Here are 5 storylines to watch around South Bend as the 2023 high school football begins

Monday, July 31 was a big day on the 2023 IHSAA sports calendar.

Along with the start of girls golf contests, practices began for other fall sports. This includes football, as teams count down the days until opening night Aug. 18.

Here are five storylines to follow as fall football practices start:

Will Penn be 'Penn' again this year?

After a pair of .500 seasons, Penn regained some of its familiar form in 2022, going 7-2 in the regular season before a first-round loss to eventual state runner-up Fort Wayne Carroll in the 6A playoffs.

It’s been a rare stretch of frustration for the program, dating back to 2018. One of the most successful programs in state history, Penn has mustered just one outright NIC division championship (2022) and one sectional title (2021) in the past five years. The five seasons prior saw the Kingsmen win 12 games in each campaign, making it to the 6A state title game in 2017 and 2015 and semi-state in 2016, 2014 and 2013.

If there was a year that Penn could return to its old ways, it’d be this year. given the experience coming back for the Kingsmen. First-team all-NIC East-West Division selections returning include six seniors in quarterback Nolan McCullough, center Auden Jones, tight end Gage Goralski, running back Jake Balis, safety Tommy Powlus and defensive back Taylor Bauer.

More: See who made the South Bend Tribune's high school football All-Area team in 2022

They also have four second-team selections back in wide receiver Elijah Coker, offensive lineman Dougie Searles, linebacker Jackson Griffith and defensive back Dominic Bonner.

McCullough might be the key for Penn this year, combining for 24 touchdowns (10 passing, 14 rushing) in 2022. If he can take another step with his performance, the Kingsmen could be staring down a deep postseason run.

Can NorthWood have a postseason breakthrough?

Like Penn, NorthWood has a tradition-rich football program, winning 18 sectionals, 11 regionals, six semi-states and one state championship (Class 3A, 2005). However, the Panthers have not brought home a postseason trophy since 2016, losing in sectional championship games in 2018 and 2022 after entering both contests with an 11-0 record.

NorthWood players, coaches and fans are hopeful this will be the year to end that drought. There’s a lot to be excited about as well, especially on the offensive side. The team’s leading passer, rusher and receiver from last year are set to return in seniors Owen Roeder, Wes Yoder and NiTareon Tuggle. Roeder threw for 1,827 yards and 27 touchdowns in 10 appearances, while Yoder rushed for 914 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games.

Tuggle wasn’t expected to be back, as the University of Georgia commit announced in April that he’d be transferring to IMG Academy in Florida. However, due to a new transfer rule instituted at IMG, Tuggle has made the choice to return to NorthWood for his senior year. He lived up to the “Nitro” nickname as a junior with 792 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 185 yards and two scores, throwing two touchdown passes on trick plays and returning two kickoffs for touchdowns.

The Panthers also received some help when Jo’Ziah Edmond, previously at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, moved into the school district in January. Edmond committed to Purdue earlier this summer and will play both wide receiver and defensive back for NorthWood this fall.

Replacing some strong players on defense, notably Ball State signee Ethan Evers, will be NorthWood’s biggest hurdle to having another big season. They are expected to contend for the Northern Lakes Conference title, alongside Mishawaka and Warsaw.

New Prairie has emerged as top local program. Will it continue?

New Prairie has won double-digit games in three of the last four seasons, including an appearance in the 4A state championship game a season ago.

Related: East Central runs through New Prairie for 4A IHSAA state football title

While quarterback Marshall Kmiecik returns for New Prairie, the Cougars will have to replace the production of Noah Mungia, who rushed for 1,920 yards and 21 touchdowns a season ago. Kmiecik is no stranger to running the ball as well, totaling 1,383 yards on the ground and 15 scores.

New Prairie didn’t throw the ball much last year, but they will still have to replace its top pass-catcher in Dallas Ryans (25 receptions, 524 yards, four touchdowns). Defensively, the graduations of Tayvion Ortman (144 tackles) and Nathan Andrysiak (96 tackles) will be hard to replace, but a talented junior returns in Hayden Scott, who had 102 tackles as a sophomore.

Will South Bend Riley take the next step?

Football in South Bend has been down in recent seasons. The last sectional championship to come from within city limits was Saint Joseph in 2015. Washington hasn’t won one since 2011, Clay since 2002 and Riley since 1992. Adams is still chasing its first sectional crown.

On paper, Riley will have the best chance in 2023 to break that streak. Quarterback Austin White is back for his junior season after throwing for 1,346 yards and 15 touchdowns in nine games last year. Playmaker Robert Nabieu returns for his senior season as well. Nabieu had 591 yards rushing and six touchdowns on offense to go along with 78 tackles on defense. Justin Smith, who had 94 tackles, and Marques Young, who had five sacks, return to anchor the Wildcats defense.

From last season: Austin White at the face of SB Riley's revival

Which team is due for a bounce-back season?

A few traditionally strong programs look to bounce back from disappointing 2022 campaigns.

Mishawaka Marian was 2-8 last year after reaching the 3A semi-state game three-straight seasons. A young Knights roster wasn’t helped by a slew of injuries. Their only wins were against Culver Academy and South Bend Adams. Almost every key contributor last year is back, including quarterback Bryce LaSane.

Concord won the NLC in 2021, then struggled to a 5-6 mark in 2022. The Minutemen started 1-3, but were able to play better down the stretch before Mishawaka ended their season in a 5A sectional championship game. Hudson Glantz returns at quarterback for the Minutemen, as well as running back Shamon Wells-Moore and defensive players Joseph Moon and Cody Byler.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Indiana IHSAA high school football top South Bend area storylines