The Huddle Road Show Comes to Sheridan

by Jeff Fisher
Indiana High School Football Huddle

For the past two years, The High School Football Huddle has consisted of me getting my girlfriend/business partner Trish Hoffman to agree to post scores and stories throughout the week, but more importantly she gave-up her weekends for the success of The Huddle.

600,000 page views later...and as things kick into high gear this weekend...I've convinced Trish to join me as a contributor. So for the next several months, we'll be taking our video camera and our producer Amy Kulerski on a road trip to travel throughout the midwest to give you the fans, a look at some of the more interesting high school football towns in middle America.

This isn't a journey to find THE BEST TEAMS, but a journey to find THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COMMUNITIES!

We're taking high school football back to its roots! To small towns that live for Friday nights. So please join us out every Monday for a new video story.

Also look for Trish's Bet You Didn't Know This column that looks at the happenings away from the field...like the cheerleaders, the bands and other fun facts, that will make you say..."I didn't know that!"

The Huddle Road Show begins this Friday when we travel to Sheridan to find-out why the town, winners of nine state football championships, put a comma after the team's last championship in 2007. We'll also introduce you to Larry "Bud" Wright, who's in his 44th season as head coach at the school and Indiana's all-time winningest coach.

If you think you're town has what it takes to bring The Huddle Road Show to town, write us and tell us why at jeff@blitzgroupllc.com.

New #1's in Indiana AP High School Football Rankings

by Jeff Fisher
Indiana High School Football Huddle

There are three new teams in the latest Associated Press Indiana High School Football Rankings.

The new #1 in Class 5A is Warren Central. The Warriors take-over the top spot after last week's #1 Carmel lost to Cathedral on Friday. Carmel falls to #6 in the new poll.

In 3A, Bellmont jumps over Bishop Chatard even though both teams picked-up first week wins. In 1A, Sheridan's opening week loss moves Lafayette Central Catholic into the state's small classification.

Here are the rankings:

Class 5A
1. Warren Central 1-0
2. Center Grove 1-0
3. Ben Davis 1-0
4. Fort Wayne Snider 1-0
5. Hamilton Southeastern 1-0
6. Carmel 0-1
7. Pike 1-0
8. Columbus North 1-0
9. Columbus East 1-0
10. Penn 1-0

Others receiving votes: Avon 24, Kokomo 16, Chesterton 8, Homestead 6, Valparaiso 4, Terre Haute North 2, Lawrence Central 2.

Class 4A
1. Cathedral 1-0
2. Fort Wayne Dwenger 1-0
3. Lowell 1-0
4. Jasper 1-0
5. East Central 1-0
6. Evansville Reitz 1-0
7. Roncalli 1-0
8. Plainfield 1-0
9. Delta 1-0
10. Plymouth 1-0

Others receiving votes: Evansville Central 14, New Palestine 12, Concord 6, Angola 4, Hobart 4, Arlington 4, South Bend Washington 2.

Class 3A
1. Bellmont 1-0
2. Bishop Chatard 1-0
3. West Lafayette 1-0
4. Heritage Hills 1-0
5. Fort Wayne Harding 1-0
6. North Montgomery 1-0
7. Evansville Memorial 0-1
8. Jimtown 1-0
9. Brebeuf Jesuit 1-0
10. Yorktown 1-0

Others receiving votes: Indian Creek 20, Norwell 16, South Bend St. Joseph's 16, NorthWood 14, Batesville 14, Eastbrook 12, Culver Academy 10, Andrean 4, Fort Wayne Concordia 2.

Class 2A
1. Heritage Christian 1-0
T2. Cardinal Ritter 1-0
T2. Southridge 1-0
4. Fort Wayne Luers 0-1
5. Speedway 1-0
6. North Putnam 1-0
7. Paoli 1-0
8. Evansville Mater Dei 1-0
9. Rensselaer 1-0
10. Fairfield 1-0 46

Others receiving votes: Cass 32, Brownstown 30, Tri-West 18, South Putnam 16, North Judson 10, South Spencer 8, Wheeler 6, Bowman Academy 2, Park Tudor 2.

