For most of the HHC, last Friday night was the first week where they played conference games. The league race will shake out quite a bit over the next seven weeks, but instead of getting clearer, it just got muddier.
There's one thing we can figure out: Delta is the odds-on favorite. They impressed in an opening-week victory over Jay County, and then shut out a potent New Palestine team last Friday night. We knew the Eagles were loaded with IU recruit Logan Young at wideout and speedster Teddy Dawson at halfback, and a usually-stout defense. And Delta just plugs in QBs -- the latest in a long line of good ones is Ozzie Mann, who has had a couple of big weeks throwing the ball.
But behind the Eagles? Wow. The HHC seems to be as jumbled as it can be. Look at last week's results. Teams that were at the bottom of the standings last season -- such as Mt. Vernon and Pendleton Heights -- were green and talented then, and are experienced and talented now. Toss New Palestine into that mix, although the Dragons were mid-pack at 3-4 in league play. Teams that were at the top -- Shelbyville and Yorktown -- suffered graduations. And Rushville and Greenfield-Central appeared poised to make moves with some key players back.
Now what?
PH beats G-C 28-0. That's a big statement for the Arabians, who are two seconds away from being 2-0. PH appears to have its offensive mojo back, with QB Grant Hendershot slinging and WB Ravaughn White a run/catch threat. It brings up more questions about the Cougars -- as in "how good are they?"
Shelby beats Rushville 41-13. Graduate David Brown, just plug in more players. The Golden Bears remain strong and look like they might be one of the contenders.
Mt. Vernon beats Yorktown 32-0 -- one week after Yorktown beat PH. MV runs the Wing-T as well as anyone, and the Marauders ran it really well last week. However, the Marauders were able to do something few have been able to do, and that is shut down Derek Kundenreich.
What does this mean?
We don't know. All I can tell you is the middle of the HHC will be *very* jumbled, and the difference between 2nd and 8th won't be very great. There are some pretty good teams out there.
We'll preview this week's games later this week. NP-PH is our Game of the Week, and it could be a very pivotal one in helping sort out the HHC race early. Greenfield-Central vs. Delta is the only other league game this week, and Delta will be a heavy favorite. The other four teams are playing non-league contests this week.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Week 2 recap
I was really intrigued by tonight's matchup that we had for you -- a Mt. Vernon team that took some lumps but gained some valuable experience last season (and got better as the year went on) playing a Yorktown team that went 10-3, but graduated a lot of key players (but returned its leading rusher and some key offensive line spots). I was expecting a close, back-and-forth battle that would be enjoyable to watch.
It was enjoyable to watch -- if you wear black & gold. And if you want to listen all over again, click here.
If you'd have told me either team would win 32-0, I'd have thought you were nuts. But MV was very good on both sides of the ball. Jim Ryan had a great analogy during the game -- absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the Wing-T offense that has been a staple of MV football since 1994 was back after a one-year hiatus. It produced the big plays MV is known for. The Marauders didn't run a lot of plays in Yorktown territory -- matter of fact, Yorktown drove into MV territory on several of its drives -- but they had the quick strike, usually right after big defensive stands. Yorktown drove into MV territory on its first three drives, but still trailed 7-0 afterwards. Trey Ross went 98 yards up the middle for a TD one play after James York's pick stopped a scoring threat. After that, Yorktown was a bit back on its heels. The Tigers were really back when Austin Parker hit Jake Davis for a 47-yard TD midway through the second. Throw in a 77-yard kick return by sophomore Corey White -- who looked like a rocket after he broke loose -- some big runs by Zach McKinney and a 61-yard TD by running back Brandon Lockart, and you have a 32-0 win.
MV ran for 344 yards (12.3 ypc), with Ross netting 116, McKinney 94 and Lockart 99. All three averaged more than 10 yards per carry.
Meanwhile, the MV defense never broke. Yorktown drove into MV territory on 7 of its 9 possessions -- excluding end-of-halves -- and yet was held out of the end zone. Marauders were in the backfield all night -- Jason McCalley, Corbin Bundy, Jose Cortez, David Reimlinger, Dominique Cazares and Sam Balbach were all names that kept coming up on the broadcast, but there were many others often around the ball. They had three sacks and held Yorktown to 9 negative-yardage plays while allowing only five plays that carried for 10+ yards in the game -- none longer than 17. RB Derek Kundenreich was Yorktown's top offensive threat with 84 yards on 20 carries.
Impressive victory for Mt. Vernon, on both sides of the ball. They looked like the Marauders of old this evening.
Other HHC/county games
Delta 23, New Palestine 0: The Eagles jumped ahead 17-0 at half and claimed the upper hand in the HHC race. That's not a surprise, given their state ranking and array of offensive weapons. Delta has long been one of the HHC's premier programs, but NP was coming off a big win and it'll be interesting to see how the Dragons fare next week.
Pendleton Heights 28, Greenfield-Central 0: This score was a head-turner. PH is one play away from being 2-0 in the conference, with a defense that pitched a shutout. G-C has a tough way to regroup next week, facing Delta.
Shelbyville 41, Rushville 13: Sure, Shelby graduated David Brown. But Pat Parks has built a program, and put a lot into building it. The Bears have consistently been an HHC power, and they make quite a statement tonight.
No score yet on EH-Scecina.
Read about all of these games in Saturday's Daily Reporter.
HHC Standings
Delta 1-0 conf., 2-0 over.
Shelbyville 1-0 conf., 2-0 over.
Mt. Vernon 1-0 conf., 1-1 over.
Pendleton Heights 1-1 conf., 1-1 over.
Yorktown 1-1 conf., 1-1 over.
Greenfield-Central 0-1 conf., 1-1 over.
New Palestine 0-1 conf., 1-1 over.
Rushville 0-1 conf., 1-1 over.
Next week
TGD Game of the Week: Pendleton Heights (1-1, 1-1) at New Palestine (1-1, 0-1), 7 p.m. airtime, 7:30 p.m. kickoff
Other HHC games:
Delta (2-0, 1-0) at Greenfield-Central (1-1, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
Mt. Vernon (1-1) at Connersville (0-2), 7 p.m.
Franklin (1-1) at Shelbyville (2-0), 7 p.m.
Greensburg (0-2) at Rushville (1-1), 7 p.m.
Muncie South (2-0) at Yorktown (1-1), 7 p.m.
Hancock County: Eastern Hancock at Indian Creek, 7 p.m.
It was enjoyable to watch -- if you wear black & gold. And if you want to listen all over again, click here.
If you'd have told me either team would win 32-0, I'd have thought you were nuts. But MV was very good on both sides of the ball. Jim Ryan had a great analogy during the game -- absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the Wing-T offense that has been a staple of MV football since 1994 was back after a one-year hiatus. It produced the big plays MV is known for. The Marauders didn't run a lot of plays in Yorktown territory -- matter of fact, Yorktown drove into MV territory on several of its drives -- but they had the quick strike, usually right after big defensive stands. Yorktown drove into MV territory on its first three drives, but still trailed 7-0 afterwards. Trey Ross went 98 yards up the middle for a TD one play after James York's pick stopped a scoring threat. After that, Yorktown was a bit back on its heels. The Tigers were really back when Austin Parker hit Jake Davis for a 47-yard TD midway through the second. Throw in a 77-yard kick return by sophomore Corey White -- who looked like a rocket after he broke loose -- some big runs by Zach McKinney and a 61-yard TD by running back Brandon Lockart, and you have a 32-0 win.
MV ran for 344 yards (12.3 ypc), with Ross netting 116, McKinney 94 and Lockart 99. All three averaged more than 10 yards per carry.
