IHSAA 4A Semi-State Preview & Players to Watch
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We are getting closer to another great weekend of Indiana football playoffs. Friday is going to be a good one in 4A. The defending champs are still in it, and three other teams are battling to steal the crown. Let’s…
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Continue ReadingWe are getting closer to another great weekend of Indiana football playoffs. Friday is going to be a good one in 4A. The defending champs are still in it, and three other teams are battling to steal the crown. Let’s check out the matchups and the key players for each team.
NorthWood (11-2) @ Leo (11-2)
Leo will host NorthWood for their Semi-State matchup this Friday. These two have not met this season or in last season’s playoffs. NorthWood is seeking to win its 7th Semi-State title in school history. Leo is seeking to win their first-ever Semi-State title. Below, we will talk about uncommitted playmakers for both teams.
NorthWood Panthers
NorthWood is coming off a regional win against New Prairie, 38-14. NorthWood is led by a talented group of upperclassmen who have been clicking late in the season. Check out the five uncommitted seniors and juniors making a splash this season.
Owen Roeder is the 5’11, 175-pound senior quarterback for the NorthWood offense. Owen has been outstanding this season and makes excellent throws every game. He is an escape artist in the pocket, finding ways to get out of the pocket and make accurate throws on the run. Roeder does an excellent job getting the ball quickly to his playmakers and fits the ball into small windows throughout the game. The senior quarterback is ready for the next level and will look to help his team reach the state finals.
Trey Woods is a senior speedy wideout for the NorthWood offense. Trey is lightning in a bottle and is dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands. He is seen taking screen routes to the house and running past the defense all game. Woods is an excellent playmaker, has tremendous speed and athleticism, and continues to be an electrifying player for this offense. The senior wideout will be a great addition to a WR room at the next level and will be ready for a big game this weekend.
Bryson Davis Bryson Davis 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Northwood Highschool | 2025 IN is the junior 6’3″, 260-pound offensive lineman for NorthWood’s offense. Bryson has played every position on the offensive line and on both sides. He continues to excel in every position and is a reliable piece for this offense. Davis can pull and kick out blockers on the edge, blocks whistle to whistle, and fires off the line of scrimmage every play. The junior offensive lineman is a prospect colleges must look at and get on early because he is a special player in the trenches.
Max Parciak is a 6’3″, 305-pound offensive lineman for the NorthWood offense. Max is experienced at all three offensive line positions and has the tools to play all three effectively. He is a bulldozer up front and has dominated the trenches all season. Parciak has a massive frame that comes with tremendous strength and power. The junior offensive lineman will be a dominant force in Friday’s game and is another 2025 OL prospect to keep your eyes on for next season.
Landon Zimmerman Landon Zimmerman 6'1" | 195 lbs | DL Northwood Highschool | 2025 IN is the 6’1″, 190-pound junior defensive end for NorthWood’s defense. Landon is an intriguing young prospect with tremendous upside for this NorthWood defense. He does a great job setting the edge in the run game and winning on the edge in pass-rush scenarios. Zimmerman has a great burst off the ball and plays with a high motor, as he shows on film to run down his opponents all over the field. The junior defensive end will want to make a difference on Friday and win a Semi-State title.
Leo Lions
Leo beat Mississinewa 41-7 in their Regional Championship on Friday. Leo’s upperclassmen have been firing on all cylinders this season and continue to dominate in the playoffs. The five upperclassmen below are all uncommitted and have the talent to play at the next level.
Kamden Zeisloft Kamden Zeisloft 5'9" | 180 lbs | ATH Leo | 2024 State IN is the 5’9″, 180-pound DB/ATH for Leo. Kamden has been a difference-maker for Leo in all three phases of the game. He shows up on defense, creating a “no fly zone” in the secondary and makes excellent open field tackles all game. Zeisloft takes his role on special teams seriously and is always the first one down on kickoff. The senior has done an excellent job for Leo and will be a great addition to a college roster next fall.
