By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
Westfield showed its worth against Center Grove in a top 10 matchup on the road and came out on top after a hefty comeback. Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Carmel, Noblesville and Guerin Catholic all six showcased their high-scoring offensive power, each scoring 30-plus en route to victories.
Among the Class 6A schools, Westfield jumped to No. 1 in both the IFCA (coaches) and USA Today polls. Carmel also moved up in the IFCA poll to fifth and ninth in the USA Today, while HSE sits at seventh in the coaches and No. 5 in the USA Today. Fishers is No. 11 in the USA Today and Noblesville is 13th in the coaches.
Carmel (1-0) at Westfield (1-0)
The No. 1 Shamrocks posted the biggest win in the county with a 34-28 comeback at then-No. 2 Center Grove.
Down 14-0 and 21-6 in the first half, then they came back. Gabe Aramboles connected with Parker Knott for a double pass touchdown and Carsen Melvin rushed for two for a 27-21 halftime edge.
Aramboles would then catch a 60-yard touchdown pass from Melvin for a 34-21 lead in the third, allowing Westfield to hold on for a 34-28 win after a late Center Grove score.
Westfield hosts the Carmel Greyhounds in a clash of state powers. Carmel holds a 13-6 record, with Westfield winning the last two years. The two met yearly (excluding 1957) every season from 1950 to 1964 before halting the regular season meeting. Carmel won 10 of those 14 in that time span.
Lukas Krishtanmoorthy booted a field goal to tie it 3-3. The tie broke on two Anthony Coellner touchdown passes to Ozzy Pollard and Nate Williams to end the half up 17-3.
Drew Cannon ran back an interception and running back Andrew Pemberton had a 53-yard rushing TD, sandwiching another Krishtanmoorthy field goal for the 34-10 final. Pemberton ran for 108 on 10 carries, while Coellner passed for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
North Central (0-1) at Hamilton Southeastern (1-0)
The No. 7 Royals hit the road to open the season at Fort Wayne Carroll with a dominating 45-21 win.
AZ Wallace tied it 7-7, then Royals jumped out to a big 28-7 lead at the half with a dominating second from Wallace, where he scored the other three of his four touchdowns.
Kendrick Pennybaker caught a Chandler Weston pass for a TD and Carter Reed rushed for the final score in the 24-point rout of the host Chargers. Hugo Belmonte also booted a 28-yard field goal in the fourth.
Wallace carried 25 times for 112 to go with his four touchdowns. Brennan Baker and Weston each ran for 67 yards. Weston also threw for 129, completing 17 of 24.
The Panthers fell at home to Fishers, 49-35. Over the last 10 meetings, HSE is 6-4, including three straight wins by a 30-point margin of victory.
Pike (1-0) at Fishers (1-0)
The Tigers will host the Pike Red Devils for the 13th meeting overall between the two red clad squads. Fishers owns a 9-3 record in the all-time series.
Fishers got off to a rapid start last Friday at North Central. Ryan Thembulembu and JonAnthony Hall both caught Gage Sturgill TD passes. Nathan Ash picked off a pass and ran it back 30-yards for a TD for 21-0 and there was still 4:29 left in the first.
The Tigers finished their scoring to go up big at halftime 49-14. Sturgill threw four more TD passes, three to Hall and another to Thembulembu.
Sturgill finished 14 of 21 for 224 yards and six touchdown passes. Hall had 151 yards on nine grabs, while Thembulembu caught four for 65 and also ran for 24.
The Red Devils won at home over neighboring Zionsville last week, 31-20.
Triton Central (0-1) at Hamilton Heights (0-1)
Friday night’s home opener for the Huskies features a pair of teams that will be hungry for their first win. Triton Central lost its opener at home to Batesville, 21-14 and Hamilton Heights came up short in a hard-fought battle at Lapel, 29-20.
Heights leads the all-time series (7-0) with the Tigers and hopes to make it eight on Friday.
Sophomore quarterback Drew Woodruff threw for 290 yards and a pair of TDs and also rushed one in.
Tyler Champion led with six catches for 114 yards. Keaton Weaver had seven for 105 and a TD, while Cam Fleming caught four for 56 and a score.
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