IHSAA 2A Regional Championship Matchups and Players to Watch

<p>2A Regional Championships are one day away, and some great athletes are in this class on showcase this Friday. The teams have been preparing for moments like these all season. The tension continues to grow by the hour. We are preparing for some great matchups tomorrow, and it is time to look at the key players in each matchup below.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">LaVille (11-1) @ Lafayette Central Catholic (9-3)</h2>   <p>LaVille will travel to Lafayette Central Catholic for their Friday regional championship game. These two did not play each other in the regular season or in last season's playoffs. LaVille will look to win their 2nd regional title on Friday, and Lafayette Central Catholic will look to win their 11th. Let's dive into the matchup and the key players for both sides.</p>   <p>In last Friday's sectional title game, LaVille beat Bremen 28-14. LaVille has been solid on both sides of the ball this season and showed that last Friday. Junior RB Cody Allen had 26 carries, 195 yards, 3 rushing TDs, and 1 INT on defense. Cody has the speed to catch the edge and make big plays down the field for this offense. Senior QB [player_tooltip player_id='109611' first='Lucas' last='Plummer'] had 14 carries, 94 yards, 1 rushing TD, and 1 INT on defense in the win on Friday. Passing did not look like it was in the game plan last week, but Lucas was a strong runner and was fearless in putting his body on the line for extra yards. Sophomore DL Braedyn Foster ended up with 7 solos, 3 assists, 10 total, and 1 TFL in the sectional win. Braedyn has shown to be relentless in the run game and plays with tremendous effort to get to the ball. LaVille has had a great season up to this point and will look to continue their success on Friday.</p>   <p>Lafayette Central Catholic beat Seeger in dominating fashion in their sectional title game, 33-3. Both sides of the ball showed up last week for Lafayette Central Catholic. Sophomore RB [player_tooltip player_id='1634442' first='Mason' last='Meister'] had 22 carries for 111 yards. Mason is a patient runner who is a challenging back to bring down on first contact. Junior QB [player_tooltip player_id='1429149' first='Bobby' last='Metzger'] carried the ball 7 times for 96 yards and 2 TDs on Friday. Bobby is a poised QB in the pocket who can fire the ball accurately while getting hit in the backfield. Senior LB [player_tooltip player_id='542018' first='Brinn' last='Robbins'] ended up with 7 solos, 8 assists, and 15 total in last Friday's win. Brinn has shown to be excellent in coverage and can lay the hammer down on his opponents all night. Lafayette Central Catholic has a great team to keep this playoff journey alive and win a regional title in front of the home crowd.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bluffton (10-2) @ Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (9-3)</h2>   <p>Bluffton will be on the road at Fort Wayne Bishop Luers this Friday for a regional title matchup. These two last met in last season's regional title game, and Bishop Luers won 35-6. Bluffton is seeking their 2nd regional title, and Fort Wayne Bishop Luers is seeking their 22nd. Let's get into the matchup and the impact players for this matchup.</p>   <p>Bluffton steamrolled Eastern 41-6 in last Friday's sectional championship game. Bluffton's offense and defense continue to play well in the playoffs. I want to highlight three new guys from Bluffton's team this week. Senior DL [player_tooltip player_id='542007' first='Johnny' last='Cruz'] has been disruptive and challenging to block in the trenches. Johnny is quick with his hands and does an excellent job fighting off blocks to get in the backfield quickly. Junior OL Drayvin Shoemaker is 6'3" and 260 pounds and has been dominant in the trenches this season. Drayvin has the size to play at the next level and has tremendous strength and power. Sophomore RB [player_tooltip player_id='533145' first='Khamel' last='Moore'] has a bright future ahead of him for Bluffton. Khamel is a patient runner with excellent speed and acceleration. Bluffton will look to take care of business on the road and come home with a regional title.</p>   <p>Fort Wayne Bishop Luers shut out Manchester 42-0 in their sectional title win on Friday. This Bishop Luers team continues to look dangerous in the playoffs. Senior RB Giovanny Jimenez had 11 carries for 103 yards and 3 TDs. Giovanny is a smaller back with outstanding strength and leg power to help keep fighting through tackles. Senior WR [player_tooltip player_id='1032216' first='Wesley' last='Javins'] brought in 2 receptions for 68 yards in Friday's win. Wesley is a lengthy target and does a great job adjusting to the ball and securing catches over the top of defenders. Senior LB Finn Saxe had 4 solos, 4 assists, 8 total, 1 TFL, and 1 sack in the sectional title game. Finn does a great job reading the offense and shooting the gaps with excellent speed and tenacity to be disruptive in the backfield. Bishop Luers is familiar with these games and understands what needs to be done on Friday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Eastern Hancock (8-4) @ Southmont (7-5)</h2>   <p>Southmont will host Eastern Hancock for their regional title game this week. These two have not met this season or in last season's playoffs. With a win on Friday, Eastern Hancock would claim their 3rd regional title, and Southmont would claim their 1st. It is time to look at the matchup and the key players showcased in this one below.