There’s more at stake than just bragging rights when Hamilton Southeastern plays Noblesville Friday at the Millers’ Beaver Materials Field to headline Week 7 football action.
For one thing, both teams are in the thick of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference race. Noblesville is tied with Avon for second place; both teams are 3-1 in HCC play. The Royals are right behind in a fourth-place tie with Westfield; both teams are 2-2.
As far as the regular season goes, the Millers and Southeastern are both 3-3, so one school will be back above .500 after the game is done on Friday.
Last season’s game was a close one, with the Royals prevailing 13-10. This year, both teams are coming off solid wins: Noblesville beat Franklin Central 10-0, while Southeastern took care of Zionsville 30-14.
Junior Kody Sparks had a good game for HSE last week, completing 14 of 22 passes for 125 yards. For the season, Sparks is 63 of 151 with 768 yards and three touchdowns to his credit. Senior Ben Boysen has made 34 of those catches. On the ground, senior Matt Harris has 670 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior Anthony Eggers leads the Royals defense with 51 tackles.
Millers senior Grant Gremel has thrown for 329 yards this season on 32-of-80 passing, including two touchdowns. Senior Luke Blevins has 374 rushing yards and two TDs to his credit, as well as seven catches. Senior Eddie Dziennik has been strong on defense with 70 tackles, with junior Jacob Hamm right behind him by making 68 tackles. Senior Dalton Davis has 6.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks.
HEIGHTS-TIPTON
A classic backyard rivalry game is on tap tonight at Hamilton Heights, as Tipton will visit the Huskies in a Hoosier Conference East Division contest. It’s also Heights’ Homecoming game.
The Blue Devils are unbeaten for the season at 6-0 and have won both East Division games that they have played. Tipton’s wins have come over Madison-Grant 48-7, Elwood 72-6, Twin Lakes 56-35, Lewis Cass 27-15, Lafayette Central Catholic 49-21 and Northwestern 36-0.
Senior KJ Roudebush has led the way for the Blue Devils, throwing for 977 yards and 13 touchdowns on 59-of-92 passing. Roudebush is also Tipton’s leading rusher, with 738 yards and 18 touchdowns. Senior Luke Stoker has 24 catches, seven of them for TDs. Senior Sebastian Connor and sophomore Jayvin Lyons each have 60 tackles to lead the Blue Devils’ defense.
The Huskies (1-5), meanwhile, have gotten production out of two quarterbacks this year. Sophomore Isaac Wilson has thrown for 387 yards and five touchdowns on 28-of-66 passing, while senior Carter Campassi has completed 29 of 55 attempts for 376 yards and three scores.
Junior Deshawn King has rushed for 391 yards, while seniors Isiah Campbell and TadDefoe each have 16 catches; Defoe has two touchdowns to his credit. Senior Kray Leininger leads the Heights defense with 51 tackles, while junior Cole Portwood has five tackles for a loss.
CARMEL-BEN DAVIS
It’s also Homecoming week in Carmel, and the big game will have the Greyhounds hosting Metropolitan Conference rival Ben Davis.
The Class 6A defending state champion Giants are 3-3 this year and 2-2 in the MIC. Ben Davis’ victories have come against Arsenal Tech 51-6, Pike 40-19 and Lawrence North 48-38, with losses to Avon 41-36, Center Grove 29-22 and Warren Central 70-27.
Junior Trent Gipson is the Giants’ quarterback, and he has already pushed past the 1,000-yard mark, with 1,034 yards and five touchdowns on 83-of-146 passing. Senior Delbert Mimms III has been a strong runner, with 773 yards and 15 scores.
Five Ben Davis receivers have at least 10 catches, with senior Dominic Day leading the way with 19 receptions and three TDs. Junior Capone Powell leads the Giants’ defense with 42 tackles, while junior Mynais Collins has seven tackles for a loss.
Carmel is 3-1 in the MIC, which puts it in second place behind Warren Central, and 5-1 overall. Dylan Downing leads the Greyhounds’ ground game with 590 yards and four touchdowns. Tyler Trent is passing at a 42-of-86 rate, with 604 yards and eight TDs. Sam Rogers has made 16 of those catches, including four touchdowns.
WESTFIELD-AVON
Westfield is having its Homecoming on Friday too, and the Shamrocks get a big game of their own by taking on Avon.
The Orioles will come into Riverview Health Stadium with a 3-1 record in HCC play and a 5-1 record overall – the only loss is to Brownsburg, 21-7 in a Week 4 HCC match-up. Avon’s wins have been against Plainfield 44-13, Ben Davis 41-36, Southeastern 29-6, Franklin Central 48-0 and Fishers 33-0.
