The regular season is over and now we enter the portion of the season where if you don’t bring your best each and every week, there’s a good chance your year is gonna end.
The mission is a simple one, win and advance or lose, turn in equipment and begin getting ready for a long off-season.
Let’s take a look at Class A, Sectional 44.
The Draw
Union City (2-7) at Hagerstown (3-6)
Cambridge City Lincoln (0-9) at Monroe Central (4-5)
Madison-Grant (5-4) at South Adams (6-3)
Wes-Del (5-3) at Tri (5-4)
THE FAVORITE
SOUTH ADAMS (6-3)
The Starfires not only enter this sectional with the best record, it is their losses that perhaps tell the bigger story.
South Adams has lost to Marion Local (OH), Adams Central and Bluffton this season. Collectively, those teams are 26-1 on the season.
In other words, even the best record in the field isn’t indicative of just how good Coach Grant Moser’s team is.
This is a veteran team that has been through the battles, including advancing all the way to semistate last year. South Adams has three players with 30 or more catches on the season, including big junior target Wes Summersett (52 receptions, 940 yards, eight touchdowns) and senior Derek McKean (50-714-9).
Tytus Lehman is a veteran quarterback who can make all the throws, but he does have 13 interceptions, an aspect of the game he will have to minimize in the playoffs.
The defense is largely made up of a mix of juniors and seniors. In its six wins, South Adams allowed 9.5 points per game. In its three losses, 45 ppg.
THE CONTENDERS
MADISON-GRANT (5-4)
The Arylls come stumbling into the playoffs in the midst of a three-game losing streak, although those opponents have just three losses between them.
In a scheduling quirk, Madison-Grant will hit the road for the fourth-straight week when it travels to Berne on Friday to take on the Starfires.
The Argylls are a run-heavy group who are going to lean on that to try and play keep away from South Adams. Last year, Madison-Grant could match the Starfires blow for blow, but it feels like it does not have the firepower to do so this year.
Coach Brady Turner’s team is better than its record indicates, much like the Starfires. But can it slow down South Adams’ offense?
TRI (5-4)
Overlook this team at your own risk. Tri is 4-0 against teams in this sectional and lost close road games at Centerville (31-30) and Knightstown (61-59), both in overtime.
If there is a team that could potentially keep up with South Adams on the scoreboard, it is the Titans, which average 49 points per game. They average over 300 yards per game on the ground, led by junior Masyn Chalfant and senior Isaiah Dewitt, who combined have rushed for 1,812 yards and 25 touchdowns.
if both are victorious in the first round, South Adams will have to go to Tri in the sectional semifinal.
THE REST
WES-DEL (5-3)
The offense of the Warriors has been on an absolute tear, putting up 191 points in the last three games, including 83(!) against Union County in Week 8.
Wes-Del is another run-heavy squad, with senior Brock Nauman having rushed for 1,306 yards and 20 touchdowns. If the Warriors can run the ball, they can challenge Tri in the first round. If it can’t, it won’t.
HAGERSTOWN (3-6)
Despite four-straight losses, Hagerstown is known for putting up points to the tune of 33 points per game. The Tigers may have the sectional’s best wide receiver this side of South Adams, senior Isaac Schmitz, who has hauled in 48 receptions for 585 yards and three touchdowns. He also leads the team in tackles.
MONROE CENTRAL (4-5)
The draw was favorable for the Golden Bears, with the three teams most likely to contend for the sectional title all in the bottom half of the bracket. That leaves the path for Coach John Hochstetler’s team highly manageable despite the sub-.500 record.
Per usual, this is a Monroe Central team that focuses primarily on the run. The combo of senior Ethan Hunt and sophomore Caleb Luedike have combined for 20 touchdowns on the ground.
UNION CITY (2-7)
Union City dropped 92 points on Cambridge City Lincoln in Week 7. The week before, it scored 63 on rival Union County.
Other than that, it has been a struggle for the Indians, who allow over 45 points per game.
CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (0-9)
The Golden Eagles are allowing an AVERAGE of 75 points per game.
Some of their scores from this season: 83-0, 80-8, 89-6, 89-0, 92-6.
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