IHSAA 3A Sectional Championship Previews

<p>Two days away from crowning sectional champions in 3A football in Indiana! Teams are putting their final touches to the game plan and preparing for battle on Friday. 3A football has tremendous talent, and it is time to cover some impact players for each matchup!</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 25: Hanover Central (11-0) @ West Lafayette (8-3)</h2>   <p>West Lafayette will host undefeated Hanover Central in the Sectional 25 championship game. The last time these two played was in last season's Sectional 25 title game; West Lafayette won 44-17 on the road. With a win on Friday, Hanover Central would claim their 2nd sectional title, and West Lafayette would claim their 16th. Let's dive into the matchups and highlight the impact players on both sides.</p>   <p>Hanover Central continued their undefeated season with a win over Boone Grove 41-20 at home in the second round. [player_tooltip player_id='1024069' first='Caiden' last='Verrett'] (Jr.) RB played a vital role in the second-round win. Verrett had 25 carries, 304 yards, and 3 TDs last Friday. Expect him to get a lot of carries in Round 2 and have a similar day on Friday. [player_tooltip player_id='189136' first='Matt' last='Koontz'] (Sr.) QB helped in the run game in the second round with 10 carries, 45 yards, and 1 TD. Through the air, Matt went 12/16 for 124 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. On defense, Dylan Bowman (So.) DB stole the show and helped secure a Round 2 win. Dylan had 3 INTs, 3 solos, and 2 assists in the win. Hanover Central will look to keep the streak going and stay undefeated on Friday night.</p>   <p>West Lafayette was on the road in Round 2 and beat Rensselaer Central 42-7. West Lafayette has a strong senior class with tons of experience. Their offense is led by [player_tooltip player_id='1077816' first='Carson' last='Kitchel'] (Sr.) QB who had a tremendous game in Round 2. Kitchel went 31/41 for 269 yards and 5 passing TDs! He threw around 50% of his passes to one guy, and his name is [player_tooltip player_id='1164233' first='Benny' last='Speaker']. Benny is a junior WR for West Lafayette that had 15 receptions for 101 yards and 1 TD last Friday. Expect this duo to have another great game through the air on Friday. The defense was solid and benefited from the work done in the trenches. Chase Taylor (Sr.) DL had 5 solos, 4 assists, and 9 total in Round 2. West Lafayette wants to win back-to-back titles and make another run in this year's playoffs.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 26: Glenn (7-4) @ Knox (11-0)</h2>   <p>Undefeated Knox will host Glenn in the Sectional 26 championship game. Glenn was on the road earlier in the season against Knox and lost 37-8. Glenn will be looking to win their 4th sectional title, and Knox will be looking to win their 3rd. Let's get into the matchup and the key players on both sides.</p>   <p>Glenn was home against Fairfield and picked up another playoff win 25-8. Glenn was successful through the air and on the ground in Round 2. They were led by Chase Miller (Sr.) QB who went 13/20 for 140 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT. Chase was dominant with his legs with 11 rushes, 95 yards, and 1 TD. His counterpart on the ground was Mason Kobelt (Sr.) RB. Kobelt had 11 carries, 85 yards, and had 1 receiving TD. Ty'Ronn Larkin (Sr.) WR had a great game in Round 2 with 8 receptions and 110 yards. Ty'Ronn will impact this game and looks to have another outstanding performance in the sectional title game. The defense was led by Eli Beeney (Jr.) LB in Round 2 with 10 solos, 9 assists, 19 total, and 2 TFLs. Expect Beeney to be all over the field on Friday night. Glenn is ready to bring home the sectional title on Friday.</p>   <p>Knox was on the road in Round 2 and beat West Noble in a tight one, 15-13. There are not any stats on Knox and information on these guys, but they are obviously a good football team. Myles McLaughlin (So.) RB is the Knox All-Time Leading Rusher, and he is only a sophomore! There is not any film on him that I could find, but that stat should tell you that he is a player that is going to affect this game. [player_tooltip player_id='553071' first='Jake' last='Conroy'] (Jr.) RB is another great rusher for Knox. He shows to fight off tackles and makes big plays on special teams as the returner. Knox will be looking to keep their undefeated record and make a run to Lucas Oil.