With two weeks left in the regular season, it is that time where Blitz takes a look at some of the top teams in the area that could make deep postseason runs.
While some will no doubt compete for state finals berths, others may not go as far as some would think.
How do we judge that? Are teams ready? Are their paths to Lucas Oil Stadium difficult? Could they trip up early on?
Allow Blitz to tackle some of these questions and whether you should buy, sell or hold your stock in teams.
CARROLL
The Chargers have looked unstoppable in the area this year, beating all five of its SAC foes (so far) by an average of 34 points per game.
But Carroll doesn’t judge its success based on the conference, but rather how deep it can go in the Class 6A playoffs.
And therein lies the question.
In the lone game against “elite” 6A competition this year, the Chargers were pushed around in a 42-17 loss at Center Grove in Week 2. Now, Carroll has used that loss as motivation to get better, and it surely has since late August. But other teams have gotten better, too.
Blitz has said it time and again – the road to the state finals in Class 6A is murder. While the sectional doesn’t look too daunting for Carroll (Northrop, Homestead, Noblesville), the regional matchup got a hell of a lot harder this year as the winner of Sectional 4 will take on a team from around Indy. This year, it will likely be either Carmel or Westfield. In the last few years, Carroll was matched up with a team from ‘the region’ in regional play, Penn last year, Crown Point in 2024 and Lafayette Jeff in 2022.
Only in the semistate round will Carroll see northwest Indiana’s best, likely either Penn or Crown Point.
Carroll has proven it is the best team around these parts, but how it matches up against some of the top Class 6A teams in the north? That is of considerable concern.
STOCK OUTLOOK: SELL
WARSAW
All of a sudden, things have gotten real for Warsaw, which in the latest USA Today Network HS Football Media Poll has ascended to the No. 1 spot in Class 5A .
Coach Bart Curtis is notorious for trying to stamp down expectations and not looking ahead, but there’s no doubt that Tigers fans are beginning to eye the playoffs and a potential return to state after getting there in 2024.
The similarities between that 2024 team and this year’s Tigers are striking. They both had a multi-faceted rushing attack with some studs on defense, while neither passed for a lot of yards (496 yards total entering the 5A state game).
But this year’s team throws even LESS, and that is what concerns Blitz. At some point, you are going to face a team that is going to slow you down on the ground, right?
Well, thing is, nobody really did that in the playoffs in 2024, and Warsaw beat the No. 1 (Concord), No. 2 (Lafayette Jeff) and No. 3 (Merrillville) teams on the way to Indianapolis.
The majority of the top Class 5A teams are in the south – Bloomington South, Floyd Central, New Palestine, Cathedral – so while the road isn’t barren of contenders, the north is not as stacked as it was two years ago.
Then again, a sectional title is no guarantee. Snider is itching for another shot at the Tigers after a three-point loss in Week 1.
Blitz just isn’t sure which direction to go yet with Warsaw. Call him a coward, it is accurate.
STOCK OUTLOOK: HOLD
BISHOP DWENGER
We know how much of a bear (get it?) Sectional 19 is, so whoever gets out of that eight-team field will have definitely earned it.
Right now, the Sagarin Ratings have the Saints as the third-best team in the field, behind East Noble and Leo. But Blitz sees Coach Jason Garrett’s team as the favorite until proven otherwise.
The defense isn’t as dominant as last season, but it is still pretty darn good. Over the course of the season, perhaps no position has gotten better for the Saints than along the offensive and defensive fronts. Graduation gutted both from last year, but the existing pieces and newbies have continued to gel all year.
Whoever escapes Sectional 19 has a pretty decent road in regional and semistate. While not guaranteed victories, you could say that winning the sectional will be more difficult than anyone you could face the next two rounds.
But that’s easy for Blitz to say.
STOCK OUTLOOK: BUY
EAST NOBLE
The Knights have been tied or behind in the second half of four of its seven victories. That is either the mark of a team that finds ways to win, or a squad that is playing with fire. Actually, it could very well be both.
What makes East Noble’s position more dangerous than Bishop Dwenger’s is the fact that there is a line of teams that want a second shot at the Knights. DeKalb felt it had East Noble beat in Week 4. Leo held the Knights scoreless for three quarters before faltering. Even the game against Columbia City last week was tied in the fourth quarter before East Noble scored the final 21 points of the game.
Coach Alex Stewart’s team is really good, easily the class of the NE8. But it hasn’t swept aside opposition in a dominant fashion week after week like say, Carroll has.
Eventually, things have a way of evening out, right? But maybe that doesn’t come until next year for the Knights?
STOCK OUTLOOK: HOLD
ADAMS CENTRAL/BLUFFTON
No matter what happens in Friday’s showdown between the two in Monroe, Adams Central and Bluffton will be the favorites in Sectional 27. Even with the ACAC on the line, this week’s game is merely a precursor to an almost-inevitable Round 2 matchup in the Class 3A playoffs.
For sake of argument, what does the road past sectional look like for whoever comes out on top?
Ever since a Week 1 loss to Norwell, Mississinewa has been on a tear, to the point where Blitz thinks that perhaps the Indians were without some of their top personnel to begin the season. Now away from Bishop Luers, which beat Ole Miss in sectional play each of the last two seasons, it could make a run and will likely be the regional opponent.
And semistate? Well, Andrean looms.
The road for either the Flying Jets or Tigers is more daunting than it was in Class 2A, particularly for AC.
STOCK OUTLOOK: SELL
EASTSIDE
Of the area contenders that could reach Indianapolis over Thanksgiving weekend, the best bet could be the Blazers. While very, VERY run heavy (much like Warsaw), this team can throw it when it needs to. It just hasn’t had to, yet.
Eastside is the clear favorite in Sectional 34. The regional round could be either Rensselaer Central or undefeated Wheeler, which is allowing just five points per game, but the schedule has been questionable.
An expansion into potential semistate foes includes Eastern, Lapel and Hagerstown. Either one of the trio would present issues, but Butler is feeling like this Eastside team could be every bit as good as the 2021 squad, which was stopped one round away from state by Andrean in a 21-14 home loss.
No team in the 2A north has the pedigree of Andrean, and if Eastside is truly as good as it was five years ago, it could be the favorite out of this half of the state to reach Lucas Oil Stadium.
STOCK OUTLOOK: BUY
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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