Class 1A
1. Lafayette Central Catholic (10) 1-0 216 2
2. Rockville 1-0
3. Pioneer 1-0
4. Southern Wells 1-0
5. North Daviess 1-0
6. Linton 1-0
7. Perry Central 1-0
8. Sheridan 0-1
9. North Knox 1-0
10. Fountain Central 1-0

Others receiving votes: South Newton 28, Attica 22, Churubusco 22, Clinton Central 16, Lapel 12, Whiting 8, Cambridge City 4, Tecumseh 4, Lutheran 2, Winamac 2.

Indiana High School Football Scoreboard - Week 1

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

It was a battle of 5A and 4A #1's Friday night to open the high school football regular season in Indiana. When the smoke cleared it was 4A #1 and defending champ Indianapolis Cathedral that was feeling good about the rest of the season with 7-3 win over Carmel, the top team in 5A. The Indy Star has all of the details of the win that gives the Irish a 3-2 lead in the hard-fought series that was played last year before a national television audience courtesy of ESPN.

Indiana High School Football Scores
Friday, August 21, 2009

Adams Central 28 Blackford 0
Anderson Highland 47 Anderson 6
Andrean 63 Hammond Noll 0
Angola 39 West Noble 21
Attica 34 Riverton Parke 10
Batesville 28 Jennings County 13
Bedford North Lawrence 36 South Dearborn 0
Beech Grove 25 Indianapolis Lutheran 19
Bellmont 48 Woodlan 0
Ben Davis 40 South Bend St. Joseph's 7
Bloomington North 35 Jeffersonville 7
Bloomington South 14 Terre Haute South 7
Boonville 20 Washington 12
Bowman Academy 20 River Forest 8
Brebeuf Jesuit 42 Indianapolis Scecina 0
Brown County 26 Springs Valley 19
Brownsburg 19 McCutcheon 8
Brownstown Central 31 Mitchell 14
Calumet 38 Hammond Gavit 32 2 overtime
Carroll (Flora) 7 Tri-County 0
Caston 26 Triton 0
Center Grove 32 Perry Meridian 0
Centerville 28 Knightstown 18
Charlestown 15 Madison 13
Chesterton 44 Gary Wallace 0
Churubusco 14 Fremont 0
Clinton Central 36 Hagerstown 14
Columbus East 37 Greenwood 14
Columbus North 42 Seymour 0
Concord 34 East Noble 28
Culver 32 West Central 12
Culver Academy 28 Tippecanoe Valley 14
Delta 56 Jay County 6
East Central 34 Richmond 14
Eastbrook 26 South Adams 18
Eastern (Greentown) 27 Oak Hill 15
Eastern (Pekin) 20 Crawford County 14
Elkhart Memorial 10 Elkhart Central 7
Evansville Mater Dei 14 Union County (KY) 0
Evansville North 20 Evansville Bosse 14
Evansville Reitz 27 Henderson County (KY) 0
Fairfield 43 Central Noble 20
Fishers 38 Noblesville 29
Floyd Central 49 Clarksville 13
Forest Park 35 Gibson Southern 21
Fort Wayne Concordia 28 Fort Wayne North 6
Fort Wayne Dwenger 42 Fort Wayne South 19
Fort Wayne Elmhurst 21 Fort Wayne Northrop 13
Fort Wayne Snider 27 Fort Wayne Luers 13
Fountain Central 41 Southmont 13
Frankfort 21 Western 3
Franklin Central 20 Decatur Central 19
Frontier 13 Clinton Prairie 12
Garrett 21 Eastside 14
Goshen 18 Carroll (Fort Wayne) 3
Greenfield-Central 29 New Castle 8
Hamilton Southeastern 7 Avon 6 Indy Star game story
Hammond 32 East Chicago Central 12
Hammond Clark 28 Whiting 21
Hammond Morton 20 Griffith 0
Harding 26 Fort Wayne Wayne 21
Heritage 12 New Haven 6
Heritage Christian 60 Elwood 0
Heritage Hills 68 Vincennes Lincoln 0
Hobart 34 Gary West 13
Homestead 31 Huntington North 17
Indian Creek 60 Edinburgh 6