Sophomore Henry Hesson has already topped 1,000 yards passing, throwing at a 79-of-136 clip for 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior Sampson James has been leading the way on the ground with 791 yards and nine scores, while two Avon receivers are already past 20 catches: Senior Jalen Peterson has 22 receptions (two TDs) and sophomore Wallace Stovall Jr. has 21 catches (three TDs). Senior Alex Griffith leads the Orioles’ defense with 50 tackles.
Westfield is 2-2 in HCC play and 3-3 overall. Junior Camden Simons has been throwing the ball well, completing 84 of 132 passes for 1,038 yards and five touchdowns. Junior Eli Patchett has rushed for 376 yards and six scores, while junior Dane Wheeler has made 25 catches, one for a score.
Senior Colin Caldwell leads the Shamrocks’ defense with 46 tackles. Another senior, Ryan Mahoney, has made seven tackles for a loss and three sacks.
FISHERS-FRANKLIN CENTRAL
Fishers will travel to Franklin Central on Friday for its first-ever game against the Flashes, who are in their first year of HCC competition.
Both teams are looking for their first conference win and are 1-5 overall. Franklin Central beat Roncalli 14-7 in Week 2, and lost to Decatur Central 14-0, Brownsburg 37-7, Zionsville 44-19, Avon 48-0 and Noblesville 10-0.
Senior Dylan Bishop is FC’s quarterback, and he has completed 54 of 116 passing for 591 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Malieki Parks has 287 yards rushing and two scores, while senior Sam Diehl has made 16 receptions. Junior Nate Talhelm leads the Flashes’ defense with 45 tackles, with senior Steven Edwards making nine tackles for a loss.
Fishers junior Marcus Roux is 31-of-81 passing for 364 yards and one touchdown this season. Senior HL Lewis leads the Tigers’ rushing with 381 yards and three scores, while senior Colin Statz has 15 catches and one touchdown.
SHERIDAN-SEEGER
Sheridan is taking a break from Hoosier Heartland Conference play this week to host Seeger. This is the first time the teams have played each other since Nov. 12, 2004, when they meet at the Patriots’ field in a regional game. Seeger won that game 14-7 in bitterly cold conditions, eventually completing an undefeated state championship season.
This year’s Patriots will come into Bud Wright Stadium with a 2-4 record. Seeger has wins over Benton Central 44-3 and Riverton Parke 41-18, and has lost to Parke Heritage (a new school that is a consolidation of Turkey Run and Rockville high schools) 51-14, Attica 37-0, Covington 34-26 and Fountain Central 40-17.
Greyson Green is Seeger’s quarterback, and he has made 74 of 135 attempts for 968 yards and eight touchdowns. Green is also the Patriots’ leading rusher with 255 yards and six TDs. Junior Hunter Garrison has 21 catches for three scores. Khal Stephen has 17 tackles on defense.
Sheridan is 5-1 for the season. Senior Drake Delph has been solid as the Blackhawks’ quarterback with 538 yards on 24-of-44 passing and 10 touchdowns. Senior James Manis has compiled 621 rushing yards, including 10 TDs, while senior Jesse Kolb can count eight touchdowns among his 13 receptions.
Sophomore Cameron Hovey leads the defense with 59 tackles, senior Nick Burnell is right behind with 57. Senior Luke Chesney has seven tackles for a loss, with Manis and junior Chris Starks both getting six tackles for a loss. Manis and senior Jarman Warren each have five sacks.
GUERIN CATHOLIC-NOTRE DAME PREP
Guerin Catholic will take a road trip on Saturday to play at Notre Dame Prep in Pontiac, Mich., which is located just west of Detroit. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
Notre Dame Prep emulates the University of Notre Dame in that both schools call themselves the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame Prep is 4-1 for the season, starting with a forfeit win over Detroit Collegiate Prep in the first week. Other wins were against Muskegon Central Catholic 21-7, Corunna 35-8 and Lake Fenton 41-0; Notre Dame’s only loss is to Goodrich 34-17.
Guerin Catholic is 4-2 for the season. Junior Christian Gelov has completed 49 of 105 passes for 584 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Dylan Crossen has rushed for 759 yards and 10 TDs.
Junior Bernie McGuinness leads the receivers with 11 catches. Senior Charles Bock has made 63 tackles to lead the GC defense, with senior Hank Bates making six tackles for a loss.
