Week 6 high school football previews: Part 1

By CRAIG ADKINS

For The Reporter

6A No. 2 Westfield (5-0, 3-0) at 6A No. 1 Brownsburg (5-0, 3-0)

Westfield has its toughest test now in what will be the top matchup in the state when they head to Hendricks County to face the top-ranked Bulldogs.

The second-ranked Shamrocks went into last season’s home game vs. Brownsburg also 5-0 and took a 37-7 loss. The Rocks hold just a 3-7 record in the last 10 meetings and Brownsburg is 17-7 all-time against Westfield. This one looks to be for the outright Hoosier Crossroads Conference title.

Brownsburg won at Fishers, outlasting the Tigers in an intense game, 31-30, to stay unbeaten.

The Shamrocks had a tight one last week but hung on for a thrilling overtime battle against Hamilton Southeastern, 21-14.

Deacon King got the scoring started midway through the first with a 62-yard run for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

That would be the score at halftime until the Royals tied it 7-7 with five minutes in the third when Chandler Weston connected with Kendrick Pennybaker for a 46-yard TD strike.

King did it again, this time with a 59-yard TD run to make it 14-7 Shamrocks early in the fourth. Southeastern found a way to answer and tie it 14-14 when Carter Reed punched it in from one yard away with just 1:57 left, sending it to OT.

King would score on Westfield’s OT possession and held HSE scoreless on theirs for the win. King rushed 14 times for 140 and all three Shamrock scores.

6A No. 9 Fishers (3-2, 2-1) at Avon (1-4, 0-3)

Through the first 18 meetings, Fishers and Avon are knotted 9-9. The Tigers have won three in a row, but Avon won the previous three, including

Avon lost its third in a row last week at Franklin Central, 10-7.

Fishers and Brownsburg were in a battle for 48 minutes, but it would ultimately be the Bulldogs scoring with 34 seconds left to escape, leaving the Tigers short, 31-30.

The Tigers were down until late the first Brady Griffits ran in a score to tie it 7-7.  They would go back-and-forth with the Bulldogs having a slight edge at half, 21-17.

The two would stay close in the second half. Fishers would come back. Down 24-20, Gage Sturgill found JonAnthony Hall for a 22-yard TD pass and Jon Tangara made it 30-24 with 3:40 left.

That would be too much time for Brownsburg and they would wind up scoring in the final minute, with the extra point being the one-point difference.

Sturgill had 63 yards rushing and also passed 17 of 29 for 277 yards. Hall caught eight of those for 141, Jase Ruggles five for 50 and Akeen Schooley two for 76.

Franklin Central (2-2, 1-2) at Noblesville (2-3, 0-3)

The Millers come home for their Homecoming game to face the Flashes for the ninth time since Franklin Central joined the HCC.

FC is 5-3 in the first eight, including having won three consecutive. Last year, the Flashes won in OT, 28-27. Last week, Franklin Central edged Avon at home, 10-7.

Down 7-0 at Zionsville through one, the Millers came back in the second with a pair of scores. Ty Holmes scored first from two yards and then Brody Gump ran 71 yards to tie the game at 14-14. Zionsville returned the ensuing kickoff back that gave them a 20-14 lead at halftime.

Noblesville took a lead on an Israel Oladipupo run. Caden Lydle’s extra point got the Millers their first lead at 21-20.

Zionsville would score twice in a row to take a 35-21 lead. Gump had another big run for his second touchdown, this time it was a 73-yarder, but that would be all the Eagles allowed in holding on for a 35-28 win.

Gump carried just 11 times for 173 and two TDs on the ground. Holmes had 70 and Oladipupo 48 to help combine for 291 of the team rushing total of 330 yards.

3A No. 8 Guerin Catholic (3-2, 0-2) at 4A No. 3 Bishop Chatard (4-1, 2-0)

The Golden Eagles visit Bishop Chatard in a crucial Circle City Conference game this week. The Trojans have won 10 in a row against Guerin, including playoffs matchups, and hold a 16-2 record in the series. The last Guerin win was in 2016 (31-17), also on the road.

Chatard won last week at home against 6A No. 8 Columbus North, 21-14.

Guerin Catholic went on the road last week in Circle City action at Roncalli. Houze scored first on a seven-yard run. Hayden Cler ran in the two-point attempt for the early 8-0 lead.

The host Royals then scored 24 points in the first through third periods to get out to a 24-8 advantage.

The two each scored twice in the fourth but being held scoreless in the middle two quarters hurt Guerin. Houze connected with Aidan Horn for a 58-yard TD pass and ran in his second rushing TD that accounted for the final score of 38-23.

Freshman Kolbe Klee led Guerin in rushing with 57 yards on 10 carries. Houze also had 45 and threw 26 of 48 for 234 yards. Aidan Horn had eight receptions for 111 yards, while Hayden Cler had 56 yards.