Indianapolis Arlington 27 Indianapolis Tech 6
Indianapolis Cathedral 7 Carmel 3
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 45 Indianapolis Broad Ripple 6 Indy Star game story
Indianapolis Ritter 48 Lawrenceburg 7
Indianapolis Roncalli 21 Southport 13 Indy Star game story
Jasper 34 Evansville Memorial 27
Jimtown 13 NorthWood 10 overtime
Kokomo 34 Mount Vernon (Fortville) 7
Lafayette Central Catholic 56 Delphi 0
Lakeland 50 Prairie Heights 6
Lapel 33 Tri-Central 14
LaPorte 41 New Prairie 16
LaVille 17 South Central (Union Mills) 13
Lawrence Central 16 Lawrence North 8 Indy Star game story
Lebanon 14 Mooresville 7
Linton-Stockton 38 Eastern Greene 12
Logansport 29 Twin Lakes 22
Lowell 19 Crown Point 0
Manchester 33 Mississinewa 13
Marion 14 Madison-Grant 7
Martinsville 54 Indianapolis Manual 6
Michigan City 63 Gary Roosevelt 0
Milan 43 Northeastern 19
Mishawaka 38 DeKalb 7
Monrovia 50 Greencastle 0
Mount Vernon (Posey) 43 Tell City 6
Muncie Central 19 Indianapolis Northwest 0
Muncie South 35 Franklin County 14
Munster 28 Lake Central 10
New Palestine 22 Whiteland 16 (OT)
North Daviess 36 Tecumseh 7
North Judson 25 John Glenn 0
North Knox 14 Pike Central 6
North Miami 35 Maconaquah 14
North Montgomery 47 Benton Central 0
North Newton 43 South Newton 27
North Putnam 14 Edgewood 6
Northfield 23 Bluffton 14
Northridge 27 South Bend Riley 6
Northview 33 Franklin 8
Northwestern 35 Frankton 0
Norwell 28 Leo 19
Paoli 23 Salem 0
Park Tudor 17 Guerin Catholic 7
Penn 21 Valparaiso 0
Perry Central 14 Corydon Central 0
Pike 21 North Central (Indianapolis) 7
Pioneer 21 Lewis Cass 14
Plainfield 30 Danville 14
Plymouth 48 Bremen 6
Portage 26 Mishawaka Marian 0
Princeton 41 Wood Memorial 14
Providence 30 New Albany 20
Rensselaer Central 34 Kankakee Valley 7
Rochester 38 Peru 0
Rockville 36 Seeger 12
Rushville 46 Connersville 24
Shelbyville 35 Greensburg 14
Shenandoah 48 Tri 28
South Bend Adams 42 Indianapolis Washington 0
South Decatur 51 Cambridge City Lincoln 8
South Putnam 46 Owen Valley 0
South Spencer 14 North Posey 0
South Vermillion 44 Covington 0
Southern Wells 27 Southwood 7
Southridge 40 Sullivan 7
Speedway 27 Cloverdale 6
Terre Haute North 32 Castle 13
Tipton 11 Hamilton Heights 7
Triton Central 42 Eastern Hancock 14
Union (Dugger) 12 North Central (Farmersburg) 0
Union City 32 Wes-Del 6
Union County 30 North Decatur 16
Wabash 21 Taylor 14
Warsaw 24 Columbia City 7
Wawasee 39 Whitko 0
West Lafayette 39 Crawfordsville 7
West Vigo 27 Indianapolis Howe 0
West Washington 48 North Harrison 19
Western Boone 28 Sheridan 8
Westfield 14 Harrison (West Lafayette) 13
Wheeler 49 Highland 7
Winamac 20 Knox 0
Winchester 22 Alexandria 7
Yorktown 24 Pendleton Heights 21
Zionsville 41 Lafayette Jeff 0 Indy Star game story

For scores and news from around America, go to The High School Football Huddle.

Returning Champs Impressive to Indiana Coaches

by Jeff Fisher
Indiana High School Football Huddle

The Indiana Football Coaches Association Pre-Season Poll is heavily weighted to last year's champs. Center Grove (5A), Cathedral (4A), Bellmont (3A) and Heritage Christian (2A) received the #1 slots in their respective classes. Defending A champ Cardinal Ritter has moved-up to 2A and is ranked 4th.

