The playoffs begin in earnest this Friday, with Classes 1A through 4A kicking off the postseason throughout the area.
Blitz is here to quickly preview and discuss the area sectionals. We began with Class 4A, now we tackle 3A.
SECTIONAL 26
THE FIELD
Tippecanoe Valley (8-1) at Jimtown (6-3), 7 p.m.
West Noble (8-1) at South Bend Washington (0-9), 7 p.m.
Fairfield (5-4) at Glenn (1-8), 7 p.m.
Mishawaka Marian (3-6) at Angola (6-3), 7 p.m.
PROJECTED WINNER: WEST NOBLE
Yeah, maybe a homer pick, but Blitz wants to see the Chargers capture their first-ever sectional title in the worst way. And you can bet Coach Monte Mawhorter wants to see it even more in his 28th year at the helm.
Tippecanoe Valley is the big threat here, but West Noble has the more impressive resume. Remember, the Chargers’ lone loss came way back in Week 1 to Northridge, and who had Northridge going undefeated?
West Noble has budding stars in sophomore quarterback Jackson Christlieb and junior Xy’mire Barnes-Bridges at running back. The defense is allowing 19 points per game, but take away the 62 points that Northridge scored to begin the season and the average drops to 13 points a contest.
The draw favors West Noble in that it goes to winless Washington squad and will host either Tippecanoe Valley or Jimtown in the second round.
And then there is Angola, the team that ousted the Chargers by one point in last year’s sectional, lurking at the bottom.
PLAYER YOU CAN’T MISS: MIGUEL GUTIERREZ, FAIRFIELD
With an offensive threat the caliber of Gutierrez, Fairfield is a threat against any team it matches up against in this field.
Gutierrez has rushed for over 1,500 yards on the season and is averaging close to 200 yards on the ground per game. He broke the school record for rushing yards in a game when he went for 327 yards and five touchdowns against Garrett in Week 7.
hen he was injured earlier in the season, the expectation was that Maalik Moore’s prep career was over. But with a fast recovery and the blessing from the University of Cincinnati, where Moore is verbally committed, the do-everything athlete is back on the gridiron.
Don’t judge the senior by his size. At just 5-foot-7, he is more than meets the eye for the Falcons.
DON’T BE SURPRISED IF: ANGOLA GOES BACK-TO-BACK
Last October, a four-win Angola team found its groove at the right time to beat West Noble by one in the sectional semifinal and Garett by two in the championship to capture its first sectional title since 2018.
This year, the Hornets are a more proven commodity entering the playoffs. Despite losses in the final two weeks of the regular season, Angola at 6-3 is a threat in this field. While young at some key spots, Coach Seth Wilcox has put this team in position to make a run at another sectional crown.
The schedule isn’t insurmountable, although a tricky matchup with Mishawaka Marian looms this Friday. A potential rematch against Fairfield in Round 2 won’t be easy either, but if last year taught us anything, it is that the Hornets have the ability to peak at the right time and make some noise.
SECTIONAL 27
THE FIELD
Garrett (3-6) at Bluffton (9-0), 7 p.m.
Woodlan (3-6) at Norwell (4-5), 7 p.m.
Concordia (3-6) at Adams Central (6-3), 7 p.m.
Bellmont (0-9) at Heritage (6-3), 7 p.m.
PROJECTED WINNER: BLUFFTON
The kiss of death? Maybe.
After rolling through the regular season with an undefeated record and an ACAC championship, Coach Brent Kunkel’s team turns to its next goal, winning the Tigers’ fourth sectional championship and third in five years.
The draw is manageable with Garrett at home to kick things off, followed by either Woodlan (which Bluffton beat by 35 in Week 4) or a visit to Norwell.
The Knights could definitely be a problem in the second round, but Norwell’s propensity to allow significant yardage on the ground plays into Bluffton’s hands, as well as an offensive front that does not get its due praise.
A rematch with Adams Central looms in the sectional final, which would be at The Landing Strip where Bluffton ended its long losing skid to the Flying Jets in the regular season. That said, the Tigers are the favorite here.
PLAYER YOU CAN’T MISS: ELI TRENT, CONCORDIA
If there is one player that makes Concordia a threat in this sectional, it is quarterback Eli Trent. The senior has amassed close to 2,200 total yards on the season and 20 touchdowns – 15 passing and five rushing.
When Trent is given time to operate in the pocket, he can pick a defense apart. He has a favorite target in junior Mike Henley Jr. (25 receptions, 449 yards, seven TD), but seniors Brycen Kelly and Rashon Johnson are capable as well.
The first-round matchup with Adams Central is intriguing because the Cadets are averaging 20 points per game despite taking its lumps in the SAC (for the final season). If Trent puts up big numbers, which he is capable of doing, Concordia will be a tough out in this sectional.
DON’T BE SURPRISED IF: HERITAGE MAKES THINGS DIFFICULT
When the Patriots hosted Adams Central in Week 5, it put a tremendous scare into the Flying Jets in holding them to 14 points, tied for the lowest offensive output of the year for AC. Unfortunately, Heritage could only manage a single touchdown in the 14-7 loss.
If both teams can win their first-round game, it will set up a rematch in Monroeville in the sectional semifinals. Heritage’s three losses this year came to South Adams, Adams Central and Bluffton, but in all three games the Patriots held their opponents way below their season scoring average.
The Patriots have had trouble scoring against good teams, and that is a valid concern, but keep an eye on Coach Jeremy Hullinger’s team. You can bet the ACAC teams that have already gotten a taste this year definitely are.
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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