ANDREAN (3-1) AT HOBART (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CDT, The Brickyard.
COACHES: Chris Skinner, 16-11 in third season at Andrean. Craig Osika, 4-0 in first season at Hobart.
LAST CONTEST: Andrean beat Hammond, 59-0. Hobart beat East Chicago Central, 52-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Hobart, 13-10 (overtime), on September 15, 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nick Flesher caught four passes 91 yards with a touchdown for the 59ers against Hammond. Miguel Castillo recovered a fumble in the end zone for a score for the Brickies against East Chicago Central.
CHALK TALK: "Hobart is an impressive team. They have a good combination of developed upperclassmen with some very talented young players. Their younger players play with technique and confidence that is well above their age. Defensively, they are fundamentally sound. They are tough and physical, but more importantly, they understand assignments and gap responsibility. If we are to have success, we must limit the mistakes on offense. They have been an opportunistic defense and will turn our mistakes into points. Our defense must meet the physical challenge they bring to the table. We must limit their success in the run game, so we can put them in difficult third down situations. The field position battle will be an important one as well. The team that gets to work with the shorter field will benefit greatly since both teams have solid special teams." – Andrean's Chris Skinner.
"The goal every week is to get a little bit better in all three phases of the game. To this point, I feel that we have done that as a team. In order to win this week, we have to make sure that we eliminate the amount of mistakes that we make. Andrean is well-coached and has a lot of talent. We cannot afford to have penalties or mistakes that put us behind in down and distance on the offensive side. Defensively, we have to be able to slow down their passing attack. This is our rivalry week, so it is going to be a great atmosphere and a fun game." – Hobart's Craig Osika.
BEN DAVIS (2-2) AT WARREN CENTRAL (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Warrior Field.
COACHES: Jason Simmons, 2-2 in first season at Ben Davis, 28-21 in fifth season overall. Jayson West, 49-16 in sixth season at Warren Central, 101-28 in 11th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Ben Davis lost to Center Grove, 29-22. Warren Central beat Lawrence Central, 47-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Ben Davis, 36-29, on November 3, 2017 in Class 6A sectional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Carnell had four receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown for the Giants against Center Grove. Darrell Johnson ran nine times for 81 yards for the Warriors against Lawrence Central.
CHALK TALK: "We will need to execute at a very high level to compete with the talent of the Warriors. They have a battle tested group that will be comfortable playing at home. We will need to focus on executing as well as we can each play and look to minimize the number of big plays by their offense. We will have to value the football and minimize the self-inflicted wounds that have plagued us in our two losses." – Ben Davis' Jason Simmons.
"This is a big game for the kids on both sides, so we will have to overcome the emotional part of it and play composed. If we can limit mistakes on offense and try to contain their run game, we feel we have a chance. If not, then it will be a long night." – Warren Central's Jayson West.
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (4-0) AT NORTH HARRISON (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, North Harrison Field.
COACHES: Reed May, 252-50 in 26th season at Brownstown Central. Mark Williamson, 42-27 in seventh season at North Harrison, 58-45 in 10th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Brownstown Central beat Salem, 48-13. North Harrison lost to Charlestown, 34-22.
PREVIOUS MEETING: North Harrison, 17-14, on September 15, 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Tiemeyer recorded 14 tackles for the Braves against Salem. Jaylen Peake scampered 22 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns for the Cougars against Charlestown.
CHALK TALK: "It's always a big challenge playing Brownstown. In order to win. we must not put the ball on the ground like we did in week four. We must keep our poise defensively and play disciplined. We are honored to play in a game like this at home." – North Harrison's Mark Williamson.
COLUMBUS NORTH (4-0) AT GUERIN CATHOLIC (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Guerin Catholic Field.
COACHES: Tim Bless, 126-81 in 19th season at Columbus North, 138-90 in 21st season overall. Tom Dilley, 33-15 in fifth season at Guerin Catholic, 113-92 in 19th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Columbus North beat Indianapolis Roncalli, 9-7. Guerin Catholic beat Indianapolis Howe, 45-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: None.
TOP PERFORMERS: Blake Huffman tallied 28 rushes for 94 yards with a score for the Bulldogs against Roncalli. Charles Bock raced nine times for 62 yards with two touchdowns for the Golden Eagles against Howe.
CHALK TALK: "In order to be successful Friday against Guerin Catholic, we must have a focused week of preparation. We must continue to improve our areas of weakness, including reducing penalties, ball security. and better special teams play. Additionally, we must show great maturity by being ready to play from the opening snap after a long bus trip" – Columbus North's Tim Bless.
