For the first time since 2018, someone other than the Eastside Blazers captured the NECC Small Division title a year ago when Churubusco outscored division opponents 106-18 on the way to a perfect 4-0 mark. Since the NECC split into divisions in 2014, only Central Noble has crashed the ‘Busco/Eastside party at the top, sharing the division crown with the duo in 2017.
Who will it be this year? A resurgent Eastside? A ‘Busco repeat? Someone new?
Lets break down the NECC’s Small Division.
The favorite: Eastside Blazers
Last year’s 6-6 campaign was the first non-winning season for the Blazers since 2018. In 2019, Eastside won a sectional championship that included an epic win over Bishop Luers.
Could this team find a similar path to a postseason trophy? First things first, the Blazers want to wrestle back away the Small Division from Churubusco.
The top two rushers are back on an offense that returns eight starters. Sophomore Noah Dove notched 769 yards rushing and nine touchdowns, while junior quarterback Job Richman ran for 603 yards and six scores. EJ Miller has graduated, but tight end Sam Pittman is a capable receiver who had a team-high three receiving touchdowns.
Linkin Carter is focusing on wrestling, taking away one of the Blazers’ top all-around athletes.
“We dealt with some tough luck in the injury department a year ago, which included playing three quarterbacks,” Coach Alyx Brandewie said. “It allowed some younger guys to get some valuable experience.”
A defense that struggled to keep teams off the scoreboard (22.9 points allowed per game) returns six starters, and Brandewie is excited for their potential. Leading tackler Jake Warstler is back, as his fellow senior Kaison Hewitt at defensive end. Pittman, Angel Razo and Gabe Guerra are big bodies who will help bottle things up along the defensive front. Eastside also has a few big juniors to watch along the lines in Cole Omspacher, Wyatt Shull and Devin Czaja.
“We should be able to play a physical brand of defense that allows fewer big plays than we did a year ago,” Brandewie said.
The contender: Churubusco Eagles
The defending Small Division champions were just 5-6 last year, but were perfect against division foes. With 16 total starters returning, ‘Busco is aiming to go back-to-back.
The entire offensive front is back, including multi-year starters Case Krider and Jack Huelsenbeck. The Lawrence boys are back as well – Brody at quarterback and Bryce at wide receiver – both of whom have started for two years.
Weston Ott is a force wherever he lines up, and he will see action anywhere and everywhere on both sides of the line and in special teams. The top three tacklers are back in Ott, Huelsenbeck and fellow senior Cameron Lattimore.
Angelo Ianucilli was a big loss to graduation, as he was the team’s leading rusher and one of its top defenders. Brayden Bianski also needs replaced, but this team should find replacements to carry the rock in its Wing-T scheme.
While it was fun playing Columbia City in Week 1 over the last five years in the battle for Whitley County, Churubusco went 0-for-5 in the matchups. A visit from Bremen is more the Eagles’ speed with better odds of starting the season with a dub.
The rest
CENTRAL NOBLE COUGARS
For Central Noble to bounce back after a winless 2024 campaign, it will need to do better than its 1.9 yards per rush average from a year ago. Junior Michael Slone is the leading rusher back with 184 yards and three touchdowns last season.
A defense that allowed close to 40 points per game must be better as well.
FREMONT EAGLES
Fresh off its first postseason victory since 2018, Fremont is looking to take another step forward this fall.
A lot will fall on the shoulders of senior Carmyne Moreno, one of the best running backs in the area after accumulating 1,300 yards last season. Several of the team’s top tacklers are also back, including senior Hayden McNeeley and Jaret Laughlin.
The Eagles are aiming to have four or more wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the program did it in three straight from 1997-99.
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS PANTHERS
The Panthers won five games a year ago, the most since the team won five in 2013. Junior Weston Rasler is expected to be the starting quarterback, and he will have a thin but aggressive offensive line protecting him and attempting to open holes for a run game that amassed 19 touchdowns on the ground in 2024.
The defense was decimated by graduation, putting the pressure on a youthful group to step up considerably.
NECC SMALL DIVISION PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Eastside
2. Churubusco
3. Fremont
4. Prairie Heights
5. Central Noble
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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