The Indy Star takes a look at how big a task Cardinal Ritter has in 2A.

5A
1. Center Grove 90
2. Ben Davis 84
3. Carmel 73
4. Warren Central 63
5. FW Snider 50
6. Valparaiso 45
7. Penn 41
8. Columbus East 24
9. Hamilton Southeastern 20
10. Chesterton 15

4A
1. Indpls Cathedral
2. FW Dwenger
3. Lowell
4. Jasper
5. Plymouth
6. Plainfield
7. Roncalli
8. Delta
9. Griffith
10. Evansville Reitz

3A
1. Bellmont 48
2. Indpls Chatard 44
3. Evansville Memorial
4. SB St Joseph's
5. NorthWood
6. West Lafayette
7. Eastbrook
8. Western
9. Harding
10. Brebeuf Jesuit

2A
1. Heritage Christian
2. FW Luers
3. Cass
4. Indpls Ritter
5. Southridge
6. Speedway
7. Evansville Mater Dei
8. Rensselaer Central
9. Brownstown Central
10. North Putnam

1A
1. Sheridan
2. Lafayette Central Catholic
3. Pioneer
4. North Daviess
5. Rockville
6. Linton-Stockton
7. South Newton
8. Perry Central
9. Southern Wells
10. Indpls Scecina

Who's the Best in Indiana High School Football?

by Jeff Fisher
Indiana High School Football Huddle

Everything is coming together as high school football fans prepare for the opening of the regular season next weekend. Who's considered the best in the state before a game is played? The Associated Press will answer that question on Monday when it releases its pre-season poll in all five classifications.

In 5A, eyes will be on Ben Davis because of its post-season run in 2008. After a 5-3 start, the Giants ripped-off five straight wins before losing to eventual state champ Center Grove 49-21 in the state semifinals. Next Friday Ben Davis opens on the road against Penn.

If Ben Davis hopes to make it to the Lucas Oil Dome for the state championship game, the Giants will once again have to navigate the always tough Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, which includes the likes of defending state champ Center Grove, Carmel and Warren Central.

Many believe that Warren Central is back-on-track to go after a state title after a two year hiatus. The Warriors won four straight state titles from 2003 to 2006. Before that run, it was Ben Davis that had won three titles ('99, '01, '02) in four years.



What about the defending champs? Center Grove has to replace a lot of talent from last year's 14-1 squad.



And what about the Carmel Greyhounds, the team that lost in the biggest comeback in state finals history?



All of the above video comes from the Indy Star, which does a great job of covering the high school sports scene in central Indiana! Who are the other contenters in 5A? Go to the Indy Star link to find-out.

In 4A, Cathedral is hoping to defend its title, which would give the program its third championship trophy in four years. The start of the season is brutal for the Irish with its opener with Carmel followed by Warren Central. The following week, Cathedral has a showdown with Ohio power St. Xavier in the Horseshoe Classic in the Dome. The brutal four-week stretch ends with 3A power Bishop Chatard.



Go to the Indy Star link for the rest of the 4A breakdowns.

in 3A, like Cathedral, Bishop Chatard appears to be ready to rebound and go after the program's third title in four years.



Click the Indy Star link to read about the rest of the contenders in 3A.

The 2A classification is very interesting because it now features the defending champ Heritage Christian and last year's 1A champ Cardinal Ritter, which moves-up a class this year.





Click on the Indy Star link to read about the rest of 2A.

With Cardinal Ritter up in 2A, it looks like Sheridan is back in the Class A spotlight. Ritter snapped Sheridan's run of three straight titles last year. The Class A can be found by clicking on the Indy Star link.

2009 Indiana High School Football Schedules

by Jeff Fisher
Indiana High School Football Huddle

Practice begins August 3rd in the Hoosier state with the first weekend of games scheduled for August 21st and 22nd. Click here to get all a list of all the 2009 team schedules from around the state.