Aiden Furnish is the 6’1″, 200-pound linebacker for this Leo defense. Aiden has done an excellent job leading this defense in the middle of the field. He continues to play a vital role in stopping the run and causing havoc in the backfield. Furnish does an excellent job reading his keys and meeting the ball carrier in the gap at the line of scrimmage. He reads the flow of the offense well and comes up with big stops every game. The senior linebacker will be ready for the task on Friday and is an excellent prospect for the next level.
Aidan Monds Aidan Monds 5'9" | 185 lbs | ATH Leo | 2024 State IN is the 5’9″, 180-pound RB/LB for Leo. Aidan is a great young prospect to keep an eye on and continues to improve weekly. At running back, he finds the gaps effectively and hits them with speed and power. Monds has the potential to be a solid running back prospect at the next level. On defense, he does a great job keeping his leverage and is a sure tackler at the position. The junior will help the team in any way possible to get the win on Friday night and continue to raise his stock.
Jaxon Keller Jaxon Keller 6'2" | 210 lbs | LB Leo | 2025 State IN is the 6’2″, 210-pound linebacker for Leo’s defense. Jaxon is an exciting player to watch on film and continues to grow each week. He is explosive, powerful, and quick-twitched on defense. Keller is excellent at reading the offense and reacting quickly to what is happening in front of him. This young man has made big plays in the backfield and has caused a few turnovers this season. The junior linebacker will be a difference-maker on Friday and for a college team in a few years.
Landin Hoeppner Landin Hoeppner 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Leo | 2025 State IN is the 6’0″, 180-pound defensive back for the Leo defense. Landin is another excellent young prospect for this Leo defense. He is tremendous in man coverage and has come up with numerous INTs and pass deflections this season. Hoeppner does an excellent job getting attached to the receivers and playing through the hands of the intended receiver. He has proven to be a lockdown defender and is a challenge to pass the ball on. The junior DB is ready to lock down anyone in front of him on Friday and come up with game-changing plays.
New Palestine (11-2) @ East Central (13-0)
New Palestine will be on the road against the defending 4A state champions, East Central, for Friday’s Semi-State title game. These two did not play each other this season or in last season’s playoffs. With a Friday, New Palestine would win their 6th Semi-State title. East Central would win their 6th Semi-State title. Let’s check out some of the best uncommitted guys on both teams in this matchup.
New Palestine Dragons
New Palestine won their regional title game against Mooresville, 39-6. New Palestine has constructed an excellent roster this season and continues to prove each week they are a team that could make it all the way to state. Check out the five uncommitted athletes that have been making impact plays all season.
Grayson Thomas Grayson Thomas 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB New Palestine | 2024 State IN is the 6’0″, 190-pound running back for the New Palestine offense. Grayson is one of the best running backs in the state and continues to be an alpha on the football field. He has found the endzone numerous times this season because of his great vision for running lanes. Thomas has been underrecruited and deserves the recognition. He fights for every yard; he is not an easy tackle, and he dominates the opposing defense in every game. This young man will immediately make a college running back room better and put up huge numbers like he did at New Palestine. The senior RB is ready to go off this Friday and show again why he will be the big man on campus next fall.
Kyler Kropp Kyler Kropp 6'1" | 200 lbs | ATH New Palestine | 2024 State IN is the 6’1″, 200-pound offensive weapon for New Palestine’s offense. Kyler has been a great utility player for New Palestine this season. He has been an excellent returner for New Pal and has made explosive plays on offense at RB and WR this season. Kropp breezes by defenses and finds his way behind the defense numerous times a game. In the run game, he finds the opening running lanes and hits them with tremendous speed and athleticism. The senior will be a playmaker to watch in this matchup on Friday and will be a great asset to a college roster next fall.
John Ranes John Ranes 6'3" | 245 lbs | OL New Palestine | 2025 State IN is the 6’3″, 265-pound defensive lineman for New Palestine’s defense. John is a powerful human in the trenches and is dominant against anyone he is lined up across. The most impressive thing I saw on film was how he never gives up on a play. Ranes had multiple clips with excellent pursuit to the football, chasing ball carriers 10 yards down the field to make tackles. He shows a lot of heart when he plays and works hard to make plays for this defense. The junior defensive lineman will be ready to make a game-changing play on Friday and is a guy colleges need to start paying attention to.
