Carmel head coach Mo Moriarity
We've reached the Elite Eight for High School Football. True, there are 40 teams still practicing this week, dreaming about playing in Lucas Oil Stadium Thanksgiving weekend, but just eight teams alive in each class. Many of the participants are familiar schools (Chatard, Cathedral, Carmel) while a few fresh faces remain alive in the regional round (Brownsburg, Clinton Central, Lutheran)
Each week here in the High School Football Rewind, we take a look back at some memorable games, plays, and pictures from the previous Football Friday Night. I always pick five topics, offer some facts and throw in a little analysis.
Since we are at such an important time of the season, my five topics will represent each of the five classes of high school football. We'll both rewind the tape, and look back at what happened last week, but also will take time to look ahead to some VERY intriguing regional pairings.
Don't forget, if you missed any of Football Friday Night on Fox 59, click on the related content for clips from this past week's show. We'll post the "Game Plan" later this week on Indysportsnation.com, and be on the air at 10:35 with scores of all the games and highlights of every one involving a Central Indiana school that we possibly can get our hands on.
Thursday I'll be making predictions for all 20 regional games, as I've done throughout the IHSAA Football Tournament. (Current Record 223-54, 80.5%)
CLASS 5A, Is Carmel the Class of the Field?: If there is a Coach of the Year award for high school football, it might be a tie between the two coaches to competed in last year's 5A State Championship game. I realize the talent pool is deep at Carmel and Center Grove, but Mo Moriarity and Eric Moore both suffered significant losses to graduation. They also play very difficult schedules, so for each to be still playing this weekend is a tremendous accomplishment.
While the Trojans might have had a few more seniors to replace (32) than Carmel, the Greyhounds have had the better season up to this point. Carmel finished the regular season ranked #1 in Class 5A and went through MIC play unbeaten. The Greyhounds aren't flashy and won't likely win any of their remaining games in blowout fashion. However, Carmel has an incredibly stingy defense and an offense that scores just enough to win.
Last Friday's sectional championship victory over Hamilton Southeastern followed a script Carmel has used on multiple occasions this season. Give the defense a small lead and ask them to make one final fourth quarter stop. The Greyounds stopped the Royals on 4th and 2 from the four-yard line with ten seconds to play.
As I look through the elite eight for Class 5A, I see three Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference Schools, and five teams who were in this round last year.
Merrillville at Mishawaka
Carmel at FW Snider
Warren Central at Brownsburg
Floyd Central at Center Grove
It is surprising to see Mishawaka in the regional instead of Penn, but the Cavemen are worthy after two wins over the Kingsmen this season. Brownsburg should be a pretty good atmosphere as the Bulldogs host Warren Central. Brownsburg is in the regional for the first time since 1985! I do think the Bulldogs have a chance to pull of the upset.
CLASS 4A, Cathedral and Seven Challengers: I said on Football Friday a couple of weeks ago that the Class 4A Tournament might as well be named the Cathedral Invitational. This is not a slight to the rest of the field, it is just an acknowledgment of how good the Irish are. Plainfield gave Cathedral a game and led in the second quarter Friday. In the second half Rick Streiff's club pulled away and beat the Quakers 48-21.
New Palestine is next up and while the Dragons are good, I can't see them knocking off the Irish. If you take a peek at the 4A pairings, a State Championship rematch between Cathedral and FW Dwenger seems very likely.
Lowell at Hammond Morton
Delta at FW Dwenger
New Palestine at Cathedral
Evansville Reitz at East Central
Each week here in the High School Football Rewind, we take a look back at some memorable games, plays, and pictures from the previous Football Friday Night. I always pick five topics, offer some facts and throw in a little analysis.
Since we are at such an important time of the season, my five topics will represent each of the five classes of high school football. We'll both rewind the tape, and look back at what happened last week, but also will take time to look ahead to some VERY intriguing regional pairings.
Don't forget, if you missed any of Football Friday Night on Fox 59, click on the related content for clips from this past week's show. We'll post the "Game Plan" later this week on Indysportsnation.com, and be on the air at 10:35 with scores of all the games and highlights of every one involving a Central Indiana school that we possibly can get our hands on.
Thursday I'll be making predictions for all 20 regional games, as I've done throughout the IHSAA Football Tournament. (Current Record 223-54, 80.5%)
CLASS 5A, Is Carmel the Class of the Field?: If there is a Coach of the Year award for high school football, it might be a tie between the two coaches to competed in last year's 5A State Championship game. I realize the talent pool is deep at Carmel and Center Grove, but Mo Moriarity and Eric Moore both suffered significant losses to graduation. They also play very difficult schedules, so for each to be still playing this weekend is a tremendous accomplishment.
While the Trojans might have had a few more seniors to replace (32) than Carmel, the Greyhounds have had the better season up to this point. Carmel finished the regular season ranked #1 in Class 5A and went through MIC play unbeaten. The Greyhounds aren't flashy and won't likely win any of their remaining games in blowout fashion. However, Carmel has an incredibly stingy defense and an offense that scores just enough to win.
Last Friday's sectional championship victory over Hamilton Southeastern followed a script Carmel has used on multiple occasions this season. Give the defense a small lead and ask them to make one final fourth quarter stop. The Greyounds stopped the Royals on 4th and 2 from the four-yard line with ten seconds to play.
As I look through the elite eight for Class 5A, I see three Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference Schools, and five teams who were in this round last year.
Merrillville at Mishawaka
Carmel at FW Snider
Warren Central at Brownsburg
Floyd Central at Center Grove
It is surprising to see Mishawaka in the regional instead of Penn, but the Cavemen are worthy after two wins over the Kingsmen this season. Brownsburg should be a pretty good atmosphere as the Bulldogs host Warren Central. Brownsburg is in the regional for the first time since 1985! I do think the Bulldogs have a chance to pull of the upset.
CLASS 4A, Cathedral and Seven Challengers: I said on Football Friday a couple of weeks ago that the Class 4A Tournament might as well be named the Cathedral Invitational. This is not a slight to the rest of the field, it is just an acknowledgment of how good the Irish are. Plainfield gave Cathedral a game and led in the second quarter Friday. In the second half Rick Streiff's club pulled away and beat the Quakers 48-21.
New Palestine is next up and while the Dragons are good, I can't see them knocking off the Irish. If you take a peek at the 4A pairings, a State Championship rematch between Cathedral and FW Dwenger seems very likely.
Lowell at Hammond Morton
Delta at FW Dwenger
New Palestine at Cathedral
Evansville Reitz at East Central
