What better way to prepare for the start of sectional play than have Blitz break it all down for you?
All this week, Outside the Huddle will look at every area sectional and preview what is on tap beginning this Friday.
We continue today with Class 1A and Sectional 43.
THE FAVORITE
SOUTH ADAMS (9-0)
With all due respect to Class A No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran, Blitz is confident that the Starfires are the best 1A team in the state of Indiana.
That does not mean that South Adams is a lock to get to Lucas Oil Stadium, but it does mean that no one on paper can match up with them in this sectional.
The only hiccup Blitz foresees over the next three weeks are weather related or if the Starfires simply don’t show up mentally.
THE CONTENDER
None.
THE FIELD
MONROE CENTRAL (6-3)
The Golden Bears are the only other team in this sectional outside of South Adams with a winning record. Traditionally, that would put Monroe Central in the “contender” category, but this team already lost to the Starfires by 19 points in Week 5.
The rematch will likely come in Round 2 in Berne. Can Monroe Central find a way to hang around? Blitz is betting no.
TRI-CENTRAL (4-5)
With a running game averaging close to 200 yards per game on the ground, the Trojans could be a tricky matchup to start sectional play.
However, no team that Tri-Central has beaten has won more than two games, and one of its wins came against a homeschool team.
UNION CITY (4-5)
This team may end up being the opponent for South Adams in the sectional championship game, but that doesn’t mean the Indians are a decent bet to capture their first postseason title in program history.
Union City averages just 17 points per game, a far cry from what Blitz believes is needed to knock off South Adams in this sectional.
MADISON-GRANT (2-7)
Two straight victories entering the playoffs looks good on paper, but when those two teams are a combined 1-17, it takes away some of the cache.
The Argylls get a winnable matchup at Taylor in the first round, but that’s likely as far as it goes.
WES-DEL (2-7)
One of Wes-Del’s two wins was last week against Purdue Pyrotechnic. That must have been a dynamite matchup.
OK, Blitz is done.
SOUTHERN WELLS (2-7)
Coach Mike Roeder has a major rebuild on his hands, but he has done an admirable job in Year 1 with the Raiders.
That said, a road trip to Monroe Central, a team that beat Southern Wells 41-6 in Week 4, is not a good place to start the postseason.
TAYLOR (1-8)
The Titans opened the season by dropping 63 points on North White in a 63-50 thriller. Since then, Coach George Gilbert’s team has lost eight straight.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
JAMES ARNOLD, JUNIOR, SOUTH ADAMS
He already holds nearly every major passing record in South Adams history, and the kid is still a junior.
Arnold has passed for 1,848 yards and 25 touchdowns against just four interceptions this season. He could add significantly to those numbers over the next few weeks.
DREW STUTZMAN, JUNIOR, SOUTH ADAMS
The leading receiver for the Starfires, Stutzman has caught 27 balls for 642 yards ad 12 touchdowns on the season.
Stutzman is just one of a wealth of vertical weapons for Arnold. At 6-foot-2, the junior is rangy and quick and can out run or out jump most defensive backs in 1A.
JUSTICE EAREHART, JUNIOR, MONROE CENTRAL
At just 6-foot, 200 pounds, Earehart isn’t putting much fear into guys along the offensive front, but he is one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the north in Class 1A.
Earehart enters the postseason with 71 tackles, 13.5 TFL and three sacks.
ETHAN MASON, SENIOR, TRI-CENTRAL
If Tri-Central is going to have any hope of hanging around South Adams this Friday, it will need to control the ball offensively.
Mason is the Trojans’ best bet, having rushed for 750 yards and eight touchdowns. He also is a standout defensively, having notched 65 tackles and four TFL.
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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