Outside the Huddle is breaking down every state championship matchup involving area teams scheduled for this weekend.
We continue by looking at the Class 2A state championship game between Adams Central (13-1) and Linton-Stockton (12-2), which is set to kick off at 11 a.m. on Friday.
TWO STORYLINES
1. Is this the year for Adams Central?
The last three seasons the Jets advanced to the Class A state championship game, only to be turned back by Indianapolis Lutheran all three times. This year, its first in Class 2A after the bump due to Success Factor, Adams Central finds itself back in the state title game and are hopeful that a jump in classification brings about a new result.
A win would give Adams Central its second state title ever and first since 2000. At some point the law of averages has to win out, right?
If this game is close or Adams Central enters the fourth quarter down, will doubt start to creep in or is this the year the Flying Jets finally break through and soar high with a state title?
2. Linton-Stockton is no Cinderella Story
Let’s get one thing clear immediately, Linton-Stockton is a darn good football team that deserves to be in this position. There wasn’t any luck involved. The Miners earned their spot in the Class 2A title tilt by beating No. 5 South Vermillion, No. 3 Brownstown Central and second-ranked Lutheran to get to Lucas Oil Stadium. The win against Lutheran snapped a 21-game state tournament win streak by the Saints.
Linton-Stockton has won nine straight games and will look to pick up its first state title since 2016. You had better believe Coach Brian Oliver will have his team locked and loaded for this matchup.
FOUR PLAYERS TO WATCH
Paul Oliver, junior Linton-Stockton
The former quarterback has done a phenomenal job being moved out to receiver this season and can also hurt teams on defense. Oliver has thrown for 337 yards and five touchdowns, with the bulk of that coming in a regular season meeting with Greencastle. On the year, he has rushed for 343 yards and seven touchdowns and has reeled in 50 catches for 937 yards and 12 touchdowns. When the ball is in his hands, he has a chance to take it to the house each and every time. However, it may be on defense where he makes his impact felt the most. He has 36 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, five sacks, one interception, 10 pass deflections, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt.
Jesse Voigtschild, senior, Linton-Stockton
He may not be flashy, but Voigtschild is a strong runner that runs over opposing defenders on his way to the end zone. On the season, Voigtschild has rushed for 1,366 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He also has two interceptions, 20 pass deflections, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal to go along with 80 total stops.
Jamison Roach, sophomore, Adams Central
The sophomore quarterback watched from the sidelines a season ago as the final seconds ticked off in the title game, although he did see some special teams action. All he has done this season is take the keys of the offense over and guide the Jets right back to Lucas Oil Stadium. He may be young, but Roach has that “it” factor that coaches look for. He has grown confident during the course of the season, and that confidence is going to need to show up and carry over at Lucas Oil. He has thrown for 686 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 824 yards and 11 scores on the ground.
Max Kaehr, senior Adams Central
Kaehr is going to have to show up and set the tone on the defensive side of the football again this week. He has been an absolute machine when it comes to tackling and wrecking opposing offenses, leading the Flying Jets in tackles with an insane 162 of them. Linton-Stockton can either grind you death with an offense that controls the line, the chains and the clock or they can hit you with an explosive play. Kaehr has to be ready for both and get the other 10 guys on defense locked in.
KEY TO VICTORY – ADAMS CENTRAL
BELIEVE
For the fourth straight season, Adams Central finds itself in a state championship game, and it has to believe they can walk away with a title this year. Let’s be honest, it helps having another team opposite of them other than Indianapolis Lutheran.
The Jets have to stay locked in, focused and be ready for anything that comes their way. Football can be a weird game and the ball is shaped funny. There’s going to be momentum swings, crazy plays and bounces and things that won’t go their way. The question is can the Jets weather the storm, remain confident and believe they can walk away with a state title? They are ready to finally do just that.
KEY TO VICTORY – LINTON-STOCKTON
GET VOIGTSCHILD AND OLIVER GOING EARLY
As mentioned above, the Miners can hurt opposing defenses in a variety of different ways, from controlling the ground on the ground or going vertical. In order for either of those to happen, the Miners have to find a way to get Voigtschild and Oliver going early and often. If Voightschild can pick up chunk yards on the ground and then Oliver can catch the home run pass, it could be a very good day for the Miners, as the defense is good enough to hold teams in check.
BLITZ’S PICK
Linton-Stockton is a good team, evidenced by knocking off Lutheran in the semistate. But Adams Central knocked off Andrean reasonably comfortably, the team that beat top-ranked Lafayette Central Catholic.
Both teams have earned strong dubs to get here. But which is the stronger team? Linton-Stockton is going to challenge Adams Central vertically, but do the Miners have what it takes to bottle up the running game of the Flying Jets? No one has been able to contain it, even Andrean.
So can Linton-Stockton find a game plan that takes away the likes of Matt Heiser, Aaron Hirschy and Roach? In Blitz’s mind, not enough to win.
BLITZ SAYS ADAMS CENTRAL BY 7.
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