Meanwhile, the MV defense never broke. Yorktown drove into MV territory on 7 of its 9 possessions -- excluding end-of-halves -- and yet was held out of the end zone. Marauders were in the backfield all night -- Jason McCalley, Corbin Bundy, Jose Cortez, David Reimlinger, Dominique Cazares and Sam Balbach were all names that kept coming up on the broadcast, but there were many others often around the ball. They had three sacks and held Yorktown to 9 negative-yardage plays while allowing only five plays that carried for 10+ yards in the game -- none longer than 17. RB Derek Kundenreich was Yorktown's top offensive threat with 84 yards on 20 carries.
Impressive victory for Mt. Vernon, on both sides of the ball. They looked like the Marauders of old this evening.
Other HHC/county games
Delta 23, New Palestine 0: The Eagles jumped ahead 17-0 at half and claimed the upper hand in the HHC race. That's not a surprise, given their state ranking and array of offensive weapons. Delta has long been one of the HHC's premier programs, but NP was coming off a big win and it'll be interesting to see how the Dragons fare next week.
Pendleton Heights 28, Greenfield-Central 0: This score was a head-turner. PH is one play away from being 2-0 in the conference, with a defense that pitched a shutout. G-C has a tough way to regroup next week, facing Delta.
Shelbyville 41, Rushville 13: Sure, Shelby graduated David Brown. But Pat Parks has built a program, and put a lot into building it. The Bears have consistently been an HHC power, and they make quite a statement tonight.
No score yet on EH-Scecina.
Read about all of these games in Saturday's Daily Reporter.
HHC Standings
Delta 1-0 conf., 2-0 over.
Shelbyville 1-0 conf., 2-0 over.
Mt. Vernon 1-0 conf., 1-1 over.
Pendleton Heights 1-1 conf., 1-1 over.
Yorktown 1-1 conf., 1-1 over.
Greenfield-Central 0-1 conf., 1-1 over.
New Palestine 0-1 conf., 1-1 over.
Rushville 0-1 conf., 1-1 over.
Next week
TGD Game of the Week: Pendleton Heights (1-1, 1-1) at New Palestine (1-1, 0-1), 7 p.m. airtime, 7:30 p.m. kickoff
Other HHC games:
Delta (2-0, 1-0) at Greenfield-Central (1-1, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
Mt. Vernon (1-1) at Connersville (0-2), 7 p.m.
Franklin (1-1) at Shelbyville (2-0), 7 p.m.
Greensburg (0-2) at Rushville (1-1), 7 p.m.
Muncie South (2-0) at Yorktown (1-1), 7 p.m.
Hancock County: Eastern Hancock at Indian Creek, 7 p.m.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
To listen ...
... to the Mt. Vernon-Yorktown game, click here.
Broadcast starts at 7 p.m., a half-hour later than originally published. Mt. Vernon has moved its home start times back to 7:30 p.m. for this season.
We are a sponsor and listener-supported organization, and we'd love for you to support our sponsors. We'll periodically spotlight them here in the blog. Our newest sponsor is Hiday Custom Builders. Owned by MV alumni Bill Hiday and Justin Crawford, Hiday Custom Builders specializes in home remodeling, including historic homes. Call them at 408-0611 or send email to info@hidaycustombuilders.com.
If you want to advertise your company through CCSN, we provide great promotion for affordable rates. Contact us at 317-525-3566 or at andrewsmith@crosscomsports.com. We'd love to promote your company on the Gridiron Digest Game of the Week.
Broadcast starts at 7 p.m., a half-hour later than originally published. Mt. Vernon has moved its home start times back to 7:30 p.m. for this season.
We are a sponsor and listener-supported organization, and we'd love for you to support our sponsors. We'll periodically spotlight them here in the blog. Our newest sponsor is Hiday Custom Builders. Owned by MV alumni Bill Hiday and Justin Crawford, Hiday Custom Builders specializes in home remodeling, including historic homes. Call them at 408-0611 or send email to info@hidaycustombuilders.com.
If you want to advertise your company through CCSN, we provide great promotion for affordable rates. Contact us at 317-525-3566 or at andrewsmith@crosscomsports.com. We'd love to promote your company on the Gridiron Digest Game of the Week.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Week 2 lookahead
Last week, we had an awesome game to broadcast on the TGD Game of the Week, as New Palestine beat Whiteland 22-16 in OT on a game with a ton of twists and turns. Re-live it by listening to the archived broadcast while you look ahead to Week 2, both on the Game of the Week and throughout the HHC (and the area). It's the start of conference play for most of the league, as all eight HHC teams will play conference rivals this weekend. Let's look ahead:
TGD Hancock County Game of the Week
Yorktown (1-0, 1-0 HHC) at Mt. Vernon (0-1, 0-0 HHC)
Airtime: 7 p.m.; Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Broadcast link: Audio Sports Online
The coaches
Yorktown: Mike Wilhelm (5th year, 25-19)
Mt. Vernon: Doug Peacock (16th year at MV, 96-70; 20th year overall, 116-90)
Last season: Yorktown won 32-0 en route to a sectional championship season.
The series: MV holds a 12-5 edge since the teams began playing in 1996. In the regular season, MV holds an 8-3 advantage. These teams have split the last 4 regular-season meetings. The games they have are often wild -- six of their regular-season meetings have been decided by less than a touchdown.
Scouting the Marauders: MV took one on the chin in a 34-7 loss last week at Kokomo, but that's been nothing new for the Wildkats under Brett Colby's reign. Kokomo is 17-1 against Indiana teams in the regular season during that span, and the one loss was to Carmel. The Marauders were also back to the Wing-T offense after a year of running a 4-wideout spread attack -- and they were facing a fellow Wing-T team in Kokomo. It took some time to get their motors running, but MV gained 120 yards in the second half of the contest, and halfback Zach McKinney just missed the century mark with a 98-yard day running the ball. He was MV's feature back MV's defense held Kokomo off the scoreboard in the second half -- the Kats' only points came off a KOR. There is a lot of experience back for the Marauders -- including McKinney, junior QB Austin Parker, wideout Jake Davis, linebacker Jason McCalley and more. And unlike last week, when they faced a senior-dominated Kokomo team, the Marauders will likely have the experience edge this time around.
Scouting the Tigers: The game we broadcast last week was a nail-biter that came down to a wild last play. So was the one the Tigers played in. They trailed Pendleton Heights 21-17 with enough time for one more play, as QB Kyle Weiss hit WR Brett Alllison end the end zone from 20 yards out with two seconds left to give Yorktown a last-second v ictory, and temporarily put the Tigers on top of the HHC standings. Last week's Yorktown-PH game was the last to be the season opener (and de facto conference opener). Next year, they'll move their game to Week 7. Yorktown had a banner 10-3 season last year and nearly knocked off eventual 3A champ Bellmont in the regional, but the Tigers are reloading. They graduated nearly all of their offensive skill players, but one that is back is fullback Derek Kundenreich, a 1,000-yard rusher from last season who ran for 105 yards and a TD Friday. With him back and a big line to run behind, Yorktown is much more ground-oriented this season. Kyle Weiss, a 6-4 senior, moves in at QB. He was the backup to Jacob Walker last season and completed 6-of-16 in his first start directing Yorktown's pro-style offense. Yorktown also has a huge line, including 6-7, 275-pound tackle Kevin Ellis and 6-2-2456-pound tackle Zach Morgan.
We're looking forward to a great matchup, and we're really looking forward to bringing it to you on the Gridiron Digest Hancock County Game of the Week, with yours truly and Jim Ryan on the call.
