Week 4 football

Some good games this weekend ... OK, some great games. Unfortunately, we can only do one on HancockCountySports.com.

Our game of the week (LISTEN LIVE HERE) is Batesville (2-1) at New Palestine (2-1)
Airtime: 7 p.m.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
(also available in-stadium at AM 1630).

This is one of my favorite matchups of the year, and it's unfortunate that it's the last of a pretty good eight-year series. Batesville has won seven sectionals since 2001, NP has won three, and both are defending sectional champs. NP has put together back-to-back impressive games -- beating Pendleton Heights 20-3 after knocking off Delta two weeks ago -- and the Dragons have done it with a bruising ground game. Senior Austin Cahoy and QB Brett Jackson led the way running the ball last week, while sophomore Matt Siergiej did so two weeks ago with 150+-yard game. Batesville graduated QB Connor Kelley last year, but RB Connor Jeffers -- who had 112 yards last week in a 29-0 win over South Dearborn, is back, as are several other players with some serious varsity experience. QB Brady Cavinee was perfect throwing the ball in the season opener against Jennings County two weeks ago, but don't expect him to put it up much. Batesville loves to run the ball with the Wing-T and single-wing offenses. I'd put the over-under on passes thrown Friday at, well, about 5. Both teams love to run the ball, and we'll see some pretty good football from both of those teams.

Elsewhere in Hancock County
Rushville (2-1, 0-1) at Mt. Vernon (2-1, 1-1): The Marauders were very impressive in rolling up 44 first-half points against Connersville last week. MV can spread the ball around on offense -- QB Austin Parker was a perfect 7-for-7 last week, while RB Zach McKinney ran for 85 yards in one half of play, and WB Corey White ran a kickoff back for a TD for the third time in two weeks. MV's defense has been pretty stingy for the last five halves it's played, and this team is coming together pretty quickly. Rushville QB Spencer Comer is one of the conference's best athletes running the veer-option attack, and the Lions have their best team in quite some time. Rushville fell 34-27 to Shelbyville last week, but the Lions mounted a significant comeback after being down by 20 points.

Yorktown (0-3, 0-2) at Greenfield-Central (1-2, 0-2): G-C raised a lot of eyebrows last week when it fell to Delta 6-0, but had the ball inside the 20 yard line with a chance to win late. The Cougars have one of the HHC's most dangerous athletes in Matt Dickerson, and they're coming together fairly quickly, with an impressive defensive performance last week. Delta scored on the first drive, and G-C held the Eagles scoreless the rest of the game, forcing seven fumbles. Yorktown has one of the HHC's top backs in Derek Kundenreich, who combines with speedster Brendon Barnes to provide a Mr. Inside-Mr. Outside running game.

Milan (2-1, 0-0 MIFC) at Eastern Hancock (0-3, 0-3 MIFC)
Milan had an impressive win in Week 2, beating Batesville 19-14. The Royals' brutal start to the schedule continues -- they've played three teams widely believed to be the contenders in the MIFC, with Milan being the fourth. Mark Reddy's squad should be battle-tested after these first four weeks.

Elsewhere in the HHC
Pendleton Heights (2-1, 2-1) at Shelbyville (2-1, 1-0): PH has had an impressive start, although it was stopped last week against New Palestine. The Arabians' Mitch Patishall can toss it around the field, while RB Dezmon Nunn can score at anytime. Nunn and Shelbyville's Patrick Ellis are two of the most dangerous players in the league, and seeing them carry the mail will be fun.

Muncie South (2-1) at Delta (2-1): Muncie South knocked off Yorktown 28-7 last week and showed its stripes. After a Week 2 loss and a near-defeat in Week 3, the Eagles will be looking to have a good showing this week, led by QB Ozzie Mann and RB Zach Overfield.