IHSAA football preview: Class A predictions, top players in Central Indiana
Lutheran is the team to beat. Can anyone do it? The back-to-back Class A state champion Saints take a 30-game winning streak into the season and coach Dave Pasch has enough talent and experience coming back to make Lutheran the preseason favorite once again.
Three regular-season games that will shape Class A:
Triton Central at Lutheran, Sept. 1: The Saints do not play another Class A opponent during the season, but this game could decide the Indiana Crossroads Conference race — or at least put the winner in a good position.
Shenandoah at Park Tudor, Sept. 15: Park Tudor’s schedule is not as challenging as it was last year, but this game against 2A Shenandoah could be a good test. The Panthers won their first sectional last year since 2005 before running into North Judson in the regional.
Sheridan at Eastern (Greentown), Oct. 6: Sheridan won the Hoosier Heartland Conference last year on the strength of a 35-27 win over Class 2A Eastern and this game could again decide the league race. The Blackhawks are also coming off their first sectional title in a decade.
IHSAA football preview: Everything you need to know for 2023 season
(In order of projected finish; records from 2022)
Sectional 42
Park Tudor (9-4): Coach Spencer Summerville (24-19 in four seasons) will lean on senior quarterback and Harvard recruit D.J. Gordon (2,065 passing yards, 32 TDs; 572 rushing yards, 10 TDs) to lead an offense that will be young in some key spots. Senior Cason Ritz (18 catches, 214 yards, three TDs) is the top returning receiving target for the Panthers. The leader on defense is senior linebacker Will Harris (152 tackles, six tackles for loss). Senior Nolan Whitehead (41 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks) will also play a key role on defense. The Panthers have not posted three consecutive winning seasons since 2003-05.
North Vermillion (6-5)
Clinton Prairie (5-5)
Fountain Central (4-7)
Covington (3-7)
Clinton Central (0-10)
Attica (0-10)
Sectional 45
Sheridan (11-2): All-time state coaching wins leader Bud Wright (447-209 overall record going into 59th season, all but one at Sheridan) has a team that will be young along the offensive and defensive lines, but has experience at the skill positions. Junior Caleb Alexander (455 passing yards, five TDs; 290 rushing yards, six TDs) is the returning starter at quarterback. Also returning is senior running back Zach Bales (636 rushing yards, 10 TDs), senior running back Eli Kolb (214 rushing yards, three TDs), senior receivers Trent DeCraene (11 catches, 154 yards) and Erich Retz, junior offensive linemen Charlie Merriman and Eddie Muir and junior kicker Owen Bell. Linebacker Bales (143 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks) is joined by linebacker Kolb (88 tackles, nine tackles for loss) and DeCraene (84 tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions) and junior Alex Cravens (88 tackles) as returning starters in the secondary.
Hagerstown (7-5)
Monroe Central (5-4)
Tindley (3-8): Fourth-year coach Melvin Graham (10-19 record) has a team that will be led by senior quarterback Deon Richmond (55.4% passer, 1,232 passing yards, 11 TDs; 102 rushing yards, three TDs in nine games). The Tigers bounced back from an 0-7 start to last season to win three in a row at the end of the regular season.
Wes-Del (1-9)
Union City (2-8)
Sectional 46
North Decatur (13-1)
Milan (5-6)
Tri (8-2)
South Decatur (5-5)
Edinburgh (4-5): The Lancers lose 14 seniors from last year’s team, but fifth-year coach Tyler DeSpain (13-26 record) believes a standard for higher expectations should lead to success. Edinburgh’s top offensive players will be junior running back Jackson Hartwell, junior quarterback Caleb Murphy (1,230 passing yards, 11 TDs), junior receiver Jared Myers and senior receiver Gabe Bennett. Expected standouts on defense will be linebacker Hartwell (56 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks), cornerback Myers and free safety Bennett.
Knightstown (3-8)
Cambridge City Lincoln (0-10)
Sectional 47
Lutheran (15-0): The Saints are coming off back-to-back 15-0 seasons and Class A state championships. Can coach Dave Pasch (138-53 record in 15 seasons) keep the Saints on track for another trip to Lucas Oil Stadium? There is a lot of talent returning on offense with junior quarterback Jackson Willis (70.5% passer, 4,169 yards, 55 TDs) returning with senior running back Braydon Hall (117 rushing yards, three TDs), senior tackle Taurean Langston, junior receiver DeVuan Jones (54 catches, 922 yards, 12 TDs) and junior receiver LJ Ward (18 catches, 376 yards, eight TDs). The defense will be led by senior outside linebacker Jonny Hall (111 tackles, six tackles for loss, four interceptions), senior defensive end Gavin Mimms (41 tackles, four tackles for loss), defensive back Ward (62 tackles, five interceptions) and junior cornerback Javarrea Cooper.
Covenant Christian (8-4): Coach Evan Cottle (15-9 in two seasons) is excited about his team, which will be young across the offensive line but has a promising young quarterback in sophomore Connor Cruz (265 passing yards, three TDs in seven games) and some experience at the skill positions in junior Noah Bryant (494 rushing yards, eight TDs) and senior receivers Luke Munoz (20 catches, 427 yards, three TDs) and Landen Ross (17 catches, 302 yards, four TDs). Senior Logan Reffeitt anchors the offensive line. The defense brings back key players in senior linebacker Nolan Jones (61 tackles), senior cornerback Carter Bell (44 tackles) and senior tackle Nick Bartels. Covenant Christian has been knocked out the past two seasons in the sectional championship by Lutheran.
South Putnam (7-3)
Riverton Parke (8-3)
Parke Heritage (1-9)
North Central (Farmersburg) (1-8)
Cloverdale (1-9)
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school football preview Class A predictions, top players
