By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
6A No. 8 Hamilton Southeastern (3-1, 1-1) at 6A No. 2 Westfield (4-0, 2-0)
The Royals and Shamrocks meet up in what is always a crucial Hoosier Crossroads Conference matchup in the middle of the regular season. HSE holds a 21-10 advantage in the all-time series. Westfield has won six of the last 10, including playoff battles.
Last week, HSE trailed just 14-7 after one in the Mudsock with Fishers. The Royals then found themselves in a deep hole at halftime, 27-7.
Southeastern stormed out with a quick score on an 82-yard run from Carter Reed just 20 seconds into the third and another from Vaughan Johnson to cut it to 27-21. Despite scoring twice in the fourth, including a 73-yard pass from Chandler Weston to Kendrick Pennybaker, the Royals fell short 37-35 in a thriller.
Carter Reed had 11 carries for 127 yards and Vaughan Johnson was a great one-two punch with 98 on six rushes. Weston went 10 for 18 through the air for 176, with Pennybaker catching two for 92 yards.
Westfield was able to win its sixth Midland Rail trophy against Noblesville last week. The Rocks had a 10-6 lead at halftime.
The Rocks scored two more in the third to lead 24-6 through three.
It got interesting in the fourth. Noblesville scored two in a row, narrowing it to 24-18. But, seconds later Gabe Aramboles caught a 50-yard TD pass and Drew Law ran back a 57-yard interception with 1:11 left to seal it 38-18.
Deacon King ran for 58 and Webster 52 on the ground, while caught four for 85 and his two TDs.
6A No. 1 Brownsburg (4-0, 2-0) at 6A No. 11 Fishers (3-1, 2-0)
The Tigers jumped out to a commanding 27-7 lead at halftime. That win was Fishers’ first since 2019 and ended a three-game losing skid in the Mudsock.
The first half belonged to Ryan Thembulembu, scoring three of the four Fishers touchdowns, Brady Griffits the fourth.
After HSE scored twice in the third, Gage Sturgill ran in a nine-yard TD to push it to 34-21.
A Jon Tangara 29-yard field goal with 7:27 left that was sandwiched between HSE’s final two touchdowns was enough to secure the 37-35 win.
Thembulembu had a career night on the ground with 28 carries for 163 yards and 30 receiving. JonAnthony Hall finished with five catches for 105 yards.
3A No. 5 Guerin Catholic (3-1, 0-1) at Roncalli (1-2, 0-1)
Guerin heads to the southside of Indianapolis to face the Royals. 4A Roncalli has won all eight previous matchups.
Guerin and Brebeuf got into a shootout with 131 total points, but fell short, 69-62.
The two combined for 1,627 total yards, Guerin 773 and Brebeuf 854.
Down 35-14 after one, Guerin took the second 14-13, but still trailed 48-28 at halftime.
The two offenses slowed down in the third with just 13 points and Guerin down 55-34.
The Golden Eagles outscored Brebeuf 28-14 in the fourth, but fell short in their comeback bid. Hayden Cler score four touchdowns, but Braves’ tailback CJ Harris scored twice to keep Brebeuf ahead.
Harris broke the Brebeuf single-game rushing record of 376 yards and wound up with 392 and five TDs.
Malcolm Houze set four passing records. He broke the state record for single-game passing yards with 638. He also broke three school records with 40 passes completed, 56 attempts and eight touchdown passes. Cler broke into the top 10 nationally with 26 receptions in a game and broke school records with 396 yards and six TDs.
4A No. 9 Brebeuf Jesuit (3-1) at 6A No. 11 Carmel (2-2)
Friday night will be the first ever meeting between Class 4A Brebeuf Jesuit and Carmel.
Last week, Carmel hosted Louisville Trinity and came up on the short end of a 35-23 score.
The ‘Hounds found themselves down 21-13 at halftime, but it was a 14-10 second half that helped Trinity stay ahead.
Anthony Coellner had a career night in the pocket, going 23 of 37 for 328 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Three receivers had great nights to help Coellner. Dominic Shockley caught seven for 129, Jacob Bellin joined in triple digits with 101 on six catches and Nate Williams had seven for 81. Shockley and Williams each found the end zone.