"We will need to play our best in all phases this week. It always begins with protecting the ball, running the ball, and stopping the run. They are a very physical, well-coached, and talented team. We will need to play our best game of the year to be successful." – Guerin Catholic's Tom Dilley.
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (4-0) AT ATTICA (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Bruce Field.
COACHES: Ryan Hall, 4-0 in first season at Fountain Central, 39-30 in seventh season overall. Ryan Good, 77-39 in 11th season at Attica.
LAST CONTEST: Fountain Central beat Covington, 21-0. Attica lost to Parke Heritage, 37-2.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Fountain Central, 43-0, on November. 3, 2017, in Class 1A sectional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brad Eades accumulated 17 rushes for 80 yards and two scores for the Mustangs against Covington. Drew Sheridan managed 26 carries for 107 yards for the Red Ramblers against Parke Heritage.
CHALK TALK: "For us to be able to beat Attica, we must be more physical than them. They are very quick on defense and have some athletic players on offense, so we must fly to the football and not let them make plays in the open field. Offensively, we will need to work on picking up their blitzes because they are very aggressive on defense. Our goal this week is to create turnovers and try to wear them down by the fourth quarter. Hopefully, we can match their overall team speed this Friday and play on a dry field." – Fountain Central's Ryan Hall.
GREENCASTLE (4-0) AT CASCADE (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Memorial Stadium.
COACHES: Mike Meyer, 40-48 in ninth season at Greencastle, 44-74 in 12th season overall. Steve Spinks, 9-16 in third season at Cascade.
LAST CONTEST: Greencastle beat South Putnam, 12-0. Cascade beat Cloverdale, 14-8.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Greencastle, 37-0, on September 15, 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: Damon Moody ran 27 times for 124 yards for the Tiger Cubs against South Putnam. A.J. Sanders had two fumble recoveries and an interception for the Cadets against Cloverdale.
CHALK TALK: "We must stop a strong running game and prevent the big play on defense. Offensively, we need to continue to run the ball and continue to improve the passing game." – Greencastle's Mike Meyer.
"In order to beat Greencastle, we MUST be willing to play the most physical game we have ever played. They are an excellent team and very well-coached. We must play fast, disciplined, hard-nosed football, and win the turnover battle. If we can achieve these goals, we will be happy after the final horn sounds." Cascade's Steve Spinks.
INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD (4-0) AT SOUTHPORT (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Cardinals Stadium.
COACHES: Rob Doyle, 11-6 in second season at Bishop Chatard. Brandon Winters, 14-11 in third season at Southport.
LAST CONTEST: Bishop Chatard beat Indianapolis Cathedral, 17-14. Southport beat Brebeuf Jesuit, 31-28.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Southport, 35-11, on September 25, 1992.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Kassenbrock caught four passes for 102 yards with a touchdown for the Trojans against Cathedral. Steven Pagel racked up 10 tackles for the Cardinals against Brebeuf.
CHALK TALK: "We will be facing one of the top passing games and quarterback's (Eddie Schott) in Indiana. They are an excellent passing team, so we are going to do all we can to contain them. Offensively, we will try to remain as balanced as we have all year." – Bishop Chatard's Rob Doyle.
MISHAWAKA (3-1) AT NEW PRAIRIE (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Amzie Miller Field.
COACHES: Keith Kinder, 3-1 in first season at Mishawaka. Russ Radtke, 63-15 in seventh season at New Prairie, 353-135 in 42nd season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Mishawaka beat South Bend Adams, 51-27. New Prairie beat South Bend St. Joseph, 41-28.
PREVIOUS MEETING: New Prairie, 42-21, on October. 27, 2017 in Class 4A sectional semifinal.
TOP PERFORMERS: Sam Shively had 11 carries for 104 yards and three touchdowns for the Cavemen against Adams. Sylan Rosed tallied eight stops for the Cougars against Saint Joseph.
CHALK TALK: "New Prairie is really, really good. They are physical and athletic on defense and incredibly talented and skilled on offense. We have got to take care of the football and not allow them extra possessions. Defensively, we'll have to tackle better than we've tackled all year and make sure they don't throw the ball over our head." – Mishawaka's Keith Kinder.
MONROE CENTRAL (4-0) AT SOUTH ADAMS (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Starfire Field.
COACHES: John Hochstetler, 50-24 in seventh season at Monroe Central, 137-107 in 22nd season overall. Grant Moser, 20-17 in fourth season at South Adams.
LAST CONTEST: Monroe Central beat Southern Wells, 26-0. South Adams beat Heritage, 34-20.
PREVIOUS MEETING: South Adams, 46-0, on October 21, 2011 in Class 1A sectional opener.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kamron Caldwell had four receptions for 87 yards with a score for the Golden Bears against Southern Wells. James Arnold was 8-of-17 for 104 yards and two touchdowns for the Starfires against Heritage.
