By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
Class 1A Sectional 46: Sheridan (4-5) at Clinton Central (3-6)
The Blackhawks on are a quest for a third straight sectional championship and it starts tonight in Michigantown at Clinton Central. This will be the 43rd time that Sheridan faces the Bulldogs and has a commanding 38-4 lead in the overall series.
Winning all but four in the series, Sheridan has won 14 straight against Clinton Central and hasn’t lost to the Bulldogs since 2009.
Legendary head coach Bud Wright leads the Blackhawks in his 59th season at Sheridan, where he’s 460-215. He has an overall record of 461-218 in 60 seasons as the all-time leader in the state of Indiana.
Sheridan started off the season rough at 0-2 with a home loss to Class 2A No. 8 Western Boone (35-14) and on the road at Class 1A No. 13 North Miami (27-17).
Hoosier Heartland Conference victories over Tri-Central (29-0), this same Clinton Central squad (43-26) and Clinton Prairie (24-6) got them to a 3-2 record.
The three-game win streak snapped in the Blackhawks’ first loss to Taylor, 12-11. But they bounced back on the road at Delphi the following week with a 21-7 win.
Sheridan’s searching for answers heading into sectional play with two consecutive losses to end the regular season to Eastern 38-23 and on the road at Carroll 28-0.
It’s been a combination of senior Owen Bell and sophomore Brock Hagan at the quarterback spot. The two have completed 35 of 85 passes for 503 yards for seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Alex Cravens has established himself as the main running back, carrying 159 times for 678 yards and seven touchdowns. Jaylen Arnold helps give the one-two punch with 91 carries for 520 yards and three TDs to his credit. Jon Barnes also has 315 on 58 runs to help add to the team total of 1,866 rushing yards.
Caleb Alexander (194 yards) and Dayne Voege (165) each have eight receptions. Alexander has three touchdowns and Voege two.
Defensively, Voege is the leading tackler with 75 and two fumble recoveries. Cravens is second with 61, while Owen Treitsch and Jacob Hall each are at 59 and Jaden Dunbar 55. Landon Moffitt has a team best two interceptions and Brody Heck 12 pass deflections.
Head coach Jeremy Fendley is in his second season leading the Bulldogs, with a 4-14 record.
The Bulldogs got off to a 2-0 start with wins at Frankfort (41-22) and at home over Faith Christian (68-0).
Clinton Central then lost two in a row at Clinton Prairie (28-26) and a home game with Sheridan (43-26). They squeezed in win number three over Taylor (48-6) on Sept. 20.
Over the final four games of the regular season, they lost at Eastern 18-0 and Carroll 45-6, along with two road games at Delphi (44-21) and Tri-Central (35-13) to close out the regular season.
Klayton Stevens runs the offense at quarterback. Stevens has completed 33 of 75 passes for 541 yards with six TDs and three interceptions.
Creed Mennen is the face of the CC offense. Mennen has 70 carries for 554 yards (7.9 average) and eight touchdowns. Amrin Barrett has 80 for 527 and seven scores, while Stevens has run the most with 94 to total 445 yards and four TDs.
Mennen is also the leading receiver with 14 receptions for 246 yards and another three scores. Luke Shelley has also scored three times on his 11 catches for 204 yards.
Nate Wells’ 76 tackles lead the defense, while also grabbing an interception and recovering a fumble. Collin Washburn is second with 69 stops with two sacks and a pair of interceptions. Shelley has 56 tackles, two picks and a fumble recovery, while Mennen has 42 stops and three interceptions.
Sheridan is looking for its second sectional championship in a row and 22nd overall. Clinton Central has not won a sectional since 2009 and has four in its football history.
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