By RICHIE HALL
Most of the Hamilton County football teams will be finishing the regular season on the road.
Six of the county’s eight teams are playing away games on Friday for Week 9. Only two teams will be at home: Fishers and Sheridan. Regardless of whether they are home or away, every team is playing a conference game this week, and league titles will be decided as the regular season comes to a close.
SHERIDAN-CARROLL
After three straight weeks of away games, Sheridan returns to Bud Wright Stadium this week to finish up Hoosier Heartland Conference game against Carroll.
The Cougars are in the midst of three straight weeks on the road, having played last week at Clinton Prairie, then heading to North White next week for the first round of Sectional 42. Carroll is 3-3 in the conference and 5-3 overall. Non-conference victories have come Tri-County 33-6 and South Newton 65-14, followed by conference wins against Taylor 34-6, Tri-Central 33-22 and Clinton Central 30-12. The Cougars have lost to Delphi 20-9, Eastern 35-0 and Clinton Prairie 48-15.
Carroll has a sophomore quarterback, Heath Richardson. He has some nice numbers, throwing for 1,207 yards and 12 touchdowns. Sophomore Wade Peters is one of the Cougars’ top receivers, with 31 catches (six touchdowns).
Senior Ayden Ayres is solid in the air and on the ground, with 717 yards rushing and seven scores, and 23 catches, four of them for touchdowns. Junior Jaden Harness leads the defense with 91 tackles.
The Blackhawks are also 5-3, and are hoping to stop a two-game losing streak. Sheridan is still waiting for the return of injured junior Cameron Hovey, but the ‘Hawks have two good runners in sophomores Evan Bourdon (439 yards, six TDs) and quarterback Silas DeVaney (269 yards, six TDs).
DeVaney has thrown for 514 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, senior Chris Starks has 67 tackles, including 15 for a loss. Junior Keenan Warren has 60 stops, while senior Charlie Cronin has made 10 tackles for a loss, with Bourdon getting nine.
In the HHC, Sheridan is 5-1, currently in second place. The Blackhawks are assured at least a tie for the runner-up spot, but can clinch it with a win tonight. Eastern leads at 6-0, and will play at Clinton Prairie tonight in a bid for an undefeated HCC title.
FISHERS-ZIONSVILLE
Fishers is back in the IFCA Class 6A rankings at No. 9 this week, and is back at Clarian Field at Reynolds Tiger Stadium for a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game with Zionsville.
The Eagles are 1-5 in the HCC and 3-5 overall, having lost their last three games. Zionsville fell to No. 1-ranked Avon 31-28 last week; the Eagles and Westfield are the only teams to get within three points of the unbeaten Orioles all season.
Senior Cole Wiseman is Zionsville’s quarterback, and he has thrown for 1,151 yards and six touchdowns, while also running for a pair of scores. Sophomore Trey Firestone has 31 catches, including one TD. Sophomore Cole Price is the top rusher, gaining 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior Garrett Williamson leads the defense with 109 tackles.
Fishers is 4-2 in HCC play and 6-2 overall. The Tigers have won their last two games, over Franklin Central and Westfield.
Senior Marcus Roux has thrown for 1,033 yards and 12 touchdowns, with sophomore Jeffrey Simmons leading the receptions list with 23, including five scores. Senior Dylan Scally is the top rusher, totaling 725 yards and six touchdowns. Senior Geoffrey Brown leads the defense with 78 tackles, including 10 for a loss, while senior Alex Lemaich has nine tackles for a loss.
CARMEL-LAWRENCE CENTRAL
Carmel, coming off its biggest win of the season last Friday, will travel to Lawrence Central this Friday to close out Metropolitan Conference play.
The Bears are 2-4 in the MIC and 2-6 overall. Lawrence Central’s wins were over Lawrence North 41-31 and Ben Davis last week, 23-20. The Bears have lost to Hamilton Southeastern 24-20, Lafayette Jefferson 36-34, Warren Central 40-21, Pike 19-15, Center Grove 21-0 and North Central 17-6.
Senior Jasen Graves is LC’s quarterback, with 891 yards and nine touchdowns. Two Bears receivers have 28 catches: Elijah Gaskin counts six touchdowns among his receptions, while Jaden Fuel has three TDs.
Senior Cortaveon Barnett is Lawrence Central’s top rusher with 457 yards and four touchdowns. Senior Daveren Rayner leads the Bears defense with 93 tackles, including 10.5 for a loss.
The Greyhounds are ranked No. 6 in the 6A coaches poll. After its shutout win over Warren Central, Carmel is 4-2 in MIC play and 5-3 overall.
Junior Christian Williams has stepped up as the Greyhounds’ quarterback, with 400 yards and three touchdowns to his credit. Senior Zach Gish and junior Colton Parker both have 15 catches, with Parker getting two TDs and Gish one. Dylan Downing has gained 624 yards rushing and seven scores. Junior Dominic Padjen has 82 tackles, with senior Ty Wise making 11 tackles for a loss.
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN-BROWNSBURG
Hamilton Southeastern travels to Brownsburg on Friday for its HCC finale.
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 4 in the 6A coaches poll, are a firm second in the conference race at 5-1, and are 6-2 overall. Brownsburg has won its last four games after a 2-2 start.
Junior Ben Easters is the Bulldogs quarterback, and he has totaled 1,292 yards and 17 touchdowns. Easters has also rushed for three scores. His top receiver is junior Preston Terrell, who has 33 catches, including eight TDs. Junior Luke Lacey has 20 receptions, seven of them touchdowns.
Senior Donny Marcus leads the Brownsburg running game with 1,215 yards and nine scores. Senior Cade Shupperd is on top of the tackles list with 50 stops.