Other Hancock County/HHC games
Greenfield-Central (1-0, 0-0) at Pendleton Heights (0-1, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.: G-C was the beneficiary of a huge second half as they scored the game's final 23 points to beat New Castle 29-8. QB Carl Ellison had a good debut, throwing for 110 yards, while RB Brady Conger had a 100-yard day as well. Meanwhile, PH appeared to be on path for a victory until they were beaten in the last 2 seconds. Dezmon Nunn and Clint Nicholson scored TDs for the Arabians last week, while Ravaughn White had a 92-yard kickoff return for a score. White is a big-play performer who is a big threat for PH. This should, as it usually is, be a good game.
New Palestine (1-0, 0-0) at Delta (1-0, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.: The Dragons had an emotional victory last week over a good Whiteland team, and they begin their difficult two-step to open teh season with a trip to help christen Delta's new FieldTurf field. That should help highlight the Dragons' speed, which was shown last week when Pat Feeney had a TD catch of 63 yards and a 10-yard TD run in overtime. QB Cary Albrecht completed 5-of-6 passes and threw for two TDs, and the Dragons spread the ball around on the ground. Feeney also had an interception. Meanwhile, Delta has Indiana University recruit Logan Young at wideout to contend with, and the guy throwing the ball, QB Ozzie Mann, had a pretty good debut by completing 13-of-2o passes. Young caught two TD passes, while underneath threat Teddy Dawson had 99 yards receiving on four catches. This will be an early turning-point game in the HHC schedule.
Rushville (1-0, 0-0) at Shelbyville (1-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.: These two old rivals are at it again. While Shelbyville has had a great run of late, Rushville is also in the midst of an "up" cycle. Shelby has won 7 straight in the series, and had an impressive 35-14 win over Greensburg last week. Rushville had no trouble lighting up the scoreboard in a 46-24 win over rival Connersville. This might be the best matchup between these two programs in quite some time.
Eastern Hancock (0-1) at Scecina (0-1), 7 p.m.: These two Class A teams both struggled against solid, larger schools in their openers, as EH fell 42-14 to Triton Central and Scecina lost 42-0 to Brebeuf. The Crusaders have some youth, and they'll run the ball quite a bit. Meanwhile, EH will throw it all over, with QB Steven Stunda completing 12-of-22 last week for 151 yards, including 140 yards to receiver Jacob Grass. He also had two TD catches and an interception.
The games begin Friday night. Listen to Jim Ryan and myself on the Yorktown-Mt. Vernon game, and we'll keep you up to date on what else is going on in the area.
TGD Hancock County Game of the Week
Yorktown (1-0, 1-0 HHC) at Mt. Vernon (0-1, 0-0 HHC)
Airtime: 7 p.m.; Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Broadcast link: Audio Sports Online
The coaches
Yorktown: Mike Wilhelm (5th year, 25-19)
Mt. Vernon: Doug Peacock (16th year at MV, 96-70; 20th year overall, 116-90)
Last season: Yorktown won 32-0 en route to a sectional championship season.
The series: MV holds a 12-5 edge since the teams began playing in 1996. In the regular season, MV holds an 8-3 advantage. These teams have split the last 4 regular-season meetings. The games they have are often wild -- six of their regular-season meetings have been decided by less than a touchdown.
Scouting the Marauders: MV took one on the chin in a 34-7 loss last week at Kokomo, but that's been nothing new for the Wildkats under Brett Colby's reign. Kokomo is 17-1 against Indiana teams in the regular season during that span, and the one loss was to Carmel. The Marauders were also back to the Wing-T offense after a year of running a 4-wideout spread attack -- and they were facing a fellow Wing-T team in Kokomo. It took some time to get their motors running, but MV gained 120 yards in the second half of the contest, and halfback Zach McKinney just missed the century mark with a 98-yard day running the ball. He was MV's feature back MV's defense held Kokomo off the scoreboard in the second half -- the Kats' only points came off a KOR. There is a lot of experience back for the Marauders -- including McKinney, junior QB Austin Parker, wideout Jake Davis, linebacker Jason McCalley and more. And unlike last week, when they faced a senior-dominated Kokomo team, the Marauders will likely have the experience edge this time around.
Scouting the Tigers: The game we broadcast last week was a nail-biter that came down to a wild last play. So was the one the Tigers played in. They trailed Pendleton Heights 21-17 with enough time for one more play, as QB Kyle Weiss hit WR Brett Alllison end the end zone from 20 yards out with two seconds left to give Yorktown a last-second v ictory, and temporarily put the Tigers on top of the HHC standings. Last week's Yorktown-PH game was the last to be the season opener (and de facto conference opener). Next year, they'll move their game to Week 7. Yorktown had a banner 10-3 season last year and nearly knocked off eventual 3A champ Bellmont in the regional, but the Tigers are reloading. They graduated nearly all of their offensive skill players, but one that is back is fullback Derek Kundenreich, a 1,000-yard rusher from last season who ran for 105 yards and a TD Friday. With him back and a big line to run behind, Yorktown is much more ground-oriented this season. Kyle Weiss, a 6-4 senior, moves in at QB. He was the backup to Jacob Walker last season and completed 6-of-16 in his first start directing Yorktown's pro-style offense. Yorktown also has a huge line, including 6-7, 275-pound tackle Kevin Ellis and 6-2-2456-pound tackle Zach Morgan.
We're looking forward to a great matchup, and we're really looking forward to bringing it to you on the Gridiron Digest Hancock County Game of the Week, with yours truly and Jim Ryan on the call.
Other Hancock County/HHC games
Greenfield-Central (1-0, 0-0) at Pendleton Heights (0-1, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.: G-C was the beneficiary of a huge second half as they scored the game's final 23 points to beat New Castle 29-8. QB Carl Ellison had a good debut, throwing for 110 yards, while RB Brady Conger had a 100-yard day as well. Meanwhile, PH appeared to be on path for a victory until they were beaten in the last 2 seconds. Dezmon Nunn and Clint Nicholson scored TDs for the Arabians last week, while Ravaughn White had a 92-yard kickoff return for a score. White is a big-play performer who is a big threat for PH. This should, as it usually is, be a good game.
New Palestine (1-0, 0-0) at Delta (1-0, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.: The Dragons had an emotional victory last week over a good Whiteland team, and they begin their difficult two-step to open teh season with a trip to help christen Delta's new FieldTurf field. That should help highlight the Dragons' speed, which was shown last week when Pat Feeney had a TD catch of 63 yards and a 10-yard TD run in overtime. QB Cary Albrecht completed 5-of-6 passes and threw for two TDs, and the Dragons spread the ball around on the ground. Feeney also had an interception. Meanwhile, Delta has Indiana University recruit Logan Young at wideout to contend with, and the guy throwing the ball, QB Ozzie Mann, had a pretty good debut by completing 13-of-2o passes. Young caught two TD passes, while underneath threat Teddy Dawson had 99 yards receiving on four catches. This will be an early turning-point game in the HHC schedule.
Rushville (1-0, 0-0) at Shelbyville (1-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.: These two old rivals are at it again. While Shelbyville has had a great run of late, Rushville is also in the midst of an "up" cycle. Shelby has won 7 straight in the series, and had an impressive 35-14 win over Greensburg last week. Rushville had no trouble lighting up the scoreboard in a 46-24 win over rival Connersville. This might be the best matchup between these two programs in quite some time.
