IHSAA 3A Semi-State Preview & Players to Watch

<p>Friday is approaching quickly, and teams are preparing for another win-or-go-home matchup. 3A has a matchup of two undefeated teams and two conference foes facing off to see who goes to Lucas Oil next week. This article will set the matchups and highlight uncommitted players to watch in these two matchups.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Knox (13-0) @ Bishop Chatard (13-0)</h2>   <p>Knox will be on the road at Bishop Chatard for their Semi-State title game this Friday. These two have not met this season or in last season's playoffs. Knox is seeking to win their first semi-state title on Friday. Bishop Chatard is seeking to win their 18th semi-state title. Both teams are clicking at the right time, and only one can remain undefeated after Friday.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Knox Redskins</h3>   <p>Knox is coming off a win against West Lafayette, 41-23, in their regional title game. Unfortunately, there is not much film on these guys or stats from the season for Knox. Knox is clearly a good football team since they are undefeated on the season. I wish there were more to write about on these guys. When they come out with highlight tapes and stats on the year, I will follow up with them and cover as many of their athletes as possible.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bishop Chatard Trojans</h3>   <p>Last Friday, Chatard won their regional title game against Delta, 35-6. The defending state champs are locked and loaded for Friday's game, and this roster is stacked with talent! Check out the five uncommitted upperclassmen from Bishop Chatard who will impact Friday's game.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='959302' first='Aidan' last='Arteaga'] is the 5'11", 185-pound dual-threat quarterback for the Bishop Chatard offense. Aidan has led this team to another undefeated season and continues to put his team in situations to win each week. On his feet, he is an electric runner with great speed and excellent change of direction. Arteaga has a cannon for an arm and is accurate in throwing the ball all over the field. He has made some clutch throws this season and continues to make game-changing plays every week. The senior quarterback looks forward to leading his team into battle on Friday and taking them to another state championship game next week.</p>   <p>Colin Guy is the 6'0", 165-pound wide receiver for Chatard's offense. Colin is a clutch player who makes plays in clutch time moments. He has made unbelievable plays all season and is an electrifying player. Guy is an alpha on the field and is determined to outplay the guy lined up across from him. He continues to beat defenders with his speed and his route-running abilities. The senior wideout is an excellent prospect and deserves more attention than he is getting, so keep an eye out for him to have another clutch performance on Friday.</p>   <p>Luke Purichia is the 5'11", 205-pound linebacker for Chatard's defense. Luke is an exciting player to watch on defense and plays the position in which it should be played. He plays with a high motor, quickly gets to the ball when it is declared and fights off blocks so well. Purichia is a madman out there when defending the run and does an excellent job reading the offense and making the play. Everyone should blitz like this young man does because he is on a mission to destroy the quarterback. The senior linebacker will be ready to make game-changing plays on Friday and at the next level!</p>   <p>Harrison Campbell is the 6'4", 310-pound offensive lineman for Bishop Chatard. Harrison is a massive human in the trenches and continues to bully his opponents in every game. He comes up with multiple pancakes a game and will block to the whistle on every play. Campbell's blocking style is nasty, gritty, and dominating on every play. This young man is a no-brainer based on size alone and how well he moves for his size. The senior offensive lineman will dominate on Friday and be ready to help a college team next fall.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1315810' first='Harrison' last='Forestal'] is the 6'3", 205-pound junior tight end for this Chatard offense. Harrison can grow into a big-time tight end at the next level. He has shown to be a vertical threat and is a reliable target to get the ball to in the pass game. Forestal shows on film to be a great blocker in the run game and makes impact blocks all game. He does a great job getting possession and getting vertical as soon as the catch is made. The junior tight end has a bright future ahead of him and will be ready to make big plays on Friday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gibson Southern (11-2) @ Heritage Hills (12-1)</h2>   <p>Heritage Hills will host Gibson Southern in their Semi-State championship game this Friday. These two are familiar with each other as they played in the regular season in which Gibson Southern won 31-28 at home. Gibson Southern will look to win their 2nd semi-state title, and Heritage Hills will look to win their 4th. The rematch is set, and this will be the game to watch in Southern Indiana on Friday night.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Gibson Southern Titans</h3>   <p>In their regional championship game, Gibson Southern won last Saturday against Tri-West Hendricks, 38-21. Gibson Southern has tremendous talent on both sides of the ball, and everyone has been firing on all cylinders. Check out the five uncommitted athletes below who will be great additions to college rosters.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='301144' first='Tanner' last='Boyd'] is the 5'11", 170-pound senior quarterback for Gibson Southern's offense. Tanner has improvisation skills and can make big plays outside the pocket, which is a nightmare for the opposition. He can fire the ball accurately on the run and is not afraid to tuck it and run for the first down. Boyd has shown outstanding leadership for this offense and plays selflessly for his team. He will do whatever it takes to win games, even if that means running down the field and throwing a block for one of his backs on their way into the endzone. The senior quarterback understands his importance and will be ready to have a career day on Friday to help his team win.