CHALK TALK: "South Adams is an explosive group that plays hard. They definitely live up to the tradition that goes with quality football being played in Adams County. We are going there, so that will be a challenge as well. I think we will find out a great deal about our group. The number one thing will be to handle adversity, practice hard, and stick to the plan. Turnovers will be big." – Monroe Central's John Hochstetler.
"We have our work cut out for us. They have a great defense and they are only giving up two points per game. We will have to be methodical in our play calling. I am excited to see how our defense plays against them. We haven't allowed a point in the second half this season. It should be a great atmosphere in Berne on Friday night with two great defenses." – South Adams' Grant Moser.
MOORESVILLE (4-0) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Devere Stadium.
COACHES: Mike Gillin, 7-9 in second season at Mooresville, 312-126 in 40th season overall. Kyle Enright, 20-6 in third season at Decatur Central.
LAST CONTEST: Mooresville beat Greenwood, 49-14. Decatur Central lost to Martinsville, 18-15.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Decatur Central, 63-7, on September 15, 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kames Mabry ran 13 times for 115 yards and two touchdowns for the Pioneers against Greenwood. Jason Allen grabbed three passes for 100 yards for the Hawks against Martinsville.
CHALK TALK: "We have to slow them down in every way. They have great speed on both sides. We have to get some stops on defense, win the turnover battle, and get big plays on offense." – Mooresville's Mike Gillin.
NEW PALESTINE (4-0) AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. EDT, Broughton Field.
COACHES: Kyle Ralph, 64-4 in sixth season at New Palestine. Jed Richman, 14-12 in third season at Pendleton Heights, 49-42 in ninth season overall.
LAST CONTEST: New Palestine beat Mount Vernon (Fortville), 64-0. Pendleton Heights beat Greenfield-Central, 50-0.
PREVIOUS MEETING: New Palestine, 41-21, on September 15, 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: Zach Neligh had 10 carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns for the Dragons against Mount Vernon (Fortville). Anankin Allison racked up four receptions for 84 yards with a scores for the Arabians against Greenfield-Central.
CHALK TALK: "Coach Richman has continued to do a tremendous job with the Pendleton Heights program. His kids are playing hard and assignment sound football. They also possess one of the best quarterback-wide receiver tandems in Indiana with (Christian) Conkling and (Eli) Pancol. To be successful, we have to continue to effectively move and score the ball on offense, minimize their explosive play capability with sound defense and play excellent on special teams. It's great for our conference and both communities involved that this is once again a top-notch game between two very good programs who are unbeaten to this point. It's going to be a tremendous challenge." – New Palestine's Kyle Ralph.
"New Pal is extremely well-coached, and we have a ton of respect for them. Coach Ralph does an excellent job of getting his kids to compete at such a consistently high level. Add in that this also may be the most talented team they have had, and we have a heck of a challenge ahead of us. If we are going to compete, we must execute up front on both sides of the ball, and not beat ourselves by making unforced errors such as turnovers. We have to play for 48 minutes and make plays when we have the opportunity." – Pendleton Heights' Jed Richman.
NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (3-1) AT CENTER GROVE (2-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Ray Skillman Stadium.
COACHES: Kevin O'Shea, 6-8 in second season at North Central, 220-81 in 26th season overall. Eric Moore, 181-64 in 20th season at Center Grove, 229-69 in 24th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: North Central beat Lawrence North, 12-7. Center Grove beat Ben Davis, 29-22.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Center Grove, 24-7, on September 15, 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Brown finished with 21 tackles for the Panthers against Lawrence North. Charlie Ogega carried the ball six times for 56 yards for the Trojans against Ben Davis.
CHALK TALK: "Center Grove is one of the premier football programs in the state, and they have one of the best facilities in the state. Playing down there is always a great experience, and they always have a great atmosphere. They have been playing very well the past two weeks after early season losses to two great programs (Warren Central and New Palestine). They've gotten back to using their traditional Wing-T offense more after using a lot more shotgun early in the year. They are a great defensive team that doesn't beat themselves. We will have to play assignment defense while hopefully creating some turnovers. Offensively, we'll need to be able to throw the ball successfully since we will be without our starting running back (Alex Tarver) again this week." – North Central's Kevin O'Shea.
"The Trojans come home this Friday for a game with the much-improved NC Panthers. The speed and size of the Panthers will be the biggest obstacle for the Trojans this week. We will have to keep them to long drives and not one play scores. Their high speed offense is also matched with their defense which is very fast and aggressive. The Trojans will have to play a turnover-free game to stay with the Panthers, plus keep control of the football on offense. Having few to zero three-and-outs is the only way to keep their offense in check. The Trojans will have to make some plays on special teams as well, and keep them out of a track meet like game." – Center Grove's Eric Moore.