The Royals are 3-3 in the HCC and 4-4 overall. Southeastern had a three-game winning streak stopped by Franklin Central last week, 7-6.
Senior quarterback Andrew Hobson has had a great season, throwing for 1,594 yards and 11 touchdowns. Senior receiver DeAndre Rhodes count six touchdowns among his 40 receptions. Sophomore Blaine Wertz leads the rushing game with 503 yards and three scores. On defense, senior Seth Smarelli has 74 tackles.
NOBLESVILLE-AVON
Noblesville will also be traveling to Hendricks County on Friday, taking on Avon to close out HCC play.
The Orioles are ranked No. 1 in Class 6A and undefeated at 8-0, including a 6-0 record in the conference. Junior quarterback Henry Hesson leads the way for Avon, with 1,537 yards passing, including 21 touchdowns.
Junior Carmelo Mitchell is on top of the Orioles’ receptions list with 28, including seven scores. Senior Jalen Love has rushed for 496 yards and three touchdowns, with sophomore Chrishon McCray scoring four touchdowns by run. Hesson also has three rushing touchdowns. Senior Tyler Anderson leads he defense with 70 tackles, while senior Ross England has 10 tackles for a loss.
Noblesville is 1-5 in conference play and 1-7 overall. Senior quarterback Alex Zavac has thrown for 181 yards and two touchdowns, with senior Carson Sanders making 11 receptions, including one TD.
Senior Jayden Barrett leads the rushing with 290 yards and one touchdown. On defense, junior Skyler Tolliver leads with 73 tackles, followed by junior Zach Blevins with 64 stops and senior Lucas Williams with 61.
WESTFIELD-FRANKLIN CENTRAL
Westfield travels down to Franklin Central on Friday for its HCC finale.
The Flashes are 2-4 in the conference and 4-4 overall. Franklin Central ended a three-game losing streak last week with its win over Hamilton Southeastern. The Flashes are led by junior quarterback Peyton Viewegh, who has 716 yards and three touchdowns to his credit.
Senior Jacob Whitney leads the receptions list with 20, including one score. Junior Josh Ruley is on top of the running game with 774 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior Nate Talhelm is the defensive leader with 106 tackles.
The Shamrocks have an identical record to Franklin Central, as they are 2-4 in HCC play and 4-4 overall. Westfield has dropped its last four games.
Senior quarterback Camden Simons has thrown for 1,294 yards and 11 touchdowns, in addition to rushing for three scores. Junior Mason Piening has 26 receptions, while senior Dane Wheeler has 24 catches, both have three TDs.
Senior Eli Patchett is solid in the running game with 642 yards and 11 touchdowns. Sophomore Micah Hauser leads the defensive list with 71 tackles.
GUERIN CATHOLIC-RONCALLI
Guerin Catholic will travel to the south side of Indianapolis on Friday for a Circle City Conference game with Roncalli.
The Rebels are 0-2 in league play and 3-5 overall, but have won three of their last four games. Roncalli’s wins have come over Scecina 34-7, Bloomington North 19-14 and Columbus (Ohio) Northland 38-7. The Rebels have lost to Southport 35-10, Franklin Central 31-19, Bishop Chatard 53-7, Columbus North 14-0 and Brebeuf Jesuit 42-14.
Roncalli has a sophomore quarterback, Aidan Leffler, who has thrown for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns, and has rushed for another four touchdowns. Sophomore Kyle Lockard has 35 of those catches, including four TDs.
Junior Baron Huebler leads the Rebels’ rushing game with 734 yards and five scores. Senior Jack Wardzala has been dominant on defense, counting 13.5 tackles for a loss among his 68 overall stops.
Guerin Catholic is also 0-2 in conference play, but is 5-3 overall. This will be the first road game for the Golden Eagles since Week 5, when they took a trip to Columbus North, winning there 21-7.
Senior Christian Gelov has had a good season as quarterback, with 1,008 yards passing and 10 touchdowns. Senior Bernie McGuinness has 32 of those catches for five TDs.
On the ground, senior Gus Baumgartner has gained 1,055 yards and scored 11 times. Gelov also has a pair of rushing touchdowns. As for the defense, senior Tom Hokanson has made 80 tackles, with junior Jagger Albert getting 75 stops.
HAMILTON HEIGHTS-TWIN LAKES
Hamilton Heights travels to Twin Lakes on Friday for a Hoosier Conference playoff game that will determine seventh place in the league.
This will be a rare regular-season re-match between the two teams. The Huskies hosted the Indians during Week 6, and won 27-20 in a non-league game – Twin Lakes plays in the West Division of the conference and Heights plays in the East Division. The two teams will play each other because they each finished fourth in their respective division.
The Indians are 2-6 overall and have lost their last three games. Twin Lakes’ wins have come against Northwestern 10-3 and Benton Central 61-7. Besides their loss to the Huskies, the Indians have fallen to Western 35-21, Tipton 19-14, Rensselaer Central 35-0, Lafayette Central Catholic 13-0 and West Lafayette 48-7.
Heights is also 2-6 and has lost its last two games. The Huskies have been using two quarterbacks: Sophomore Guy Griffey has thrown for 799 yards and seven touchdowns, while junior Ian Wilson totals 677 yards and six scores.
Senior Camron Knott leads the receptions list with 27 catches, including six touchdowns. Senior Deshawn King has rushed for 31 yards and three TDs, and has dominated on defense with 118 tackles.
Carmel’s Dylan Downing has rushed for 624 yards and seven touchdowns this season for the Greyhounds. (Richie Hall/File photo)