Sectional Week 1

So far, a good night for the HHC. Five teams are through, and a sixth gave a really good showing.

No full game reports tonight ... we were unable to broadcast a game tonight due to IHSAA regulations regarding webcasts. We're working with some other online organizations to hopefully be in a position to bring tournament broadcasts to you in the future. Instead, yours truly was at Eastern Hancock covering the game for the local newspaper, and watching a great game between the Royals and Lapel, one won by Lapel 20-14 in a wild fourth quarter. Lapel won with a 23-yard pass by QB Sam Foust setting up a 1-yard touchdown run on third down, and won on a night when EH largely dominated play. The Royals had first-and-10 on the Lapel 11 in the final two minutes, and QB Steven Stunda had an enormous hole to run through, if he was able to beat the one Lapel defender who was rushing. He couldn't, and Lapel was able to hold on the rest of the way.

In 4A Sectional 13 play, 2/3 of the Hancock County schools are through. Mt. Vernon thumped New Castle 48-0, improving to 6-4 on the year. New Palestine is now 8-2 after backing up its regular-season victory over Pendleton Heights 41-21. The Dragons visit Arlington (6-4) next week.

In the other semifinal, MV will face Anderson Highland (6-4), which beat Greenfield-Central 36-6 tonight. The Cougars finish the year with a 1-9 mark. That game will be played on the FieldTurf at Anderson University's Macholtz Stadium.

Elsewhere in sectional play ... Delta (10-0) upended Fort Wayne South 21-7 in a battle of titans in Sectional 12. The Eagles will face a Muncie South team they beat handily earlier this season in the second round. FWS and Delta were the two prohibitive favorites in that sectional.

In 4A's Sectional 15, Shelbyville (8-2) beat Franklin County 34-14, and will move on to face South Dearborn next week. Should the Golden Bears survive, the big matchup looms in two weeks against East Central.

In 3A's Sectional 22, Rushville (4-6) avenged a regular-season loss to Greensburg by beating the Pirates 15-11. Yorktown fell to Hamilton Heights 20-14, but had a good showing for the 5-5 Tigers against a team that has 8 wins and has been getting poll votes all season. Rushville will host unbeaten Batesville next week. The Bulldogs had a bye.

HHC teams -- which had the best combined nonconference record in the state this season -- went 4-2 against non-conference competition tonight.

HHC next week (Friday, Oct. 30)
4A Sectional 12
Delta (10-0) at Muncie South (6-4)
4A Sectional 13
Mt. Vernon (6-4) at Anderson Highland (6-4) at Anderson University
New Palestine (8-2) at Arlington (6-4)
Eliminated: Greenfield-Central (1-9), Pendleton Heights (3-7)
4A Sectional 15
South Dearborn (5-5) at Shelbyville (8-2)
3A sectional 22
Batesville (9-0) at Rushville (4-6)
Eliminated: Yorktown (5-5)