PAOLI (4-0) AT WEST WASHINGTON (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Sanders Field.
COACHES: Jeremy Lowery, 13-3 in second season at Paoli. Phillip Bowsman, 78-47 in 12th season at West Washington.
LAST CONTEST: Paoli beat Perry Central, 26-6. West Washington beat Springs Valley, 26-22.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Paoli, 48-0, on September 15, 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: Timmy Burton had a 67-yard touchdown catch for the Rams against Perry Central. Harrison Sandford had a two-point conversion catch for the Senators against Springs Valley.
CHALK TALK: "We are very excited for the opportunity to play a very good West Washington football team this Friday. They have gotten off to a great 4-0 start and are playing very well right now. Offensively, they do a great job with their zone running scheme and Bobby Stevens is a very talented runner. He has good speed, vision, and does a great job running behind his pads. Defensively, they have nice size up front, their linebackers tackle well, and they have good speed in the secondary. Overall, they are a very good football team in all three phases of the game. We are very pleased with how our kids have played in our first four games. Our kids are playing with great energy and excitement. Furthermore, we have done a great job taking care of the football offensively and taking away the ball defensively. Our kids understand that we must continue to focus on the things that have gotten us to this point. It is now week five and we must not get bored with the details that have allowed us to be successful. West Washington has a nice team and is well-coached, but our success will be determined by focusing on ourselves and not our opponent. We must continue to play fundamentally sound football and continue to learn and grow from our mistakes." – Paoli's Jeremy Lowery.
"We are going to have to be disciplined and physical to win this Friday against Paoli. They do a great job with their run game and have the ability to put the ball in the air. Paoli is always a physical team. We will have to match their physicality in order to be successful. Line play is one other key for us to be successful. We have to win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball." – West Washington's Phillip Bowsman.
SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH (3-1) AT ELKHART CENTRAL (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Rice Field.
COACHES: Bryon Whitten, 10-16 in third season at Saint Joseph. Josh Shattuck, 7-7 in second season at Elkhart Central, 40-55 in 10th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Saint Joseph lost to New Prairie, 41-28. Elkhart Central beat Benton Harbor (Mich.), 35-12.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Saint. Joseph, 34-7, on September 15, 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: J.P. Lewis recorded 11 tackles for the Indians against New Prairie. Ricky Rocha returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown for the Blazers against Benton Harbor (Michigan).
CHALK TALK: "To win against Elkhart Central, the first thing we need to eliminate our own mistakes. We had too many penalties last week. The running game is going to be critical for us this week. Defensively, we need to contain (running back Mark) Brownlee. Offensively, we need to establish our own run game to open up the play action passes and allow (quarterback) Ashton (Ruszkowski) to be able to sling the ball around the field." – Saint Joseph's Bryon Whitten.
"Our game Friday night is going to come down to finding balance on offense and winning the turnover battle. We have struggled recently throwing the football and will need to be able to do that against an aggressive defensive front from St. Joe. They are very good up front and inside and will be focused on stopping our running game. Our starting quarterback (Brycen Sherwood) is out for the season with a shoulder injury, so teams are going to force our quarterback (Isaiah Chandler) to make plays with his arm, and we have to be ready to do so, starting Friday night." Elkhart Central's Josh Shattuck.
WEST LAFAYETTE (4-0) AT RENSSELAER CENTRAL (3-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CDT, Harrison Complex.
COACHES: Shane Fry, 57-12 in sixth season at West Lafayette. Chris Meeks, 156-78 in 20th season at Rensselaer.
LAST CONTEST: West Lafayette beat Lafayette Central Catholic, 34-0. Rensselaer beat Twin Lakes, 56-14.
PREVIOUS MEETING: West Lafayette, 55-6, on September 16, 2017.
TOP PERFORMERS: Sage Hood ran 15 times for 45 yards for the Red Devils against Lafayette Central Catholic, Elijah Hickman racked up five rushes for 84 yards and two touchdowns for the Bombers against Twin Lakes.
CHALK TALK: "In order to beat Rensselaer, we will need to get their offense off the field, win first down on defense so they are uncomfortable and establish the run game on offense." – West Lafayette's Shane Fry.
"West Lafayette will be a very difficult challenge. We need to figure out a way to contain their high powered offense. Their quarterback (Kyle Adams) does a nice job of distributing the football to their many athletes, but their defense is just as impressive. Offensively, we need to be able to control the football with a ball-control offense, and finish out drives with points." – Rensselaer Central's Chris Meeks.
