While sectional play began for four classes last week, Classes 5A and 6A get things underway this Friday.
OTH is breaking down each area sectional, continuing today with Sectional 2 in Class 6A.
We continue our sectional football primers with Class 4A, Sectional 20.
THE DRAW
Snider (7-2) at Elkhart (8-1)
Carroll (7-2) at Northrop (2-7)
THE FAVORITE
CARROLL (7-2)
The SAC champion is the favorite heading into this field, having been battle-tested throughout the regular season, including a pair of losses to 6A foes to begin the season.
The Chargers are led by quarterback Jimmy Sullivan. The University of Iowa commit has completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,561 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He is also Carroll’s leading rusher with 652 yards and a further 10 scores on the ground.
The offense has several capable receivers, but Sullivan leans on Jaidon Vanpelt to stretch the field and senior Brady Rhoad as his safety net from the tight end spot. Combined, the two have amassed 72 receptions for 852 yards and 11 touchdowns.
But the defense may be the most impressive unit on the field for the Chargers. It held four of its seven league opponents to six points or less, including Snider, which scored just once in a 30-6 rout. The unit is sound up front with a solid mix of underclassmen and experience on the back end.
Perhaps the catalyst in making Carroll the favorite in Sectional 2 is the schedule. The Chargers get Northrop, a team they beat 52-0 in Week 8, on the road to open the playoffs, then will host the sectional championship game regardless of who wins in the other semifinal.
THE CONTENDERS
ELKHART (8-1)
Strength of schedule means a lot when breaking down a team’s chances in the playoffs. One only needs to look at the Bishop Dwenger smashing of Columbia City last Friday as proof of that. A seemingly “average” SAC squad knocking off the second-place finisher in the NE8 by a 38-0 score showed that the Saints took their lumps in the regular season and applied lessons learned to dominate an out-of-conference foe.
All that is to say, the Northern Indiana Conference is good, but not great. Penn and New Prairie have been legit for awhile, but after that is a sizable drop-off in competition. Now, Elkhart rolled through the league and its only loss was a one-point decision to Class 5A No. 1 Concord in Week 1, but it’s safe to say the Lions have not been challenged like Snider has this year.
That said, look past Elkhart at your own risk. The defense is nasty, having amassed an incredible 111 tackles for loss on the season. Five players have double-digit TFL, led by sophomore outside linebacker/defensive end Kros Jones.
The Lions have picked off 17 passes and are allowing just a touch over seven points per game.
Offensively, it is a run-heavy team that is far from dynamic. However, it may not have to score much if the defense leads the way.
SNIDER (7-2)
Yes, we all here in northeast Indiana would love to see Carroll v. Snider, Part II, but the Panthers have work to do first.
On the road at Elkhart to open the playoffs is not an easy task. However, if you are going to bet on any area coaching staff to have a proper game plan in place and a team set to execute it with two weeks to prepare for a foe, it would be Snider’s.
The defense, like Elkhart, is phenomenal. Opponents are completing just 33 percent of passes and averaging 2.4 yards per rush against the Panthers. The unit has also amassed 22 sacks and is holding foes to 25 percent on third-down attempts.
In other words, Snider is very difficult to move the ball on.
Meanwhile, the offense relies heavily on a pair of running backs – junior Jordan Davis and freshman sensation Braylon Burton. Together, they have rushed for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. Quarterback Aaron Vance also has some scoot out of the pocket.
The magic number is 15. When Snider holds teams below 15 points, it is 7-0. When opponents score 15 or more in a game, the Panthers are 0-2.
THE REST
NORTHROP (2-7)
It feels like years have passed since we were excited about the Bruins early in the season.
But injuries have taken a toll throughout the campaign, and despite a win over South Side in Week 9, the Bruins just feel like they are limping towards the finish line of the season.
How are these for numbers – Northrop has one postseason win in the last 20 years, while it has never won a Class 6A playoff game.
There is undoubtedly some skill on the Northrop roster. Junior wideouts Jamari Brown and Jerquaden Guilford can be matchup problems. David Callison, when healthy, is one of the best-throwing quarterbacks in the area.
But defensively, it’s a struggle. The unit has just three interceptions all year, although it has recovered 10 fumbles. Teams are averaging over 41 points per game against Northrop, including Carroll, Friday’s foe which dropped 52 on the Bruins in Week 8.
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