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 27: Delta (7-4) @ Garrett (6-5)</h2>   <p>Delta will travel to Garrett for the Sectional 27 championship game on Friday. These two did not see each other this season or in last season's playoffs. Delta is seeking their 10th sectional title, and Garrett is seeking their 5th. Let's look at some matchups and the key players for both teams.</p>   <p>Delta took down Yorktown 24-21 in the second round. A strong rushing attack led Delta's offense in the second round. Kaiden Bond (Sr.) RB had 16 carries, 174 yards, and 2 TDs. Nolan Carpenter (Jr.) RB had 12 rushes for 71 yards. Expect these two to dominate on the ground in the sectional title game. Delta's defense is something to watch. [player_tooltip player_id='1013187' first='Landon' last='Brooks'] (Jr.) DL is a P5 guy and is an absolute force in the trenches. He had 3 solos, 3 assists, 6 total, 3 TFLs, and 1 sack in the Round 2 win. Braxton Russell (Sr.) DL was around the football a lot in last Friday's game with 5 solos, 5 assists, 10 total, 5 TFLs, and 2 sacks. Delta is ready to keep this playoff run going and bring home the championship on Friday.</p>   <p>In the second round, Garrett beat Heritage 20-6 to advance to the sectional title game. Camren Ruble (Jr.) RB led the team's offense in Round 2 with 27 carries, 103 yards, and 1 TD. Calder Hefty (Jr.) QB was effective both on the ground and through the air. He went 5/7 for 70 yards, 1 TD, 8 rushes, 22 yards, and 1 rushing TD. These two will look to step up big in the sectional title game this Friday. Defensively, [player_tooltip player_id='553141' first='Nate' last='Wells'] (Jr.) LB and Aiden Hunt (So.) DL came up big in the win last Friday. Wells had 5 solos, 4 assists, and 9 total. Hunt ended up with 5 solos, 1 assist, 6 total, 1 TFL, and 1 sack. These two will look to replicate what they did on Friday. Garrett is ready for the challenge and ready to bring home the title.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 28: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (11-0) @ Hamilton Heights (11-0)</h2>   <p>The reigning 3A state champs, Bishop Chatard, will be on the road against undefeated Hamilton Heights in the Sectional 28 championship game. The last time these two played was in last season's playoffs; Bishop Chatard got the best of Hamilton Heights, 41-14. Chatard will look for their 31st sectional title, and Hamilton Heights will look for their 8th. Let's break down this heavyweight matchup and their key players.</p>   <p>In Round 2, Bishop Chatard won 21-10 against Guerin Catholic. Chatard has been dominating on both sides of the ball this season. Aiden Arteaga (Sr.) QB had a great showing in the second round, going 13/25 for 192 yards and 3 TDs. His favorite target of the night was senior WR Colin Guy. Colin ended up with 7 receptions, 95 yards, 2 TDs, and an INT on defense. These two will be a duo to watch Friday night and possibly all the way to Lucas Oil. Chatard's defense has a solid LB core. [player_tooltip player_id='541913' first='Sam' last='Feeney'] (Sr.) LB and Luke Purichia (Sr.) LB has been dominant all season. Feeney had 3 sacks, 3 TFLs, and 3 QB pressures on Friday night. Luke has been around the football a lot this season and is solid defending the run. Bishop Chatard will be a tough one to beat this year and will attempt to go back-to-back.</p>   <p>Hamilton Heights got a Round 2 home win against Maconaquah, 28-21. Hamilton Heights is up for the task ahead of them on Friday. Their offense was led by [player_tooltip player_id='612059' first='Bodie' last='Derrer'] (Sr.) QB in Friday's win. He went 16/22 for 245 yards and 1 INT. Bodie will look to air it out in the title game and get up early on the scoreboard. Dre Chandler (So.) WR will be a target Bodie will try to find in Friday's game. Dre had 4 receptions for 76 yards in the Round 2 win. Owen VanHaaren (Sr.) RB will look to relieve the aerial attack and pick up significant yardage on the ground. Owen had 24 rushes, 103 yards, and 2 TDs in the second round. Hamilton Heights will look to score early and often in the sectional title game and bring home the championship.