Football Caps Sept. 24

Class 6A No. 1 Center Grove at Lawrence Central, 7 p.m.

Center Grove Trojans (5-0)

Head coach: Eric Moore, 17th season at Center Grove (152-54), 21st overall (200-59)

Last week: Won 38-7 against North Central at Lucas Oil Stadium

Conference: Metropolitan Interscholastic

Players to watch: Cameron Tidd, Sr., DL; Jovan Swann, Sr., DL; Devin Wilson, Sr., DL; Zach Wells, Jr., DL; Dan Root, Jr., DL; Connor Steeb, Sr., DB; Will Smithey, Sr., DB; Bailey Bennett, Jr., LB; Jackson Sodrel, Sr., LB; Nick Davis, Jr., OL; Clay Hadley, Jr., OL; Chris Barnett, Sr., OL; John Richardson, Sr., OL; Joey Siderewicz, Sr., QB; Zak Smith, Sr., WR; Quinten Stirsman, Sr., WR; Cory Heinrichs, So., TE; Titus McCoy, Jr., RB; Trevor Hohlt, Jr., RB; Nathanael Snyder, Sr., K; Drew Conrad, Sr., P.

Lawrence Central Bears (2-3)

Head coach: Jed Richman, third season (9-17)

Last week: Won 61-28 at Pike

Conference: Metropolitan Interscholastic

Outlook: Center Grove throttled an over-matched North Central squad for what was Eric Moore’s 200th career victory as a high school football coach. LC despite a losing record overall has been particularly tough the past four weeks with two wins and losses to Chatard and Warren Central by seven points apiece.

Martinsville at Class 5A No. 6 Whiteland, 7 p.m.

Whiteland Warriors (3-2)

Head coach: Darrin Fisher, 11th season at Whiteland (77-44), 25th overall (138-116)

Last week: Lost 34-0 at Avon

Conference: Mid-State

Players to watch: Brandon Patterson, Sr., RB; Anthony Schantz, Jr., RB; Jace Carpenter, Jr., QB; Tyler Johnson, Sr., OL; Jake Sayer, Sr., OL; Austin Bates, Sr., OL; Chase Jones, Sr., DB; Djimmon Ogega, Sr., DB; Ryder Emberton, Jr., DL; Braxton Short, Sr., DL; Quetin Truex, Sr., LB; Jacob Walters, Sr., LB; Jacob Ballain, Jr., K/P.

Martinsville Artesians (0-5)

Head coach: Brad Rose, second season (7-9)

Conference: Mid-State

Last week: Lost 10-7 against visiting Franklin Community

Outlook: Whiteland is coming off its second shutout loss of the season, but is averaging just under 50 points a game in its three victories. The Warriors have won the past two meetings with the Artesians, scoring 118 points in the process to Martinsville’s 81.

The Artesians are off to their slowest start since the 2007 squad won the opener and then lost seven straight before finishing with a 2-8 record.

Mooresville at Franklin, 7 p.m.

Franklin Grizzly Cubs (1-4)

Head coach: Adam Reese, third season (9-16)

Conference: Mid-State

Last week: Won 10-7 at Martinsville

Conference: Mid-State

Players to watch: T.J. Ahlefeld, Jr., QB; Phoenix Campos, Sr., RB; Tyler Fromer, So., FB; Gabriel Terriquez, Sr., OL; Skylar Marshall, So., OL; Alex VanDyke, Jr., OL/DL; Gavin Eason, So., OL; Garrett Eason, So., C; Zach Dowell, Sr., LB; Alex Blackwell, Sr., DB; Jacob Lamping, Jr., DL; Lane Voris, Jr., DB.

Mooresville Pioneers (2-3)

Head coach: Chad Dockery, fourth season (8-27)

Conference: Mid-State

Last week: Lost 49-14 to visiting Decatur Central

Outlook: Grizzly Cubs got back on the winning track last week by claiming victory at Martinsville, snapping a six-game losing streak dating back to Week 9 of the 2014 season.

Mooresville, after a 2-0 start, has dropped three consecutive games, scoring a total of only 28 points in the process.

Class 3A No. 9 Guerin Catholic at Greenwood, 7 p.m.

Greenwood Woodmen (4-1)

Head coach: Mike Campbell, 10th season (47-56)

Last week: Won 42-23 at Plainfield

Conference: Mid-State

Players to watch: John Gallman, Sr., RB; Brandon Rosado, So., FB; Seth Gallman, So, QB; Kyle Nixon, Sr., OL; Thomas Bowling, Jr., C; Jackson Daugherty, Sr., WR/DB; Anthony Carver, Sr., WR/DB; Brayton England, Sr., LB; A.J. Montgomery, Jr., LB; Patrick Lowenstein, Sr., DL; Jordan Anderson, Sr., DL; Dylan Rosado, Jr., DB; Will Wolf, Jr., DB; Spencer Schmidt, Jr., K; Damon Maynard, Jr., P.

Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles (4-1)

Head coach: Tom Dilley, second season (13-5); 93-82 overall

Last week: Won 50-6 at Broad Ripple

Conference: Independent

Outlook: Greenwood steps away from Mid-State Conference duties for a week to battle the ninth-ranked (3A) Golden Eagles in a series that started in 2009. To show the closeness of the series, each program has three wins and the Woodmen lead in total points, 147-144.

Guerin Catholic’s lone loss this season was a 34-0 defeat at home against Class A No. 1 Lafayette Central Catholic.

Indian Creek at Milan, 7 p.m.

Indian Creek Braves (2-3)

Head coach: Mike Gillin, 15th season at Indian Creek (128-39), 37th overall (294-111)

Last week: Won 67-13 at Brown County

Conference: Mid-Indiana Football

Players to watch: Gynson Robley, Sr., QB; Bryce Hogue, Jr., WR/DB; Austin Coy, Sr., WR/LB; Elijah Dunn, Sr., RB/WR; Isaiah Lacey, Fr., WR/DB; Brandon Dunn, So., RB/DB; Joey Willis, So., RB; Nick Clevenger, Sr., OL/DL; Noah Maness, Jr., OL/DL; Hunter Pottoroff, Sr., DL; Joe Clevenger, LB; Grant GoForth, So., LB; Austin Worth, So., LB; Jordan Summers, Sr., DB; Brad Trietsch, So., DB.

Milan Indians (2-3)

Head coach: Rob Page, third season (9-8)

Last week: Won 27-0 at North Decatur

Conference: Ohio River Valley

Outlook: Braves snapped a three-game losing streak with big victory at Brown County to gain momentum entering its latest road test.

Milan, which has lost three straight to Indian Creek, scored an impressive shutout win last week at previously unbeaten North Decatur.

Directions: Take State Road 44 east all the way to Shelbyville and I-74. Take I-74 south toward Cincinnati and get off at the Oldenburg/Batesville exit (149). Turn right and proceed south on State Road 129 before turning left on E State Road 350. Turn right on Warpath Drive.

Edinburgh vs. Oldenburg Academy at Earlham College, 7:30 p.m.

Edinburgh Lancers (1-4)

Head coach: Derrick Ball, first season (1-4)

Last week: Won 46-45 in four overtimes against Switzerland County

Conference: Independent

Players to watch: Bobby Simpson, Sr., QB; Jentry Lange, Sr., QB/DB; Shane Smith, Sr., RB/DE; Marcus Ruch, Sr., WR/DB; Carigan St. Pierre, Sr., OL/DL; Sean Bacha, Jr., OL; Noah Martin, Jr., OL; Grant Godsey, Fr., DB; Zach Giles, Fr., DL; Bryce Burton, Fr., DB.

Oldenburg Academy Twisters (3-2)

Head coach: Wes Gillman, third season (10-11)

Last week: Lost 48-13 at South Decatur

Outlook: Lancers won a wild one last week in a four-OT thriller against Switzerland County for what was Derrick Ball’s first victory as Lancers coach. Edinburgh won last season’s game against Oldenburg Academy, 35-27.

Directions to Earlham: To get to Darrell Beane Stadium, go north on I-65 and merge onto I-465 around the east side of Indianapolis. Get off onto I-70 east toward Richmond and take it all the way to exit 149A. Turn right and merge into State Road 38. Turn right at National Road.

Class 3A No. 10 Brebeuf Jesuit at Class 4A No. 10 Roncalli

Roncalli Rebels (2-3)

Head coach: Bruce Scifres, 26th season, 226-86

Last week: Won 31-7 at Indianapolis Scecina

Conference: Independent

Players to watch: Nate Fries, Sr., RB; Robbie Strader, Sr., QB; Louie Hibner, Sr., OL; Garrett Shura, Sr., OL; Tyler Reed, Sr., DL; Tyler Lucas, Sr., DL; Jake Franklin, Sr., LB; Nate Eble, Sr., LB; Gabe Otley, Sr., LB; Caleb Bowling, Sr., DB; Justin Saylor, Sr., DB.

Brebeuf Jesuit Braves (3-2)

Head coach: Mic Roessler, third season (21-10)

Last week: Won 14-7 at Culver Military

Outlook: Roncalli, which impressed in last week’s win at Indianapolis Scecina, has won all four meetings against the Braves dating back to the 2011 season.

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Mike Beas
Mike Beas is the Daily Journal's veteran sports reporter. He has been to more than 200 Indiana high schools, including 1990s visits to Zionsville to profile current Boston Celtics GM Brad Stevens, Gary Roosevelt to play eventual Purdue All-American Glenn Robinson in HORSE (didn’t end well) and Seeger to visit the old gym in which Stephanie White, later the coach of the Indiana Fever, honed her skills in pickup games involving her dad and his friends. He can be reached at [email protected].