Week 5 lookahead

It's hard to believe we're already at the midpoint of the regular season, but this Friday night marks it. After this week, we really turn an eye toward the conference races and begin blinking at the sectional. And, with most HHC teams having completed their out-of-conference competition, the conference race can really heat up. It does so this week, as all 8 teams are in conference play. A lot of Homecoming festivities are this week, and there are some good rivalries on tap, including the game we'll have for you.

Our game features one of the top rivalries in the area, an old one that alumni can tell you has plenty of stories of hijinks and hatred. Expect two things from this game -- lots of offense, and two well-run systems. PH employs the run-and-shoot, MV the Wing-T, but both teams are really dedicated to their offensive systems, which are vastly different, but have delivered plenty of success for those teams. You'll also see familiar faces -- the two coaches have a total of 50 years' experience at their respective schools. While a few games in this series have been defensive struggles, like last year's 14-7 PH win, many have been offensive shows. The 2003 game, a 63-49 MV win that gives defensive coordinators nightmares, saw state records set for total offense, receiving yardage by one player and passing attempts and yardage in a game -- the latter two set by players for the losing team.

CCSN Gridiron Digest Game of the Week
Pendleton Heights (1-3/1-3) at Mt. Vernon (3-1/2-0)
Broadcast: 7 p.m. Friday
Access broadcast here.

The coaches:
PH: John Broughton (34th year at PH, 183-153)
MV: Doug Peacock (16th year at MV, 99-70; 20th overall, 119-90)

Last season: PH scored two early touchdowns and held it for a 14-7 victory.
The series: It's been close to even since the HHC was formed in 1994. PH has won 8 meetings, MV 7. The home team has won the last four meetings. Only once has a school won three games in a row (PH from 2000-02).
Scouting the Arabians: PH is experienced and explosive -- scoring 23 points per game and featuring a passing attack led by QBs Grant Hendershot and Mitch Patishall. Hendershot, a junior three-year starter, has a lot of experience, and has accounted for 475 total yards in four games. He's moved to receiver in the second halves of the last couple of games to make way for Patishall, and Hendershot has as many TD catches (2) as he does passes. Hendershot had a 125-yard receiving game last week after starting the day at QB. He had a 1,500+-yard passing season. PH has been known for talented QB-WR players. Kyle Tweed set records on both ends of the passing spectrum a few years ago for the Arabians. Meanwhile, the younger Patishall is completing 63% of his passes and has thrown for 107 yards per game so far. He was 12-of-20 last week for 201 yards, accounting for 89% of PH's offense against Shelbyville. The Arabians also have a dangerous speedster in RB/KR Ravaughn White. He had his second KOR for a touchdown last week against Shelbyville, and also had a 71-yard TD catch against New Palestine two weeks ago. White is averaging 95 yards per game from scrimmage and has scored five total TDs. The Arabians' area of concernthe last two weeks has been its defense, as the Arabians have allowed 49 and 52 points to New Palestine and Shelbyville, the latter a team that runs a similar offense to Mt. Vernon.
Scouting the Marauders: Speaking of scoring points, the Marauders have done so almost at will the last few weeks, especially in the second halves of games. MV is averaging 37 points per game, especially after a 44-14 thrashing of Rushville last week. The Marauders have scored more points this season in four games (150) than they did in 11 games last year (130). The Wing-T is back at MV, and it's been back in a big way. As is typical in a Wing-T attack, the Marauders have been spreading the ball around. Fullback Trey Ross is a yard shy of averaging 100 per game for the year and has scored 7 TDs. Halfbacks Zach McKinney and Evan Whalen combine for 142 yards per game. Throw in QB Austin Parker, who has a strong, accurate arm, and you have the makings of a pretty solid offense. Ross has run for 112, 119 and 125 yards the last three games. McKinney has rushed between 83 and 98 yards in all of MV's games so far. Parker's best game was against Connersville, where he completed 8-of-16 for 119 yards and 3 TDs, although he completed 4-of-6 last week against Rushville. MV's defense has also been solid of late, averaging 17 ppg allowed this season, but 11.3 the last three weeks, a number that includes a shutout of Yorktown. The Marauders' next win will be the 100th for Doug Peacock on the MV sidelines. He is the winningest coach in MV history.