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 29: Tri-West Hendricks (10-1) @ Monrovia (9-2)</h2>   <p>Monrovia will be home in the Sectional 29 title game against Tri-West Hendricks. These two have not met this season or in last season's playoffs. Tri-West is looking to win their 14th sectional title, and Monrovia is looking to win their 7th. Let's look at the impact players for both teams in this matchup.</p>   <p>Tri-West Hendricks was on the road in Round 2 against North Montgomery and won 42-6. Tri-West got it done on the ground in Round 2. [player_tooltip player_id='1039865' first='Malachi' last='Walden'] (Jr.) QB ran the ball 16 times for 103 yards and 1 TD. In the air, Malachi went 8/13 for 159 yards and 2 TDs. Tri-West's offense had productive performances from their RBs Jack Catt (Jr.) and Brady Hamstra (Sr.) Jack Catt had 9 carries for 57 yards and 1 TD. Brady Hamstra played well on both sides of the ball. Rushing, he had 6 carries, 51 yards, and 1 TD. Defensively, he had 4 solos, 1 assists, 5 total, 1 TFL, and 1 INT. Tri-West will look to wear down their opponents and take home a trophy with them on Friday.</p>   <p>Monrovia picked up a win in Round 2 on the road against Speedway, 20-3. Monrovia looks to get better each week, and their offense is a big part of their success. Dominic Kindle (Sr.) RB looked good in the second-round win. Dominic had 15 carries, 170 yards, and 1 TD. His counterpart, [player_tooltip player_id='542023' first='Brayton' last='Belcher'] (Sr.) RB was the workhorse of the night. Brayton had 31 rushes for 152 yards and 2 TDs. These two will be the key to their success in the sectional title game. On defense, [player_tooltip player_id='560095' first='Joey' last='Smith'] (So.) DB was all over the field in the Round 2 win. Smith ended up with 8 solos, 1 assist, and 9 total on the night. Monrovia has the talent and the team to take them far this season.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 30: Vincennes Lincoln (8-3) @ Gibson Southern (9-2)</h2>   <p>In the Sectional 30 championship game, Vincennes will be on the road at Gibson Southern on Friday. These two were in a shootout in Round 1 last season in which Gibson Southern outscored Vincennes 63-42. Vincennes Lincoln is seeking to win their 8th sectional title, and Gibson Southern is seeking to win their 5th. Let's get into this matchup and identify some key players.</p>   <p>Vincennes Lincoln shut out Pike Central 63-0 in the second round. Vincennes' offense showed up and showed out in Round 2. They are led by last season's SIAC Player of the Year Xander Hunt. The senior QB is a couple of weeks off an injury earlier in the season and getting back into the swing of things. In Round 2, he went 9/9 for 129 yards and 1 TD. Xander will focus on the things that help his team win the game. Brayton "BB" McCrary was impressive in the win last Friday. He ran for 151 yards and 3 TDs on just 4 carries! To add to that, he had a punt return for a TD. BB will look to relieve the workload on offense and have another solid performance in the sectional title. Vincennes will be ready for the challenge ahead of them on Friday.</p>   <p>Gibson Southern had a big win against Washington in the second round, 48-14. Gibson Southern looks like a team that could make a run in this season's playoffs. They are led by seniors [player_tooltip player_id='301144' first='Tanner' last='Boyd'] and [player_tooltip player_id='178622' first='Sean' last='DeLong']. Tanner has been solid at QB all season and performed well in Round 2. He went 9/14 for 146 yards, 3 TDs, 5 rushes, 38 yards, and 1 rushing TD. Tanner proves weekly to help his team in any way possible to get them a win. [player_tooltip player_id='178622' first='Sean' last='DeLong'] is a touchdown waiting to happen whenever he has the ball in his hands. In Round 2, Sean had 12 carries, 79 yards, 1 rushing TD, and 1 receiving TD. Boyd is an explosive player with the intangibles to make defenders miss and take it the distance. Gibson Southern is gearing up for a good one on Friday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 31: Batesville (10-1) @ Indian Creek (8-3)</h2>   <p>Indian Creek will host Batesville in the Sectional 31 championship game on Friday. These two played in Week 1, and Batesville won 42-28. Batesville will attempt to win their 10th sectional title, and Indian Creek will attempt to win their 4th. Let's dive into the matchup and identify some impact players of the game.