Over the last five years, the Carroll football program under Coach Doug Dinan has become the standard not just in the Summit Athletic Conference, but in the entire area.
The Chargers have won, or been a game away from, capturing the SAC Victory Bell in each of the last five seasons. A year ago, it was a 9-6 loss to Bishop Dwenger that cost Carroll the title.
But it is in the postseason, what matters most, where Carroll has thrived. Four sectional titles in the last five years. Two regional crowns. A trip to the Class 6A 2022 state championship.
Goals are annually set at a high level in Huntertown, and 2026 is no exception.
Carroll returns a total of 12 starters, of which seven are on the defensive side of the ball. The strength is in the back two levels, with three-year starter and leading tackler Eli Neuhouser back at inside linebacker, as well two-year starter Asher Wagoner. Austin Rohrs broke out as an impact junior at linebacker a year ago and is back as well, giving the Chargers three exceptional linebackers in their 3-4 scheme.
The back end is loaded as well. Linkoln Grabner returns after notching a co-team high three interceptions from his safety spot last year. Juniors Andrew Shie and Henry Sholl, who combined for four picks as sophomores, also return. While Jaidon Vanpelt has graduated, keep an eye on Harrison Scheele as someone who can be just as impactful in the secondary, as well as offensively. Junior Jacob Schlotterback and sophomore J’Aun Sims will be in the rotation as well.
The defense line will need to reload, although multi-year starter Gavin Goldacker is back. He is a big one, measuring at 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds. Juniors Tyler Becker and Logan Gamulkiewicz will step into bigger roles with the defensive front looking to replace production lost with the graduation of Evan Brubaker and Liam Keays.
Only five starters return on offense, but they are at key positions. Leading the way is senior quarterback Gabe Frisinger. All he did in his first year as the starter was throw for 3,349 yards and 27 touchdowns while adding 532 yards rushing and eight more scores.
While Frisinger’s top receiver from a year ago is gone in Vanpelt, Scheele is ready to step into the void. The senior hauled in 62 receptions for 981 yards and six scores as a junior. His skill set is such that he could put up Vanpelt-like numbers this fall, if not better. He is THAT good. Junior Jackson Rhodes is back after rushing for nearly 400 yards last year. He is also a capable receiver out of the backfield. Senior Colton Booker is one to watch offensively.
The tackle combo of senior Adam Kline and junior Matthew Wiginton is back. Both are exceptional and Wiginton is quickly emerging as one of the best at his position in the state in the Class of 2028. However, three new starters are needed to give Frisinger and the offensive attack time to cook. Sophomore Caide McGinnis is one to watch up front.
Senior Corbin Dempsey will once again handle punting and kicking duties. He hit all but one of his extra points last year and 4-of-5 field goals, including a 44-yarder.
For the third-straight season, Carroll will open the year against Hamilton Southeastern and Center Grove in its ongoing effort to play the best schedule it possibly can to prepare for the rigors of the Class 6A playoffs.
WHY #1?
Outside of perhaps Adams Central, no program in the area reloads at the level of Carroll. Numbers within the football program are immense. The Chargers routinely lose players lower on the depth chart to transfer, but there is no shortage of talent in Huntertown.
Consistency on the coaching staff, including at the coordinator spots, mean that schemes are being taught from freshman year on, and sometimes even sooner at the middle schools and the Charger Youth Football program.
Carroll football is currently a machine. And that isn’t changing this year. With Frisinger back, weapons at the skill position spots and some dudes at linebacker and the secondary, the Chargers are the favorite entering the year in the SAC and the best team, on paper, in northeast Indiana.
The lone concern could be the offensive and defensive line play. There are experienced pieces there, but new starters will need to step up and be ready from the jump with HSE coming to town Week 1.
CRITICAL GAME
Week 2 at Center Grove
An SAC showdown with Bishop Dwenger not the critical game for the Chargers?
Look, the conference championship is nice and all, but Carroll annually has its eyes on a bigger prize, the Class 6A state championship. To capture the toughest state title in Indiana, you have to beat the best. Since 2022, the Chargers have faced off against the Center Grove on three different occasions, including in the state championship game in 2022. Carroll is 0-3 against the Trojans, with none of the game being decided by single digits.
Now, that’s not to say that the Chargers haven’t been in the games with Center Grove. Both regular-season games in the last two years were hard fought, but Carroll simply wore down.
Coach Doug Dinan wants his team to be able to take on, and beat, anyone in the state. This Week 2 game has quickly become an early-season barometer to see if Carroll has what it takes to beat the perennial powers in Class 6A. This isn’t a must-win, but a close game at least will go a long way towards projecting the Chargers’ chances in the playoffs.
CRUCIAL PLAYER
GABE FRISINGER, SENIOR, QUARTERBACK
This goes without saying. With the firepower that Carroll can deploy, it can be in every game on the schedule this year and well into the playoffs. The Chargers averaged 35 points per game a year ago, but scored six, seven and 14 points in their three losses to Hamilton Southeastern, Bishop Dwenger and Westfield, respectfully.
Not all of that is on Frisinger, of course. But seven of his 11 interceptions came in those three losses, including three each against HSE and Westfield.
Frisinger is now better than he was as a junior. He is a good leader and commands the huddle and the line of scrimmage. The confidence gained from last year will pay big dividends now as a senior.
As we have said, there are high-level goals every year now at Carroll. Frisinger is capable of helping the Chargers to those heights.
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