Football previews: Royals and ‘Rocks to meet for important conference game

Now that Indiana is at the midpoint of the high school football season, the stakes are getting higher for each game, especially when it comes to conference races.
Two teams that are in the lead lap of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference chase will meet on Friday. Hamilton Southeastern travels to Westfield for a 7 p.m. game. The county rivals are both 3-1 and are locked in with Brownsburg for a three-way tie for first place in the HCC, all with 2-0 conference records.
For both the Royals and the Shamrocks, it will be a jump from one big rivalry game to another. Southeastern is coming off a 21-9 Mudsock victory last week over Fishers, while Westfield defeated Noblesville 24-10.
“I have been very impressed with how HSE plays as a team,” said ‘Rocks coach Jake Gilbert. “It really looks like they have a good culture. They are competing. They make very few mistakes. They are in the right place on defense and have gotten some interceptions.”
Gilbert noted that the Royals, who are ranked No. 8 in the Class 6A media poll and No. 9 in the 6A coaches poll, can run the ball with both quarterback John McCall and running back Blaine Wertz, “which makes them very dangerous.”
McCall, in fact, has 300 yards rushing for the season to go with his 41-of-63 passing. McCall has 477 yards through the air and five touchdowns. Wertz has 382 rushing yards and five TDs to his credit.
Martice Taylor is Southeastern’s top receiver with 15 catches, three of them for touchdowns. On defense, Nate Haas had 13 tackles last week against the Tigers, bringing him to 24 for the season. Cole Earlewine has 23 stops.
Westfield has been using two quarterbacks this season, and has done so quite effectively. Maximus Webster is 25-of-42 through the air for 427 yards and seven touchdowns, but has also run for 215 yards and three scores. Nick Talley, meanwhile, is passing at a 28-of-42 clip for 365 yards and four touchdowns.
“They’re very talented,” said Royals coach Michael Kelly. “They got a good offensive line.”
Micah Hauser is the Shamrocks’ top rusher with 344 yards and two scores, while Mason Piening leads the receptions with 17, including four TDs. Hauser also leads the defense with 34 tackles. Popeye Williams has 5.5 tackles for a loss. Kelly said that Westfield’s defensive line “flies around” and makes plays.
“They do things the right way,” said Kelly.
SHERIDAN-CLINTON PRAIRIE
After being sidelined last week, Sheridan returns to action Friday by traveling to Clinton Prairie for a 7 p.m. Hoosier Heartland Conference game.
The Gophers are 0-4 so far this season, with losses to Park Tudor 59-21, Frankfort 53-12, Traders Point Christian 21-18 and Tri-Central 48-6.
Senior Kade Osborn is Prairie’s quarterback, and has completed 49 of 85 passes for 431 yards and five touchdowns. Junior Kaden Mullendore leads the receptions with 12, while junior Drew Blacker and Derek McDonald both have 11.
“They’ve got some good athletes,” said Blackhawks coach Bud Wright. “The Blacker kid’s a really good receiver.”
Osborn is also the leading rusher with 254 yards and a touchdown, as well as the top tackler with 15 stops. Senior Sean Patrick has five tackles for a loss and three sacks.
The ‘Hawks are 2-1 for the year. Senior Cameron Hovey has been a force in Sheridan’s first three games, totaling 521 yards rushing, along with six touchdowns. Junior quarterback Silas DeVaney is 4-of-8, but has made the most of those throws, with 127 yards and two scores.
Hovey also leads in tackles with 33, while sophomore Jacob Jones has made 30 stops. Jones also has two sacks to his credit.
NOBLESVILLE-ZIONSVILLE
Noblesville will head west to Zionsville on Friday for a 7 p.m. HCC contest.
The Eagles, temporarily bumped down to Class 5A this year, are 2-2 overall, 1-1 in HCC play. They have wins over Lebanon 42-19 and Franklin Central 27-0 and losses to Pike 26-24 and Westfield 49-16. Zionsville is ranked No. 8 in the coaches poll and tied for ninth in the AP poll.
The Eagles have been getting a remarkable amount of production from senior quarterback Josh Stone, who has completed 58 of 92 throws for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. Senior Myles Cox has 14 receptions and two TDs, while Luke Baumgartner has 13 catches and one score.
Junior Colin Price leads Zionsville’s rushing game with 426 yards and three touchdowns. As for the Eagles’ defense, junior Otto Kyler has 21 tackles and senior Shane Bates has made 20 stops. Luke Nolan has made six tackles for a loss; he and senior Zack Bielecki each have three sacks.
The Millers will head to Zionsville with a 1-3 record, and are 0-2 in the conference. Noblesville’s rushing game has been solid, with junior Owen Jones gaining 260 yards on the ground and senior Holden Montarsi running for 228 yards. Both have two touchdowns.
Junior Conner Meinerding has completed 7 of 14 passes for 87 yards, with sophomore Chance Yeager making four of those catches. Senior Skyler Tolliver leads the defense with 26 tackles, while junior Sam Steinhofer has five tackles for a loss.
HAMILTON HEIGHTS-WESTERN
Hamilton Heights will be back home on Friday to take on Western in a Hoosier Conference East Division game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
The Panthers are off to a great start with a 4-0 record. Western has victories over Kokomo 34-19, Western Boone 31-21, Rensselaer Central 33-14 and Benton Central 65-14. Their game against the Huskies will be the first conference division contest for the Panthers this season.