North Beats South in Grange Insurance All-Star Classic

by Jeff Fisher
Indiana High School Football Huddle


Here's a nice story out of Friday night's 43rd annual Grange Insurance All-Star Classic at North Central High School. The North squad beat the South 20-13 in the final coaching appearance by Rich Dodson, who retired from NorthWood. Click here to read how Dodson's former quarterback Skyler Titus, who will try to walk-on at Purdue, helped send his coach out as a winner.

State Football Championships to Stay in Lucas Oil Stadium

by Jeff Fisher
Indiana High School Football Huddle

The news that the Indiana High School Football Championships are staying in the dome for three more years through the 2011-2012 school year comes as no surprise, but the fact that the Indianapolis Colts will sponsor the entire state football championship tournament does.

The Colts are believed to be the first professional sports franchise in the country to partner with a high school association for this type of sponsorship.

“We are extremely pleased and appreciative of the Indianapolis Colts involvement in making sure high school football continues at Lucas Oil Stadium,” said Blake Ress, IHSAA Commissioner. “This plan has been more than a year in the making and their financial involvement will help reduce the ever-increasing expenses associated with holding the state finals at Lucas Oil Stadium. This one-of-a-kind type of sponsorship is like no other that I know of in the country. The Indianapolis Colts commitment to the local community and the community at large certainly made this type of sponsorship agreement possible.”

“The Colts organization has a long standing commitment to youth football in Indiana and our new relationship with the IHSAA is an extension of that commitment,” said Tom Zupancic, Colts Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing. “The IHSAA and the Indianapolis Colts have a common goal of developing the core values of young athletes. It is an honor to join forces with such an outstanding organization.”

“The IHSAA would also like to thank Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard for his leadership in making sure we continue to play championship high school football in Lucas Oil Stadium in front of thousands of fans,” said Ress.

Mayor Ballard understands the importance of keeping the football state finals here in Indianapolis. “It is critical that the capital city of our state remain the home of our high school championships and I am thrilled the IHSAA and the Indianapolis Colts worked together to make this happen,” said Mayor Ballard. “I continue to believe that Lucas Oil Stadium is a community gathering place for our entire state and I am pleased that we will continue to call it the home of the IHSAA Football State Finals.”

Last fall’s state championships, which were played in Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time, drew a record crowd of 40,680 to Saturday’s three games (Class 3A, 4A and 5A). Coupled with Friday’s attendance (Class A and 2A), the state finals drew an overall record total of 56,050.

Center Grove Enters USA Today Super 25

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Center Grove (IN), Maine South (IL) and Muskegon (MI) all won state championships last weekend, and in addition to the shiny trophies, all three are in the new USA Today Super 25 released on Tuesday. Joining that trio is Grayson (GA), which hops into the rankings at #14 after taking down defending Georgia champ and former #4 Lowndes in the GHSA quarterfinals on Friday.

Here are the new rankings...

1. Trinity (Euless, TX) 13-0, LW: #1
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 12-0, LW: #2
3. Armwood (Seffner, FL) 12-0, LW: #3
4. Centennial (Corona, CA) 12-0, LW: #5
5. Long Beach Poly (CA) 12-0, LW: #6
6. Skyline (Issaquah, WA) 13-0, LW: #7
7. Madison County (Madison, FL) 11-0, LW: #8
8. Lakeland (FL) 12-0, LW: #9
9. South Panola (Batesville, MS) 14-0, LW: #10
10. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) 14-0, LW: #11
11. Lake Travis (Austin, TX) 13-0, LW: #13
12. Byrnes (Duncan, SC) 13-1, LW: #22
13. Allen (TX) 12-1, LW: #14
14. Grayson (Loganville, GA) 13-0, LW: NR
15. St. Ignatius (Cleveland, OH) 14-1, LW: #16
16. St. Xavier (Louisville, KY) 12-0, LW: #17
17. Center Grove (Greenwood, IN) 14-1, LW: NR
18. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) 10-1, LW: #19
19. River Hill (Clarksville, MD) 13-0, LW: #20
20. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 10-1, LW: #21
21. Bethel Park (PA) 14-0, LW: #23
22. Oceanside (CA) 10-0-1, LW: #25
23. Maine South (Park Ridge, IL) 14-0, LW: NR
24. Timpview (Provo, UT) 13-0, LW: #24
25. Muskegon (MI) 14-0, LW: NR