</p>   <p>Batesville is coming off a 20-14 win against state runner-up Lawrenceburg, 20-14. Batesville's offense is led by [player_tooltip player_id='430952' first='Will' last='Jaisle'] (Sr.) QB. Will is a tough-nosed gunslinger with the mobility to escape the pocket and get the ball out quickly. He keeps improving weekly and will look to lead his team to victory on Friday. Look for [player_tooltip player_id='553150' first='Cade' last='Kaiser'] (Jr.) WR to be an impact player in this game. He is 6'4" 185 pounds, and catches anything thrown in his direction. This duo will be essential in this matchup for Batesville. Batesville wants to continue this great season with a big win on Friday.</p>   <p>Indian Creek shut out Franklin County 37-0 in Round 2. Indian Creek's offense has been fun to watch this season. Their offense is led by Jalen Sauer (Sr.) QB and [player_tooltip player_id='1522086' first='Malachi' last='Mink'] (Jr.) RB. These two showed up and showed out in Round 2. Jalen Sauer is a dual-threat QB with excellent arm strength and has wheels for legs. Through the air, he went 9/14 for 175 yards and 3 TDs. On the ground, Jalen had 12 carries for 122 yards and 2 TDs. [player_tooltip player_id='1522086' first='Malachi' last='Mink'] was vital on the ground and through the air. He had 10 rushes for 80 yards. On the receiving end, Malachi brought in 4 receptions for 117 yards and 2 TDs. These two are fun to watch and will be important in this week's matchup. Indian Creek has the offense to take them far in this tournament and take home a sectional title on Friday when they fire on all cylinders.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 32: Heritage Hills (10-1) @ Scottsburg (7-4)</h2>   <p>Heritage Hills will travel to Scottsburg for the Sectional 32 title game. These two did not play each other this season or in last season's playoffs. Heritage Hills will look to claim their 14th sectional title, and Scottsburg will look to claim their 1st ever in school history. It is time to look at our final matchup and determine some impact players.</p>   <p>Heritage Hills beat conference foe Southridge 23-20 in Round 2. Heritage Hills has one of the most electrifying players in 3A right now. [player_tooltip player_id='533140' first='Jett' last='Goldsberry'] (So.) QB has been a dangerous man with the football lately. He threw 2 TD passes, had 13 carries for 95 yards, and 1 rushing TD in Round 2. He has the intangibles to take it the house on any play. [player_tooltip player_id='322427' first='Braydon' last='Durham'] has been getting it done on both sides of the ball all season. On offense, he had 15 carries for 64 yards. On defense, Braydon led the team in tackles with 19 total tackles. Another player to watch for in this matchup on defense is Parker Hart (Jr.) LB. He had 3 solos, 8 assists, 11 total, and 2 TFLs. Heritage Hills has a team worth fearing in this tournament and will look to pick up the win on Friday.</p>   <p>Scottsburg continues their playoff run after a 38-31 win against Salem in Round 2. Scottsburg has been underdogs for a long time, and they continue to prove people wrong each week. They had a strong rushing attack led by [player_tooltip player_id='1523297' first='Landon' last='Shuck'] (So.) RB and Braden Morgan (Sr.) RB in the second-round win. Shuck had a load on Friday with 28 carries, 170 yards, and 2 TDs. Braden ran the ball 9 times for 109 yards and 1 TD. The Scottsburg offense will look to carry this over into the sectional title game on Friday. [player_tooltip player_id='560136' first='Garrett' last='Boling'] showed up all over the field in Round 2. He had 11 solos, 4 assists, 15 total, and 1 TFL in Friday's win. Garrett will look to do the same exact thing on Friday. Scottsburg is excited for the challenge and will give them everything they got to win their first sectional title.</p>

Two days away from crowning sectional champions in 3A football in Indiana! Teams are putting their final touches to the game plan and preparing for battle on Friday. 3A football has tremendous talent, and it is time to cover some impact players for each matchup!