Next Friday, we will reach the halfway point of the season.
With every IHSAA-sanctioned team guaranteed 10 games, Week 5 will conclude the first half, which is pretty amazing.
It goes quickly. Another reason to check out Bear Necessities each week to ensure you’re up to date on all the area happenings.
Let’s take a final look at Week 4.
SAC
• The final score indicated a blowout in Carroll’s 31-3 victory over Bishop Dwenger, but the Saints had plenty of chances to make this game close, but couldn’t close out drives.
Bishop Dwenger had nine total drives on the night, but just one three-and-out. On the second drive of the game, it moved inside the Carroll 10-yard line but missed a field goal. The next drive, the Saints worked their way into the red zone but turned it over on downs. A seven-play, 52-yard drive in the third quarter concluded with a fumble at the Carroll 28.
The only time the Saints were able to complete a drive with points was its final possession of the game, a 35-yard field goal by Lucas Nguyen as time expired.
Bishop Dwenger was able to earn 20 first downs, just two less than Carroll, but it lacked the ability to convert good drives into points.
• Dee Hogue continues to be one of the most impactful players in the area. His 11-yard touchdown run with just over six minutes left in regulation proved to be the winning score for Bishop Luers in its 20-14 win over Wayne.
Hogue also added eight tackles in the game and has a team-high four interceptions on the season while being Bishop Luers’ second-leading rusher.
The junior saw plenty of playing time as a sophomore in last year’s state title run, and he is proving through the first four games that his level of play has risen in his 11th grade year.
• Do you know who Maalik Moore is? You should.
Last year, Moore led North Side in receiving as a freshman. He has picked up where he left off as the rangy 6-foot-3 wideout hauled in a pair of touchdown receptions on Friday against Concordia Lutheran and currently leads the Legends in both yards and touchdowns through the air.
What makes Moore so intriguing is that he is still doing the majority of his damage off of raw ability. As he continues to refine his game, he is going to get more and more comfortable downfield in jump ball situations and situations in which he has to fight a defender off for the ball.
Moore finished with 95 yards receiving with those two scores in Friday’s win.
• Entering Week 4, Jordan Davis had yet to find the end zone despite leading Snider in total carries.
Not only did the junior running back find paydirt for the first time in Friday’s win over South Side, he did it five times, scoring all five of the Panthers’ touchdowns in a 35-13 victory over South Side.
Davis scored on runs of 2, 6, 10, 22 and 38 yards as he finished with 153 yards on the ground on 21 carries. He outgained South Side on his own, 153-116.
• Homestead had no problem with Northrop in Friday’s 40-0 win, although Blitz knows the game would have been closer if David Callison was healthy.
The Bruins signal caller left the Week 2 game against Huntington North with an arm injury. He missed Week 3 but returned against the Spartans, although clearly far from 100 percent.
On the small list of MVPs in the area, Callison is definitely on it. With Callison behind center, Northrop is a dynamic offense that can strike at any time. Without him, or without a healthy Callison, the Bruins appear lost offensively with no real ability to get the ball in the hands of playmakers like Jamari Brown and Jerquaden Guilford in space.
Callison was just 7-of-24 for 76 yards and an INT against Homestead. Here’s hoping he can make a full recovery soon.
NE8
• Caiden Hinkle was an absolute machine through the first three weeks – averaging 5.8 yards per carry with 456 yards and seven touchdowns.
Those numbers made what East Noble did on Friday all the more impressive, as Coach Alex Stewart’s squad held Hinkle in check to the tune of 13 carries for 21 yards in a 35-0 rout.
We expected a close game. After all, DeKalb had looked good in its first three games with only one blemish, the OT loss to Garrett. But the Knights completely marginalized the Barons’ offense, which finished with just four first downs and 107 total yards.
The last time East Noble had shut out DeKalb prior to Friday? 2016 in the playoffs.
• The Northeast Eight has two of the best all-around players in the area, not just because of their talent level, but how many ways they can impact the game.
One is Stratton Fuller of Columbia City. The other is Landin Hoeppner of Leo, who put all of his talents on display in Friday’s win over New Haven.
Hoeppner had a pair of kick returns for touchdowns, one of 57 yards and the other for 83 yards. He also broke loose for an 83-yard rushing score and hauled in a 41-yard receiving score.
The senior finished with 264 all-purpose yards to go with those four touchdowns, a career performance for one of the best athletes around.
ACAC
• There was some trepidation around Bluffton heading into the game against Woodlan, with running back Khamel Moore sidelined with injury, as well as a few other starters. But a game that was within one possession at half was broken open with the Tigers outscoring Woodlan 24-0 in the second half in a convincing win.
Much like last year when Moore missed significant time with an injury, Cooper Craig stepped up admirably against the Warriors. The sophomore rushed for 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Long-term, Bluffton needs to stay relatively healthy to have the best chance of knocking off an Adams Central or Heritage. But for a game, missing the likes of Moore and linebacker Jake Boots.
• How about Eli Tigulis?
This kid could have checked out and transferred when Kobe Meyer beat him out as QB1 at Heritage a few years ago. Instead, Tigulis worked hard, played a different position and waited for his time to come.
With Meyer’s graduation last year, that time came this season.
All Tigulis has done at his natural position is complete 74 percent of his passes thus far with 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions. His latest effort, going 20-of-27 for 260 yards and three TDs in a win over South Adams on Friday, may have been his most complete game of the season.
Heritage still feels as if it has a shot at the ACAC crown. With the way Tigulis is playing with his poise and confidence, anything is possible.
NECC/Area
• How about ‘Busco!? The most surprising score of Week 4 in the area with Coach Paul Sade’s crew beating Eastside, 24-12.
Churubusco controlled this matchup with its running game, finishing with 249 yards and a score on 45 carries.
Eastside was missing its stud running back Linkin Carter, but that had nothing to do with the Eagles’ ability to find success on the ground against the Blazers.
The fact that Churubusco had scored just eight points total through the first three games makes Friday’s effort even more surprising. Could it be the effort Sade’s squad needed to turn it on for the rest of the season? We will see.
• One of the more surprising results of Week 4 was Fremont going on the road for the first time this season and knocking off previously-undefeated Park Tudor, 47-29.
The Eagles had scored six points TOTAL through the first three games, yet took it to the Panthers on Friday, especially on the ground.
Junior Carmyne Moreno had himself a career game, rushing for 407(!) yards and five touchdowns on 26 carries. He had touchdown runs of 7, 9, 43, 73 and 79 yards as Fremont called 47 run plays and just five pass plays in the dub.
QUICK HITS
Prairie Heights has three wins through four games. The program won just three games in a season just once since 2013 prior to this year…Another big week for Seth Pruitt, with the West Noble senior rushing for 291 yards and four TDs against Angola.
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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