Each Thursday, check in with us on Thursday for the OTH Game of the Week.
While there are a lot of options again for Week 2, we stick with the SAC’s move to include non-conference games. This week, we will get a good early-season feel for the top of the conference as we see if Carroll can bounce back against a team Snider somewhat surprisingly routed last Friday on opening night.
WHAT IS ON THE LINE
Much like Week 1’s OTH Game of the Week (Bishop Luers at East Noble), this is more about bragging rights on the surface than anything else.
Week 1 losses for both teams had effects on the IFCA Coaches Poll, with Carroll dropping to #10 in Class 6A (previously #5) and Warren Central dropping out of the Top 10 altogether after being ranked #6 in the preseason.
So what is on the line most – on the surface – is the rankings, if that sort of thing matters.
For Carroll though, it is the chance to really help see where the positional battle of the SAC is. Snider ran through Warren Central last week, so for the area’s mind to think that Carroll is still the top team in the SAC, they will need to do the same to the Warriors. That could A) prove that Carroll is still very good a season after a state finals berth and B) maybe show that Hamilton Southeastern was just really good.
Either way, this game will tell us loc a little bit more about the SAC hierarchy before Carroll eventually battles Snider in Week 5.
THE HISTORY
This is the fun of non-conference games for our area SAC teams, isn’t it? There is no history here.
In fact, Warren Central’s history with Northeast Indiana is basically zero so these first two weeks are a doozy for the Warriors.
History is made here for these two and nobody ever wants to come out on the bottom end of any rivalry even if it is just a one year history. Carroll will temporarily move on from having Warren Central on the schedule next season with Center Grove becoming their new week two opponent. But, the history will continue in 2026 when the two will next meet again.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
DaVonte Dungy, Warren Central: While Warren Central’s week one defense was lacking in certain areas, it was not something you can blame Dungy for. The junior linebacker recorded 14 total tackles including 11 on the solo end while also tacking on a sack. The strength for Hamilton Southeastern against Carroll in week one was constant pressure on Charger quarterback Jimmy Sullivan, so Dungy will look to feast in the same way.
Jimmy Sullivan, Carroll: It has to be Sullivan that is the one to watch. One of the area’s top players last fall, Sullivan didn’t have a similar start to his junior campaign in a loss to Hamilton Southeastern. Yet, he still managed 260 yards passing in the game. He is still really good at finding his targets, so if he can improve his ground game (16 yards on 19 carries), Sullivan is very dangerous to what has been a lacking Warren Central defense.
KEY FOR WARREN CENTRAL: FIND AN OFFENSIVE RHYTHM
The Warren Central offense accounted for just one of the team’s three touchdowns in opening week play. That score came on a Keith Jackson rush and also, the Warriors’ kicker went 0-for-2 on his extra points so a kicking game isn’t something that has presented well yet for Warren Central either.
Jackson, who ran in that one score, was 2-of-17 passing the ball so the lack of passing yards (64) was not an issue of sticking solely to the run. A less that 12 percent completion rating with an interception was not a great start. One of the two completions made up 55 of the team’s 64 passing yards.
Yet, Jackson was the team’s leading rusher at 64 yards total of the team’s 145 yards on the ground. Warren Central needs a way to account for more than 209 total yards of offense and they need to find it any way that they can.
KEY FOR CARROLL: AVOID COSTLY TURNOVERS
Sullivan was a big part of Carroll’s opening week play, but he also turned the ball over three times including two interceptions thrown and a fumble. So who is to blame for that? Sullivan? The o-line? Receivers? Does it matter? Nope.
Instead, Carroll needs to focus on turning their fortunes.
Part of that could come on the hands of key skill position guys Braden Steely and Nate Starks. Steely ran the ball just three times with Starks taking it nine; Starks also added one catch. These two will have to be stout offensively and take the lead on protecting the ball at all costs to keep it away f rom Warren Central, who did score one of their three touchdowns last week on the defensive end.
Keep in mind that half of the touchdowns given up by Carroll last week were scored by the Hamilton Southeastern defense as Mason Alexander returned two interceptions for scores.
BLITZ’S PICK
Check back for Blitz’s picks on Thursday to find out!
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