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='178622' first='Sean' last='DeLong'] is the 5'9", 180-pound offensive weapon for the Gibson Southern offense. Sean recently broke the Gibson Southern single-season all-purpose yards record in the win last Friday and looks to continue to pad those stats this week. He is a swiss-army knife for this offense, playing in the slot and running back. DeLong is versatile, quick-twitched, and plays with a very high motor. At running back, he has been tremendous with finding the open gaps and hitting them with excellent speed and acceleration. The senior swiss-army knife continues to have an outstanding senior campaign and will look to dominate in Friday's game.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='322419' first='Michael' last='Herren'] is the 5'9", 165-pound speedy slot receiver for Gibson Southern's offense. Michael has been a tremendous playmaker for Gibson Southern's offense. He does an excellent job using speed and acceleration in and out of his breaks. Herren is a great slot receiver and takes short routes and screens for significant gains every game. He will be a great addition to a college roster next fall because of his intangibles. The senior wideout will look to bring his A game on Friday and help continue this run in the playoffs.</p>   <p>Brayten Reinhart is the 6'4", 270-pound defensive tackle for the Gibson Southern defense. Brayten is a massive individual in the trenches and is a problem for offenses to stop. He is double-teamed in most plays, but that does not stop him from chasing down his opponents. Reinhart is bound and determined to play harder than the guy he is lined up against. He is a high-motor guy who never gives up on the play. The senior defensive lineman is ready to have a big game on Friday and make a difference for a college team next fall.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='560131' first='Brody' last='Klem'] is the 5'11", 215-pound sophomore defensive lineman for Gibson Southern's defense. Brody has had a tremendous sophomore campaign and continues to improve every week. He plays with excellent pad level, quickness, and leverage to seal the edge. Klem has a great burst off the ball and does an excellent job reacting to the offense. He has shown to make plays in the backfield in numerous games this season and is a tough one to block in the trenches. The sophomore defensive lineman has a bright future ahead of him and will look to help his team win on Friday.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Heritage Hills Patriots</h3>   <p>Last Friday, Heritage Hills beat Batesville in a close one in their regional championship game, 24-21. Heritage Hills is a team you do not want to mess around with because of the talent they have all over the field. The five uncommitted athletes below will be difference-makers in this game and at the next level.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='322427' first='Braydon' last='Durham'] is the 6'0", 205-pound linebacker for the Heritage Hills defense. Braydon will be an all-state selection this year and is one of the best linebackers in the state. He moves swiftly in the tackle box and is tremendously savvy in making plays in the backfield. Braydon is an excellent blitzer and is shot out of a cannon when the ball is snapped. He has been all over the field making plays for this defense and will look to do the same at the next level. The senior linebacker will be a difference-maker on Friday and will look to make every play possible to win a Semi-State championship.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='539950' first='Emmitt' last='Gogel'] is the 6'5", 320-pound senior lineman for Heritage Hills. Emmitt has been a wrecking ball on both sides of the ball throughout his career. He is a powerful human who is nearly impossible to block by one's self and is a freight train on offense. Gogel continues to maul everyone in his path and create huge gaps for his back to run through. On defense, he is an immovable object that terrorizes the opposition. The senior lineman will be a monster at the next level and dominate everyone in his path on Friday night.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='553032' first='Hunter' last='Meredith'] is the 6'0", 190-pound junior running back for the Heritage Hills offense. Hunter has been a strong runner for this offense and continues to run through tackles every game. He is a patient runner who hits the hole with great force and acceleration. Meredith makes outstanding cuts and slices his way through defenses all night. He has cemented himself as a tough-nosed runner who can make anyone miss on the field. The junior running back is ready to have a big game on Friday and help the team in any way possible to make it to Lucas Oil next week.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='539973' first='Trey' last='Willard'] is the 6'1", 235-pound junior defensive lineman for the Heritage Hills defense. Trey continues to improve each week and is molding himself into a great prospect at the defensive end position. He looks more powerful and has improved his block-shedding ability this season. Willard has had multiple double-digit tackle games this season and plays relentlessly to get to the ball on every play. The junior DL is a warrior in the trenches and causes havoc in the backfield on every play. Keep an eye out for this young man to have an outstanding performance and attempt to slow down the opposition on Friday.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='533140' first='Jett' last='Goldsberry'] is the 5'11", 190-pound sophomore dual-threat quarterback for Heritage Hills' offense. Jett has proved he is a dynamic playmaker for this offense and is going off in the playoffs. He excels the most at running the football and puts up huge numbers every game this season. Goldsberry is a shifty, explosive, and tough-nosed runner. He will be a tough one to stop in this game and will have a ton of eyes on him throughout his career. The sophomore quarterback will put the team on his back and help lead them to a victory on Friday night.</p>

Friday is approaching quickly, and teams are preparing for another win-or-go-home matchup. 3A has a matchup of two undefeated teams and two conference foes facing off to see who goes to Lucas Oil next week. This article will set the matchups and highlight uncommitted players to watch in these two matchups.