Eastern Hancock (0-1) at Scecina (0-1), 7 p.m.: These two Class A teams both struggled against solid, larger schools in their openers, as EH fell 42-14 to Triton Central and Scecina lost 42-0 to Brebeuf. The Crusaders have some youth, and they'll run the ball quite a bit. Meanwhile, EH will throw it all over, with QB Steven Stunda completing 12-of-22 last week for 151 yards, including 140 yards to receiver Jacob Grass. He also had two TD catches and an interception.
The games begin Friday night. Listen to Jim Ryan and myself on the Yorktown-Mt. Vernon game, and we'll keep you up to date on what else is going on in the area.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Opening night
If you were able to listen to tonight's broadcast, you're probably scratching your head. If you weren't, make sure you listen to the archived broadcast when it gets posted sometime Saturday afternoon.
I love opening night. I love it even more when you have games like this to watch.
New Palestine 22, Whiteland 16, OT. But that's only half the story. Tim Able's first game as the Dragons' head coach will be one that won't be forgotten for a long time.
The opening kickoff probably signaled we were in for a crazy game -- Whiteland's Drew Smyth returned it 60+ yards into NP territory, then lost the ball. Smyth would eventually have a huge night -- 143 yards rushing, 2 TDs and he really helped carry the Warriors in the 2nd half, when he had 110 of his yards.
It was about what we expected early -- NP used its experience to take a lead, then Whiteland came alive in the second half. Pat Feeney had two TDs -- a 58-yard reception for the first score and a 10-yard run for the winning score in OT -- and 132 yards from scrimmage. He also had an interception deep in NP territory to end a Whiteland threat. NP quarterback Cary Albrecht was solid, completing 5-of-6 for 80 yards and 2 TDs, and also using his legs to help set up NP's final regulation score. The first TD to Feeney was an athletic play -- he came back for an underthrown ball, caught it, bounced off a tackle and ran it in. NP then added another score right before halftime, then hit a FG on the first drive of the second half to go up 16-0. Whiteland, led by Smyth, came back, first with a 63-yard TD run, then with a 14-yard TD midway through the fourth.
The Warriors' sophomore QB Tommy Riegel then came alive. He completed three straight passes on the final drive -- one on 4th-and-9, another on third-and-long -- and then hurried his team to the line in less than 10 seconds after a 17-yard completion to spike the ball with one second left, setting up Jordan Laforet's sidewinding 30-yard field goal that snuck inside the uprights.
Whew. And that was just regulation.
Feeney touched the ball on NP's first play. It became NP's only play, as he swept left, hurdled the only would-be tackler, and walked into the end zone. Then Chris Poland came alive, stopping the Warriors for a loss on 2nd down, then batting down a pass on 3rd down. A 4th-down heave toward the corner of the end zone fell incomplete, and a mob of red jerseys was quickly on the field.
Wow! What a game!
Stats were basically even -- NP 225 yards, Whiteland 211. NP dominated the first half (13-0), Whiteland dominated the second (16-3). The game was basically even, with a lot of twists and turns (even found in the weather conditions -- it went from late-summer perfection to rainy to perfect and calm to windy to monsoon to steady rain and calm all in one night). But the twists and turns create a great storyline, one Jim Ryan & I were happy to bring to you.
Join us next week for Yorktown @ Mt. Vernon. Airtime 7:00, kickoff 7:30.
And make sure you read the Daily Reporter for all the coverage of tonight's games, including Zak Keefer's coverage of the NP-Whiteland contest.
Elsewhere in the county/HHC tonight:
Kokomo 34, Mt. Vernon 7. The Wildkats extend their Indiana regular-season win streak to 16 games. MV opens conference play next week vs. Yorktown.
Greenfield-Central 29, New Castle 8. The Cougars were down early, but rallied for a nice season-opening road win.
Triton Central 42, Eastern Hancock 14. TC has been in its "up" cycle of late, and the Tigers get a nice season-opening win. These two teams have played each other in the opener for years, but will be a conference game next year, when EH joins the Mid-Indiana Football Conference.
Yorktown 28, Pendleton Heights 21. When the Tigers look at the newspaper tomorrow, they'll be the HHC leaders. Good win for a team that was hit hard by graduation, as PH had a bit of talent. The Arabians meet Greenfield-Central next week.
Delta 56, Jay County 6. Looks like the Eagles have their usual explosive offense. And they certainly backed up their No. 10 ranking in the IFCA poll. Next up for the Eagles: New Palestine.
Rushville 46, Connersville 24. A shootout tonight. Rushville is a team that will turn a lot of heads this season.
Shelbyville 35, Greensburg 14. Nice win for Pat Parks and the Golden Bears, who appear to be picking up where they've left off the last couple of years.
Next week in the county/HHC
Yorktown (1-0) at Mt. Vernon (0-1), 7:30 p.m.: Gridiron Digest Game of the Week.
Eastern Hancock (0-1) at Scecina (0-1), 7 p.m.
Greenfield-Central (1-0) at Pendleton Heights (0-1), 7:30 p.m.
New Palestine (1-0) at Delta (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
Rushville (1-0) at Shelbyville (1-0), 7 p.m.
I love opening night. I love it even more when you have games like this to watch.
New Palestine 22, Whiteland 16, OT. But that's only half the story. Tim Able's first game as the Dragons' head coach will be one that won't be forgotten for a long time.
The opening kickoff probably signaled we were in for a crazy game -- Whiteland's Drew Smyth returned it 60+ yards into NP territory, then lost the ball. Smyth would eventually have a huge night -- 143 yards rushing, 2 TDs and he really helped carry the Warriors in the 2nd half, when he had 110 of his yards.
It was about what we expected early -- NP used its experience to take a lead, then Whiteland came alive in the second half. Pat Feeney had two TDs -- a 58-yard reception for the first score and a 10-yard run for the winning score in OT -- and 132 yards from scrimmage. He also had an interception deep in NP territory to end a Whiteland threat. NP quarterback Cary Albrecht was solid, completing 5-of-6 for 80 yards and 2 TDs, and also using his legs to help set up NP's final regulation score. The first TD to Feeney was an athletic play -- he came back for an underthrown ball, caught it, bounced off a tackle and ran it in. NP then added another score right before halftime, then hit a FG on the first drive of the second half to go up 16-0. Whiteland, led by Smyth, came back, first with a 63-yard TD run, then with a 14-yard TD midway through the fourth.
The Warriors' sophomore QB Tommy Riegel then came alive. He completed three straight passes on the final drive -- one on 4th-and-9, another on third-and-long -- and then hurried his team to the line in less than 10 seconds after a 17-yard completion to spike the ball with one second left, setting up Jordan Laforet's sidewinding 30-yard field goal that snuck inside the uprights.
Whew. And that was just regulation.
Feeney touched the ball on NP's first play. It became NP's only play, as he swept left, hurdled the only would-be tackler, and walked into the end zone. Then Chris Poland came alive, stopping the Warriors for a loss on 2nd down, then batting down a pass on 3rd down. A 4th-down heave toward the corner of the end zone fell incomplete, and a mob of red jerseys was quickly on the field.
Wow! What a game!
Stats were basically even -- NP 225 yards, Whiteland 211. NP dominated the first half (13-0), Whiteland dominated the second (16-3). The game was basically even, with a lot of twists and turns (even found in the weather conditions -- it went from late-summer perfection to rainy to perfect and calm to windy to monsoon to steady rain and calm all in one night). But the twists and turns create a great storyline, one Jim Ryan & I were happy to bring to you.
Join us next week for Yorktown @ Mt. Vernon. Airtime 7:00, kickoff 7:30.
And make sure you read the Daily Reporter for all the coverage of tonight's games, including Zak Keefer's coverage of the NP-Whiteland contest.
