Week 3 of the Indiana high school football season will see the start of conference action for many leagues, including the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.
The HCC openers include the season’s first all-county game. Noblesville travels to the Fishers stadium tonight for a 7 p.m. kickoff. It will be a matchup between two teams with 2-0 records and that are receiving votes in the Indiana Football Coaches Association’s Class 6A poll.
The Millers are already getting solid production out of junior running back Logan Shoffner, who has run for 311 yards and three touchdowns in his first two games. Two more juniors, Gage Gulley and Blake Widget, have rushed for 195 and 131 yards respectively.
Gulley also has three touchdowns on the season, with Widget scoring twice. Juniors Austin Hastings and Gavin Kinyon lead the defense with 23 tackles each.
Tigers coach Curt Funk said Noblesville “plays with great effort” and is “very fundamentally sound in all three phases of the game. “They will present us with a lot of challenges with their size and physical style of football.”
“We are excited to start HCC play and compete,” said Funk. “We know every week is going to be a challenge.”
Fishers senior quarterback Lucas Minns has completed 13-of-24 passes so far for 278 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while junior Khobie Martin is the top rusher, with 173 yards and three scores. Senior Aidan Zimmer has six receptions. Senior Grady Stanley and junior Kaleb Sweeney both have 11 tackles on defense.
“Fishers is very fast on both sides of the ball,” said Millers coach Dave Sharpe. The coach said “it’s just amazing how explosive Khobie Martin and Carson Dunn are.” Sharpe also noted the experience of Minns, who he said has “been able to spread the ball to their fine receivers as well.”
As for the defense, Sharpe said “they play incredibly hard. They all have high motors and they just fly to the ball.”
“We have much respect for Coach Funk and Fishers football because they play so hard and we hope to match their intensity Friday,” said Sharpe.
Fishers’ JonAnthony Hall got the Tigers on
the board last week with a 35-yard touchdown
reception with 10 seconds left in the first half. (Kirk Green/File photo)
OTHER GAMES AT A GLANCE
– Carmel will welcome Cass Tech from Detroit on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Both teams are looking for their first win of the season. The Technicians are 0-1, having lost to Southfield Arts and Technical 56-54 last week, while the 6A No. 6 Greyhounds dropped a close Copper Kettle game at Center Grove, 31-27.
– Guerin Catholic will take on Heritage Christian at 7 p.m. in a game at the Eagles’ Nest.
Both teams are 2-0 to start the season. Heritage, ranked No. 8 in 2A, opened with a 55-20 win against Traders Point Christian, then won at Shenandoah 52-33. The 3A No. 5 Golden Eagles got big wins over McCutcheon 45-21 and at Lafayette Central Catholic 47-10 in last week’s Bishop’s Cup game.
– Hamilton Southeastern goes on the road to open HCC play, traveling to Avon for a 7 p.m. game.
The Orioles are off to an 0-2 start, falling at Lawrence North 32-25 then dropping a 44-13 Week 2 contest to Ben Davis. Meanwhile, the 6A No. 5 Royals are 2-0, with wins at Lawrence Central 12-7 and North Central 45-14.
– Sheridan hosts Tri-Central tonight in a 7 p.m. Hoosier Heartland Conference game.
This is the conference opener for the Trojans, who are 1-1 so far this season. Tri-Central fell to Madison-Grant 48-7, then rebounded to beat Wes-Del 34-0. The Blackhawks, who are receiving votes in the 1A poll, are also 1-1, dropping their opener to Western Boone 35-12 before beating Clinton Central 47-0 in their HHC opener.
– Westfield plays at Riverview Health Stadium tonight, taking on Zionsville in a 7 p.m. HCC contest.
The Eagles, back in 6A after a one-year stop in 5A, are 2-0 for the season. Zionsville beat Pike 31-24, then defeated Boone County rival Lebanon 42-6. The Shamrocks are 1-1, falling to New Palestine 42-28 in their opener before beating Lawrence Central 42-27. Both teams are receiving votes in the 6A poll.
– Hamilton Heights plays its home opener tonight, welcoming Rensselaer Central to the Huskies’ brand-new turf field. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
The Bombers are 2-0 to start the season, with victories over Kankakee Valley 19-0 and North Newton 55-0. Heights is 1-1, beating Lapel 34-7 in its opener before falling to North Montgomery 14-7.