernon to big-play us at the beginning of games with long runs. We must stop their offensive momentum immediately. Second, we have to score in the red zone. Mount Vernon's defense has done a great job the last couple of years of stopping us with big plays and turnovers once we get to the red zone. We have to turn those opportunities into points this year. Lastly, we must play for 48 minutes. To this point in the season, we have not had to play a full four-quarter game with our starters. This week will be different. On offense, we must block to the whistle all night. On defense, we must run to the ball and gang tackle." – Yorktown coach Mike Wilhelm.