Elsewhere in the county/HHC tonight:
Kokomo 34, Mt. Vernon 7. The Wildkats extend their Indiana regular-season win streak to 16 games. MV opens conference play next week vs. Yorktown.
Greenfield-Central 29, New Castle 8. The Cougars were down early, but rallied for a nice season-opening road win.
Triton Central 42, Eastern Hancock 14. TC has been in its "up" cycle of late, and the Tigers get a nice season-opening win. These two teams have played each other in the opener for years, but will be a conference game next year, when EH joins the Mid-Indiana Football Conference.
Yorktown 28, Pendleton Heights 21. When the Tigers look at the newspaper tomorrow, they'll be the HHC leaders. Good win for a team that was hit hard by graduation, as PH had a bit of talent. The Arabians meet Greenfield-Central next week.
Delta 56, Jay County 6. Looks like the Eagles have their usual explosive offense. And they certainly backed up their No. 10 ranking in the IFCA poll. Next up for the Eagles: New Palestine.
Rushville 46, Connersville 24. A shootout tonight. Rushville is a team that will turn a lot of heads this season.
Shelbyville 35, Greensburg 14. Nice win for Pat Parks and the Golden Bears, who appear to be picking up where they've left off the last couple of years.
Next week in the county/HHC
Yorktown (1-0) at Mt. Vernon (0-1), 7:30 p.m.: Gridiron Digest Game of the Week.
Eastern Hancock (0-1) at Scecina (0-1), 7 p.m.
Greenfield-Central (1-0) at Pendleton Heights (0-1), 7:30 p.m.
New Palestine (1-0) at Delta (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
Rushville (1-0) at Shelbyville (1-0), 7 p.m.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Friday-night lookahead
Two-a-days are over. The scrimmages are done. The tailgates will be fired up. It's kickoff night for Indiana's high schools starting Friday night.
It also means opening night for the CCSN Gridiron Digest Game of the Week. Check out this space each week for a preview of our Game of the Week, plus the other games in the area.
CCSN Gridiron Digest Game of the Week
Friday: 7 p.m. Airtime, 7:30 p.m. kickoff
Whiteland (0-0) at New Palestine (0-0)
Broadcast direct link
The series: Whiteland has won 5 of the 6 games. The Warriors have won 4 straight games, and are 3-1 in the regular season since the teams began playing each other in 2005.
Last year: The two teams played twice.
Week 1: Whiteland 33, New Palestine 12 in the opening night at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Sectional 1st round: Whiteland 4o, New Palestine 7 @NP
Scouting the Dragons
Coach: Tim Able (1st season at NP; 18th overall, record 95-92)
Last season: 4-6 (3-4 HHC)
Around New Palestine circles, these words aren't uttered very much, but a new era begins Friday night. Tim Able becomes the third head football coach in the New Palestine program's 40-year history, joining Hall of Famer Marvin Shepler and perennial winner Doug Armstrong. If his background is any indication, Able will likely continue the line of successful Dragon coaches, but Able has been successful everywhere he's gone, winning a 4A state title at East Noble before heading to Decatur Central and leading the Hawks to slay mighty Ben Davis for their first (and only) sectional championship in school history three years ago.
The first two games are baptism by fire -- Whiteland won 11 straight games last season and Week 2 foe Delta is ranked in 4A's top 10. However, the Dragons looked very good in their scrimmage against 1A No. 10 Scecina, using a lot of different players. Pat Feeney took a pass 65 yards for a touchdown on the Dragons' first play. Later, Cary Albrecht threw a touchdown pass on his first snap. NP's aggressive 3-4 defense produced a fumble recovery and a touchdown of its own.
Offensively, Albrecht is a dual-threat QB who can be successful throwing and running. At 6-2, he has good size, and he also has good wheels. He completed 46% of his passes for 500 yards last seaosn, and also ran for 6.7 yards per carry. Combined, he accounted for nearly 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns of total offense. There's a lot of depth on offense -- Feeney averaged 28.3 yards per catch last season and will likely be featured this year. He's a game-breaker -- he was second in the state in the 400 meters at the IHSAA Track and Field State Finals last spring. Michael Phelps had a big season at running back, while Bryce Pierson, Brett Jackson and more players have had some success. In all, nine offensie starters are back.
Defensively, the Dragons will have a new 3-4 look that, if the scrimmage is any indication, will be aggressive. Feeney, the reigning county Defensive Player of the Year, covers a lot of ground at free safety, while linemen Jacob Poynter, Justin Harvey and several other players bring back experience. NP will start eight seniors on the defensive side of the ball.
Scouting the Warriors
Coach: Darrin Fisher (5th year at WHS, 33-14; 19th year overall, 94-88)
Last season: 11-1 (7-0 Mid-State Conference)
Whiteland had one of those dream seasons last year -- great senior class, everything was building for it, and everything built to an undefeated regular season and the school's first Mid-State Conference title in 28 years. There was a ton of talent that graduated, including a senior class that numbered more than 30 players. Among the losses were ouststanding linebacker Mitch Meador, who took his talents to the University of Cincinnati.
Whiteland also has a new role, as the school's rapidly-growing enrollment put the Warriors in Class 5A this year. They're now sharing a sectional with Top 10 teams in Center Grove, Columbus East and other solid programs in Columbus North and Bloomington South. Of course, the Warriors are used to high-level tournament competition, having to lock horns with the likes of Cathedral, Roncalli and Plainfield in the past.
For the Warriors this season, the big question will be how quickly the new players can adjust to varsity football. Whiteland isn't young -- the Warriors will start four seniors and seven juniors on offense, and five seniors on defense -- and the new faces were the understudies for some pretty good players. Among the returnees, tailback Drew Smyth is a player to watch. A junior, he ran for 11 yards per carry last season and had 880 yards and 12 touchdowns from scrimmage. Only two other starters return -- wideout Brandon Gieseking (34.8 ypc, 6 TDs) and lineman Zac Van Deman, a senior who joins four juniors on the offensive line. The quarterback will likely be junior Danny Morgan, who stands 6-2.
On defense, the Warriors have another Meador to step in at linebacker -- 6-5, 240-pound Jake Meador. There are 11 new starters on this side of the ball from a squad that allowed 14 ppg a year ago, but there is some talent. Junior linebacker Jess Harris saw a lot of varsity time last season, as did senior taackle Jesse Moistner.
The matchup: This should be an interesting game to watch. Last year, Whiteland had the experience and New Palestine was very young in key spots. Now, the Dragons are experienced and Whiteland has the new faces. Opening games are always interesting to see how the new guys fare. It'll be interesting to see this one.
Other Hancock County games
Mt. Vernon at Kokomo, 7 p.m.: The Marauders will have a lot of the same faces from last year, but an old new look. QB Austin Parker, RB Zach McKinney, LB Jason McCalley, WRs Jesse Reed and Jake Davis and more players got some valuable experience last season, and got much better as the season went along. But the Wildkats are the North Central Conference's reigning kings and it's a tough opener for the Marauders. Kokomo has won 15 straight regular-season games against Indiana schools, and is 17-4 in two seasons under coach Brett Colby. Kokomo has won both meetings against MV.
Greenfield-Central at New Castle, 7:30 p.m.: The Cougars' traditional opening game against their neighbors to the east, and many signs are good ones for them building again this year. G-C is seeking its first winning season since 2002, but they've been improving steadily under the guidance of Dodson's staff. There are some big shoes to fill -- QB Travis White, leading rusher Troy Meyers and an outstanding receiver/linebacker Michael Dickerson have all graduated. Where the Cougars have some experience is at receiver, where seniors Kevin Bordenkircher, Ethan Irbe, John White, and Andy Sowder return. White had some big catches in G-C's win over Mt. Vernon last season, while Bordenkircher and Irbe combined for nearly 600 receiving yards. Junior Carl Ellison will likely be the one throwing to that group of people. Conley and Stephen Roberts are a couple of corerstones on defense. New Castle won two games last season, which is a step, as the Trojans are seeking their first winning season since 1984. New Castle has several defensive starters back.
