Here is information about this weekend’s IHSAA state football finals:
TICKETS
$15 per day. All seats general admission. Children age 5 and younger are admitted at no charge. Single day tickets may be purchased at participating schools. Contact schools for ticket distribution hours. Purchase tickets in advance through a participating school and $1 for every ticket sold will be reimbursed to that school. Single day tickets may also be purchased on game day at the Lucas Oil Stadium Ticket Office located on the southeast side of the venue at street level nearest Capitol Avenue.
GATES OPEN
Gates open beginning at 11 a.m. each day (one hour prior to kickoff ).
TELEVISION & WEBSTREAM
The Class A, 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A games will air live on Fox Sports Indiana while Friday’s 6A game broadcast will air on Fox Sports Indiana Plus, an alternate channel, due to overlap with the Indiana Pacers broadcast that evening. Check IHSAA.org this week for a list of specific channels by television provider. Each game also will be streamed at IHSAAtv.org.
SCHEDULE OF GAMES
FRIDAY
Class 2A: Western Boone vs. Southridge, noon
Class 4A: Bishop Dwenger vs. Evansville Central, 3:30 p.m.
Class 6A: Carmel vs. Warren Central, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY
Class 1A: Pioneer vs. North Vermillion, noon
Class 3A: West Lafayette vs. Evansville Memorial, 3:30 p.m.
Class 5A: New Palestine vs. Decatur Central, 7 p.m.
Class 6A Notables
CARMEL GREYHOUNDS (11-2)
Associated Press Poll: No. 3
IFCA Coaches Poll: No. 3
– Carmel making a state record-tying 15th appearance in a state championship game (Fort Wayne Bishop Luers and Indianapolis Cathedral).
– Like their opponent, Greyhounds looking to win ninth football state championship Friday night.
– Will meet top-ranked conference rival Warren Central for the second time this season. Greyhounds dropped a 41-17 decision on the road on Oct. 5.
– Carmel looking for its first victory over Warren Central in a state championship game (2006, 2009, 2013).
– ’Hounds facing third ranked foe of this tournament in top-ranked Warren. Defeated No. 5/8 Lafayette Jefferson 41-21 for its sixth straight sectional title and held off No. 10 Valparaiso 14-10 for the semi-state victory.
– Head coach John Hebert is 39-14 in four seasons leading the Greyhounds.
– Team finished in second place in this year’s Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference race with a 5-2 record.
Football State Tournament History
IHSAA Membership: 1904-07; 1909-present
First Football State Tournament Appearance: 1975
State Champion (8) 1978 (3A), 1980 (3A), 1981 (3A), 1986 (5A), 1989 (5A), 2007 (5A), 2011 (5A), 2016 (6A) Runner-Up (6) 1975 (3A), 2006 (5A), 2008 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2013 (6A), 2014 (6A)
State Finals Appearances (15) 1975 (3A), 1978 (3A), 1980 (3A), 1981 (3A), 1986 (5A), 1989 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2007 (5A), 2008 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2011 (5A), 2013 (6A), 2014 (6A), 2016 (6A), 2018 (6A)
Semi-State Champion (12) 1981 (3A), 1986 (5A), 1989 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2007 (5A), 2008 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2011 (5A), 2013 (6A), 2014 (6A), 2016 (6A), 2018 (6A)
Regional Champion (21) 1978 (3A), 1980 (3A), 1981 (3A), 1982 (3A), 1986 (5A), 1987 (5A), 1989 (5A), 1994 (5A), 1995 (5A), 1996 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2007 (5A), 2008 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2011 (5A), 2013 (6A), 2014 (6A), 2015 (6A), 2016 (6A), 2017 (6A), 2018 (6A)
Sectional Champion (30) 1975 (3A), 1978 (3A), 1980 (3A), 1981 (3A), 1982 (3A), 1984 (4A), 1985 (5A), 1986 (5A), 1987 (5A), 1989 (5A), 1992 (5A), 1994 (5A), 1995 (5A), 1996 (5A), 1998 (5A), 1999 (5A), 2001 (5A), 2003 (5A), 2004 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2007 (5A), 2008 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2011 (5A), 2013 (6A), 2014 (6A), 2015 (6A), 2016 (6A), 2017 (6A), 2018 (6A)
School’s IHSAA State Championship History (146)
Carmel will be playing for its fourth team state championship this fall having already won titles in boys tennis (Oct. 13), boys cross country (Oct. 27) and 3A girls soccer (Oct. 27). Junior Presley Thienenman also captured the boys singles state title on Oct. 20.
WARREN CENTRAL WARRIORS (13-0)
Associated Press Poll: No. 1
IFCA Coaches Poll: No. 1
– Top-ranked Warren Central making its ninth appearance in a state championship game and looking to complete an undefeated season.
– Like their opponent, Warriors playing for the school’s ninth football state title. Warren has never lost in their previous eight appearances.
– Will meet third-ranked conference rival Carmel for the second time this season. Warriors claimed a 41-17 decision at home on Oct. 5.
– Warren has defeated Carmel in each of its three previous state championship game meetings (2006, 2009, 2013).
– School looking to land third state championship of this calendar year after the Warriors boys and girls basketball teams swept the Class 4A crowns last winter. WR David Bell was a starting forward on that team that beat Carmel.
– Will face third ranked team of the tournament on Friday. Warriors held off No. 4 North Central 42-32 for the regional crown and No. 7/9 Center Grove 27-20 for the semi-state title.
– Champions of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference with a 7-0 record this season.
– Warriors head coach Jayson West is 58-16 in six years leading the team. He is one of six coaches to have won state titles at two different schools and, in 2013, he became only coach to win back-to-back titles at two different schools (2012 Lawrence Central, 2013 Warren).
Football State Tournament History
IHSAA Membership: 1935-present
First Football State Tournament Appearance: 1984
State Champion (8) 1984 (4A), 1985 (5A), 2003 (5A), 2004 (5A), 2005 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2013 (6A)
Runner-Up (0)
State Finals Appearances (9) 1984 (4A), 1985 (5A), 2003 (5A), 2004 (5A), 2005 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2013 (6A), 2018 (6A)
Semi-State Champion (9) 1984 (4A), 1985 (5A), 2003 (5A), 2004 (5A), 2005 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2013 (6A), 2018 (6A)
Regional Champion (9) 1984 (4A), 1985 (5A), 2003 (5A), 2004 (5A), 2005 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2013 (6A), 2018 (6A)
Sectional Champion (18) 1984 (4A), 1985 (5A), 1986 (5A), 1994 (5A), 2000 (5A), 2001 (5A), 2002 (5A), 2003 (5A), 2004 (5A), 2005 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2008 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2013 (6A), 2014 (6A), 2015 (6A), 2016 (6A), 2018 (6A)
School’s IHSAA State Championship History (27)
Boys Basketball (1) 2018 (4A)
Girls Basketball (1) 2018 (4A)
Boys Cross Country (2) 2005, 2006
Football (8) 1984 (4A), 1985 (5A), 2003 (5A), 2004 (5A), 2005 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2013 (6A)
Boys Golf (1) 1983
Boys Gymnastics (2) 1980, 1983
Softball (1) 1985
Boys Track (4) 1995, 1996, 2006, 2007
Girls Track (5) 2006, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2017
Wrestling (2) 1980, 2016