Western’s offense has already put up some big numbers. Senior Jerry Padgett has rushed for 742 yards and seven touchdowns so far. Another senior, quarterback Braeden Bryant, is 23-for-35 through the air with 556 yards and eight TDs. Senior Nathaniel Liddell has 10 of those catches for 324 yards and five scores.
On defense, the Panthers have five players with 30 or more tackles. Junior Hayden Shepherd has 39 tackles, while senior Braydon Erb has 37 stops, including eight tackles for a loss.
Heights is 1-3 for the season, but won its conference division opener last week by beating Northwestern 41-7. Junior Guy Griffey has been solid as the Huskies’ quarterback, totaling 455 yards on 23-of-55 passing, including seven touchdowns.
Junior Gavin Bramel leads the Heights reception count with eight, including three TDs. Sophomore Trey Ehman had a breakout game last week against Northwestern, rushing for 225 yards; that brings him to 314 total for the season. Juniors Nate Hulen and Harrison Hochstedler are among the Huskies’ top defenders.
FISHERS-BROWNSBURG
Fishers will take on one of the HCC leaders on Friday when Brownsburg visits Reynolds Tigers Stadium. This game will kick off at 7:30 p.m.
The Bulldogs are 4-0 and ranked No. 2 in both the AP and coaches polls in 6A. Brownsburg opened its season with a 38-7 win at Ben Davis, then put on a show for ESPN2 viewers in an Aug. 29 nationally televised game by beating powerhouse Cincinnati St. Xavier 30-24 in overtime. Since then, the Bulldogs have cruised past Franklin Central 35-7 and Avon 47-29 in conference play.
Senior Ben Easters has completed 60 of 100 passes for 799 yards and seven touchdowns. Two more seniors are the leading receivers: Luke Lacey has 23 catches and Preston Terrell has 20. Lacey has hauled in four touchdowns and Terrell two.
Sophomore Caleb Marcus already has 460 yards on the ground with six touchdowns. On defense, senior Jalen Wilson has 29 tackles, while junior Isaiah Street has 6.5 tackles for a loss.
Fishers is 1-3 for the season and 1-1 in conference play. Senior quarterback Lucas Prewitt has some impressive numbers, going 56-of-101 with 753 yards and three touchdowns so far this year. Senior Landon Morris has caught all three of those touchdown passes and counts them among his 21 receptions, while junior Jeffrey Simmons has 16 catches.
Sophomore Carson Dunn has 295 yards rushing and one touchdown. Senior Seth Dunnuck leads the defense with 40 tackles, while senior Joey Slimak has 34 stops.
CARMEL-LAWRENCE NORTH
Carmel begins a two-game road trip this week, traveling to Lawrence North on Friday for a 7 p.m. Metropolitan Conference game.
The Wildcats have compiled a 3-1 record and are tied for fifth in the 6A coaches poll, while the AP poll has them seventh. Lawrence North won its first three games over Avon 62-34, Marion 70-14 and Lawrence Central 28-21 before falling to North Central last week 27-21, putting them 1-1 in the MIC.
Senior quarterback Donaven McCulley has been getting attention for his performance this season. He has completed 52 of 68 passes for 862 yards and nine touchdowns. Junior Omar Cooper and senior Anthony Hughes both have 12 receptions, with Cooper totaling 347 yards and five touchdowns.
Junior Travon Hegler is the top rusher with 464 yards and five scores, while McCulley has run for 326 yards. On defense, junior Romaro Warren leads the way with 37 tackles. Both he and junior Danny Royster have three sacks each.
The Greyhounds, ranked No. 10 in the AP and coaches polls in 6A, are 2-2 for the season and 1-1 in MIC play. Carmel picked up its first conference win last week with a 45-44 double-overtime victory over Pike.
Junior Zach Osborne is throwing at a 42-of-83 clip, with a total of 468 yards and six touchdowns. Senior Colton Parker has 15 of those catches, including three TDs.
Senior Zach White has gained 186 yards on the ground, with Osborne right behind him at 185 yards. Senior Tamarris Springfield leads the defense with 35 tackles.
GUERIN CATHOLIC-RONCALLI
Guerin Catholic continues Circle City Conference play on Friday with a trip to Roncalli. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
The Rebels are 2-1 for the season. After not playing during the first week of the season, Roncalli has since beaten Franklin Central 36-6 and Columbus North 31-27 – both 6A schools – while falling to Bishop Chatard 28-7 in its lone conference game.
Junior Aidan Leffler is the Rebels’ quarterback and has completed 24 of 49 passes for 209 yards. Senior John Troxell has the most catches with seven.
Senior Baron Huebler leads the rushing with 556 yards and has scored seven touchdowns. On defense, senior Sean Sinovic has 34 tackles, with sophomore Luke Swartz making four tackles for a loss, as well as two sacks.
The Golden Eagles are 1-1 for the season, including a conference 28-7 loss to Brebeuf Jesuit last week. In that game, Sam Miller went 7-of-17 for 93 yards. Jagger Albert was the leading rusher with 92 yards.