Triton Central at Eastern Hancock, 7 p.m.: The Royals begin their sophomore season under coach Mark Reddy, and they're trying to return to the run of winning seasons they posted earlier in the decade. They're trying to build on a two-win mark, and TC is a tough opponent. There are some athletes -- including a big body in 6-8, 280-pound lineman Devin Tharpe. Steve Stunda threw for 1,686 yards last season and will direct an offense that can move the ball through the air. TC went 7-3 under Kevin Kling in his first season last yaer, and will have several returning starters on both sides of the ball.
Other HHC games
Pendleton Heights at Yorktown, 7:30 p.m.: This is the lone conference game on the docket. The Tigers graduated a ton of talent last season, especially at the offensive skill positions -- they graduated nearly all of their passing and receiving yardage and their top tackler. However, Mike Wilhelm has done a good job building a program -- and this one came within four points of knocking off eventual 3A champ Bellmont in the regional. A 1,000-yard rusher in junior RB Derek Kundenreich is back. On defense, 6-7 lineman Kevin Ellis is the leading returning tackler and a big presence in the middle of the line. PH struggled to a 2-win season, but the Arabians are usually not "down" very long. PH have a ton of starters returning on both offense and defense. It looks like a matchup of youth vs. experience.
Shelbyville at Greensburg, 7 p.m.: An old rivalry resumes. Pat Parks has slowly built Shelbyville into one of the most consistent winners in the HHC. The Bears have gone 20-3 the last two seasons -- the lone regular-season loss coming to Delta in last year's regular-season finale -- although Greensburg has always been a test. Much of Shelbyville's defense is back in the fold, and the Bears seem to always be able to produce offensive talent to fit the Wing-T scheme. Greensburg is in its first full season under coach Scott Moore, but the Pirates are a consistent winner in Southeast Indiana. This might be one of the most interesting games in the area.
Connersville at Rushville, 7 p.m.: Rushville is loaded for bear, after posting a 7-win season, advancing to a sectional championship game, and returning several offensive and defensive starters, including dual-threat QB Spencer Comer. Meanwhile, Connersville continues to improve, and these two neighbors always play good games.
Jay County at Delta, 7 p.m.: The Eagles are always one of the HHC's premier teams, and always seem to have one stud receiver. This year, it's Logan Young, who is headed to Indiana next fall. But for this year, he'll be the deep threat to strike fear in defensive backfields, while an always-strong power running game keeps them honest. Delta is 50-9 over the last five seasons, and posted an unbeaten regular season last year. The Eagles have defeated Jay County at least 17 consecutive times. JC has improved, though, and it'll be interesting to see how the Patriots stack up against Delta.
Looking beyond: Check out the IFCA poll. CCSN's Tim Adams will be at the Cathedral-Carmel game this week.
Looking ahead to next week (Friday, Aug. 28)
CCSN GID Game of the Week: Yorktown at Mt. Vernon, 6:30 airtime
Hancock County/HHC games
Eastern Hancock at Scecina, 7 p.m.
Greenfield-Central at Pendleton Heights, 7:30 p.m.
New Palestine at Delta, 7:30 p.m.
Rushville at Shelbyville, 7 p.m.
It also means opening night for the CCSN Gridiron Digest Game of the Week. Check out this space each week for a preview of our Game of the Week, plus the other games in the area.
CCSN Gridiron Digest Game of the Week
Friday: 7 p.m. Airtime, 7:30 p.m. kickoff
Whiteland (0-0) at New Palestine (0-0)
Broadcast direct link
The series: Whiteland has won 5 of the 6 games. The Warriors have won 4 straight games, and are 3-1 in the regular season since the teams began playing each other in 2005.
Last year: The two teams played twice.
Week 1: Whiteland 33, New Palestine 12 in the opening night at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Sectional 1st round: Whiteland 4o, New Palestine 7 @NP
Scouting the Dragons
Coach: Tim Able (1st season at NP; 18th overall, record 95-92)
Last season: 4-6 (3-4 HHC)
Around New Palestine circles, these words aren't uttered very much, but a new era begins Friday night. Tim Able becomes the third head football coach in the New Palestine program's 40-year history, joining Hall of Famer Marvin Shepler and perennial winner Doug Armstrong. If his background is any indication, Able will likely continue the line of successful Dragon coaches, but Able has been successful everywhere he's gone, winning a 4A state title at East Noble before heading to Decatur Central and leading the Hawks to slay mighty Ben Davis for their first (and only) sectional championship in school history three years ago.
The first two games are baptism by fire -- Whiteland won 11 straight games last season and Week 2 foe Delta is ranked in 4A's top 10. However, the Dragons looked very good in their scrimmage against 1A No. 10 Scecina, using a lot of different players. Pat Feeney took a pass 65 yards for a touchdown on the Dragons' first play. Later, Cary Albrecht threw a touchdown pass on his first snap. NP's aggressive 3-4 defense produced a fumble recovery and a touchdown of its own.
Offensively, Albrecht is a dual-threat QB who can be successful throwing and running. At 6-2, he has good size, and he also has good wheels. He completed 46% of his passes for 500 yards last seaosn, and also ran for 6.7 yards per carry. Combined, he accounted for nearly 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns of total offense. There's a lot of depth on offense -- Feeney averaged 28.3 yards per catch last season and will likely be featured this year. He's a game-breaker -- he was second in the state in the 400 meters at the IHSAA Track and Field State Finals last spring. Michael Phelps had a big season at running back, while Bryce Pierson, Brett Jackson and more players have had some success. In all, nine offensie starters are back.
Defensively, the Dragons will have a new 3-4 look that, if the scrimmage is any indication, will be aggressive. Feeney, the reigning county Defensive Player of the Year, covers a lot of ground at free safety, while linemen Jacob Poynter, Justin Harvey and several other players bring back experience. NP will start eight seniors on the defensive side of the ball.
Scouting the Warriors
Coach: Darrin Fisher (5th year at WHS, 33-14; 19th year overall, 94-88)
Last season: 11-1 (7-0 Mid-State Conference)
Whiteland had one of those dream seasons last year -- great senior class, everything was building for it, and everything built to an undefeated regular season and the school's first Mid-State Conference title in 28 years. There was a ton of talent that graduated, including a senior class that numbered more than 30 players. Among the losses were ouststanding linebacker Mitch Meador, who took his talents to the University of Cincinnati.
Whiteland also has a new role, as the school's rapidly-growing enrollment put the Warriors in Class 5A this year. They're now sharing a sectional with Top 10 teams in Center Grove, Columbus East and other solid programs in Columbus North and Bloomington South. Of course, the Warriors are used to high-level tournament competition, having to lock horns with the likes of Cathedral, Roncalli and Plainfield in the past.
For the Warriors this season, the big question will be how quickly the new players can adjust to varsity football. Whiteland isn't young -- the Warriors will start four seniors and seven juniors on offense, and five seniors on defense -- and the new faces were the understudies for some pretty good players. Among the returnees, tailback Drew Smyth is a player to watch. A junior, he ran for 11 yards per carry last season and had 880 yards and 12 touchdowns from scrimmage. Only two other starters return -- wideout Brandon Gieseking (34.8 ypc, 6 TDs) and lineman Zac Van Deman, a senior who joins four juniors on the offensive line. The quarterback will likely be junior Danny Morgan, who stands 6-2.