Brock Brownfield Brock Brownfield 6'3" | 250 lbs | DL New Palestine | 2026 State IN is the 6’3″, 250-pound sophomore offensive lineman for the New Palestine offense. Brock already has D1 interest as a sophomore and will only get more over the next few years. He is a nasty interior offensive lineman who buries his opponents into the turf every chance he gets. Brownfield is always seen up underneath the pads of the guy in front of him and plays with a great base that allows him to take the guy for a ride down the field. This young man has a bright future ahead of him and will be a college team a lot better in the future. Keep an eye out for the sophomore on Friday to come up with multiple impact blocks to help his team find the endzone.
Garrett Ranes Garrett Ranes 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB New Palestine | 2026 State IN is the 6’2″, 220-pound sophomore linebacker for New Palestine’s defense. Garrett is another excellent young prospect for New Pal and is an essential piece for this defense. He has been an effective pass rusher from linebacker depth and has caused havoc in the backfield all season. Ranes has shown on film to make plays all over the field and even chase down his opponents from across the field. This young man is being molded into another great linebacker and will be a sought-after prospect down the road. Watch for the sophomore to make plays in the backfield and help his team win this Friday.
East Central Trojans
East Central dominated Evansville Memorial on Friday in their regional title game, 47-7. The defending champs have an outstanding group of seniors who have remained dominant for the past few years. Check out the five uncommitted seniors below who have proven they will be impactful at the next level.
Cole Burton Cole Burton 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB East Central | 2024 State IN is the 6’0″, 195-pound quarterback for East Central’s offense. Cole is a natural-born leader and continues to prove that he is a winner. He only gets a few opportunities to throw the ball in this offense, but when he does, it is with great accuracy. Burton gets the ball out quickly and delivers it to where only his guy can get it. He does not take anything for granted and will do whatever it takes for his team to win another championship. The senior QB will look to take his team to another state title game on Friday and will be ready to help a college team win games next fall.
Noah Schneider Noah Schneider 6'2" | 275 lbs | OL East Central | 2024 State IN is the 6’3″, 285-pound offensive lineman for the East Central offense. Noah has dominated the trenches all season and continues to maul his opponents every game. He is tremendously powerful, plays with a high motor, and will block to the whistle on every play. Schneider is a reliable blocker in pass protection and delivers a powerful punch to the rushing defender lined up in front of him. He will be a monster at the next level and help any offensive line room he joins. Watch for the senior lineman to bury guys in the turf all night on Friday.
Connor Kuhn is the 5’10”, 195-pound linebacker for East Central’s defense. Connor has shown to be a playmaker on defense when stopping the run and through the air. He does an excellent job keeping his leverage and outstanding fundamentally sound tackles. Kuhn has shown to be effective in zone coverage and has come up with a couple of picks in his career. He wants to make impact plays for a college team next fall, just as he has done at East Central. The senior linebacker is ready for the challenge on Friday and will look to come up with impactful plays.
Jace Dorsey is the 6’2″, 190-pound defensive back for the East Central defense. Jace has been a lockdown defender for this defense all season. He does a great job in both man and zone coverage. Dorsey blankets the receivers and makes quarterbacks hesitate on throwing his direction. He does an excellent job attaching to the hip of the receiver and running the route with the wideout. The senior defensive back will be a playmaker at the next level and ready to lock down his opponents Friday night.
Brayden Rouse is the 6’0″, 200-pound linebacker for East Central’s defense. Brayden has been a great leader in the middle of this defense and continues to make impactful stops each game. He has come up with multiple turnovers and negative plays all season. Rouse does an excellent job plugging up the gaps and reading the offense. He has a sixth sense for the football and is relentless in making the tackle on every play. The senior linebacker will be a great addition to a college roster next fall and will look to help his defense win another game this Friday.