Indiana high school football games of the week – Week 10 (sectional quarterfinals)

Here are this week’s top games in a slate without 5A or 6A games

By Kevin Messenger

These games count! Winners advance to next week’s sectional semifinals and losers begin making plans for the 2023 season. 

Here are this week’s top games in a slate without 5A or 6A games:

4A: No. 5 New Palestine (9-0) at Mt. Vernon (6-3)

The Dragons are the class of 4A so far and they are the only Power 25 team this week to play another opponent with a winning record. New Palestine has won eight consecutive games by at least four touchdowns and are the only active team in this week’s Top 10. Awaiting them in sectional play is a conference rematch with Mt. Vernon who finished 6-1 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference behind the Dragons. The Marauders, No. 12 in the final IFCA coaches poll, have lit up the scoreboard themselves, of late, scoring at least 40 in five straight weeks with 57 and 63 in Weeks 8 and 9. The last time Mt. Vernon didn’t score 40? Oh yeah, Week 4 against these same Dragons in a 42-6 defeat.

3A: Guerin Catholic (5-4) at Oak Hill (9-0)

Possibly the state’s best head-to-head matchup in the sectional first round features clubs ranked No. 9 and No. 11 in this week’s IFCA coaches poll. Indianapolis-based Guerin Catholic, No. 9, is 5-4 with losses to Catholic powerhouses Brebeuf, Roncalli and Bishop Chatard, not to mention 4A contender East Central. Those losses aside, the Golden Eagles also have wins over several 4A and 5A schools. So far unbeaten and No. 11 in the coaches poll, Oak Hill awaits after limiting opponents to just 13 points over its last four wins.

1A: Indianapolis Lutheran (9-0) at South Putnam (7-2)

On paper, this is the state’s only matchup of IFCA coaches poll top ten teams: Lutheran checks in as at No. 1 in 1A and South Putnam is No. 9. The Saints have been nothing short of dominant – running the table against 2A, 3A and 4A schools and routinely scoring 50 to 70 points. Their only game against a 1A opponent was last week’s 62-8 thrashing of Traders Point Christian. South Put is certainly no slouch but the sectional draw dictates back-to-back weeks that the Eagles will play a No. 1 team in their classification, falling last week to 2A top-ranked Linton-Stockton, 35-10.

Brebeuf fell out of the Power 25 after a 31-14 loss to Roncalli in Week 5, and currently are ranked No. 10 in the final IFCA coaches poll.

Other top games to watch include a pair of 4A matchups with Brebeuf Jesuit (5-3) at Northview (6-3) and Lebanon (6-3) at Mooresville (7-2). Brebeuf and Mooresville, both ranked in the Top 10 in the IFCA coaches poll, should be considered favorites against unranked teams with schedules not as strong.

-Brebeuf fell out of the SBLive Power 25 after a 31-14 loss to Roncalli in Week 5. In fact, they have only lost to Power 25 teams – Roncalli, Chatard and No. 3 Cathedral.

-The battle between Lebanon and Mooresville revives a non-conference rivalry that featured the Tigers and Pioneers in a Week 1 or Week 2 matchup every year from 1995 to 2021. They didn’t meet this year in the regular season for the first time since 1994. Instead, they’ll meet in the sectional.

A pair of 3A matchups worthy of attention are Bishop Chatard (5-4) at Northwestern (2-7) and Speedway (5-4) at North Montgomery (5-4).

-No. 23 in the Power 25, Chatard is a clear favorite against the Tigers but after tough losses in two of their past three games, the Trojans need to regain their momentum.

-The Speedway and North Montgomery matchup features a pair of Central Indiana schools whose schedules feature a mix of classifications and ranked opponents. The Speedway/North Montgomery winner could find itself in a sectional final against 3A power Western Boone.

A 2A game to watch pits Perry Central (8-1) at Evansville Mater Dei (6-3), showcasing a matchup of teams both ranked in the IFCA coaches poll: Mater Dei at No. 5 and Perry Central at No. 13 among 2A teams. 

In similar fashion, 1A Adams Central (9-0) travels to Southwood (7-2) in another matchup of schools ranked in the IFCA coaches poll. Adams Central is ranked No. 2 behind Indianapolis Lutheran and Southwood is No. 12.

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