On defense, the Warriors have another Meador to step in at linebacker -- 6-5, 240-pound Jake Meador. There are 11 new starters on this side of the ball from a squad that allowed 14 ppg a year ago, but there is some talent. Junior linebacker Jess Harris saw a lot of varsity time last season, as did senior taackle Jesse Moistner.
The matchup: This should be an interesting game to watch. Last year, Whiteland had the experience and New Palestine was very young in key spots. Now, the Dragons are experienced and Whiteland has the new faces. Opening games are always interesting to see how the new guys fare. It'll be interesting to see this one.
Other Hancock County games
Mt. Vernon at Kokomo, 7 p.m.: The Marauders will have a lot of the same faces from last year, but an old new look. QB Austin Parker, RB Zach McKinney, LB Jason McCalley, WRs Jesse Reed and Jake Davis and more players got some valuable experience last season, and got much better as the season went along. But the Wildkats are the North Central Conference's reigning kings and it's a tough opener for the Marauders. Kokomo has won 15 straight regular-season games against Indiana schools, and is 17-4 in two seasons under coach Brett Colby. Kokomo has won both meetings against MV.
Greenfield-Central at New Castle, 7:30 p.m.: The Cougars' traditional opening game against their neighbors to the east, and many signs are good ones for them building again this year. G-C is seeking its first winning season since 2002, but they've been improving steadily under the guidance of Dodson's staff. There are some big shoes to fill -- QB Travis White, leading rusher Troy Meyers and an outstanding receiver/linebacker Michael Dickerson have all graduated. Where the Cougars have some experience is at receiver, where seniors Kevin Bordenkircher, Ethan Irbe, John White, and Andy Sowder return. White had some big catches in G-C's win over Mt. Vernon last season, while Bordenkircher and Irbe combined for nearly 600 receiving yards. Junior Carl Ellison will likely be the one throwing to that group of people. Conley and Stephen Roberts are a couple of corerstones on defense. New Castle won two games last season, which is a step, as the Trojans are seeking their first winning season since 1984. New Castle has several defensive starters back.
Triton Central at Eastern Hancock, 7 p.m.: The Royals begin their sophomore season under coach Mark Reddy, and they're trying to return to the run of winning seasons they posted earlier in the decade. They're trying to build on a two-win mark, and TC is a tough opponent. There are some athletes -- including a big body in 6-8, 280-pound lineman Devin Tharpe. Steve Stunda threw for 1,686 yards last season and will direct an offense that can move the ball through the air. TC went 7-3 under Kevin Kling in his first season last yaer, and will have several returning starters on both sides of the ball.
Other HHC games
Pendleton Heights at Yorktown, 7:30 p.m.: This is the lone conference game on the docket. The Tigers graduated a ton of talent last season, especially at the offensive skill positions -- they graduated nearly all of their passing and receiving yardage and their top tackler. However, Mike Wilhelm has done a good job building a program -- and this one came within four points of knocking off eventual 3A champ Bellmont in the regional. A 1,000-yard rusher in junior RB Derek Kundenreich is back. On defense, 6-7 lineman Kevin Ellis is the leading returning tackler and a big presence in the middle of the line. PH struggled to a 2-win season, but the Arabians are usually not "down" very long. PH have a ton of starters returning on both offense and defense. It looks like a matchup of youth vs. experience.
Shelbyville at Greensburg, 7 p.m.: An old rivalry resumes. Pat Parks has slowly built Shelbyville into one of the most consistent winners in the HHC. The Bears have gone 20-3 the last two seasons -- the lone regular-season loss coming to Delta in last year's regular-season finale -- although Greensburg has always been a test. Much of Shelbyville's defense is back in the fold, and the Bears seem to always be able to produce offensive talent to fit the Wing-T scheme. Greensburg is in its first full season under coach Scott Moore, but the Pirates are a consistent winner in Southeast Indiana. This might be one of the most interesting games in the area.
Connersville at Rushville, 7 p.m.: Rushville is loaded for bear, after posting a 7-win season, advancing to a sectional championship game, and returning several offensive and defensive starters, including dual-threat QB Spencer Comer. Meanwhile, Connersville continues to improve, and these two neighbors always play good games.
Jay County at Delta, 7 p.m.: The Eagles are always one of the HHC's premier teams, and always seem to have one stud receiver. This year, it's Logan Young, who is headed to Indiana next fall. But for this year, he'll be the deep threat to strike fear in defensive backfields, while an always-strong power running game keeps them honest. Delta is 50-9 over the last five seasons, and posted an unbeaten regular season last year. The Eagles have defeated Jay County at least 17 consecutive times. JC has improved, though, and it'll be interesting to see how the Patriots stack up against Delta.
Looking beyond: Check out the IFCA poll. CCSN's Tim Adams will be at the Cathedral-Carmel game this week.
Looking ahead to next week (Friday, Aug. 28)
CCSN GID Game of the Week: Yorktown at Mt. Vernon, 6:30 airtime
Hancock County/HHC games
Eastern Hancock at Scecina, 7 p.m.
Greenfield-Central at Pendleton Heights, 7:30 p.m.
New Palestine at Delta, 7:30 p.m.
Rushville at Shelbyville, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Welcome!
CCSN would like to introduce a new addition to our team in football analyst Jim Ryan. Jim brings a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of experience to the booth from his days as a high school and college football player. Jim was an All-County and All-HHC player at Mt. Vernon High School. Jim has also been around the HHC as a coach -- as he assisted the track and field teams at Yorktown and Delta. After graduating from Ball State University, Jim served as a youth minister and currently works with churches.
Jim Ryan and Andrew Smith will have the call of all of CCSN's football games this season, with Tim Adams making a few appearances, starting with the Aug. 21 opener between the Whiteland Warriors and New Palestine Dragons. We hope you'll listen: www.crosscomsports.com.
Jim Ryan and Andrew Smith will have the call of all of CCSN's football games this season, with Tim Adams making a few appearances, starting with the Aug. 21 opener between the Whiteland Warriors and New Palestine Dragons. We hope you'll listen: www.crosscomsports.com.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Countdown to kickoff
It's scrimmage week this week ... we're not on-air this Friday night, but we'll be out and about around the county watching the local teams scrimmage and getting ready for our Opening Night broadcast of Whiteland at New Palestine on Aug. 21.
This Friday's local scrimmage schedule:
Eastern Hancock vs. Centerville, 7 p.m.
Greenfield-Central vs. Tri-West, 7 p.m.
Mt. Vernon at Speedway, 7 p.m.
New Palestine vs. Scecina, 7:30 p.m.
CCSN is an advertiser-supported enterprise. If you want to promote your business to a growing number of Hancock County residents for a very low cost, please contact Andrew Smith.
This Friday's local scrimmage schedule:
Eastern Hancock vs. Centerville, 7 p.m.
Greenfield-Central vs. Tri-West, 7 p.m.
Mt. Vernon at Speedway, 7 p.m.
New Palestine vs. Scecina, 7:30 p.m.
CCSN is an advertiser-supported enterprise. If you want to promote your business to a growing number of Hancock County residents for a very low cost, please contact Andrew Smith.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Two-a-days upon us
The high school fall sports season is officially here, as two-a-day practices began statewide Monday, and will culminate in most schools -- including all of the Hancock County schools -- at the end of the week.
