IHSAA football midseason report: Five surprise teams to keep an eye on

Five surprising teams from Central Indiana at the midway point of the high school football season:

Greenfield-Central

Yes, we still have plenty to learn about the Class 4A fifth-ranked Cougars, who host New Palestine this week. But a 5-0 start for the first time since the 1973 team won the Class 2A state championship is something to celebrate. Coach Travis Nolting has the program moving in the right direction in his fifth season, including back-to-back 7-4 seasons. The road to a Hoosier Heritage Conference title — and likely a sectional title in Sectional 22 — will go through New Palestine. The Cougars knocked off both Mt. Vernon and Pendleton Heights for the first time in the same season since 2008.

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Hamilton Heights

The Huskies were clearly trending up after an 8-3 season, but have avenged losses from last season to North Montgomery and Western on the way to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2011. Coach Jon Kirschner, in his sixth season, has an outstanding senior quarterback in Bodie Derrer (792 passing yards, seven TDs; four rushing TDs) and a defense that has allowed only 26 points total this season and shut out its past three opponents. The unfortunate part for 3A seventh-ranked Hamilton Heights is No. 1 Bishop Chatard and No. 4 Guerin Catholic are in the same Sectional 28 field.

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Pendleton Heights

The Arabians (3-2) have lost two in a row and it might be three with a difficult game Friday night at Hoosier Heritage Conference rival Mt. Vernon. But Pendleton Heights is clearly more competitive than it has been the past two seasons and could be a sleeper in Class 4A Sectional 22, though Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon and New Palestine are part of that eight-team field. The Arabians have forced 18 turnovers in five games. Crazy stat: senior linebacker Dresden Roberts had 23 of his 48 tackles against Greenfield-Central. The schedule sets up for a strong finish to the regular season.

Perry Meridian

The Falcons are “only” 2-3 but that number does not really reflect the whole story. Perry Meridian, coming off a 4-7 season, nearly knocked off Franklin (26-20 overtime loss) and Plainfield (21-20 loss) before taking down Whiteland last week. The Falcons are not far off from being 4-1 going into this week’s game at Greenwood, so there is clear progress in Brett Cooper’s fourth season as coach. Junior Byron Hon (19 catches for 390 yards and four TDs) has emerged as a playmaker and the defense, led by junior linebacker Andy Warren (77 tackles), is a strength. The schedule is tough down the stretch, but there is a chance for the first .500 season since 2015.

Plainfield

Plainfield was expected to build off last year’s sectional championship (the first for the Quakers since 2000), but maybe a 5-0 record and No. 4 ranking in Class 5A is a bit of a surprise, especially with coach Tyler Bless in his first season. Plainfield has a pair of one-point wins over Harrison (West Lafayette) and Perry Meridian and are alone in first place in the Mid-State Conference going into Friday’s game at Decatur Central. The Quakers have playmakers on both sides of the ball and confidence to make a tourney run, though it is a tough sectional with Harrison and Decatur Central.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school football: 5 surprise teams at 2023 midway point