Sectional football action heats up

Sure, the high school football state tournament officially began last week. But let’s be honest — with apologies to Indian Creek, which lost in what turned out to be a surprising barn-burner at West Vigo, our local slate of first-round games wasn’t the most competitive or compelling.

That changes in a big way tonight, as the postseason really kicks into gear with several juicy sectional semifinal matchups. The breakdowns for each individual game follow inside, but here’s an overview of the path ahead for Johnson County’s remaining teams (and Roncalli):

Class 6A

Center Grove has won eight consecutive sectional championships and is favored to do so again, even though the path has gotten somewhat more difficult with Jeffersonville getting bumped out in favor of Columbus East, which was moved up to 6A due to the IHSAA’s tournament success factor.

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The Trojans suffered some tough losses during the regular season, including four by seven points or less against arguably the most difficult schedule in the state. Those setbacks should serve, as they always do, to toughen the team up for the postseason; of Center Grove’s possible sectional opponents, only Franklin Central is higher in the Sagarin ratings than Pike (33rd), the lowest-rated team that the Trojans have played thus far.

Traditionally, the grueling regular season has helped the Trojans; will it do so again? Even at 4-5, they have to be considered the favorite until someone proves they’re not. Four of those five losses were by a touchdown or less against top-10 teams.

Should Center Grove emerge from this group, its regional opponent would be a familiar one, with four MIC teams — Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, North Central and Warren Central — vying to fill that spot in the bracket.

Class 5A

When the sectionals were realigned this spring and Franklin and Whiteland both wound up in the same sectional with reigning state champion New Palestine, not too many people at either school were particularly thrilled about it. But it’s the hand they were dealt, and now it’s time to play it out and see what happens.

The Warriors, who face the unbeaten Dragons tonight at home, won’t be scared. They’ve won five in a row, and the seniors remember close games against New Pal in 2016 and 2017. But those teams didn’t have Charlie Spegal, who transferred from Delta last year and is now the state’s career rushing leader. Is Whiteland’s defense — which hasn’t given up more than 16 points in a game since Week 3 — up to the task of stopping him?

Meanwhile, Franklin should be able to take care of business at home tonight against a slumping Seymour team and clinch its first eight-win season since 1981. After that, though, the Grizzly Cubs will either have to face New Palestine or a Whiteland team that hasn’t lost since a last-minute defeat at Franklin in September. Either might be the most difficult test of the year for the team that has been the state’s most pleasantly surprising story in 2019.

If the Grizzly Cubs or Warriors can run the sectional gauntlet, they’d face an equally challenging regional, likely against Cathedral or Decatur Central.

Class 4A

A shorthanded Greenwood team had no trouble plowing through Madison last weekend, 61-0 — a welcome momentum shift after the Woodmen finished the regular season with three straight losses against the top three teams in their conference. Tonight, though, brings a date with top-ranked East Central, which not only comes in heavily favored but also brings reminders of a semistate defeat two years ago.

If the Woodmen can somehow pull the upset with several key players in street clothes, it’ll need to summon another miracle next week in the sectional final. The most likely opponent would be Mooresville, which handed Greenwood a 31-7 defeat back in Week 4. Any wins that Mike Campbell’s team gets from here on will be richly deserved.

The path isn’t nearly so challenging for Roncalli, which got off to a truly dreadful 1-5 start but has found its stride since. The Rebels drubbed a winless Frankfort team last week and will be favored — at least according to the Sagarin ratings — in any game it plays until at least the semistate.

Can Scott Marsh’s club complete its midseason regroup and make a deep run? The draw certainly seems to favor them — but as several teams have learned in the past, being favored on paper means nothing once the ball is kicked off.

Let the drama begin.

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TONIGHT’S GAMES

Class 6A

Center Grove at Columbus East, 7 p.m.

Class 5A

Seymour at Franklin, 7 p.m.

New Palestine at Whiteland, 7 p.m.

Class 4A

East Central at Greenwood, 7 p.m.

Roncalli vs. Crispus Attucks at Northwest Middle School, 7 p.m.

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