Everybody is getting ready for the Aug. 21 openers -- we're gearing up, too, for the maiden broadcast of CCSN's sophomore season. This year, we'll open with the New Palestine Dragons taking on the Whiteland Warriors. We'll have an in-depth preview the week of the game, but both teams will have a new look this season. The Dragons have a lot of familiar faces -- Hancock County Defensive Player of the Year Pat Feeney is one of several returning players on defense, while leading rusher Michael Phelps and quarterback Cary Albrecht are two of several veterans back on the offensive side. But they'll have a new look, as they'll be running schemes and systems employed by new head coach Tim Able. Feeney is also armed with some hardware -- he was the second-fastest quarter-miler in the IHSAA Track and Field State Finals in June.
Pardon the pun, but the Dragons are in more-than-able hands, as their coach led East Noble to a 4A title a few years ago, and has been successful at every stop along the way. Closer to home, that includes leading Decatur Central to the only sectional championship in school history at his last stop. He's familiar with Whiteland, having coached against the Warriors in the Mid-State Conference. However, Whiteland graduated more than 30 seniors from an 11-1 team last season, and so the Warriors will have a new look for coach Darrin Fisher this fall.
There are a lot of other stories throughout the county that we'll touch on throughout the year. At Mt. Vernon, the Marauders went through the growing pains of a 2-9 season last year, but the experience gleaned by a host of varsity newcomers should begin paying off soon. There is a lot of talent -- running back Zach McKinney showed flashes last season, while receivers Jake Davis and Jesse Reed both were deep threats as the year went on. Quarterback Austin Parker will also feel a lot more comfortable, even if his favorite target from last season -- Brad Voltz -- has moved on to college football. MV is also seeking to give coach Doug Peacock his 100th win in black and gold this fall. We'll air several Marauder games this season, starting with a Week 2 matchup against Yorktown.
Greenfield-Central has been getting better and better under coach Roger Dodson. They Cougars had this same trajectory a few years ago -- 0 wins to 1 win to 4 wins -- and the next year netted a 7-3 season and an HHC championship. Of course, that 7-win team was loaded with seniors and had a mammoth line blocking for workhorse back Josiah Sears, who later became a standout at Indiana University and is now a rising star in the college coaching ranks. This year's team is younger, but has a handful of key players returning and has the largest player turnout the Cougars have experienced since the years surrounding that HHC title. The fruits of G-C's commitment to the feeder system put into place by Trent Grider a decade ago are beginning to get to the varsity level, which are paying dividends. The first of our three G-C football broadcasts will be on Sept. 11, when the Cougars travel to Yorktown.
Eastern Hancock is entering its second year under coach Mark Reddy. The Royals are also in a transition year as they're a team without a conference. The White River Athletic Conference disbanded after last year, as Wes-Del bailed for a better geographic fit in the Mid-Eastern Conference (which has no football), Lapel went to the Indy-based Indiana Crossroads Conference, and there really are no football-playing small-school independents around. Heck, there are very few small-school independents in the area to form a conference. The three remaining WRAC refugees tried to join the Eastern Indiana-centered Tri-Eastern Conference with no luck (the 8-team TEC only had room for 2 teams, so it rejected them all). EH did catch a break, as it did gain admission into the Mid Indiana Football Conference -- made up of the football-playing members of the Mid-Hoosier Conference plus Milan -- for 2010. EH will compete this year as an independent as it rearranges its schedule, as the Royals currently play five of the six MIFC teams, and will add South Decatur next season. EH will continue to compete as an independent in all other sports, as its application for membership was turned down by the Mid-Hoosier Conference. We get a look at the Royals this fall when they visit ex-WRAC rival Shenandoah on Oct. 9. To say the Royals and Raiders have had their share of donneybrooks over the years would be an understatement. I'd expect this to be no different.
We're looking forward to bringing you the 2009 Hancock County football season on CCSN. Keep tuned to this blog during the week and the games on Friday nights!
Everybody is getting ready for the Aug. 21 openers -- we're gearing up, too, for the maiden broadcast of CCSN's sophomore season. This year, we'll open with the New Palestine Dragons taking on the Whiteland Warriors. We'll have an in-depth preview the week of the game, but both teams will have a new look this season. The Dragons have a lot of familiar faces -- Hancock County Defensive Player of the Year Pat Feeney is one of several returning players on defense, while leading rusher Michael Phelps and quarterback Cary Albrecht are two of several veterans back on the offensive side. But they'll have a new look, as they'll be running schemes and systems employed by new head coach Tim Able. Feeney is also armed with some hardware -- he was the second-fastest quarter-miler in the IHSAA Track and Field State Finals in June.
Pardon the pun, but the Dragons are in more-than-able hands, as their coach led East Noble to a 4A title a few years ago, and has been successful at every stop along the way. Closer to home, that includes leading Decatur Central to the only sectional championship in school history at his last stop. He's familiar with Whiteland, having coached against the Warriors in the Mid-State Conference. However, Whiteland graduated more than 30 seniors from an 11-1 team last season, and so the Warriors will have a new look for coach Darrin Fisher this fall.
There are a lot of other stories throughout the county that we'll touch on throughout the year. At Mt. Vernon, the Marauders went through the growing pains of a 2-9 season last year, but the experience gleaned by a host of varsity newcomers should begin paying off soon. There is a lot of talent -- running back Zach McKinney showed flashes last season, while receivers Jake Davis and Jesse Reed both were deep threats as the year went on. Quarterback Austin Parker will also feel a lot more comfortable, even if his favorite target from last season -- Brad Voltz -- has moved on to college football. MV is also seeking to give coach Doug Peacock his 100th win in black and gold this fall. We'll air several Marauder games this season, starting with a Week 2 matchup against Yorktown.
Greenfield-Central has been getting better and better under coach Roger Dodson. They Cougars had this same trajectory a few years ago -- 0 wins to 1 win to 4 wins -- and the next year netted a 7-3 season and an HHC championship. Of course, that 7-win team was loaded with seniors and had a mammoth line blocking for workhorse back Josiah Sears, who later became a standout at Indiana University and is now a rising star in the college coaching ranks. This year's team is younger, but has a handful of key players returning and has the largest player turnout the Cougars have experienced since the years surrounding that HHC title. The fruits of G-C's commitment to the feeder system put into place by Trent Grider a decade ago are beginning to get to the varsity level, which are paying dividends. The first of our three G-C football broadcasts will be on Sept. 11, when the Cougars travel to Yorktown.
Eastern Hancock is entering its second year under coach Mark Reddy. The Royals are also in a transition year as they're a team without a conference. The White River Athletic Conference disbanded after last year, as Wes-Del bailed for a better geographic fit in the Mid-Eastern Conference (which has no football), Lapel went to the Indy-based Indiana Crossroads Conference, and there really are no football-playing small-school independents around. Heck, there are very few small-school independents in the area to form a conference. The three remaining WRAC refugees tried to join the Eastern Indiana-centered Tri-Eastern Conference with no luck (the 8-team TEC only had room for 2 teams, so it rejected them all). EH did catch a break, as it did gain admission into the Mid Indiana Football Conference -- made up of the football-playing members of the Mid-Hoosier Conference plus Milan -- for 2010. EH will compete this year as an independent as it rearranges its schedule, as the Royals currently play five of the six MIFC teams, and will add South Decatur next season. EH will continue to compete as an independent in all other sports, as its application for membership was turned down by the Mid-Hoosier Conference. We get a look at the Royals this fall when they visit ex-WRAC rival Shenandoah on Oct. 9. To say the Royals and Raiders have had their share of donneybrooks over the years would be an understatement. I'd expect this to be no different.
We're looking forward to bringing you the 2009 Hancock County football season on CCSN. Keep tuned to this blog during the week and the games on Friday nights!
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