We're looking forward to this game. It can be an offensive shootout, but it'll also be a great game between two teams that respect each other. We can't wait! Join us Friday night at 7 p.m. for the pregame show, which includes some insight from us, words from the deans of HHC coaching and more.

Other HHC games
Shelbyville (4-0/2-0) at Greenfield-Central (1-3/0-3), 7:30 p.m.: The Golden Bears aren't hurting fpr points -- they scored 52 last week and are the HHC's highest-scoring team with a 43 ppg average. One reason why is a multifaceted offensive attack, which Pendleton Heights tried to stop last week by packing the box. Instead, QB Kevin Prosch threw for 5 TDs. He also nearly ran for 100 yards, too. Patrick Ellis did break the century mark, as he does virtually every week. Meanwhile, the Cougars had a bizarre game against Yorktown. G-C led 7-0 and nearly took a two-score lead on the Tigers in the opening minutes, but a fumble on the 1-yard line -- the first of four turnovers by G-C -- prevented a score. Yorktown ended up rallying to take a third-quarter lead, but G-C answered with a 56-yard TD pass from Carl Ellison to Jon White. Sophomore wingback Matt Dickerson looked like a star in the making for the Cougars, as he set up the first score with a long run and was G-C's top offensive performer on the night. The Cougar defense also produced four takeaways in the first half. G-C has dropped all three conference games by a combined score of 91-17, but the Cougars were close to Delta for a couple of quarters and were tied with Yorktown midway through the fourth quarter last week.
Rushville (1-3/0-2) at New Palestine (2-2/1-1), 7:30 p.m.: Both teams are coming off losses last week -- Rushville falling to a solid Mt. Vernon squad and NP to a first-half flurry from Batesville at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Dragons had another big day from senior WR/RB Pat Feeney -- he amassed 198 yards from scrimmage -- but another bright spot was the play of QB Cary Albrecht, who completed 15-of-22 passes, including 13-of-15 in the second half. Batesville's power offense kept the Dragons off-balance for the first half, allowing them to build a big lead. That's something Rushville's veer offense will attempt to do as well. QB Spencer Comer is a solid athlete for the Lions, but to be successful, they'll have to bring down a 33.5 defensive scoring average. This is always an interesting game, despite records going in. Rushville won 41-23 last season. The year before, NP needed an interception return for a TD on the last play of the game to win.
Yorktown (3-1/2-1) at Delta (4-0/2-0), 7 p.m.: Needless to say, this is a big early game. Yorktown has managed to get the job done with some fourth-quarter plays late, while Delta has steamrolled its opponents so far. Delta's average score margin is 39-5 right now, and the Eagles have allowed two touchdowns all season -- none to HHC foes. Delta's Ozzie Mann has stepped in at QB and had a big year already. It helps when you have IU recruit Logan Young to throw to. The two hooked up for two of Delta's six first-half scores in a 42-10 win over Muncie South. They hooked up for 166 yards last week, and Mann completed 8-of-11 passes. Meanwhile, Yorktown comes in after its second second-half rally of the year. The Tigers scored 28 second-half points to beat Greenfield-Central 28-14. Big special-teams play by Brett Allison helped set up the winning score. RB Derek Kundenreich had his third 100-yard game of the year, and the Tigers' defense was solid again, with four takeaways and four sacks. They've had 11 sacks the last two weeks.
Other Hancock County games
Knightstown (3-1) at Eastern Hancock (0-4), 7 p.m.: These two teams got left without a conference after the WRAC's demise last season, but that doesn't mean this won't be a good game between these two old rivals. The Plow Share & Anvil Trophy currently rests in Knightstown's hands, and the Panthers have posted three straight convincing victories going into this meeting. Meanwhile, EH has played a strong strength of schedule -- its opponents are 13-7 so far -- but the Royals are being outscored by an average of 44-7 a game. However, nearly all of the Royals' remaining games are against Class A foes, so it'll be interesting to see how the first half of the year has prepared Mark Reddy's bunch.

HHC standings
Delta 2-0/4-0
Shelbyville 2-0/4-0
Mt. Vernon 2-0/3-1
Yorktown 2-1/3-1
New Palestine 1-1/2-2
Pendleton Heights 1-3/1-3
Rushville 0-2/1-3
Greenfield-Central 0-3/1-4

We're looking forward to this Friday's Game of the Week broadcast, and we hope you join us at 7 p.m. for PH @ MV!