By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
The regular season has flown right by and we’re ready for the state tournament to start. But before that can happen, regular season finales are the focal point this week, despite teams now knowing who their first-round opponent is in sectional play.
Brownsburg has the Hoosier Crossroads Conference all but sealed up. Hamilton Southeastern could help Westfield out with a win over the Bulldogs, although the Rocks have a tough Franklin Central squad coming to town. Sheridan heads up to Carroll for a crucial Hoosier Heartland Conference battle and Hamilton Heights looks to continue its late season swing heading toward sectional play.
6A No. 1 Brownsburg (8-0, 6-0) at 6A No. 13 Hamilton Southeastern (5-3, 3-3)
The Royals and Bulldogs both have a lot to play for in the regular season finale. Brownsburg’s looking for the outright HCC title and Southeastern is looking to get on a roll heading into the playoffs. The first 25 meetings have HSE with a slight 14-11 edge. The Bulldogs won last year, 21-14.
Last week, Brownsburg captured at least a share of the HCC title with a comeback win at home over Noblesville, 22-18.
Hamilton Southeastern dropped a tough one on the road at Franklin Central, 14-10. In the Royals’ three losses, they are a total of 13 points from being 8-0. That’s the craziness of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.
Chandler Weston has passed for 995 yards, completing 84 of his 140 passing attempts. Carter Reed has rushed for 662 yards on 121 attempts for a 5.5 average with 10 touchdowns. Vaughan Johnson (318) and Weston (317) have been solid in picking up yards on the ground.
Kendrick Pennybaker leads the receiving corps with 381 yards and six TDs, while Liam Boyd is tops with 26 receptions and 220 yards.
Hugo Belmonte is 23 for 24 on extra-point kicks and has made six of eight field goal attempts, with a long of 39 yards.
6A No. 10 Franklin Central (5-2, 4-2) at 6A No. 3 Westfield (7-1, 5-1)
Friday will be just the seventh meeting between the Flashes and Shamrocks. Westfield is 6-0 in the first half dozen and plans to make it seven. The Rocks won a tight battle last year, 28-19.
Last week had the Flashes upending HSE at home, 14-10.
Westfield won a statement game on the road at Fishers, 46-13. The Shamrocks only have a 17-13 road setback that keeps them from being 8-0. Outscoring Avon and Fishers in the last two games 91-25 has them primed for the state tournament.
Carsen Melvin has grown in his QB role. So far, he’s thrown for 1,159 yards, going 93 for 143 for 65 percent with nine touchdowns and three interceptions.
Deacon King has burst onto the scene with 743 yards on 125 carries and scored nine touchdowns. Mikeah Webster has rushed 64 times for 289 yards and has four TDs. Gabe Aramboles is having a steady season with 36 catches for 483 yards and has five scores. Beau Braun has 20 receptions for 239 yards.
Owen Wright is 23 for 26 in extra-point tries and has made seven of eight field goals.
Sheridan (4-4, 4-2) at 1A No. 3 Carroll (Flora) (8-0, 6-0)
The Blackhawks and Cougars have met in HHC play 16 times now with Sheridan going 10-6. Last season, Carroll won 24-0.
Carroll beat Clinton Prairie 42-0 at home last week to wrap up the HHC championship.
Sheridan lost at home last week to Eastern (Greentown), 38-23. The Hawks led 23-22 late in the third, but Eastern rattled off 16 unanswered points in the fourth to stun Sheridan. They have lost two of their last three after winning three in a row.
Owen Bell and Brock Hagan have seemingly split time at quarterback. The two have combined to go 34 of 75 for 458 yards through the air for seven TDs and seven interceptions.
Alex Cravens has the bulk of the carries, rushing 149 times for 653 yards and seven touchdowns. Jaylen Arnold isn’t far behind with 81 rushes for 500 and three TDs. Caleb Alexander has caught eight passes for 194 yards, three of those for scores.
Bell has converted 18 of 18 extra points and put four of seven field goals through the uprights.
3A No. 16 West Lafayette (5-3, 2-1) at Hamilton Heights (3-5, 2-1)
The Huskies have met up with the Red Devils 12 times previously on the gridiron. West Lafayette has a 9-3 record against Hamilton Heights, but Heights won last year’s epic battle, 26-23, for the outright Hoosier Conference championship.
The Red Devils took down Twin Lakes last week, 49-21.
Heights was able to edge out their neighbors to the north in the Tipton Blue Devils, 14-13. Joey Sigler went 12 of 22 for 324 yards and two TDs. Tyler Champion caught five for 185 and Nick Bichey four for 95, each scoring a TD.
Hamilton Heights has won three of its last four games since they started out 0-4.
Drew Woodruff threw for 931 yards, going 77 of 168 and been the quarterback for a majority of the season. Joey Sigler has come on of late, going 26 of 45 for 568 yards and five TDs.
Champion has caught 38 for 843 yards and six touchdowns. Keaton Weaver has 21 receptions for 260.