</p>   <p>Eastern Hancock won against Winchester Community on Friday, 47-14. Eastern Hancock has been firing all cylinders late in the year and continues to be stellar in the playoffs. Sophomore RB [player_tooltip player_id='1059823' first='Mark' last='Kube'] had 21 carries for 227 yards and 2 TDs. As a sophomore, Mark has proven that he will be a superstar in Indiana for a long time and is an absolute playmaker with the ball in his hands. Sophomore QB [player_tooltip player_id='560093' first='Elijah' last='Edon'] went 10/15 for 151 yards, 2 passing TDs, 8 carries, 56 yards, and 2 rushing TDs in the sectional title game. Elijah is a crafty QB with great accuracy all over the field and is excellent when he tucks the ball and runs with it. Senior DB Dylan Bowman ended up with 7 tackles and 2 INTs in the win on Friday. Dylan has shown to be a great defender in the secondary and continues to be around the football, consistently making plays for the defense. Eastern Hancock has a great team and will look to be the title back with them on the bus.</p>   <p>Southmont pulled off a win against Linton-Stockton on Friday, 36-34. Southmont is an underdog story beating the odds against them and continues to have players giving it their all each game. Senior RB [player_tooltip player_id='541924' first='Wyatt' last='Woodall'] had 25 carries, 136 yards, 3 rushing TDs, 22 tackles, and 3 TFLs last Friday. Wyatt is a tremendous downhill runner with great strength and plays with excellent balance. Senior WR Kyler McCandless brought in 4 receptions, 84 yards, 1 receiving TD, and 1 rushing TD in the sectional title win. Kyler has great size and speed and does a great job getting separation from the defenders to come up with the catch. Junior LB Micah Kiger had 1 solo, 11 assists, 12 total, and 3 TFLs on Friday. Micah is always around the football and is there to help seal tackles and make stops all night. Southmont is home and ready to put on a show for their home crowd this Friday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">North Posey (11-1) @ Triton Central (11-1)</h2>   <p>Triton Central will be the home team against North Posey for their regional championship game. These two did not play this season or in last season's playoffs. North Posey will attempt to win its 5th regional title on Friday, and Triton Central will attempt to win its 2nd. Let's look at the impact players in this great matchup.</p>   <p>Last Friday, North Posey beat Paoli 35-14 in the Sectional 40 championship game. North Posey has been on fire all season, and their offense remains dominant in the playoffs. Junior RB [player_tooltip player_id='196689' first='Jed' last='Galvin'] had 12 carries, 97 yards, 4 rushing TDs, and 1 receiving TD. Jed continues to get better every week and stays a strong runner who is challenging to bring down. Senior QB Liam Stone went 3/9 for 63 yards, 1 TD, and 8 carries for 42 yards in the sectional title. Liam is a dual-threat QB who delivers the ball with excellent accuracy and is dangerous with his legs. Senior RB Kolton Gardner had 7 rushes for 17 yards in the win Friday. Kolton is the 2nd RB in this offense, has been a good relief, and can be a dangerous back to contain. North Posey faces another formidable opponent on the road and will be ready to battle it out tomorrow.</p>   <p>In their sectional title game, Triton Central had a shutout win against Eastern 49-0. Triton Central's team has looked unbeatable late in the season, and they are getting the job done with multiple guys. There are three new guys for Triton Central I am going to mention for this game. Senior WR Anthony Dunville has been a great weapon on the outside for Triton Central. Anthony has excellent route-running abilities and is dangerous when he has open space in front of him because of his speed and athleticism. Senior WR Mason Compton did not play in the last game due to injury. However, Mason is clean with his route running and is a dangerous man after the catch. Senior DL Courtney Dunville has been a menace in the trenches. Courtney has an outstanding get-off, shoots his hands, gets great extension on the blocker, and causes havoc in the backfield all night. Triton Central will be fighting to celebrate a regional title win at home.</p>

2A Regional Championships are one day away, and some great athletes are in this class on showcase this Friday. The teams have been preparing for moments like these all season. The tension continues to grow by the hour. We are preparing for some great matchups tomorrow, and it is time to look at the key players in each matchup below.