This weekend is big, with the sectional draw taking place on Sunday. Much of the Twitter discussion and analysis will center on that in the coming days.
But before we look ahead, Blitz wants to take a look back at what was a soggy but telling Week 8.
SAC
• Is Bishop Dwenger’s defense better than it was a year ago?
At the very least, you can make the case, particularly after the latest effort by the Saints in Friday’s 14-7 victory over Snider.
The weather absolutely played a factor, but Bishop Dwenger held the Panthers to single digits in points in an SAC game for just the second time since 2010. There have been a lot of games played in crappy weather over the last decade in which Snider put up some big offensive numbers.
T.J. McGarry was a big loss to graduation, but Bishop Dwenger feels more balanced defensively at all three levels in terms of playmakers. Most importantly, Defensive Coordinator Casey Kolkman is exceptional at adjusting scheme to his personnel.
• At 0-3 and zero points scored, North Side heading into Week 4 was an afterthought in the SAC. Not anymore.
With Friday’s 29-10 victory over Northrop, the Legends are now 4-4 entering a winnable game at Concordia in the season finale. Props to Coach Mike Brevard and his team. Blitz has spoken so much about Duce Taylor’s impact, but the resurgence has been a complete team effort. Guys like Alex Holliday-Robinson, Auntral Franklin, Jordan Turner and Theo Redmon have been huge for a program that has gone from zero wins to two wins to four wins (so far) in three years under Brevard.
•Carroll’s 16-0 shutout of Concordia was uneventful with the exception of the absence of quarterback Justin Becker. Logan Swain got the start and threw for 55 yards and an interception in the win.
It didn’t matter who played QB for the Chargers with a defense that limited Amir Drew to 29 yards on 13 touches.
With a win over Wayne next week, Carroll will finish the regular season 6-3, a good bounce back from last year’s three-win campaign.
• Oh yeah, Homestead won the Victory Bell, clinching the SAC with a 24-0 shutout of Wayne.
What can we say about the Spartans that hasn’t already been said? Many welcomed the addition of Homestead and Carroll into the SAC a few years ago, but some questioned just how good the programs could be. After all, they were beating up on smaller-class teams in the old Northeast Hoosier Conference year after year.
The Spartans have proven the doubters wrong, always being in the conversation atop the SAC. This year, they slayed the giants of Bishop Dwenger and Snider, keying the drive to the title.
Congratulations Sparty.
NE8
• On a night in which many quarterbacks were limited due to the wind and rain, Bailey Parker shined (again).
The East Noble stud threw for 179 yards and four touchdowns in a 56-8 pounding of New Haven. Two of those touchdowns went to Hayden Jones, with Nick Munson and Gage Ernsberger also finding the end zone.
Bailey is like that matchup-proof start in fantasy football. No matter the opponent, no matter the conditions, he is going to put up numbers.
• It was another big night for Peyton Wall, who rushed for 241 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 29-14 victory for Leo over Columbia City.
The Lions torched the Eagles on the ground, amassing 372 yards rushing and averaging 6.9 yards per rush.
The marquee matchup of Week 9 will be at DeKalb in a battle of one-loss teams as the Lions come to town.
• Another rushing effort not to be ignored was from DeKalb, which had three 100-yard rushers in the 56-0 blanking of Bellmont.
Tanner Jack amassed 133 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Landon Miller added 120 yards and two scores while Corey Price scrambled for 101 yards and a score.
If the Barons can earn an eighth win next week or in the postseason, it will be the most victories for the program since 2002.
ACAC
• The fact that we are questioning South Adams about a shutout win shows just how dominant the Starfires have been this season. A 15-0 win at Woodlan in sketchy weather conditions is nothing to be ashamed of, particularly with the way the Warriors’ defense played.
South Adams was able to move the ball to the tune of 390 yards of total offense, it just couldn’t finish off drives.
Someone who was not affected by the weather was Christian Summersett, who set a program record for rushing yards in a game with 266 against Woodlan as well as both touchdown runs.
This is the type of game that Coach Grant Moser is thankful to have late in the year. It regains the players’ attention that no 40-point victory can. There is work to be done for the Starfires in preparation for the playoffs.
• Bluffton coach Brent Kunkel expressed disappointment following his team’s 33-7 loss to Adams Central. For the second time this season, a home game tilt against a big-time opponent that could surge the Tigers to the next level in the ACAC turned into a lopsided loss.
The Flying Jets didn’t do anything special in the rout. They got the run game going with Blake Heyerly and quarterback Dallas Schwaller, and shut down Cody Mittlestedt on the other side with penetration up front on seemingly every play. When Bluffton went vertical with Hayden Nern, Adams Central gave up the short, underneath routes but were there for tackles immediately.
Bluffton is a team on the rise, but it is not up with the Adams County duo quite yet.
NECC
• It was the Brandon Pruitt v. Jake Fulk show on Friday at Churubusco against West Noble. The two running backs combined to rush for 323 yards, with Fulk leading the way with 170 on the ground.
However, it was Pruitt’s 153 yards and two scores that was the difference as the Chargers improved to 8-0, all while completing just one pass to Pruitt, which went for zero yards.
• Seven fumbles between Angola and Garrett a sloppy game, but an entertaining one in the 18-14 Hornets victory.
Angola needed a defensive stop late to hold off a Railroaders comeback, giving the Hornets their fourth straight victory.
Blitz continues to say it, watch out for Angola in the right matchups in sectional.
These opinions represent those of Blitz and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Blitz on Twitter at Blitz_OTH
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